TodayΒ ππππ³, we are going to travel all the way back to predynastic EgyptΒ ππ ππΒ (c.Β 3500-3300Β B.C.E.)! More specifically, this piece is dated to the Naqada II Period (also known as the Gerzean Period), which is a period of accelerated development in art and culture. This time period is when more elaborate pottery began to appear and people started to get buried in larger and more elaborate tombsΒ ππ«πππͺ! This was all before the firstΒ πΒ writingΒ πππ₯Β even appeared, which was during Naqada III (3200-3000 B.C.E.).
This piece of pottery π πππ is commonly referred to as βwhite cross-lined wareβ by archaeologists. Flinders Petrie, the first Egyptologist to try and date predynastic pottery, described white cross-lined ware pottery π πππ as being a reddish-brown or dark red π§πππ color that was decorated with white πππ³ images π ±ππ ±πͺ or geometric drawings. White cross-lined ware pottery π πππ is usually only found in Upper Egypt π, near Abydos ππππ and Naqada.
I absolutely love this piece of pottery π πππ because the cute hipposπππ―π¦ that are on it! The hippopotamus πππ― is one of the animals that appears frequently in early Egyptian imagery ππ ±π probably because the people of the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ needed to always be on their guard in regards to hippos πππ―π¦ since they could dominate both the land πΎπΎ and the water π.
Even as ancient Egyptian culture evolved, Egyptians πππππͺ both feared and revered ππ΄πͺΒ hipposΒ πππ―π¦ due to their strengthΒ ππππΒ and power. WhileΒ hipposΒ πππ―π¦ were the most feared animals along the Nile, images π ±ππ ±πͺ of them could offer protectionΒ π ππ‘π, such as in the form of amuletsΒ ππͺπ πͺΒ which evolved much later.Β
