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Our Dark Materials: Rediscovering an Egyptian Collection

Stone

Ancient Egypt is notable for its technological “ups and downs”—periods of sustained advancement followed by turmoil and loss. One constant across these millennia of change was a reliance on stone tools. A staple of everyday life, stone tools, or “lithics,” were used to shape pottery, carve massive statues, or simply cut meat or plants for food. Stone tools are often assumed to be a primitive technology. But their endurance over many centuries of ancient Egyptian history testifies to their importance and sophistication.

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Flint knapping is the art of chipping away material from flint or other fracturing stone to create sharp points or tools. An example of flint knapping at its finest, this ceremonial blade was made in pre-Dynastic Egypt, possibly as an honored burial item as it shows no wear. Blades like this are often discounted as primitive and unsophisticated because they’re made of stone. However, the perfect strokes and precise pressure flaking indicates that this blade was made by a sophisticated professional craftsman.