Cosmetic casket with two containers

The favourable conditions created by the dry climate of North Africa, which has remained stable for thousands of years, has meant that evidence of the material culture of Ancient Egypt has been preserved with remarkable completeness. It should be noted, however, that many items of furniture, crockery, utensils, jewellery and clothing which were found during excavations were never actually used. The ceramic cooking pots and storage jars which bear no traces of use, and the beautifully polished ointment jars made of calcite alabaster, obsidian or amethyst were ordered during the lifetime of their owners as part of their dowry for eternity and were carefully stored before finally being placed in the tomb. Any cultural history of Ancient Egypt therefore describes – at least in part – the idealised life in a better world beyond the grave. However, since everyday life served as a model for these grave goods, they remain an authentic source of information.