Catalogue of the Predynastic Egyptian Collection in the Ashmolean Museum

The collection of objects from Predynastic Egypt in the Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford, is widely regarded as the most representative of its
kind anywhere in the world. This is the first catalogue of the
collection, the fruit of Joan Crowfoot Payne's unique knowledge gained
from over thirty years' work with this material. In addition to the
basic documentation and illustration of over two thousand objects, she
has provided a commentary and up-to-date review of their chronological
and cultural importance. The book thus offers both a major study, and an
invaluable reference work for anyone interested in the development of
civilization in ancient Egypt.
The Ashmolean collection is
distinguished by the large amount of material from controlled
excavations directed by Flinders Petrie and his associates - notably
from the great cemetery site of Naqada, which has given its name to the
cultural phase which initiates the Predynastic period as defined in this
catalogue. It was from the evidence provided by these objects that
Petrie was able to begin tracing the evolution of Egyptian society and
the emergence of the Pharaonic state. As his primary conclusions have
stood the test of time, the collection remains central to any study of
prehistoric Egypt, so this catalogue will be an indispensable aid to
current research.
This reprint includes a small section of
addenda to the original (1993) edition.