The Art of Egyptian Pottery: Earth, Fire, and Memory
Since my very first encounter with clay on the Nile’s banks, I’ve been captivated by its silent promise: this humble mixture of earth and water, ready to transform into vessels that hold not only grain and oil, but entire stories of lives long past. Ancient Origins From the Predynastic era onward, Egyptian potters shaped simple storage jars, their unglazed forms bearing witness to daily life along the river. By the Old Kingdom, artisans were inscribing hieroglyphs and geometric motifs onto funerary urns each inscription a prayer, each curve a testament to their devotion. Living Tradition Today, I wander narrow lanes where small studios still hum with activity: the soft hum of the wheel, the gentle scrape of a potter’s knife, the distant crackle of the kiln. Here, seasoned hands mold clay by eye alone, balancing speed and subtlety. Modern glazes, turquoise like the Nile sky, matte white evoking temple limestone now complement those age-old colors, bridging past and present. Fayoum: Egypt’s Timeless Oasis of Clay and Water Nestled just a two-hour drive southwest of Cairo, Fayoum unfolds as a lyrical fusion of desert, lake and forest an oasis that has inspired artists and potters for millennia. Here, the earth yields both fossil treasures and supple clay, while water carves waterfalls through the dunes and sustains turquoise lagoons. Tunis Village & the Art of Pottery In the clay-rich soils of Tunis, local artisans shape earth into vessels both functional and sublime. Their tumbling wheels spin out bowls, jars and sculptures that bear the fingerprint of Egypt’s oldest craft traditions, forms as elegant as they are enduring. I invite you to let your fingers trace a pot’s curve, to feel the clay firm beneath your palm, and to listen for the wheel’s low hum as form emerges from formlessness. In Egypt, every shard and shard’s story calls out to be discovered, and every piece you touch carries the weight of history, the spark of creativity, and the enduring magic of earth and fire. From the broad canvas of Egypt’s pottery heritage, we now focus our lens on Fayoum’s living tradition Here, where desert sands meet the lake’s edge, artisans dig their own clay, spin the wheel amidst open-air kilns, and hand-paint vessels with pigments drawn from the very earth around them. Watch as each pot takes shape: from raw, sun-baked mounds to lotus-adorned jugs lined up for firing, you’ll witness the timeless dance of earth, fire and human touch in this oasis of craft.
The History of Kohl
An interview with Dr. Mona Erian of Nefertari Good morning, today Hela on the Nile interviews Dr Mona Erian, Egyptian pioneer of natural beauty products ‘Nefertari’. Our focus today will be on the history of kohl, known to the world as eyeliner. Dr Mona, before we start, can you tell us a little bit about Nefertari, and why you chose the name? I started Nefertari from the kitchen of my home. And I called it Nefertari, because I wanted an Egyptian name, that relates to beauty. Nefertari was the wife of Ramses II. Her name means the most beautiful of them all: she was known to be the most beautiful woman of her time. This is why I’ve chosen Nefertari. And today, we Egyptians know a lot about kohl, or the word kohl. What is the difference between the Ancient Egyptian kohl and the kohl you make today? There is no difference, I make the same kohl, using the same technique that ancient Egyptians used to. Let me explain: ancient Egyptians had two kinds of kohl. One of them came from a mountain in Aswan, Upper Egypt. This kohl contained a very high percentage of lead, but they never used it for living people. It was used for mummies, sarcophaguses, statues, to paint the very well-known eye of Horus. It is a very good, dark black color that stays black forever. We have statues that are maybe 4000, 5000 old and the kohl on them is still visible today. Samples were taken from very small pots containing kohl in the New Cairo Museum, and this kohl was made for the living. It was composed of frankincense gum from Somalia, brought to Egypt through the rose road, and olive oil from west of Egypt: Tunisia, Algeria or Libya. What they used to do, and the way we do it today is: soak the frankincense gum in the olive oil for six months. We then burn it and collect the smoke. Being in in a volatile state, it has a very minimal particle size, it is finer than any powder you could make because it is a gas, not a powder. So, we collect the smoke, and while it is still very hot, freshly made, we put it in our kohl containers. These are wooden and 100% handmade. So now you have the same kohl with the same formula as the Ancient Egyptians. And this kohl is very safe because it’s a gum that’s been burned, so it is sterile. You can apply it and you don’t have to wash it out. Most of the makeup made nowadays requires you to wash your face very well, to moisturize it, because it’s full of chemicals and can cause allergies in the eyes. But the natural kohl we produce is sterile and clean and doesn’t need to be removed. In the countryside in Egypt, it is very common to find babies, newborn babies to whom kohl is applied. And when it was thought to have something to do with tradition a doctor explained that it was actually done for medical reasons. Because when the baby is being delivered, it might come into contact with organisms that cause eye irritation or infections. So, when kohl is applied, it sterilizes the area, protecting the eyes. Well thank you Doctora! Until next time, stay tuned to Hela on the Nile.
