3 0620 00631 THE

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T H E H O M E L I F E OF I H E A NCI EN T E G Y PTI A \ S
A P I C T I RI BOOK

T H E M E T R O P O L I T A N M U S E U M OF ART

THE HOME OF THE ANCIENT

LIFE

EGYPTIANS

BY N O R A E. S C O T T

Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
ECCLESIASTES 1:10

NEW Y O R K

MCMXLV

Copyright by The Metropolitan Museum of Art June, 1945

ON THE COVER:

A girl anointing Indies at a banquet. From a wall painting. About 1400

B.C.

II tl* tit T I T

1. A gardener drawing water from a pool. Restoration of a wall paititing. About 1250 B.C.

INTRODUCTION
The Egyptians are one of the most attractive peoples of antiquity, both in character and in manner of life. It was their industry which, in prehistoric times, had reclaimed their fertile land from the swamps which edged the Nile. Endless industry kept the fields green, and in return they produced food and Hax in abundance. The surrounding deserts provided stone and metal. The Egyptian was proud of his country, and the foreign conquests of the more warlike rulers did not really interest him. He was happy to stay at home with his family, passing his leisure hours in his well-appointed house and shady garden and enjoying an occasional day's hunting in the desert or fishing or fowling on the river. Conditions of life along the Nile have changed extraordinarily little since the days of the earliest Pharaohs. The long, secluded valley dominated by the river and the desert has exerted the same powerful influence on all who have dwelt in it. The Egyptian of dynastic times was very like his modern descendant in his practical common sense combined with superstition, his innate conservatism and distrust of novelty, but above all in his cheerful disposition and love of fun. Things have always been done in the traditional way in Egypt, and this is true to such an extent' that we can often interpret ancient pictures by present-day customs. Changes and developments did, of course, occur, but they add comparatively little to an understanding of Egyptian life; we have therefore for the most part disregarded them here. The objects illustrated are from the Museum's collections and are typical of the possessions of the well-to-do.

2. An official with liis wife and daughter and a maidservant. About 1300 B.C. H.

THE FAMILY
The Egyptian family was a closely knit unit in ancient times, as it is today. It was customary to picture a man's wife and children on his stela (gravestone), and often his parents and grandparents are mentioned if they are not actually represented. The mother is shown more frequently than the father, as descent was traced through the female line. As a rule a man had only one wife, who went about freely and suffered from none of the restrictions imposed upon women of the modern Near East. T h e sage Ptah-hotpe enjoined: "If thou art a man of note, found for thyself a household, and love thy wife. Feed her and clothe her and give her ointment for her limbs. Gladden her heart so long as she liveth. . . . Hold her back from getting the mastery." No marriage contracts have been preserved, but in the later periods, at least, financial settlements were drawn up at the time of the wedding. Because of the desire to keep property in the family, sister-and-brother marriages were not unusual. The Egyptians were extremely fond and proud of their children. Each child was named at birth, frequently in honor of a god or the king. Often names refer to qualities; some recall flowers, trees, or animals; some express the parents' joy over their child. Little Egyptians had toys much like our own to play with (fig. 30) and pets to keep them company. Children were often allowed to accompany their parents to grown-up parties; we see them quietly seated at family dinners, no less excited than their elders at public ceremonies, and "helping" their fathers with their equipment on fishing and fowling expeditions. When it was possible boys were sent to the classes of some local scribe to learn how to read and writenecessary accomplishments for an official career; and, as we see from the exercises which they were given to copy, they were also taught good manners, respect for their parents, honesty, humility, and self-control. As they grew older boys often prepared to inherit their fathers' offices; just as often a clever boy who was the son of poor parents was able 10 rise to a high position, for there was no prejudice in ancient Egypt against the self-made man.

