Abstract
This paper presents an archaeometallurgical study of a set of copper alloy artefacts found at ancient Egyptian sites currently deposited in the collection of Ägyptisches Museum - Georg Steindorff - der Universität Leipzig. The examined artifacts are dated to the 3rd millennium BC, to the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom periods.
The analyzed set of 20 artefacts covers different types such as full-size vessels, full-size tools, and their models. They have been found in Early Dynastic tombs of the cemetery of Abusir; in the tomb of the last king of the Second Dynasty, Khasekhemwy, at Abydos; and in a cemetery of Fifth and Sixth Dynasty officials at Giza.
The artefacts thus offer a diachronic overview of the use of copper alloys throughout the Egyptian Early Bronze Age. A detailed technical analysis has been carried out with the aim to obtain or specify information about the chemical or structural composition of the artefacts using wide range of analytical techniques.
Selected artefacts have been studied by metallographic methods in combination with micro hardness tests and XRD. Chemical composition analyses were carried out by the ED-XRF, SEM/EDS and NAA methods.
Lead isotope analyses were carried out using a MC-ICP-MS spectrometer in order to better understand the geographic provenance of the copper ores used. All obtained analytical and archaeological data have been statistically evaluated in order to contribute to more detailed and accurate knowledge of metal production techniques and materials used in early Egyptian metallurgy.
The results of the study illustrate rich cultural interactions between Egypt and the Near East in the 3rd millennium BC.