Why is Ramses II Egypt’s most famous pharaoh?
Ramses II was not of royal descent – his grandfather, Ramses I managed to ascend to the throne thanks to his military prowess – prowess inherited by his son, Seti I, and grandson, Ramses II. Ramses II, like his father before him, not only wanted to secure the kingdom’s borders, but expand them, making their foreign policy somewhat imperialistic. Ramses II led many military campaigns North, against the Hittites and Libyans. Ramses II’s most famous battle is probably that of Kadesh, against the Hittites. Recounted in many murals, Ramses II portrayed himself as the victor of the battle, embellishing the truth: the battle’s outcome was, in fact, more of a draw. This exemplifies one of Ramses’ main strengths, he was a great propagandist, and built many impressive temples and monuments that glorified him – the Abu Simbel temples, and Ramesseum in Luxor, to name a few. He was also in the habit of inscribing his name on monuments that had been built before his time, ensuring he be remembered, up until today. But such huge building enterprises also attest of the kingdom’s wealth at the time. Ramses was therefore not just a good advertiser, but continued the task his father had started: leading Egypt into an era of renewed greatness and prosperity. Coming back to the battle of Kadesh, its true outcome is far more impressive than the one advanced by Ramses II: it resulted in the first recorded peace treaty in history. The peace between the two nations was also to be strengthened by Ramses II marrying a Hittite princess. She became one of the pharaoh’s royal wives, amongst a dozen others, including the famous and most beloved by the king, Nefertari. These, along with Ramses II’s many concubines resulted in his fathering over 120 children, many of which he outlived. Indeed, Ramses II died at the age of 90, after 66 years on the throne, making his rule the second longest in Ancient Egyptian history.
The Oldest Royal Necropolis
The French archeologist E. Amélineau was the first to excavate the Abydos (city of the dog god Khentyimentyou) site in Upper Egypt at the end of the 19th century. He uncovered a series of tombs whose steles were marked with the names of Egypt’s first rulers, pharaohs the First Dynasty pharaohs. The last Thinite kings’s – Perisben and Khasekhem’s – tombs were discovered subsequently. The Second Dynasty’s first kings, Hotepsekhemouy, Rêneb and Nyneter were buried in Sakkara. They are surrounded by their courtier’s tombs, which also had steles but were far smaller and built more crudely. At the time, the royal and private tombs were shaped the same; they were mastabas, trapeze shaped above-ground constructions under which the dead were laid to rest. None of the tombs’ superstructure was preserved. From the outside, the royal tombs resembled a fortress, or a palace with a surrounding wall. These tombs were built at the bottom of a rectangular or square hole, whose surface sometimes exceeded 100sqm. The space is divided into several rooms by brick, wood or reed walls. The floor and ceiling are wooden, sometimes made from Lebanese cedar. The use of stone established itself overtime, first for thresholds and lintels, then for larger surfaces. The first time stone was truly used as a building material was for Pharoah Den’s tomb’s floor, made of granite. Later, limestone was used to build the walls of Khekhmen’s, the last Thinite ruler’s, tomb. The dead were surrounded by food and refined furnishings, recalling the first kings and their courts’ luxurious lifestyle: tableware with the pharaohs’ names on it, precious alabaster, crystal or diorite containers, sometimes enhanced with gold. Hundreds of these were left in the tombs, along with other items such as an ivory mounting shaped like a bull’s hoof, small boxes, toiletry items, chessboards and their lion shaped pieces. The copper vases, tools and weapons demonstrate a mastery of metalwork. Many of these objects were acquired by the Louvre after Amélineau’s excavations. The Thinite Period is “one of the collection’s strong points, because of the number of works displayed and their exceptional quality”. Al Tayeb Sayed Egyptologist & Accredited Guide Luxor
A Powerful River
The Nile, over 6671km long is Africa’s longest river, and the source of Egypt’s existence. Before the construction of regulatory dams in the 20th century, and the Aswan High Dam in 1970, the Nile would flood annually. The flood was the result of spring and summer rains on the East African and Ethiopian uplands. The Nile reached its low water period at the end of May and the flood started at the end of June, reaching its peak in mid-September. The flood brought in up to 110 million tons of mineral-filled sediments, including 75 million tons of soluble minerals (calcium, carbonates, sodium chloride). The pharaonic economy was first and foremost based on agriculture. Aggradation was essential to the harvests and provided the country’s population – estimated between four and five million people under the New Kingdom – with food. The floods were irregular and inconsistent though, and if late, famine would ensue. The knowledge of the flood calendar and the irrigation of agricultural lands contributed to establishing political power. The river’s rhythm also affected religious thinking, manifested in art. Hapi was the god of the annual flooding, the divine personification of this natural phenomenon. The Nile also had a role in the celestial and underworlds. Its flood cycle was the symbol of renewal of life, both in the realm of the living and the dead. The Nile was also the country’s communication and transportation highway. Civil and military ships traveled on this natural traffic lane, as can be seen in many artistic representations. Its current of one to four knots made for easy navigation from South to North, while frequent winds allowed for countercurrent sailing. The Nile’s role in the country’s economy was therefore invaluable, as it permitted the transfer and supply of goods. The flow of civil servants, troops and orders ensured the Kingdom’s political cohesion. Al Tayeb SayedEgyptologist & Accredited GuideLuxor
