book chapter

Chemische und mineralogische Analyse einiger Erz- und Kupferfunde von Maadi

Maadi : excavations at the Predynastic site of Maadi and its cemeteries conducted by Mustapha Amer and Ibrahim Rizkana on behalf of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts of Cairo University, 1930-1953 ; The non-lithic small finds and the structural remains of the Predynastic settlement • III • Published In 1989 • Pages: 137-141

By: Pernicka, Ernst, Hauptmann, Andreas.

Abstract

Seven ore samples and five objects of metallic copper were analyzed by means of neutron activation and petrographically studied. Five ore samples contain between 10% and 56% copper, while one ore sample consists mainly of haematite and one of the manganese mineral pyrolusite. Four of the copper objects are irregularly shaped and contain slag and cuprite inclusions, suggesting that they are remains of melting operations. Chemically, these copper samples resemble the copper ores found in Maadi, with regard to their trace element pattern. Nevertheless, it is unclear if ores were indeed smelted at Maadi, since no furnaces or at least fireplaces associated with slags or tuyeres have been found. The association of different ore samples with the metal finds rather suggest that the copper ore was used as a pigment and that the copper came along with it, possibly from the same source outside the general region (p. 140)

HRAF PubDate

2005

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Northern Africa

Document Type

book chapter

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; 2004

Field Date

Maadi-North: 1930-1936, 1939, 1940, 1946-1948; Wadi Digla/Maadi-South: 1951-1953

Coverage Date

Predynastic second half of Naqada 1-Naqada 11 c

Coverage Place

Maadi, Egypt

Notes

Von Ernst Pernicka und Andreas Hauptmann

Includes bibliographical references (p. 141)

LCCN

88128551

LCSH

Neolithic Period--Egypt

Egypt--Antiquities