Badari

Badari refers to a prehistoric culture that existed in Upper Egypt during the Predynastic period. The Badarian culture is considered one of the earliest known distinct cultural groups in Egypt, dating roughly from 4400 to 4000 BCE. Archaeological evidence suggests the Badarians were settled agriculturalists who cultivated crops and raised livestock. Their settlements were typically located in shallow depressions near the Nile River.

The material culture of the Badarians is characterized by its distinctive pottery, which is often a fine, dark-colored ware with a reddish-brown slip. This pottery is sometimes decorated with incised geometric patterns or white-filled designs. Other artifacts found include polished stone tools, bone implements, and beads made from shells and semi-precious stones. Badarian burials typically involved inhumation in oval pits, with the body in a contracted position. Grave goods, such as pottery and personal ornaments, were often included.

The Badarian culture is seen as a precursor to later Predynastic Egyptian cultures, such as the Naqada culture. While the Badarians did not develop large-scale monumental architecture or writing systems, their advancements in agriculture, craft production, and social organization laid important groundwork for the emergence of the Egyptian state. The term "Badarian" is derived from the type site of Badari, a village in Upper Egypt where the characteristic artifacts of this culture were first discovered and extensively excavated by archaeologists like Guy Brunton and Gertrude Caton-Thompson.