THE HOUSE
Egyptian houses were of two types, the town house and the country house. T h e town house, occupying a small plot but several stories high, was to be found not only in cities but even in villages, where a comparatively large number of dwellings might be crowded together on the only piece of ground available for building. The development of both houses and towns was strongly influenced by the climate and geography of Egypt. Towns had to be near the riverthe highway and the source of water and yet not encroach upon the narrow strip of fertile land which edged it. T h e scarcity of rain allowed the use of unfired mud brick as the almost universal material for buildings other than temples (which were intended to last forever). As a result, most of the ancient houses have long ago crumbled away. We can guess that in the great cities the fashionable districts were close to the palace and conveniently near the important temples. It is likely that the houses were built in pairs back to back. Often they must have opened directly on the street; sometimes there was room, in front or at the sides, for two or three shrubs. It is difficult to reconstruct these town houses. They are very rarely shown in paintings, and when they are, we cannot be certain that we are interpreting the ancient conventions correctly. T h e only picture (not illustrated) which gives us any real information about the interior shows three stories and an open roof, connected by a staircase. T h e living rooms of the master and his family seem to be upstairs and at the back of the house, away from the dust and noise of the street. T h e servants' quarters are in front and on the street level. Some kitchen activities are carried on here and others on the roof, where the attendant odors and heat are kept out of the way. The windows, as was always the case, are placed high in the walls and covered with latticework. (Because of the heat and glare outside it was not desirable to have windows which admitted much sunshine; sometimes the only light came through the door.) A widespread, one-storied dwelling with open courts, surrounded by gardens was, however, the Egyptian ideal, and wealthy officials liked to live in such bungalows when spending their leisure time on their country estates. A typical country house had its main living room in the center, higher than the surrounding rooms and ventilated by clerestory windows; often there were additional ventilators in the roof to catch the north wind. T h e sleeping quarters were behind the living room, and in front of it was a loggia. An open porch above the loggia overlooked the garden. Figure 3 shows a country estate as it appeared from the road. T h e whole property is contained by a wall. T h e master's entrance is at the left; it leads to the main house, which is of mud brick like the wall, but painted to resemble masonry. Unlike most country dwellings, this house is two-storied; the height of the ground floor has been exaggerated in order that we may see its windows above the wall. We are probably looking at the side, for the artist has given no indication of the front door but neither has he bothered to show us the portico and loggias which we should have expected to find. T h e servants' quarters, a whitewashed building with a low dome, lies at the right and is reached by an entrance in the wall. Between it and the house are two silos. T h e garden, except for a single tamarisk tree, is not shown here. It consisted of a pool with symmetrically arranged trees and bushes around it. T h e owner was proud of his estate and has left us a catalogue of "his fine trees in his western garden," mentioning over 450 trees and vines. In order to appreciate the size of this estate we must remember that trees were seldom allowed on the valuable agricultural land. They grew at the edge of the desert, but as near the cultivation as possible because they had to be watered constantly (fig. 1). Therefore they were all of varieties which would repay the trouble it had cost to grow them, and were chosen for their value as timber, for their fruit, or for their shade.

3. A two-storied country house with its outbuildings. Two gates in the surrounding wall open on a road. Facsimile of a wall painting. About r20o B.C.

1. A detail of the porch shown in support the large crossbeams of the plaster. The crossbeams are painted off the occasional rain and prevent

figure 5. Columns representing lotus buds and papyrus roof. On these are laid smaller poles covered with mud with yellow stars on a blue ground. Waterspouts carry it from injuring the color on the walls and columns.

5. An ancient model of the porch of a country house, the garden which lies in front of it, and the wall which surrounds the whole estate. The garden consists of a pool (lined with copper so that it could really hold water) edged with sycamore fig trees. There are two doors and a window in the ivall behind the columns. About 2000 B.C W. 77 in.

