Colours in ancient Egypt

Colours in Egypt: Material, Text, Production

Method of study

Colours: Neshmt | greenish-blue Red White Blue

How to read Egyptian colours

I think examining colours by their modern names is the wrong approach. I prefer to work with Egyptian colours while having the following in mind :

A What materials were the colours made of in ancient Egypt?

Things such as how expensive to obtain the material will consequently decide the frequency of using it, and very likely the importance of the object adorned with this specific colour

Basalt palette and grinder used for the preparation of the raw materials of paint, here represented by three pieces of coloured frit. Found in Thebes and probably of New Kingdom date, 1450-1250 BC. Length of palette 12 cm (no.5547). 1

B Readings from modern and ancient Egyptian literature, especially coming forth by daylight.

To understand how the Egyptian perceive colours and what the meaning was behind each.

And in the fields of Abu Sir, and my green land in Heliopolis, I will live on bread of all kinds of wheat and beer of yellow barley. | Going Forth by Day light. CH LII


1. Page 11 Egyptian Paintings in British Muesum T.G.H. James

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