In this revised second edition Dr Killen continues his survey of Egyptian furniture-making techniques with a study of boxes, chests and footstools and traces their evolution from the earliest times. Wooden, papyrus and alabaster boxes and chests were used to hold, protect and store valuable objects, toilet utensils, instruments, tools, garments, curtains, game pieces and papyri amongst other things. Those from the Old Kingdom usually had flat lids and solid board sides, tied together at the corners. During later periods carcase construction became so sophisticated, with the introduction of frame and panel work, that it was possible to construct barrel, shrine and pent-shaped lids. Later chests were elaborately painted, some with funerary scenes, painted with hieroglyphs or had gilt fretwork decoration applied to the sides and lid. This book is copiously illustrated with drawings and photographs and contains a catalogue of additional known pieces of Egyptian furniture preserved in museum collections.

About the Author
Geoffrey Killen is a leading ancient furniture historian, technologist and Egyptologist who studied Design and Technology at Shoreditch College, University of London and the University of Liverpool, where he specialised in Ramesside woodworking. He has studied the collections of Egyptian furniture at most of the major museums including the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, Cairo and is the author of several major books and numerous papers. He has also led in the field of experimental archaeology where making and using replica woodworking tools and equipment has generated and tested archaeological hypotheses. His practical work is now displayed together with those original artefacts in several British museums.


Book Information
ISBN 9781785704857
Author Geoffrey Killen
Format Hardback
Page Count 168
Imprint Oxbow Books
Publisher Oxbow Books