Newberry, Percy E. : Beni Hasan (Band 3) (London, 1896)

FLINT KNIVES.

35

PLATE VIII.

CHIPPING FLINT KNIVES.

Manufacture of Flint Knives. Tomb 2.

P. E. N.

From west wall of main chamber in Tomb 2;
B. II., I., PI. xi.

The accompanying illustration gives the
entire scene. The chipping is all done in a
downward direction. Two of the workmen
are holding up the knives to test the accuracy
of their work. The draughtsmanship is very
poor, but some interesting details are shown
in the colouring. The anvils here are all
black. It is clear that the fabricators were
tipped with some material different from that
of their shafts, for the shafts are coloured
black and the tips red. Possibly they consisted

of flint flakes set in wooden handles. Lying
about are many finished knives. All, except
those in the little heap behind the standing
figure, are provided with handles, formed by
binding round the butt end of the knife with
cord (?) worked into a little knob at the end ;1
an example is shown in colour in the plate,
Fig. 2a.

1 A knife, the handle of which was bound with cord, was
found at Kahun, Petrie, Illahun, PI. xiii., 6. Presumably
the implements from Kahun were of inferior workmanship
to those used in the ceremonies fi<mred at Beni Hasan.

D 2