Egyptian Leather Work – African Gifts

Murals from 4000 BC depict Egyptians wearing high heels made of flexible leather pieces and held onto the foot with leather ties, while panels of gilded leather work appear in some of the tombs. One of the earliest examples of Egyptian leather work is a 980 BC canopy of appliqued leather. And the Egyptian Mathematical Leather Roll, featuring a table of fraction expansions, dates from the Middle Kingdom period.

Egyptians now offer us affordable and practical leather items like wallets, boxes, jackets, cigarette cases, shoes, bags, even dog collars, some accented with gold leaf.

Egyptian Mother of Pearl Furniture and Gifts

As early as 4500 BC, ancient Egyptians used mother of pearl as a personal ornament to make themselves more pleasing to the gods. Fragments of these ornaments, made of inlaid Mother of pearl and silver, still exist today. Mother of Pearl is made from the inside lining of shells like conch or of oyster pearls. A popular item today is the crochet necklace or bracelet of layered pearls and beads on a crocheted foundation.

Inlaid mother of pearl jewelry boxes made of wood or metal are another popular Egyptian handcraft. Constructed of abalone shell mother of pearl, hundreds of finely-cut pieces are hand set into wood or metal individually so that each box is different from others. Especially striking is the way colors are reflected from the surface as a result of how the pieces of pearl are arranged. Mother of pearl is also inlaid into decorative pieces that include silver gilt or gold into their designs.

Traditional Handmade Crafts of Egypt – African Home Decor

Early Egyptians were motivated by gaining favor with the gods and preparing for the afterlife. As such, ancient Egyptian arts and crafts developed as a medium through which to honor the gods and the dead rather than as a way to create functional items for daily use. In ancient Egypt, talented artisans were exalted members of the royal hierarchy and their work was very much in demand by pharaoh and the aristocracy.

When we think of Egyptian arts, we picture the pyramids, Sphinx and treasures of King Tut’s tomb. These are all amazing examples of ancient Egyptian artistry. But the early Egyptians had other talents as well. Many of these ancient arts and crafts are still practiced today exactly as they were in pharaoh’s time, the tools, techniques and secrets having been passed down from generation to generation.

Jewelry making, glass work, metal work, weaving, sculpture, carpentry, papyrus painting and batik are just a few of the traditional arts and crafts still practiced by Egyptian craftsmen of today. Artists continue to improve and refine their skills with specialized trainings and classes throughout their lives. Here are just a few examples of what they do so well.