The Pharaohs Jewels
Tombs contained various amulets such as scarabs and keys of life as early as the Predynastic Period. Necklaces, bracelets and belts made of beads crafted from a variety stones could also be found within these tombs. Ivory, bones, semi-precious stones, gold or silver were used to make elaborate jewelry: necklaces during the Old Kingdom, diadems during the Middle Kingdom and various headdresses during the New Kingdom. From the Middle Kingdom on, amulets altered the shape of hieroglyphics and the royal loincloth was elaborately adorned with shells and beaded fishnets. Ornamental breastplates were finely crafted using the techniques of inlaying and partitioning. Men started wearing anklets during the Middle Kingdom, following the trend popular amongst women since the Old Kingdom. Earrings appeared during the New Kingdom in many different shapes: hoops, pendants on rings, discs and plugs; and were sometimes adorned with granulation. Rings embellished with fixed or mobile precious stones, sometimes shaped like scarabs, were particularly popular during the New Kingdom. The symbolism behind the stones and metals used in jewelry Gold gave things a sacred quality; it was the ultimate reward. It symbolized life, represented the sunlight and was the expression of the Gods’ inalterability. It participated in the dead’s ascension to the divine and immortality. This is why it was used for the making of sarcophagi. 114 kg of solid gold were used to craft Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus, for example. Silver was rarer than gold and was the lunar metal. It represented the Gods’ bones and symbolized eternal youth. Lapis lazuli was linked to the primordial universe, the Gods’ hair and allowed for rebirth. Turquoise was a symbol of renewal and was claimed to have prophylactic qualities. It was associated to birth and rest. Green stones like malachite represented fertility, rebirth, life after death. Red stones like jasper and carnelian had a protective, religious and magical role. Al Tayeb Sayed Egyptologist & Accredited Guide, Luxor
The rippling of flax into linen
Today, Egyptian cotton is renowned and exported worldwide for its superior quality. There is however, no evidence supporting the cultivation of cotton in Ancient Egypt. The earliest records of the existence and use of the crop in the region (Nubia, specifically) date back to the Roman era, and are scarce. Ancient Egyptians relied nearly solely on flax for all things textile, and this since Prehistoric times, with garments made of linen found dating back to around 5000 BCE. Sturdy, quick to dry and perfect for withstanding the heat, linen was used in most aspects of Ancient Egyptian day to day life. Egyptian linen was therefore produced in large quantities to cater to domestic and foreign needs: it had the same kind of reputation Egyptian cotton has today, and therefore represented one of the country’s main exports, making flax the most important non-food crop grown in the Kingdom. Although flax was not native to Egypt (some believe it to have been imported from the Levant), the Nile allowed for the perfect conditions for its cultivation. The flax seeds were sown in mid-November, right after the annual flood. The harvest began around 3 months later: the stems were pulled out – not cut – in order to get as much fiber as possible. They were then left to dry in the sun in bundles. Once dried, the seeds were removed and the plants were prepared for spinning. They were retted, beat and scutched to separate the hard outer banks from the fibers, who were then twisted and rolled into balls and coils. These were spun and finally weaved. It was rare, at the time, to dye fabric. There existed three different qualities of linen which depended on the age of the plants at the time of harvest. When harvested young and green, a fine linen was produced. The second batch was slightly older and made for a sturdier cloth. The last and oldest one produced a very coarse linen. The use of the textile therefore depending on its quality: from clothing to ropes, through bedding, furnishings, bags, sailcloth, fishing lines, nets, slings etc. The coarseness of the cloth was also indicative of class, or social standing, as only the wealthy could afford to wear clothing made from linen produced from the youngest plants’ fibers. The use of linen was, however, not limited to the needs of the living. Ancient Egyptians recycled old clothes and sheets to make the linen strips used for mummification. Fine linen was also among one of the offerings made to the dead at the time.
