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Obsidian

This is a natural volcanic glass, formed from quickly cooled lava. The sources of obsidian are located outside of Egypt, in Ethiopia and the Aegean (sources in Asia are also possible though definitive proof is lacking). Obsidian objects were produced in Egypt throughout history. It was imported already in the Naqada I Period and used for flakes and blades.

The Egyptian name may have been mnw km and/or kA km.

pendant (Qau tomb 1629)
scarab
UC9587, obsidian
UC60252, obsidian scarab

Aston/Harrell/Shaw 2000: 46-47
Aston 1994: 23-26


 

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