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The ancient Egyptians used clay to form many items, but none were more common or necessary than the vessels for storing or serving food. Beginning in the early Predynastic Period (ca. 4500 B.C.) and continuing throughout Egyptian history, ceramic jars, often filled with food offerings, were regularly left in tombs. In addition, thousands of shards, the remains of everyday vessels, have been recovered from settlement sites such as el-Amarna, Kahun, and Deir el-Medina. Illustrations from tomb and temple walls also supply information on the variety and quantity of pottery containers used by the Egyptians.

How do we know that the settlement located at the foot of the Giza Plateau belongs to the same period of time as when the Egyptians were building the pyramids? Two kinds of evidence tell us that we are excavating a 4th Dynasty site (2575-2465 BC): ceramics and sealings.

Ancient Egyptian art has been divided into several era galleries each covering two or three historical periods. There is some doubt about the absolute dates involved here; for more information see the paragraph on chronology before the list of Egyptian Pharaohs.