6. A brewer straining mash. About 2500 B.c. H. 1 j in. the contents had been tampered with.) Linen, each piece carefully marked in the corner with the owner's name, was kept in baskets or wooden chests. In the hot, dusty climate of Egypt a plentiful supply was necessary. Herodotus tells us that Egyptian linen was "constantly fresh washed, and they pay particular attention to this." It was sent to be laundered in the river or a canal, usually by professional washermen. T h e staple foods were meat, poultry and fish, bread and cakes of different sorts, animal and vegetable fats, and fruits and vegetables, cooked, dried, and fresh. Honey and dates were used for sweetening. Beer, wine, and milk were the common beverages. Beer and bread were usually prepared at the same time, as the same dough was used for both. Wine was made at the vineyard. Large estates were practically self-supporting, but the small householder had to go to market for supplies. Payment was made in kind as the Egyptians did not use minted money. One painting shows a woman who has set up a refreshment stand on the shore and is trading with sailors from a boat. Her price for two cakes seems to be a sack of grain. Many native Egyptians earned their living by working for their wealthier neighbors; but one result of foreign conquests was the employment of slave labor. A papyrus of the reign of Ramesses II describes the purchase of a Syrian slave girl for 13 ounces of silver, evidently the standard of values at that time. This was paid, not in bullion, but in its equivalent of six copper or bronze pots and some linen. A papyrus of 120 years later gives us what was apparently the top price for a bull 410 ounces of copper, paid in copper, linen, grain, a necklace, and a cow. Piles of linen and extra pots must have been kept on hand to use as a medium of exchange. This system was the cause of very complicated bookkeeping and of frequent law-suits of the sort in which modern Egyptian villagers are apt to become involved.

HOUSEKEEPING
The Egyptian lady was faced with the same duties and problems as any modern housewife keeping her house clean and her linen laundered, marketing and preparing food and drink, and managing her servants. Kitchen equipment did not differ fundamentally from our own. Cooking vessels were of many sizes and shapes, usually of pottery, sometimes of metal; they were placed directly on the fire or in clay ovens. T h e fuel employed for cooking was wood and charcoal, and sometimes dried manure, as in modern Egypt; if the fire was allowed to go out it had to be rekindled with a bow drill. Lamps were most frequently saucers holding a wick and oil. Egyptian houses were provided with neither cupboards nor chests of drawers, and so containers for household equipment were a necessity. All large establishments had special storerooms in which rows of labeled jars, each sealed with the owner's seal, were arranged. (The housewife had no way of locking her containers, but the seal at least told her when

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and brewing

in the kitchen

of a large estate. An ancient

model.

About

2000 B.C.

9. Storage containers: a basket and a chest for linen, jars for oil and wine, and a basket (with woven decoration) in which the loaves, fruit cake, and saucers of dates and raisins beside it were found. The sealing on the oil jar bears the name of Queen Hat-shepsut. On the shoulder is a description of the contents and the date, ryoo-1300 B.C. H. of oil jar 25 in.

10. Kitchen utensils: behind are a jug, a wickerwork tray on a stand, a bowl used as a lamp. a brazier, a bronze cooking pot, a jar in which is a bronze sucker with a strainer at its lower end, and a brewer's vat: in front are a straw whisk, a wickerwork sieve, and three parts of a foe drill (the bow is missing). 2400 B.C.A.D. 600. H. of vat 12 in.

f ZA L

II. Servants carrying furniture.

Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1380 B.C.

FURNITURE
The climate of Egypt did not encourage the Egyptians to clutter their rooms with furniture, but beds, chairs, and stools were to be found in well-equipped houses. Light stands of cane were more usual than wooden tables, and, as mentioned above, chests and baskets took the place of cupboards and drawers. Mats of woven rushes covered the floors. Very little native wood could be used for carpentry; this consisted chiefly of acacia and sycamore fig, which provided only short planks. However, large timbers of coniferous woods were being imported from Syria by the beginning of the IV Dynasty. Metal tools, which became available at the end of the prehistoric period, made fine cabinet work possible. Among the constructions used by the Egyptians were the mortise and tenon joint, the miter joint, dovetailing, and veneer; one example of plywood is known. The Egyptians liked to sleep in a sloping position, and until the XVIII Dynasty most beds were higher at the head than at the foot; a footboard prevented the sleeper from slipping clown (cf. fig. 30). "Springs" were usually of interlaced cord, which has a certain amount of give; folded sheets took the place of mattresses. T h e Egyptians were proud of their beds, which they considered a mark of refinement. Sinuhe, an adventurer who wrote his autobiography about 1950 B.C. speaks of his pleasure at sleeping on a bed again after many years in foreign lands. Nevertheless, beds were always comparatively rare, and a "headrest," a prop of about the same height as the shoulder, was the greatest necessity for a good night's sleep; this is still the case among primitive African peoples. Egyptians who possessed beds used a headrest as well; sometimes soft cushions stuffed with feathers were put behind the back, but these have rarely been preserved. Fashions in chairs changed from time to time, the height of legs, back, and arms varying with the period. T h e example shown in figure 12 was made at a time when legs of chairs were so short that the users had to sit in a contracted position; this seemed natural to a people who were fond of crouching on the ground. Chairs of a height which we should think more comfortable are represented above and in figure 2. Stools, too, were made in different heights and were both rigid and folding. Footstools are shown in figure 2.

