Ancient Egypt: The Origins

• Duration:Temporary
• Location:Campbell Gallery

(date) 9/25/2007–2/24/2008

Some of the most fundamental and fascinating aspects of the Egyptian civilization can be understood only by looking deep into Egypt's past. Hallmarks of Egyptian culture—from pyramids and hieroglyphic writing to its fervent nationalism and belief in the afterlife—can be traced in an unbroken line back to Egypt's earliest periods.

This exhibition explores the prehistoric Nile Valley and illustrates the origins of ancient Egypt through its material culture. Follow the displays through a survey of Egypt’s pre- and early historic past (ca. 5000–2686 BCE): the Neolithic, the Predynastic, and the Early Dynastic Periods. The artifacts and artistic motifs on display here evolved into the works and symbols that characterized the familiar material culture of later Dynastic Egypt. The journey begins with decorated ceramic pots and worked stone palettes and leads in a short period of 1,000 years into the elaborately decorated stone monuments of the Pharaonic dynasties.

Ancient Egypt: The Origins features artifacts on loan by the Brooklyn Museum. The exhibit is supported in part by the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. The exhibit is curated by Douglas Brewer.