Mode of citation: Philip McCouat, "Egyptian blue: the colour of technology", Journal of Art in Society, www.artinsociety.com

As the Earth wobbles the Pole Star that marks the approximate Celestial Pole changes. Polaris marks the spot now, but at the time of the Pyramids it was marked by Thuban in the constellation of Draconis. In 12 000 AD Vega in the constellation of Lyra will mark the Pole.

Egypt

History is the tapestry of events of human activity that have led to the present. Without understanding where we have been, we can’t properly understand and shape the future we want to create. The preceding information discusses history in some respect. With a proper understanding of history in hand, one can better comprehend their place in the present, as well as positively, contribute to the guiding of civilization toward a benevolent end. Agreeing on projects and signing them takes more paperwork and time than with any other country,” he added, pointing out the agreement for the tower project in the New Capital required multiple rounds of talks after Chinese companies pulled out at various times, and concerns over its economic feasibility were raised from Beijing. All business Jushi, a Chinese fibreglass manufacturing company, is one of the largest tenants. Its presence at the canal has made Egypt the third largest manufacturer of fibreglass in the world. Sun called it “a model of win-win development” for Cairo and Beijing. An Egyptian flag flies on a boat as a container ship sails down the new section of the Suez Canal in Ismailia [File: Khaled Desouki/AFP] There is some evidence of shoes being worn by nobility in the New Kingdom and also the use of silk but this is rare. The Hittites had developed the shoe and the boot by this time, so it would not be surprising to see their appearance in Egypt. In 1258 BCE the Hittites and Egyptians signed the world's first peace treaty, and afterwards cultural diffusion was common between the two. Still, the shoe never became popular footwear in Egypt as it would probably have been considered unnecessary effort; after all, even the gods went barefoot. Manufacture & Simplicity of Form Making clothing began in the home but soon turned into an industry once linen, and later cotton, became popular. Flax fibers were spun into thread and woven on a horizontal loom to create one long piece of cloth, which then was cut. Even the most elaborate dresses and kilts were simply a bolt from this cloth which was rarely sewn into any shape. The kalasiris was little more than a sheet a woman wrapped around her body; the individual turned that sheet into a dress through personal skill in manipulating the cloth.

Lazzarini L, “The discovery of Egyptian blue in a Roman fresco of the mediaeval period (ninth century A.D.)”, Studies in Conservation, Vol 27 (1982) p84. Book More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite (Council on Foreign Relations Books (Penguin Press)) Beaded gowns and dresses (the kalasiris which Herodotus mentions) ornamented with jewels begin to appear in the late Middle Kingdom but become more common in the New Kingdom among the upper classes. Elaborate wigs adorned with beads and jewels also appear with greater frequency at this time. Egyptologist Margaret Bunson notes how "the capelet, made of sheer linen, was the fashion innovation of the New Kingdom" (68). The capelet, or shawl cape, was a rectangle of linen twisted, folded, or cut, and usually attached to an ornamented collar. It was worn over a kalasiris which fell either from the waist or just below the breasts and became the most popular style of the upper classes. Both governments have been eager to play up this convergence of business interests. On a visit to Egypt last year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated: “China’s initiative for the Belt and Road and Egypt 2030 Vision have joint economic targets.” Hub for three continentsThose historic relations have been nurtured under current President el-Sisi. He has made six trips to Beijing since becoming president in 2014 after a coup that overthrew the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi. A key issue not being discussed in the Chinese-Egyptian relationship is the persecution of Uighurs, the Turkic ethnic group and Muslim community in China’s northwest Xinjiang province. Kyphi was most often used by women and applied in very much the same fashion as perfume is in the modern day. A woman, or her maidservant, would open a container of kyphi, fan the air, and walk through the scent. The same is true of cosmetics, which were kept in pots or jars and applied from these containers with a brush or reed, much like the modern eyeliner. Bredal-Jørgensen, J,et al, “Striking presence of Egyptian blue identified in a painting by Giovanni Battista Benvenuto from 1524”, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry,Sep 2011 Vol 401 Iss 4, p 1433.

If Egypt thinks of its position vis-a-vis Beijing as a regional leader it could have a significantly more powerful position with the Chinese,” el-Dahshan said. “I don’t think anyone is entirely clear on the parameters of the relationship now.”Egypt’s young population of more than 100 million certainly makes it a massive market for China in the Middle East. But some say Cairo could leverage its position better in this new relationship. Ten years ago, in September and October 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative during his visits to Indonesia and Kazakhstan. The “Belt and Road” initiative, which means (the economic belt of the Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road for the twenty-first century), is one of the most important global development initiatives in the twenty-first century, and it is a development strategy within the framework of “development diplomacy” pursued by China. Based on the principle of “mutual benefit”, interdependence, cooperation and common interests among all countries of the world, it aims to build a network of trade and infrastructure linking Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.