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14. A pitcher and basin (h. 4 in), a towel, and a vase. 2400-1800 B.C. Ancient flowers and leaves.

TABLEWARE
As the Egyptians had only primitive methods of lighting their houses, they started the day early and went to bed soon after sunset. Dinner, except for the workers in the fields, was probably in the middle of the day, and a light supper was eaten shortly before retiring. The guests at an Egyptian meal did not sit down around one table. Important personages were given individual stands with their own supplies of food and drink. The less important laid their dishes on the floor beside them. No cutlery was used at meals. The vessels in which food and drink were served were of a wide variety, but the different shapes had definite uses. For instance, the little maid in figure 20 carries two jugs of the sort which held the strong essences added to food and drink as it was being served. T h e lady she is helping holds a "dinner plate," and the girl on the cover carries a footed dish such as was commonly used to hold the cones of ointment worn'on the head on festive occasions. Pottery vessels were the most usual; they were often of elegant shapes and sometimes were decorated with painted designs. Copper and bronze dishes were abundant since they were also used as a form of currency. Bright blue and green faience, glass of countless hues, and dazzling alabaster contrasted with gold and silver at the banquets of the wealthy. At meal times servants took around pitchers and basins to wash the hands of the guests and "Turkish" towels to dry them. Quantities of flowers were always to be lound in Egyptian homes. Bowls and vases had special contrivances to keep the heavy blossoms of the lotus in place. Guests were presented with formal bouquets, and garlands were placed around their shoulders; sometimes these were made of brightly colored faience instead of real flowers. As he looked at the magnificence around him many a poor relation must have thought of the advice of Ptab-botpe: "If you are one that sits near the table of a man who is greater than you, take, when he gives, that which is set before you. Look not at what lies before him, but look at what lies before you Cast down your countenance until he greets you, and speak only when he has greeted you. Laugh when he laughs."

15. Tableware: bronze vessels of various shapes. 1580-745 B.C Diam. of basin 18 in.

If). Tableware: vessels ol pottery and faience, and (left) four small bottles of glass. The faience bottle (right: li. 10 in.) bears the names of Akh-en-Aten and his queen. 1580-1090 B.C

17. Tableware of ladies of the court of Thut-mose III. These vessels arc of gold and silver and of glass and alabaster mounted in gold. About 1450 B.C H. of canister 7 in.

18. Tableware of alabaster. The jug at the left, shaped like a brewer's vat, bears the name of Pepy lis mother, and the goblet at the right (h. 5I/0 in.) that of Akh-en-Aten. 3000-1300 B.C.

19. Tableware: part of the silver and gold plate of Rarnesses II. The strainers (center and right front) were used for wine as it was being sensed. Diam. of bowl 8 in. About /250 B.C

20. Ladies at a party being sewed with food and drink. The little maid (drawn in an unusual position) advises them to "make holiday." Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1450 B.C.

