Jar depicting painted boats,

ca. 3650–3300 BCE

Much of what is known about predynastic Egypt derives from excavations at Naqada, in Upper Egypt, where tombs yielded diverse pottery types. The jar with painted boats is an example of a type made of pale clay that was painted with reddish brown designs. On either side, the curved hull of a large boat extends from handle to handle. No crewmen are shown, but rows of oars extend the length of the vessel. Below each handle is a stylized vegetal motif, usually identified as halfa grass. The meaning of the images on these jars is unclear, though they may have been related to religious or funerary rituals, where the painted vessels could have referred to the long journey of the soul. As in later written spells, the repetition of a limited repertory of motifs may have helped to reinforce a specific conception of the afterlife.