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Egyptian decorative art

Chapter 6: The Spiral.
By W. M. Flinders Petrie
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ArtHistory - Ancient

About This Book

A sequence of lectures examines the elements and development of Egyptian ornament, tracing how hieroglyphic writing, craft techniques, and architectural forms shaped decorative motifs. Organized by theme—geometrical, natural, structural, and symbolic ornament—it analyzes patterns such as spirals, frets, chequers, lotus and papyrus plant forms, rosettes, borders, cornices, and animal and religious emblems like the uraeus and scarab. The work discusses sources and probable transmission of designs, the interplay between form and function, and how motifs adapt across media from small objects to monumental architecture.

9.—XVIII., P. I. xvii. 7.

10.—XVIII. Vase, R.C. lvii.

The zigzag line only became changed into a rounded wavy line in the later time of the XVIIIth dynasty. This probably results from the earlier patterns being all direct copies of textiles which maintained rectilinear patterns; but when the same came to be used on pottery (as above), or on metal work (shield border, L.D. iii. 64), then curves were readily introduced. On a golden bowl repeated waves are shown, deepened so as to receive further figures.

The Spiral.

The spiral, or scroll, is one of the greatest elements of Egyptian decoration; it is only second to the lotus in importance, and shares with that the origination of a great part of the ornament of the world. The source of the spiral and its meaning are alike uncertain. It has been attributed to a development of the lotus pattern; but it is known in every variety of treatment without any trace of connection with the lotus. It has been said to represent the wanderings of the soul; why, or how, is not specified; nor why some souls should wander in circular spirals, others in oval spirals, some in spirals with ends, others in spirals that are endless. And what a soul was supposed to do when on the track of a triple diverging spiral, how it could go two ways at once, or which line it was to take—all these difficulties suggest that the theorist’s soul was on a remarkable spiral.