Ancient Egypt : Predynastic Period : Cultures of Lower Egypt

The Predynastic Period in Lower Egypt (the north of Egypt) is associated with the material culture that was once referred to as Buto-Maadi. This is seen at a number of sites in northern Egypt, but is slowly replaced by the Naqada culture of southern Egypt in what is referred to as the period Naqada IC-IIB. After this, Egypt becomes a unified state. Most of this period is devoid of texts, with simple labels showing up right at the end. This means that our religious knowledge for this era is completely based on an interpretation of the material evidence. Many of these interpretations are built on the belief of continuity of practice between this early phase and later Egyptian religion. This is somewhat problematic, as the meaning of objects and practices may have changed over time. There is therefore disagreement on what religion was like in this prehistoric period, which should be kept in mind. As new evidence surfaces, these interpretations may change.Arts, Faculty ofAsian Studies, Department ofUnreviewedPostdoctora