Ptolemaic and Roman Memphis as a Production Centre
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abstract
Alexandria is traditionally viewed as an artistic as well as intellectual centre in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt; there is, however, little archaeological evidence to support this. The role played by Memphis during these two periods is often underestimated, although the archaeological record suggests that both the sacred and the domestic areas of the city were of considerable importance, particularly during the Ptolemaic period, when it enjoyed two periods of royal residency under Ptolemy I and Ptolemy V. This chapter considers the excavated material from Flinders Petrie's seasons at Memphis, currently held in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at University College London, which includes terracotta and faience objects, a 1st-century c.e. faience factory, and plaster moulds associated with both the production of forms of representation and the manufacturing of bronze. The question of the role that was played by Memphis in the production of Ptolemaic and Roman material culture is reassessed, as well as the close association between stone and bronze sculptural and terracotta representations; furthermore, ceramic and faience vessels in the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian styles are explored. The results of a survey of the archaeological evidence suggests that, in the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods, Memphis was an active production centre with links between the forms of artistic media to the religious activities in the city, thus compelling a reassessment of the accepted knowledge and offering a more accurate representation of Egypt in the Ptolemaic and early Roman Imperial periods.
