Publisher's Synopsis
The collection of objects from predynastic Egypt (c 5500-3000 BC) in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, is widely regarded as the most representative of its kind anywhere in the world. It is particularly distinguished by the large amount of material from controlled excavations directed by Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) and his associates. It was from the evidence provided by these objects that Petrie was able to begin tracing the evolution of Egyptian society, and the conclusions have stood the test of time.;This collection remains central to any study of Egyptian society in the prehistoric period, which has again become an area of research after many years of relative neglect.;The entire collection of over 2000 items has been catalogued in this volume by Joan Crawfoot Payne, who has worked on the project for over 30 years. She has provided basic documentation and illustration with a commentary and up-to-date review of the chronological and cultural importance of these objects.
