On-going Investigations at the Predynastic to Early Dynastic site of Kafr Hassan Dawood: Copper, Exchange and Tephra

Abstract

Continued analysis of material – primarily ceramic – excavated during the 1990s at the Predynastic to Early Dynastic cemetery site of Kafr Hassan Dawood (KHD) in the Wadi Tumilat has allowed seven phases of use to be identified. This process has been greatly helped by the acquisition of further archival material of the 1989 to 1995 excavations. The assigning of these phases was also aided by the dating of tephra from a layer covering First Dynasty graves ; it has provided a terminus post quem for certain graves dug into this layer in the south of the site that did not have any grave goods and has also given a terminus ante quem for all the graves below this layer. Archaeometallurgical analysis of a copper bowl from grave 913 has shown that it was made of arsenical copper, which probably came from the Sinai. The large amount of copper artefacts found at KHD may indicate its function as a node on the interregional exchange network between the Sinai and the Memphite region.