Scope of the Study

Abstract

This study of ancient Egyptian beads is based upon the Petrie Collection in University College, London, with the addition of those materials as can be gathered from a perusal of various publications as well as a rough examination of specimens in the Ashmolean Museum and the Cairo Museum. Due to the special circumstances under which I am working, I am unable to study other equally valuable collections. But it must be said that the Petrie Collection provides ample material to cover all the periods of ancient Egypt. As early as 1891, Sir Flinders Petrie conceived the plan to make up a great standard collection of dated beads, type specimens, and strings of all the more usual varieties. With his sagacious selection and his unrivalled chance of acquiring new specimens, this Collection certainly is one of the best representative collections.