The study of ancient Egyptian materials and technology is a vibrant one, with research being conducted by many scholars throughout the world. This book draws not only on traditional archaeological and textual sources but also on the results of scientific analyses of ancient materials and on experimental and ethno-archaeological information. Although the principal aim is to bring together the basic evidence for different aspects of change and evolution in Egyptian technology, it also examines wider cognitive and social contexts, such as the ancient Egyptian propensity for mental creativity and innovation. How rapidly did Egyptian technology change in comparison with other African, Mediterranean or Near Eastern states? The text includes consideration of those aspects of Egyptian society that made it predisposed (or not) to certain types of innovation, e.g. techniques of metalworking, transportation and construction.