The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-03
THE EARLIEST POTTERY.
Arts and Craft of Prehistoric People
 of the Nile valley.

The prehistoric Egyptians, like those of later times, buried their dead with some hope of future life, and so placed in the tonlbs the objects they most needed in life on earth. The dead man lies in the attitude of sleep and around him are earthen pots and flint weapons. The pottery is most impor- tant writes w. St. Chad Bos-CaWen in the London Globe, for from the study of the various examples we are able to establish regular sequence in the de- velopment of the various forms.
 Man learned the art of making pot tery from the biri's nest The nest showed him how to make baskets, and the clay lined nest suggested the clay lined basket The heating of one of these baket pots produced baked clay dish or pot, the sides of which were marked with a basketwork pattern Man soon learned to make these pots and bake them, but retained the old baset pattern as decoration.
 These pots grew larger, assuming an urn shape, and often had knobs or lubs on the side to hold cord, for sus- pension Tn course of time the upper part was curved in, making shoulders to the jar and giving the jar an oVoid shape. This was no doubt done to regulate the outpouring of fluids A rim was added, and this in due course became higher, and formed neck.
 The ware is usually red or yellowish l buff, and decorated with black band at the top. This has been generally | considered to be due to the action of heat in the ashes of the kiln, the vases | being placed nozzle down, but several of the examples I examined showed traces of the black glaze having run, as if put on in liquid form. In the l same way, 1t would otherwise be diffi- cult to explain the method by which l the insides were glazed black.
 The most important and difficult | problem to solve was the method by which these vessels were made and so ] beautifully finished-the potter's wheel not having been invented. Among the examples l examined were several of unfinished specimens. In some of these the outside were well baked; the | usual black band around the top was there, and the other surface polished with the polishing stone. The inside, however, revealed some interesting ma 1 terial. They were unfinished and rough, badly baked Jumps of clay adhered to 1 the sides A still further examination showed clearly the marks of flint scrapers that had been used to hollow out the interior.
 | The method of manufacture now ap- pear clear. The vase was made solid | then partially dried and the interior carefully scraped out with flint scrap CTS, and afterward the vase was bak- ed. This seems to be confirmed by a l statue in the Cairo Museum, which shows a man thus working the inter for. It must finally be noted that this was undoubtedly the method in which the alabaster vases were made in later times.
 The vases in the museum are decor ated with drawing of Nile boats, men ostriches, and animals, but hitherto nc regular pictorial story has been found One vase in this collection, However has more sequence in its decoration lthan any I have seen before. It Is large yellow buff vase about twelv' inches high
 ] The bottom part has wave patterr decoration in red, On the main body an interesting scene is depicted. In tht upper part two prehistoric Nile boat! are represented, evidently moored tC the bank. There are cabins on deck on the roof of which little men in al attitude denoting excitement or acti vity are standing. At the head of eacl boat a taller man stands, the attitud, of his arms denoting the giving of or ders,
 On the bank between the two boats i
 still taller man, whose arms ar
 spread out as if giving the suprem
 orders. Here then we have clearly tn
 picture of a Nile boat expedition land
 ing on the bank of the river. Beloy
 this group is represented number O
 huts, inc one of which a dead body 1
 clearly shown. This Is evidently tn
 village raided.
 The lower tier is very interesting O.
 the left is man with long staff fl
 his hand, who Is advancing toward
 grove of palm trees. Behind him Is
 giaraffe. round whose neck he has
 lasso. Before him run two dogs. O
 the right is another group, a Barbar
 ram and two kids. The ram stands f front of them and raises his foot in a
 angry manner to ward off the ap proach dogs. The whole is mos crudely drawn, but it nevertheless tell | itc cto,,r with yf1lIcb forrn