Conference Keynote Address "Metallurgy and the silver (Ag) bracelets of queen Hetepheres I from early 4th Dynasty Giza"

Description

Silver in early Egypt is known from a small amount of archaeological evidence, along with texts such as the Royal Annals and the biographical inscription of the seal-bearer of the god, Iny. Debate on the source of this silver has continued for decades, without satisfactory resolution. Recent textual and scientific advances help expose the complex and dynamic nature of silver procurement networks across the eastern Mediterranean in the third millennium (3000-2000 BC). First, newly-published multi-proxy analysis of the bracelets of queen Hetepheres I (c. 2600 BC) delivered significant new information about Egyptian manufacturing techniques, the elemental composition of the metal, and origins of the silver ore. Lead (Pb) isotope analysis revealed the Aegean as its source, exposing hitherto unknown distant links. Second, a new and decisive reading of the Ebla Texts by Maria Biga and Piotr Steinkeller (2021) identified the word Durugasu as Egypt. This reading sheds new light on the extensive and direct nature of relations between northwestern Syria and the Egyptian state, not just for silver but for a range of commodities. Dating to c. 2300 BC, the texts reveal Eblaite control of Anatolian silver sources and a direct trade with Egypt. This paper will examine the new findings and Egypt's role in these networks. The changing nature of this exchange environment cemented the position of Byblos as the mediation point for the regional metals network. It is argued that Egypt, as the only territorial state in the region, likely drove expansion of regional trade and the interconnected eastern Mediterranean at this early time.

Period	25 Nov 2023
Event title	Materials and Technology: Working with Ancient Egyptian Artefacts in the Field and in Museums
Event type	Conference
Location	Aswan, EgyptShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International