List of figures . . x
Conventions . . xv
Chronological table . . xvi
Map . . xvii

PROLOGUE 
1 Visual, written, decorum . . 3

WRITTEN CULTURE 
2 Literacy and ancient Egyptian society . . 33
3 Four notes on literacy . . 63
4 Literacy, social organization, and the archaeological record: the case of early Egypt . . 95
5 Writing and society in early Egypt . . 117
6 Orality and literacy. Appendix: Updates to Chapters 2-5; comparative studies . . 170
7 Ancient Egyptian concepts and uses of the past: third to second millennium evidence . . 179

VISUAL CULTURE 
8 Introductory note . . 205
9 Theories and universals of representation: Heinrich Schafer and Egyptian art . . 207
10 Schafer's mottoes and the understanding of representation . . 236
11 Colour terminology and colour classification: ancient Egyptian colour terminology and polychromy . . 240
12 Stone and other materials: usages and values . . 263
13 Communication and display: the integration of early Egyptian art and writing . . 281
14 On the status and purposes of ancient Egyptian art . . 298

References . . 338
Index . . 407