TOILET AND DRESS

Since very few made-up garments have been preserved and because the evidence of the ancient paintings and sculptures is not reliable, our knowledge of Egyptian costume is incomplete. Artists drew the clothes of their subjects as they made the most attractive pictures, not as they really looked. Moreover, certain costumes were represented long after they had ceased to be fashionable for everyday use (just as our statesmen used to be shown in Roman togas); therefore we cannot be certain when styles changed. But as a rule we can say that new fashions originated in court circles and were gradually adopted by lesser officials and then by artisans, so that eventually the aristocracy felt it necessary to adopt other styles. The general tendency was towards greater and greater elaboration. All the actual garments we know are linen. T h e Egyptians wore woolen cloaks when nec : essary for warmth, but wool was never placed in the tombs, probably because of its attraction for larvae. Silk and cotton were unknown. We cannot discuss the fluctuations of style or the variations caused by difference of occupation. The typical masculine garment was the skirt, consisting of a straight piece of cloth twisted around the body and tied at the waist. The length, fullness, and methods of adjusting varied from time to time. Shirts, although not depicted until the New Kingdom, were worn at all periods; often, however, the upper part of the body was left bare. In the New Kingdom both shins and skirts became long and full. Women of the Old Kingdom wore straight, tight slips held up by bands over the shoulders. Some dresses were colored, but white was more usual; occasionally a white dress had a patterned border. Often the suspenders were of beadwork to match the parure of collar, bracelets, and anklets which completed the costume. In the Middle Kingdom women were still depicted in slips just like those they had worn 1000 years earlier, except that patterned materials are frequently shown. It is likely, however, that the more voluminous robes usually associated with the New Kingdom were already in vogue. But it was not until nearly 1400 B.C that artists first showed the elaborately draped garments of diaphanous linen which continued to be the fashion thereafter. White clothing for both men and women was now the rule; this was often set off by colored sashes and brilliant jewelry. Footwear was limited to sandals of plaited rushes or of leather; however, both men and women, even those of the upper classes, often preferred to go barefoot. Before the Egyptians were ready to appear for the day a great deal of care had been spent on their toilet. T h e better houses had shallow baths in which the owner stood while water was poured over him; soda was the cleansing agent. T o counteract the drying effect of the soda, and of the sun and dust, perfumed oils were rubbed into the skin. T h e eyelids were painted with kohl, which is antiseptic as well as decorative. Ladies colored their lips and cheeks with rouge, and stained their nails with henna. These cosmetics were kept in jars and boxes which were among the most highly prized products of the Egyptian craftsman. Men were usually clean-shaven; both men and women used bronze razors and tweezers, which came in sets with hair curlers and gritstone hones. Wigs were often worn, by both men and women, but some ladies preferred to pad out their own hair with false braids; these were kept in baskets with sweet-smelling woods. Kerchiefs were occasionally worn 10 protect these elaborate coiffures from the dust. Combs and hairpins were used in dressing the hair. While her maid was arranging her locks the Egyptian lady admired herself in a mirror of polished bronzeor, if she were unusually fortunate, of silver. There were no dressing tables, and toilet articles were put away in special chests. T h e proper place for these was under the bed, but often a lady is shown with one beside her chair, ready for a last minute touching-tip.

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21. A girl carrying offerings of food. About 2000 B.C H. 44 in.

22. A shawl, a head kerchief, a shirt, and two pairs of sandals, one a baby's. The kerchief, worn over a wig or the natural hair, is semicircular and has a rolled edge. It fastens with ties at the back <>l the head. The shirt, which belonged to a child, ties at the neck and is fringed along the bottom. 1500-330 B.C.

23. An official of the New Kingdom and his wife. The man wears a kilted skirt, wrapped around him and tied in front. The upper part of his body is bare. The lady's dress is one long piece of material, -wrapped and tied and falling in soft folds or pleats. Both have the jnll -wigs of tlie period and bare feet. 1300-1200 B.C H. (> in.

24. 'A woman having her hair dressed while she nurses a child. About ipoo B.C. H. 3 in.

25. Jars for cosmetic oils and a slate dish. The latter is divided into compartments by a clever use of the f ankh sign. The jar in the form of a monkey clasping a baby monkey (h. 7 in.) bears the name of King Mer-en-Rec, and the jar with the cover that of Pepy I. 3200-2300 B.C

26. A mirror, false hair, a xvig, combs, pins, curlers, razors, tweezers, and a hone.

2OOO-745 B.C.

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2/. Toilet articles of the daughter of S'en-Wosret II, with a facsimile of a contemporary painting. The jewelry of this princess, of which a girdle and matching anklets are shown here, is the outstanding example of the art of the Egyptian goldsmith. 1900-1850 B C

