DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50021#0130
JJ2 XII. Flint Implements-
XII. FLINT IMPLEMENTS.
Degemra- ALL the flints found in our two cemeteries are roughly chipped. The large knives are very
iion of flint Z—1 . • i • u 11 n- r
working. A clumsy impractical blades — probably purely ceremonial m usage. The small flints, or un-
known usage, are in part better work; and all of them have keener cutting edges than the
large knives. It may be that they are a cheap form of knife; or, what is more probable, they
may have served a perfectly practical purpose in some traditional ceremony like circumcision.1
Type I. N. 1581,1, Pl. 40 a, late first dynasty.
N. 1586,2, Pl. 40X second dynasty (broken, small piece missing near handle).
Curved blades with bulging tip and handle, rough chipped on both sides. Apparently
derived from the broad knife of the predynastic period, cf. II below, or from a copy in
copper (no example known) of the broad knife. This handled flint knife continued in use
with a slight variation in form certainly through the twelfth dynasty. See el-Kab p. 8, stair-
way tomb 226 (third dyn.); cf. Denderah Pl. 20,30 (sixth dyn.), lllahun Pl. 7, 16 (twelfth dyn.);
bronze blades Kahun Pl. 17, 18—21.
Other dated examples are recorded: I Abydos xiv—xv where a series is given extending
from the very early first dynasty (cem. B) to the end of the second dynasty. See also stela 24.
This series is interesting in that the forms subsequent to Wdj-mw (Den) have almost no curve
on the back and have a less bulging tip. The forms found in the tomb of Khasekhemui are
practically the same as these of the sixth and twelfth dynasties just noted. The two forms
found in our cemeteries resemble those found in tomb B 10, Dt, Mryt-neit, and Wdj-vn'w (Den).
This fact is especially interesting for the spread of forms, as our tombs are about half a
dynasty later than the Abydos tombs in which the same forms were found.
Type n. N. 1514,48, Pl. 40 second dynasty.
Curved blade with bulging tip, like 1 above but without handle. Apparently derived from
the broad knife of the predynastic period. The earliest dated examples were found in the
Menes tomb, see II Origines Fig. 769 and pp. 160—164 (six perfect examples and fragments
of 30—35 others). See also stela 27. This flint knife continued in use alongside type 1 above
with nearly the same variations in form and for the same length of time (i. e. certainly through
the twelfth dynasty). See the interesting examples found by Petrie in the Osiris temenos at
Abydos, I Abydos Pl. 16—19; see Dendereh Pl. 32; Kahun xvi; lllahun vn, 7, xm, 6. This is
the knife represented with a cord (?)-handle in the manufacture of flints, III Beni Hassan p. 34,35.
The dated examples of the first dynasty besides the Menes knives mentioned above are:
I Abydos xvn, 42 (cem. M. 13) and 28 (cem. M. 14), xiv various fragments: probably also Hiera-
konpolis xxv (from the main deposit) and lx, 1-5.
Type in. N. 1581, 7 pieces, Pl. 40b, late first dynasty.
N. 3551, one piece, Pl. 4o b? second dynasty.
Small flint chips usually more pointed at one end than the other and worked on the blunt
end. One side is flat or slightly concave. These chips may be descendants of the tailed
1 The well preserved male bodies found by Lythgoe in our predynastic cem. 7000 all showed circumcision.
XII. FLINT IMPLEMENTS.
Degemra- ALL the flints found in our two cemeteries are roughly chipped. The large knives are very
iion of flint Z—1 . • i • u 11 n- r
working. A clumsy impractical blades — probably purely ceremonial m usage. The small flints, or un-
known usage, are in part better work; and all of them have keener cutting edges than the
large knives. It may be that they are a cheap form of knife; or, what is more probable, they
may have served a perfectly practical purpose in some traditional ceremony like circumcision.1
Type I. N. 1581,1, Pl. 40 a, late first dynasty.
N. 1586,2, Pl. 40X second dynasty (broken, small piece missing near handle).
Curved blades with bulging tip and handle, rough chipped on both sides. Apparently
derived from the broad knife of the predynastic period, cf. II below, or from a copy in
copper (no example known) of the broad knife. This handled flint knife continued in use
with a slight variation in form certainly through the twelfth dynasty. See el-Kab p. 8, stair-
way tomb 226 (third dyn.); cf. Denderah Pl. 20,30 (sixth dyn.), lllahun Pl. 7, 16 (twelfth dyn.);
bronze blades Kahun Pl. 17, 18—21.
Other dated examples are recorded: I Abydos xiv—xv where a series is given extending
from the very early first dynasty (cem. B) to the end of the second dynasty. See also stela 24.
This series is interesting in that the forms subsequent to Wdj-mw (Den) have almost no curve
on the back and have a less bulging tip. The forms found in the tomb of Khasekhemui are
practically the same as these of the sixth and twelfth dynasties just noted. The two forms
found in our cemeteries resemble those found in tomb B 10, Dt, Mryt-neit, and Wdj-vn'w (Den).
This fact is especially interesting for the spread of forms, as our tombs are about half a
dynasty later than the Abydos tombs in which the same forms were found.
Type n. N. 1514,48, Pl. 40 second dynasty.
Curved blade with bulging tip, like 1 above but without handle. Apparently derived from
the broad knife of the predynastic period. The earliest dated examples were found in the
Menes tomb, see II Origines Fig. 769 and pp. 160—164 (six perfect examples and fragments
of 30—35 others). See also stela 27. This flint knife continued in use alongside type 1 above
with nearly the same variations in form and for the same length of time (i. e. certainly through
the twelfth dynasty). See the interesting examples found by Petrie in the Osiris temenos at
Abydos, I Abydos Pl. 16—19; see Dendereh Pl. 32; Kahun xvi; lllahun vn, 7, xm, 6. This is
the knife represented with a cord (?)-handle in the manufacture of flints, III Beni Hassan p. 34,35.
The dated examples of the first dynasty besides the Menes knives mentioned above are:
I Abydos xvn, 42 (cem. M. 13) and 28 (cem. M. 14), xiv various fragments: probably also Hiera-
konpolis xxv (from the main deposit) and lx, 1-5.
Type in. N. 1581, 7 pieces, Pl. 40b, late first dynasty.
N. 3551, one piece, Pl. 4o b? second dynasty.
Small flint chips usually more pointed at one end than the other and worked on the blunt
end. One side is flat or slightly concave. These chips may be descendants of the tailed
1 The well preserved male bodies found by Lythgoe in our predynastic cem. 7000 all showed circumcision.