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli or khesbed was one of Ancient Egypt’s most prized stones. Its use dates back to the Predynastic Period, during the 4th millennium. The stone was particularly popular during the Middle and New Kingdoms: it was crafted into inlay for jewelry, carved into beads, amulets, statuettes, crushed into a powder to tint anything from murals to eyelids, and even swallowed for its presumed medicinal properties. Such an extensive use of lapis lazuli would lead to believe that like other popular stones of the time, it was mined within the country. Quite the contrary: Egypt’s lapis lazuli was imported from mines in Badakhshan in the North-Eastern mountains of Afghanistan, over 5000km away. It represented one of the most important – and expensive – imports. Why was this semi-precious stone so sought-after? Lapis lazuli’s value resides in the symbolism behind it. The stone is made up of three minerals: lazurite, the dark blue color; calcite, the milky streaks; and pyrite, the golden flecks. To Egyptians, it represented the life-giving waters of the Nile, and the star-speckled sky. Which in turn linked it to the divine, fertility and the afterlife, or rebirth. Many murals, frescoes, sculptures therefore required the bright blue hue, to paint the sky, the Nile, the Gods’ hair etc. And Ancient Egyptians needed to find a more practical and cost-effective way to do so: they managed to artificially reproduce lapis lazuli’s tint by heating a mix of limestone, copper, and sand. By doing so, they created the first known synthetic pigment: Egyptian Blue, or calcium copper silicate. Scientists have found that this pigment emits infrared light when exposed to visible light, which allowed archeologists to detect Egyptian Blue, even when the color was no longer visible to the naked eye. In more recent years, findings concerning calcium copper silicate led to a breakthrough in nanotechnology, with application in the fields of telecommunications and medical science, amongst others. A Berkeley Lab study also found that Egyptian Blue can boost energy efficiency by cooling buildings, and even participate in the production of solar energy thanks to its fluoresced near-infrared energy.
Egypt’s forth pyramid, “The Lady”, Umm Kalthum.
My father was uneasy. The idea that his daughter should sing in front of men he didn’t know, was difficult for him to accept, but my singing helped support the family. So he dressed me in boy’s clothes, and I sang this way for several years. I realize now that he wanted to convince himself, and the audience too, that the singer was a young boy, and not a young woman.” Umm Kalthum Coming from a very modest family of the Delta in Egypt, when she was about five years old, 1910 or so Umm Kulthum entered the kuttab, or Qur’an school, in her village, for a singer no school could be better. Qur’anic recital would give her perfect diction of the Arabic language, which she became famous for. Umm Kulthum learned to sing from her father. She overheard him teachings songs to her brother and started mimicking him. Umm Kulthum learned the songs by rote. When al-Shaykh Ibrahim discovered what she had learned and heard the unusual strength of her voice, he asked her to join the lessons. She began performing in her own village at the house of the mayor but dressed or disguised as a boy. Because of her youth and exceptionally strong voice, the child became an attraction for the group and eventually its premiere singer. As their opportunities increased, the family traveled farther and farther afield, often on foot. Umm Kulthum later reflected that it seemed to her they walked the entire Delta before they ever set foot in Cairo. A number of people encouraged Umm Kulthum and her father to consider going to Cairo to further her career in the center of the entertainment business. Her family was reluctant to do this, saying they did not know the city and had no close relatives nor any assurance of work there. The subject of Cairo remained under discussion for several years. When Umm Kulthum began singing in Cairo, her repertory consisted in large part of that sung by her father in the Delta, augmented by a few popular songs that she had learned along the way. Her father’s repertory was customarily sung by a solo vocalist with accompaniment by a chorus of two to four men. I the Cairo of the 1920s, this style of performance was viewed as old-fashioned; new songs, and even the older repertory were accompanied by an instrumental takht, in other words a small orchestra, similar to those in the south of Spain. Following hints in the spring of 1926 that she should not succeed in the long run accompanied by her family, she hired accomplished and prestigious instrumentalists in their place. Her repertory of religious qasa’id and tawashih gave way to new and modern love songs composed especially for her. This change, accompanied by Umm Kulthum’s increasingly elegant personal style, thrust her into direct competition with the city’s leading singers. Her trained voice, her new repertory and takht, and her more cosmopolitan demeanor enabled her to rise to the top of the ranks of Cairo’s professional singers by 1928. During the 1920s and 1930s, Umm Kulthum began to make commercial recordings and launched her life-long involvement with mass media, essential to her long and extensive popularity. Her commitments later