Experimental studies on the perforation technology in the Egyptian Predynastic period.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16877
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Nagaya Kazuyoshi 金沢大学, 国際文化資源学研究センター, 特任助教 (60647098)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: エジプト / 初期国家形成期 / 威信材 / 穿孔技術 / 石製品（ビーズ、容器） / 石器使用痕観察 / 穿孔実験 / 支配者と職人

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Stone crafts had a significant role to represent rulers’ social status in the Egyptian state formation period during the second half of the 4th millennium BC. For craftsmen, perforation was an essential technology to complete the prestige items such as beads and vessels. In this study, the ancient perforation method that how to drill hard stones only by stone tools, were reconstructed throughout use-wear trace analysis on stone drills found from the site Hierakonpolis and experimental replications.
The early craftsmen at Hierakonpolis seem to have developed a rational method for their working of stone. This not only made the drilling possible, but also made their labor more efficient, allowing them to reach higher productivity to meet the demand of their patrons/rulers. The tools from Hierakonpolis are a testament to the continuous ingenuity of the Predynastic craftsmen, and from their study we learn to appreciate their beautiful products even more.

Free Research Field

エジプト先史考古学