Hidden Geology in Ancient Egypt

Abstract

The ancient Egyptians had an advanced scientific knowledge and their sciences, texts, and archeological remains reflect the breadth of that knowledge. Although geology is now recognized as the youngest of the major branches of the professional sciences, this paper addresses the use of geology by ancient Egyptians in building their civilization and the advanced knowledge of geology that they applied in building pyramids, extracting ores, and in quarrying. This includes a knowledge of crystallography employed in building pyramids and establishing obelisks; petrological knowledge is indicated in their selection of rock types with respect to character and durability; quarrying expertise is evident in their means of extraction of rocks for building; mineralogical knowledge is evident from their use of minerals, as well as the use of metals in reshaping and molding monuments. Knowledge of gemology and mining geology is evident from their use of gems and semi-precious stones, and their knowledge of how to prospect for and extract them. Their achievements in field geology include making the first geological map in the world. Knowledge of this history is useful to inform inventory-based geoconservation and around 7000 years of its history has left Egypt, replete with related geo-sites, classic sites illustrating geological principles, and examples of historical geological exploitation, geological controversy, and geoconservation. Archeologists have used geology as a science to explain some issues in the ancient history, but have never recognized the degree to which geology was used by the ancient Egyptians themselves. This article discusses the evidence from ancient Egypt that, far from being a recent science, geology was widely used in ancient Egypt.