Egypt's Making examines the first 3000 years of Egyptian history, from c.5000 BC - c.2000 BC, down to the collapse of the old Kingdom. Evoking the magic and wonder of ancient Egypt, Michael Rice explains the essentially African character of the historic Egyptian society, institutions and art. He augments his text with many superb illustrations of the art and architecture of this fascinating and relatively little-known period of Egypt's history.
The book considers the emergence of Egypt's ancient political institutions such as the kingship, and the complex problem of the influences which streamed into the Nile Valley from Western Asia in the late fourth millennium BC. Evidence is reviewed for the existence of connections between Egypt and the Arabian Gulf, including Eastern Arabia and the island of Bahrain in remote antiquity and at times during the Old Kingdom. It is suggested in particular that the art of the early periods throws light directly on the psychology of the people of the time. Early Egypt gives the opportunity to examine one of the very few examples (perhaps the only one) of an important civilization in its pristine state, largely free from external influences, until eventually overwhelmed by them. It also relates some of the precepts of Jungian psychology to the Egyptian personality.