Staff directory
Thierry De Putter
Earth Sciences
Geodynamics and mineral resources
Geodynamics and mineral resources
Publication details
Claes, W., Vanhulle, D. & De Putter, Th. 2021. ‘Obsidian in early Egypt. The provenance of a new fragment from the Predynastic settlement at Elkab and the question of possible exchanges routes’. In: Claes W., De Meyer M., Eyckerman M., Huyge D. (eds), Remove that pyramid! Studies on the archaeology and history of Predynastic and pharaonic Egypt in honour of Stan Hendrickx. Series ‘Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta’, vol. 305. Leuven : Peeters, pp. 187-236. (PR)
Chapter in an edited book / Article in an edited book
Since 2009, the Belgian Archaeological Mission to Elkab of the Royal Museums of Art
and History is excavating the remains of a large settlement that has its origin in the
Badarian period. During the excavation season of 2012, the distal end of an obsidian
flake was found in the early Naqada II horizon of test pit 3. The geochemical analysis
of its trace elements indicates that this flake, like other analysed samples from Hierakonpolis
and Naqada, originates from obsidian sources in the Ethiopian Afar triangle.
The Elkab flake brings additional data to the existing corpus of provenanced obsidian
fragments and the discussion on possible exchange routes. Based on the archaeological
context, the geographical and chronological distribution of all known obsidian objects,
combined with new data emerging from recent and intensive archaeological research
in the deserts south and west of the Egyptian Nile Valley, the question of these exchange
routes needs to be reconsidered within a broader framework of various simultaneous
supply networks. In this paper, we propose to break down the procurement of obsidian
in early Egypt in two phases that also highlight some of the socio-economic developments
occurring during the Predynastic period and the changes following the formation
of the Egyptian state.