Prismatic blade
Gallery Location
Galleries of Africa: Egypt
Medium
flaked obsidian
Geography
al-Fayyūm, Egypt
Date
c. 5300-3000 BCE
Period
Predynastic Period
Dimensions
5.1 × 0.7 × 0.5 cm
Object number
909.96.86
Cataloguer
Gayle Gibson
ROM Staff, 1990-2015; ROM Volunteer 2015-Present
Collection
Department
Art & Culture: Ancient Egypt & Nubia
Object History
Acquired by C.T. Currelly, W.H. Seton-Karr Collection.
Description
This dark grey rectangular obsidian flake was used in the Fayyum region of Egypt during the Predynastic Period. Obsidian can be knapped to a very thin and very sharp edge, suitable for cutting hides and meat, and probably many other uses.
Obsidian was such a valuable and useful substance that it was traded over long distances, coming to Egypt from East Africa, and possibly from the Aegean and West Asian.
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