Al Badari, or El Badari, is known for its Predynastic cemeteries. The site lies between Qau and Matmar in Upper Egypt. The Al Badari region occupies 30 km of land along the east bank of the Nile River. Two points of significant interest in Al Badari are the Dier Tasa and Mostageddan cemeteries. The credit for discovering Al Badari and unveiling its marvels to the world goes to Gertrude Caton Thompson and Guy Brunton. They first led the investigation in this area between 1922 and 1931. The findings have been studied extensively to understand the social history and chronology of the Badarian period. (5500-4000 B.C).
Location of El Badari Town
El Badari (Arabic: البداري) is a town in the Asyut Governorate, Upper Egypt, located between Matmar and Qaw El Kebir.
Etymology
The older name of the town is Berdanis (Arabic: بردنيس) or Badarnos (Arabic: بادارنوس), which Timm derives from Anba Darius.
Badarian Culture
The Badarian economy flourished between 5500 BC and 4000 BC. The culture gives direct evidence of the presence of agriculture in Upper Egypt. Six hundred graves and forty settlements have been discovered, pointing to social stratification. Fishing, animal husbandry, and agriculture were parts of the economy of the Badarian culture and grains like barley, lentils, and wheat were regularly consumed. The people at that time placed their deceased on mats looking west, which is very different from traditions in later dynasties, which regarded the west as the land of the dead. The influence of the Badarian culture has also been found in the south of Egypt, indicating it was not restricted to the local area.
Archaeology
El Badari contains an archaeological site with numerous Predynastic cemeteries (notably Mostagedda, Deir Tasa and the cemetery of El Badari itself). It has at least one early Predynastic settlement at Hammamia. This area extended for 30 km (19 mi) along the east bank of the Nile and was first excavated by Guy Brunton and Gertrude Caton-Thompson between 1922 and 1931.
The finds from El Badari form the original basis for the Badarian culture (c. 5500-4000 BC), the earliest phase of the Upper Egyptian Predynastic period.
Al Badari Site
Many archaeological findings dating back to the Predynastic era have been found in the Al Badari region. Slate palettes, red polished pottery pots, stone vases, ivory and terracotta anthropomorphic figures, and flint have been discovered. The pottery buried with the dead is the most characteristic element of the Badarian culture. It had been given a distinctive and decorative rippled surface. Many tools like bifacial sickles, end-scrapers, axes, perforators and concave base arrowheads have also been found. Remains of many animals like sheep, dogs, and cats in cemeteries indicate that the people in this city were engaged in animal husbandry and had pets.
Although there is no clear evidence of buildings at that time, the remains of wooden stumps indicate that the locals constructed huts or some shelters in ancient times. Basalt vases and elephant ivory carvings suggest that the Badarians interacted with the cultures around them. The size of their pots indicates that they were not nomads but lived in a stable settlement. Several deep pits were also found, which have been assumed to have been used as granaries.
Cemeteries in the Badarian Region
The decorations of Badarian graves have been very helpful for archaeologists in interpreting the culture of the Badarians. Excavations have revealed black and thin brown ceramics, indicating that skilled potters worked during that time. The pottery at cemeteries also indicated that Badarians had a good food source, giving them spare time to indulge in art. The deceased were wrapped in animal skins or reed matting, and simple belongings like stone beads or shells were placed on them. Some simple tools have also been found in graves.
The Nearby Town of Deir Teas
Deir Teas is a village near El Badari. This cemetery site dates to the Amratian phase of Egypt’s predynastic culture. The pottery found here shows that a lot of decoration and shape development had occurred by the time of this settlement. Cups in the form of lotus flowers have been found, showing a very high level of art. Some archaeologists also believe that this site is an extension of Badarian culture.
Artefacts found at al Badari have been quite varied. Badarian ware is the name given by Petrie to the distinctive pottery, and this is because of the exclusive polished red vessels with black tops. The Badarian people were also the first to make copper bead-shaped metal objects in Egypt. Excavation of the site has given a very detailed insight into the Badarian culture, but owing to the growing demand for land, many of the ruins are slowly being lost.