28. Jars for cosmetics. All are of blue marble. 2000-1800 B.C H. of jar in form of ducks 8 in.

29. Containers for cosmetics with a photograph of a painting. 1450-1350 B.C. H. of jar 0 in.

30. Children's toys, and a feeding cup and cow-shaped rattle. 2100-700 B.C L. of bed 12 in.

GAMES AND TOYS

There were many attractive ways in which evidently resembled the modern parchesi. the busy Egyptian official could pass his spare Young people, too, were well supplied with time at home. Sometimes professional magi- amusements. Groups of boys and girls are cians, wrestlers, or story-tellers were brought often pictured playing together at the running in to amuse him. Sometimes he laughed at the and jumping games which Egyptian children uncouth movements of a dwarf (fig. 29) or a still enjoy; and some of their toys, such as the pygmy from the south, the Egyptian equiva- "paddle" doll and the leather ball stuffed with lents of the mediaeval jester. More often he straw shown above, can be duplicated todav. sat down to a quiet game of senet with one of The bed is a model of a grown-up, folding his family. This game, a descendant of which traveling bed, and the little boy's battle-axe is still played throughout the Near East, re- was undoubtedly copied from his father's. T h e quired a combination of luck and skill. Each inscription on the ivory paintbox tells us that player had a set of men which he moved up it was given by Akh-en-Aten to "his own dear and down the squares of the board according daughter, the Princess Meket-Aten"; like the to the cast of knuckle bones or throw sticks, ivory dancing pygmy and the ivory hound it used much like dice. Figure 31 shows two is beautifully made. These two figures are senet players, and a board is shown in figure mechanical. The pygmy is the leader of a 12. Most of these boards were marked on the troupe who spin around at the pull of a other side for the game of "robbers." "Hounds string; the hound opens his mouth when the and jackals" and knuckle bones with which to rod which extends from his lower jaw is play it are shown in figure 32. Several of the pressed. But probably these were no more holes on this board seem to have forfeits or precious to their small owners than the little advantages attached to them, so that the game basket of "treasures" and the well-worn doll.

31. Two men playing the game of senet. The man on the left says, "Play comrade"; his opponent, "Here's the play, comrade." About 2500 B.C H. 10 in. This relief is continued in figure 33.

32. The game of "hounds and jackals." About 1800 B.C L. of board 6 in.

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33. Music in the Old Kingdom: a harper, a flute player, a clarinet player, and singers.

MUSIC AND DANCING

Music has always played an important part in reputable occupation. Dancing, like music, was the affair of prothe lives of the Egyptians. In ancient times the rich official had his own company of musicians fessionals. It was not an expression of the emoand dancers, who made his leisure hours more tion of the dancer, but a means of inducing pleasant by their accomplishments. The less emotion in the onlooker. For this reason the wealthy could hire independent troupes for feats of acrobatic skill of which Egyptian dancers were capable were almost always respecial occasions. We can only guess how this music sounded, stricted to religious ceremonies, in which they as there was no system of notation, the mel- were used to enliven the complicated ritual. A odies being handed down from generation to dance of restrained, graceful movement, like generation just as they are today. In the Old that of the three central girls in figure 34, was Kingdom it must have been of a quiet nature, thought appropriate at private entertainments, judging by the instruments used to produce it when the audience perhaps needed to be and the sedate way in which the musicians, soothed rather than excited. Sometimes a musician's song is inscribed most of them men, are pictured. Figure 33 shows an Old Kingdom "orchestra." Each in- above his picture on the walls of a tomb; destrument accompanies a different singer, who vout Egyptians believed that this secured its makes the gestures characteristic of the East. existence in the next world. Contradictorily, During the XVIII Dynasty, when Syria the most popular"The Song of the Harper" came under the influence of Egypt, the Egyp- expresses a philosophy far removed from the tians were brought into contact with an ex- doctrine which was the reason for preserving it: citing sort of music and the instruments with "Spend the day merrily! Put unguent and fine which it was played. Orchestras of girls now oil together to thy nostrils, and garlands and appear frequently; many of them must have lotus flowers on the body of thy beloved. . . . been brought back from Asia as captives. They Set singing and music before thy face. Cast all were highly skilled, and among their accom- evil behind thee, and bethink thee of joy, until plishments was the ability to sing and dance that day cometh when one reacheth port in as they played. Egyptian musicians must al- the land that loveth silence. Spend the day most always have been professional, consider- merrily and weary not thereof! Lo, none can ing the amount of training involved, and the take his goods with him. Lo, none that hath fact that music was not regarded as an entirely departed can come again."

