Egyptian Designs From the author - - Introduction The ancient civilisation of Egypt emerged from prehistoric settlements along the river Nile seven thousand years ago. Little is known about the first two thousand years and although there were times of schism and disorder during the next three millenia, Egyptian society endured without experiencing any monumental change. The reason for this stability was probably its geographical position - a narrow strip of land, made fertile by the Nile and protected on both sides from foreign influences by desert. For many centuries the culture and art of ancient Egypt was a source of passionate interest to Westerners. Before the hieroglyphic script of the Rosetta Stone was deciphered and translated, paintings and symbolic inscriptions were widely copied. Many artefacts, including mummified human remains, were exported to Europe. Even the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome were impressed by the exotic nature of Egyptian society and its artistic representations, and introduced aspects of both into their cultures. About the designs Egyptian culture did not distinguish between art and craft: the painter, weaver and jeweller were all highly valued, not for their ability to produce original work, but because they followed faithfully long held traditions. In ancient Egypt, art was never produced for its own sake. What we now regard as 'works of art' were made to fulfil religious or ceremonial needs and their creation was governed by complex conventions. Only a limited number of ornamented artefacts were used on a day to day basis. The Egyptians were conservative, but not insensitive to beauty: sometimes a section of hieroglyphics would be repeated in order to give balance and symmetry. And finally This book provides material from many inspiring aspects of Egyptian design. You can simply copy the patterns, adapt the images to suit your requirements, or use them as inspiration for your own designs. Soft cover, 32 pages. Price: $18.95 ($17.23)