Provenance reinterpretation of some early Egyptian copper alloy artefacts

Abstract

• This paper presents a new provenance evaluation of recently published Egyptian copper alloy artefacts dating to the Protodynastic and Old Kingdom periods. The excavation context of a Protodynastic chisel from Elkab is considered in detail to provide a nuanced interpretation of its dating. In turn, the broader implications of this dating for early Egyptian copper provenance determination are discussed. Furthermore, several Old Kingdom artefacts from Abusir and Giza are reviewed. These objects include some of the earliest attestations of likely metal imports within Egypt, although their exact provenance remains unclear. Using a wide range of reference data and technological arguments, alternative interpretations are suggested to obtain a more nuanced picture of copper alloy imports and their role in early Egyptian metal procurement.