Stonework was one of the earliest industries in ancient Egypt. A natural wealth of ornamental stone was first exploited during the Pre-Dynastic period ( 4,000 BC ) and various quarry sites yielded basalt, breccia, granite, porphyry, limestone and alabaster. Two ancient alabaster quarry sites have been identified, one at Wadi Gera and the other near Helena and in an area south of Mania. While Egyptian alabaster, geologically known as Calcium carbonate, was worked from the Pre-Dynastic time on, it was most well liked during the New kingdom. The utilization of alabaster in Egypt dates well back into the Pharaonic period of Egyptian history, and it is evident when one visits the temples, tombs and museums in Egypt.
the first alabaster was a kind of Calcite, a see-through spread or gypsum. On the hardness scale of one to ten, the alabaster would stand at only 2 to 2.5 soft enough to scratch with a fingernail. Because of the low hardness, it is really easy to cut and polish, but it is also easily weathered, especially in wet conditions. Because of its softness , therefore , alabaster is often carved for statuary and other decorative purposes. Ancient pharaohs used alabaster for many purposes, including home goods, ritual objects, and for a selection of different funerary purposes like sarcophaguses and canopic equipments.
The Working of hard stone reached its height in the 3rd and 4th dynasties ( 2600 – 2400 BC ). The early vessels were of simple but classy shape, often with flat broad edges and tiny lug handles for suspension. The ancient artisans demonstrated their mastery of this medium as they formed hard stone like it were clay, producing a variety of finely made vessels. There have been no intact stone drilling tools recovered from ancient Egypt, although part of a stone employee toll kit survived. Decorative tomb paintings showing daily life scenes have been the best source of information as to how stone pots were carved.
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