Among the peoples of antiquity, the Egyptians were accomplished craftsmen, with the ability to work difficult material. They excelled particularly in stone working, although there is little evidence of stone being used in buildings during the first two dynasties except for doorways, lintels and other special places. However, some of the grandest stone buildings appear during the Third Dynasty, with no apparent precedent - the funerary complex of King Zoser at Saqqara is a prime example. Copper objects, tools, furniture, ornaments and a large quantity of handsomely-crafted stone vessels were found in tombs of the earliest dynasties. A wide variety of stone was native to Egypt which was quarried along the Nile, but rare materials like gold, timber, ivory and [G 015/ lapis lazuli] had to be imported.
Sculpture and wall painting developed as a complement to architecture. Full-sized sculpture progressed from the statuette and became part of decoration in temples and tombs. They served a religious purpose, but were not seen as objects in themselves, rather they were considered part of the whole structure. Also architecturally inspired, wall decoration was usually in [G 002/ bas-relief]. The figures were sculpted to the desired level of finish and then painted. Several forms of [G 002 / sunken relief] were also used, being less costly than [P 053 / V 004 / bas-relief].
[V 002 / Painting] was never valued as a separate art. It was always an element of sculpture and relief. [V 006 / Works were produced on a dry surface] (in earlier times mud-coated plaster, later on gypsum or lime plaster). Colors were created from natural minerals - malachite for the greens, ochre or hematite for reds and yellows, gypsum for white, black from soot and pounded lapis lazuli or copper carbonate for blue which was a royal color. Egg white was sometimes used as a bond. Drawings were first sketched in red by master craftsmen and corrections were sketched in black. These were difficult to hide: either they were cut away, or plastered over and painted.
