While I was reading the text for week two I noticed many similarities within the practices of the different regions discussed of Egypt. Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt shared the idea of importing goods to their communities. Both regions received imported goods like oil, wine, and beer in pottery containers. As the time passes, the differences within pottery styles merges and Upper Egypt craftsmanship is used in Lower Egypt. Along with the migration of pottery came that of burial rituals. By the Naqada III times communities of Lower Egypt had began using burial techniques such as burying the dead with animals and physical objects that were thought of as luxuries. This change in cultural makes sense with the Nile flowing as it does.
People began to settle more north and brought their traditions with them. The communities at each archaeology site were not thought to be large at any given time so the integration of new ways probably did not take long if it had good supporting evidence. The practice of the two regions’ farming and living techniques also merged. The cultivation of wheat and barley as well as herding cattle, sheep, goats and pigs is shared. All this is evidence to support why the two regions were comfortable with converging as one nation. Their cultural practices were slowing fusing as one with slight differences because of the regional environments.
The one striking difference that seems to stay constant is the way of laying the dead in their burial sites. My conclusion to why the heads face opposite directions is because there was something about the Nile that the people created a philosophy of burying the dead in the direction of the Nile. As time has passed the Nile continues to prove to be very important for the existence of humans and so at death it makes sense that the body be placed in such a way that it pays respect to the waters that allowed their community to prosper.
It makes sense that traditions and techniques merged into cultures in Lower Egypt when people migrated north with the flow of the Nile River. When people moved, they took their pottery styles, farming techniques, and burial practices with them because that is how they knew to survive and prosper. It is interesting how traditions integrated into another, making a peaceful community. It is, however, reasonable for them to have some contrast because of their environmental differences, such as weather or food resources.
I agree that the bodies were placed in those certain directions near the Nile River in their burial practices. It is true that the Nile was very important in their culture because it helped them grow and prosper since it provided so many necessary resources. Maybe the bodies were oriented like that to symbolize them floating down the river to continue their journey through death. Since people offered so much care in showing status in burials through structures and grave goods in later times, it is probable that they wanted their dead to be honored in the afterlife. They were very caring about both their dead and the Nile River, so it makes sense that the two would be respected and important together.
I agree that both Upper and Lower Egypt show many similarities within their cultures and practices. Living in a very similar region, many of the sites show a similar way of life between communities. Agriculture was used by all Predynastic sites as a way of producing food for the communities, and domestication of animals was also common. Many of the tools in Predynastic Egypt such as sickle blades, ceramics, and slate palettes have been found at multiple sites throughout the region, suggesting common usage and culture. The building structures in the area were usually formed into the shape of a rectangle, or an oblong shape such as an oval.
Two major differences I noticed between Upper and Lower Egypt are the difference in ceramic methods, and also a difference in the purpose amongst different cities. Ceramic methods between Lower and Upper Egypt were dramatically different in terms of materials, workmanship, and quality. Lower Egyptian ceramics in the Predynastic era were not nearly as well made as that of the Upper Egyptian ceramics. This has been suggested to be a result of the materials that were available to the Lower Egyptian sites. With poorer materials, it is more difficult to make the complicated forms that the Upper Egyptians were able to construct. Another key difference between sites in Upper and Lower Egypt is the amount of “trading depots” between the two regions. In Lower Egypt, the sites of Ma’adi and Buto have both shown evidence of being centers of trade, mainly indicated by their in ground buildings, and the variation of different types of ceramics from multiple regions. Naqada II in Upper Egypt is the only site discussed that shows interaction with Southwest Asia or trading.