34. Music and dancing in the New Kingdom: girls playing the harp, lute, oboes, and lyre; a small apprentice is in the center. Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1415 B.C H. 15 in.

35. A lyre (about 1580 B.C) and a harp (1500-1200 B.C.). L. of harp 32 in. Strings restored.

CHRONOLOGY
Prehistoric Period Early Dynastic Period (I - II Dynasties) Old Kingdom ( I I I - V I Dynasties) First Intermediate Period ( V I I - X Dynasties) Middle Kingdom ( X I - X I I Dynasties) 2nd Intermediate Period ( X I I I - X V I I Dynasties) including Hyksos Period New Kingdom ( X V I I I - X X I Dynasties) Empire (XVIII - XX Dynasties, 1580-1090 B.C.) Late Dynastic Period (XXII - XXX Dynasties) Sake Period (XXV - XXVI Dynasties, 712-525 B.C.) Ptolemaic Period Roman Period beginning of Coptic (Christian) culture Byzantine Period Before 3200 B.C. 3200 - 2780 B.C. 2780-2270 B.C. 2270-2150 B.C. 2150-1788 B.C. 1788-1580 B.C.

1580-945 B.C.

945 - 332 B.C.

332 - 30 B.C. 30 B.C. - A.D. 395

A.D. 395 - 640

PICTURE BOOK SERIES Twenty-Five Cents Each

PAINTINGS
T H E CHRISTMAS STORY IN A R T D U T C H PAINTINGS EMINENT AMERICANS WINSLOW HOMER

PRINTS
GARDENS AS ILLUSTRATED IN PRINTS T H E L I F E OF CHRIST IN REMBRANDT'S ETCHINGS

AMERICAN ARTS
T H E AMERICAN W I N G AMERICAN C H I P P E N D A L E FURNITURE E A R L Y AMERICAN GLASS PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN A R T S AND CRAFTS PAUL R E V E R E

ANCIENT WORLDEGYPT
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ANIMALS T H E HOME L I F E OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS

ANCIENT WORLDGREECE AND R O M E

G R E E K AND ETRUSCAN J E W E L R Y ROMAN A R T ROMAN PORTRAITS: I ROMAN PORTRAITS: II

ARMS AND A R M O R
HISTORICAL ARMOR SCULPTURE IN ARMS AND ARMOR

MEDIAEVAL

ART

MEDIAEVAL JEWELRY M E D I A E V A L SCULPTURES OF THE VIRGIN AND C H I L D T H E L'NICORN TAPESTRIES AT T H E CLOISTERS

RENAISSANCE AND M O D E R N

ART

E I G H T E E N T H - C E N T U R Y COSTUME IN E U R O P E ITALIAN BRONZE STATUETTES ITALIAN RENAISSANCE SCULPTURE RENAISSANCE J E W E L R Y SCULPTURES BY ANTOINE LOUIS BARYE

NEAR EASTERN ART

ISLAMIC POTTERY OF THE N E A R EAST N E A R EASTERN J E W E L R Y PERSIAN MINIATURES

FAR E A S T E R N A R T
CHINESE J E W E L R Y JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

POPULAR ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

Twenty-Five Cents Each
EMBLEMS OF U N I T Y AND FREEDOM I REMEMBER T H A T RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE IN Q U I T O THANKSGIVING AND H A R V E S T FESTIVALS

Fifty Cents Each

T H E A G E OF EXPLORATIONANCIENT GEMS A N EXHIBITION OF M O D E R N CHINESE PAINTINGS G R E E K PAINTINGS T H E G R E E K R E V I V A L IN THE U N I T E D STATES FIFTY G R E A T PAINTINGS MASTERPIECES IN THE COLLECTION OF G E O R G E BLUMENTHAL PAINTINGS BY K A O W E N G AND C H A N G K ' U N - I PORTRAITS OF THE C O U R T OF CHINA

One Dollar Each

COSTUMES FROM THE FORBIDDEN C I T Y PAINTING IN FLANDERS SCENES FROM THE L I F E OF JESUS

PRINTED IN AN 11)1 HON OF 7 , 5 0 0 COPIES, J U N E , BY T H E PLANTIN PRESS, NEW YORK

1945

5396

9!