Abstract
This article provides an overview of the first results from archaeological investigations at Wadi el-Sheikh in Egypt by the University of Vienna Middle Egypt Project. Chert was an important raw material used to produce tools, implements and jewelry in ancient times. Wadi el-Sheikh was exploited over thousands of years as it was probably the most important source of chert in Pharaonic civilization. The results of our new investigations that involved surveys and test excavations indicate the presence of large scale mining activities in the first half of the 3rd Millennium B.C.E. which allow for detailed insights into the amount of raw material extracted, the mining methods used and the lithic products manufactured in this area. These aspects are contextualized on the background of ancient Egyptian state-organized resource acquisition strategies and economy.
Highlights
Wadi el-Sheikh in Egypt is a major source for the acquisition of chert, often referred to as flint or silex
The activities that resulted in the artifact assemblages for each unit can be summarized as follows: The assemblage in Unit 1 probably resulted from a variety of knapping episodes over a long time span, including blade production and especially bifacial tool production, since Unit 1 had many very small artifacts, many thinning flakes, pressure flakes, a high percentage of roughouts, some blade cores, and a variety of tools
It is very clear that the remains in Unit 1 resulted from both blade production and bifacial tool production, but that there was more focus on bifacial tool reduction and fine tool finishing in that area than in the doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170840.g025
Summary
Wadi el-Sheikh in Egypt is a major source for the acquisition of chert, often referred to as flint or silex. A few archaeologists have visited and briefly surveyed the Wadi in the following century; each time, they essentially concurred with Seton-Karr on the significance of this area [2, 3, 4, 5], but no systematic archaeological investigation has ever taken place. Those few who did visit the Wadi engaged in relatively superficial examinations of limited areas. This changed recently when the University of Vienna Middle Egypt Project set out to survey substantial portions, excavate select areas and PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0170840 February 2, 2017
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