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Chronology of the Naqada Period


Petrie was the first to produce a chronology for the Naqada Period. Using pottery he developed the sequence dates. Eventually he divided the Naqada period into three main periods:

Later Kaiser (Kaiser 1957) refined the sequence dates and divided the Naqada period into several Stufen ('steps' = phases).

Kaiser's system remains in use with some slight modifications (see the most recent discussion: Hendrickx 1996):

Kaiser also introduced for his Stufen several subdivisions:

Naqada I a-b-c (about 4000 - 3500 BC)
Naqada II a-b-c (about 3500 - 3200 BC)
Naqada III a-b-c (about 3200 - 3000 BC)

Naqada I
The culture is still similar to the Badarian culture. The dead were buried in simple oval pits (some examples: Badari tomb 3731, Naqada tomb 1464, tomb 1613). Some larger tombs appear.

Black-topped pottery is the typical ware

painted pottery appears

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Naqada II
The Naqada culture appears throughout Egypt. Some individuals are buried in larger, more elaborate tombs (see the elite cemetery in Naqada).

New pottery types appear:

Marl pottery, sometimes decorated

'rough' pottery

Considerable development in techniques

metal
stone vessels
perfect flint knifes

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Naqada III
In Upper Egypt cemeteries include extremely wealthy burials, revealing stark social differences.

Cylinder jars are characteristic grave goods.

the first writing appears

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