crafts: Egypt 287 Group of bronze tools for woodworking, from Thebes, Egypt (New Kingdom, around 1300 b.c.e.) (© The Trustees of the British Museum) the period depicting cartouches (oval or oblong decorations framing a ruler’s name), hieroglyphs, and human figures Bowls and chalices were common vessel forms In the Twenty Sixth Dynasty (ca 664–525 b.c.e.) ushabtis and model sistra (musical instruments of the percussion family) became increasingly popular forms Little glass is found in Egypt before the New Kingdom, and research indicates that what has been found was probably imported Because glassmaking appears as a fully formed industry early in the New Kingdom, it is possible that foreign glassmakers were brought to Egypt to develop a native industry Regardless of who produced New Kingdom glass, this period was the peak of Egyptian glass production Production was in full swing and highly developed by the reign of Thutmose III (r 1479–1425 b.c.e.) A number of workshops are known from the New Kingdom, especially from the palace of Malkata, near Thebes, and from Amarna Glass production was on the decline by the late Twentieth Dynasty (1196–1070 b.c.e.) and continued on a reduced scale from that time During the New Kingdom several techniques were used to create glass objects Vessels were almost entirely core- formed, or shaped around a center rod; they could also be mold-made Glass could be worked like stone using a technique known as cold cutting, with the glass being chipped away and sculpted with a hammer and chisel Molding and cold cutting were often combined to create glass sculptures in the round, a unique practice in the ancient world Core forming was slowly replaced by blowing as the most common vessel-making technique in the Graeco-Roman Period Nets, bags, baskets, and matting were created by ancient Egyptians out of a limited range of materials, usually palm leaves and grasses but occasionally reeds and rushes Basketry has been found in some quantity at certain sites Additional information can be gleaned from mud impressions that were often made when old matting or basketry pieces were incorporated into building materials for new constructions as a means of reinforcement Several techniques were used to create basketry in ancient Egypt, but coiled basketry predominated from Prehistoric until Ptolemaic times In the Predynastic Period matting was incorporated into housing Throughout the Dynastic Period bed frames and chair seats were woven with matting Twined