Mines, mining, Pharaonic Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Considerable archaeological and textual information has survived concerning ancient Egyptian mining expeditions in pursuit of a variety of metals and gemstones, notably copper, gold, turquoise, malachite, amethyst, and chalcedony (Aston et al . 2000; Ogden 2000). Copper‐mining and smelting sites include Wadi Dara, Buhen, and Qubban, while numerous Pharaonic gold‐mining sites in the Eastern Desert of both Egypt and Nubia have been identified and surveyed (Klemm and Klemm 1998). Turquoise was mined at Wadi Maghara and Serabit el‐Khadim, amethyst at Wadi el‐Hudi, chalcedony (particularly carnelian) at the Stele Ridge site in the northern part of the Gebel el‐Asr region, galena (lead sulphide, used primarily for cosmetics) at Gebel el‐Zeit, and natron at the Wadi Natrun. The importance of Pharaonic quarrying and mining sites is firmly rooted in the fact that they were of prime importance to the prosperity and stability of the economy.