THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EGYPTIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY (NEOLITHIC, DYNASTIC, EGYPT)

Textiles of the various historic periods in Egypt are compared to detect the general trend of the development of the Egyptian textile industry. This study takes into account the changes that occurred in textile techniques and in the organization and character of the industry throughout the 5,000 year span from the inception of weaving in the Neolithic period to the coming of the Greeks in 332 B.C.;During the course of this study hundreds of textiles were analyzed to supplement the technical studies of Egyptian textiles already available.;Egyptain textile industry had its beginnings in the Neolithic period. In Predynastic Egypt there is an increase in the production of textiles with a slight improvement in the quality. During the Protodynastic period, the textile industry shows an increase in craft specialization. During this period were fashioned those traditions and conventions which were to characterize the Egyptian textile industry until the end of the Middle Kingdom. The textile industry of the Old and Middle Kingdoms is characterized by the industrial production of the state-run shops and the larger private shops of the viziers and nomarchs and by the cottage type of manufacturing which took place in most Egyptian households. The New Kingdom saw the appearance of the vertical loom, patterned textiles, and linen dyed in a wide range of colors. This increase in specialization was a development induced by the expansionistic policies of the New Kingdom. In the Late period textile production was concentrated on the after life and the supremacy of the textile industry shifted from the state-run shops to those run by the temples.;As prime material for this research, site reports were used. Special attention was given to reports which included photographs or drawings of the interior reliefs of tombs to find any representation pertaining to the textile industry. These reliefs were discussed to substantiate the various processes of cultivation and gathering of flax, preparation of fibers, washing and bleaching of fibers or cloth, dyeing, and spinning and weaving.