expanded to include radio, from the inception of Egyptian National Radio in 1934, films, which she began in 1935, and television in 1960. Her financial success in commercial recording stabilized her income and enabled her to choose her performing opportunities with greater care than was possible for less fortunate entertainers. Radio broadcasting allowed her to count among her most devoted listeners hundreds of thousands of Egyptians and Arabs who had never seen her and would not dream of attending a public concert. While valuing the live audience as integral to her artistry, Umm Kulthum cultivated as her audience all listeners, including the vast numbers sitting in homes and coffee shops near a radio. She used broadcast interviews as well to establish rapport with the radio audience and to identify herself as a familiar figure to them. Her command of the art of the interview, and hence the projection of a particular persona, was hard-won during the 1920s and 1930s. She began to court selected journalists to whom she would grant interviews and who would, in turn, support her in print. She guarded her private life carefully, cultivated friends who did the same, and would speak to reporters only on topics of her own choosing, promulgating carefully expressed opinions and views of herself. Her increasing musical skill and financial stability in the 1930s allowed her to assume great control over all aspects of her performances. As sis most entertainers who were able, Umm Kulthum eliminated the theatrical agent from her professional life as soon as possible. She used her circle of carefully chosen friends as advisors and sometimes representatives and, by 1938, became the producer of her own concerts and negotiator of her own contracts. She was able to obtain extraordinary contracts that called for her approval of virtually every aspect of a performance, including selection of accompanists, and actors and technicians for her films. During the 1930s, her repertory took the first of several specific stylistic directions. Her songs were virtuosic, as befit her newly trained and very capable voice, and romantic and modern in musical style, feeding the prevailing currents in Egyptian popular culture of the time. She worked extensively with texts by romantic poet Ahmad Rami and composer Muhammad al-Qsabji, who’s songs incorporated European instruments such as the violoncello and double bass as well as harmony. The “Golden Age” of Umm Kulthum In addition to her various artistic endeavors, Umm Kulthum consolidated her authority in the entertainment business during the 1940s by joining the Listening Committee, which selected the music appropriate for radio broadcasting, and by assuming presidency of the Musician’s Union. At this point Umm Kulthum was at the height of her artistic accomplishment, in control of virtually all of her endeavors, and highly influential in the
COTTON ANGELS
Founded in 2004, Malaika renews interest in handmade items. These high-quality products are made by women with Egyptian cotton and form part of a process of social responsibility. Although embroidery is an antique Egyptian tradition, modern manufacturing processes had driven it into decline. Malaika (“angel” in Arabic) was born from the desire to revive this age-old art form while generating a stable income for underprivileged women. Malaika furthered its sustainable approach by opening its own embroidery school in the heart of Cairo. SCHOOL OF LIFE There, women learn the art of embroidery. Once training is over, they work from home or in Malaika’s factory. The projected originated from a simple idea: most women, independently of their age, background or literacy, can learn to sew. Today, dozens of disadvantaged Egyptian women and refugees attend Malaika’s self-financed embroidery school to learn the art’s technique. A UNIQUE STAMP Every Malaika item is created to complement your home while empowering local communities. They are made with love and celebrate craftmanship. Malaika’s products reflect the passion for handmade items with an emphasis on design, quality and social responsibility. Inspired by Egyptian symbols and archived prints, each design is drawn and painted before being printed on fabric. Malaika’s model is a flexible one, meant to highlight each woman’s strengths. Every product is therefore a small, unique, work of art, created between individuals in a dynamic, seamless and creative process. A LINE OF HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS In addition to its exceptional bedding, Malaika now also produces remarkable hand printed accessories, soft towels, splendid cushions, beautifully embroidered table linens – all of which are made with the best materials. Malaika has prospered since the launching of its first collection. In 2009, it built its own factory employing 60 workers and ensuring absolute control over quality and craftsmanship. The company then opened its own embroidery school in 2018. The quality and nature of this production prove that you don’t have to sacrifice luxury when buying an ethical product. “Woven from the finest Egyptian cotton and linen, our pieces are beautifully adorned with intricate embroidery, whimsical silk screen prints and colourful embellishments. Designs are inspired by our love of Egypt and its rich history and culture, with evocative palm trees, scarab beetles, the River Nile and pharaonic motifs.”