The Nile gave water to a region where there was too little rainfall to support agriculture or life. In June, rain in Central Africa caused the river to rise, gradually covering the low banks and countryside. In September, the Nile receded, leaving behind a layer of fertile black …show more content…
Starting with the materials, most of the main materials used to create art came either from the Nile or from its surroundings. One of those materials were stones. The majority of soft stones available were limestone, calcite, sandstone, schist, and greywacke. In addition, harder stones such as quartzite, diorite, granodiorite, granite, and basalt were common. Stone was a major building material for temples, bowls, statues and sculptures. In many cases, Egyptians chose to cover the art pieces made of stone in a layer of paint, which was made from pigments. Those pigments consisted of minerals like calcium carbonate and azurite found in the Nile and the surrounding desert. A range of colors from white to yellow to black were available to the artists. However, the colors scheme of the river, blue and green, were the predominant shades in some of the statues, paintings, and sunk reliefs. They symbolized the fertility and prosperity of the Nile