Predynastic Porphyritic Diorite Vessel, c. 3500 to 3000 BCE
Porphyritic Diorite
height 18 cm
height 7 1/8 in
height 7 1/8 in
Cons.2/5
A Predynastic Porphyritic Diorite Vessel, ovoidal body rising from a flat foot to a slightly everted flat rim. Igneous rocks such as granite and diorite are composed of tightly interlocking...
A Predynastic Porphyritic Diorite Vessel, ovoidal body rising from a flat foot to a slightly everted flat rim.
Igneous rocks such as granite and diorite are composed of tightly interlocking crystals, they are strong rocks and difficult to be carved. Diorite is rated as 7 on the Moh's hardness scale (about the same as quartz). The technology used to work such hard stone is a mystery, though lathes and bronze cutting tools tipped with hard materials have been suggested.
A. Lucas in his analysis of Egyptian Predynastic Stone Vessels reports:
"Porphyritic rocks, varying considerably both in the nature and size of the conspicuous crystals and also in colour, are widely distributed in Egypt and occur near Aswan, in the eastern desert and in Sinai. Although this material was used in the Predynastic period for making vessels, it was not employed to any great extent, the particular variety generally chosen being black and white (white crystals in a black matrix). There is no evidence to show from where this stone was obtained, though it was almost certainly either from Aswan or from the eastern desert, and, as the latter offers more opportunities, it seems the more probable source".
Source: The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology , Nov., 1930, Vol. 16, No. 3/4 (Nov., 1930), pp. 200-212
Igneous rocks such as granite and diorite are composed of tightly interlocking crystals, they are strong rocks and difficult to be carved. Diorite is rated as 7 on the Moh's hardness scale (about the same as quartz). The technology used to work such hard stone is a mystery, though lathes and bronze cutting tools tipped with hard materials have been suggested.
A. Lucas in his analysis of Egyptian Predynastic Stone Vessels reports:
"Porphyritic rocks, varying considerably both in the nature and size of the conspicuous crystals and also in colour, are widely distributed in Egypt and occur near Aswan, in the eastern desert and in Sinai. Although this material was used in the Predynastic period for making vessels, it was not employed to any great extent, the particular variety generally chosen being black and white (white crystals in a black matrix). There is no evidence to show from where this stone was obtained, though it was almost certainly either from Aswan or from the eastern desert, and, as the latter offers more opportunities, it seems the more probable source".
Source: The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology , Nov., 1930, Vol. 16, No. 3/4 (Nov., 1930), pp. 200-212