The article discusses instrumental analysis carried out on ancient ceramic bodies. Their technique of decoration can be divided into preand postfiring painting. Analysis of the ceramic bodies reveals their matrix: those of high lime content go through fusion at firing whereas in a lime-poor matrix this does not occur. This differentiation leads to the conclusion that Egyptians utilized two kinds of clay: that of low lime content from the Nile and that of high lime from Ballas and Qena. pigments and additions used in preand post firing painting are enumerated. Synthetic pigments were developed to a high degree in Egypt due to the preponderance of post-firing decoration of ceramic objects. See also 16-744. -- AATA