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The earliest metal drill of Naqada IID dating

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Martin OdlerORCiD

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Abstract

This study presents a reassessment of the earliest known metal drill from Egypt, the copperalloy artefact 1924.948 A (Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, The University of Cambridge) from Badari, datable to Naqada IID. Originally published by Guy Brunton but long neglected due to insufficient documentation, the object has been re-examined through microscopic and compositional analysis. The drill exhibits clear evidence of rotary motion and retains remnants of a leather thong, identifying it as part of a bow drill mechanism. Portable X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed a highly unusual CuAsNi material with the addition of silver and lead, suggesting either long-distance exchange networks or underexplored Eastern Desert ore sources. The article situates the Badari drill within the broader context of Egyptian craft technologies, tracing the development and depiction of bow drills from the Predynastic through the New Kingdom. The technological continuity observed across nearly two millennia stresses the enduring utility of the bow drill and accentuates its significance in both woodworking and bead production. This re-evaluation not only enriches our understanding of early Egyptian tool use but also raises intriguing questions about early metallurgical knowledge and interregional interactions in the ancient Near East.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Odler M, Kmosek J

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Ägypten und Levante

Year: 2025

Volume: 35

Pages: 289-306

Print publication date: 23/01/2026

Online publication date: 23/01/2026

Acceptance date: 24/09/2025

ISSN (print): 1015-5104

ISSN (electronic): 1813-5145

Publisher: Verlag der Oesterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

URL: https://doi.org/10.1553/AEundL35s289

DOI: 10.1553/AEundL35s289

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