Dietrich D. Klemm Livres

During the Egyptian Old Kingdom (2650-2135 BC), the most impressive of all monuments were built in the form of the pyramids and their associated temples. The provision of enormous quantities of stone from suitable quarries was the most important requirement for their construction. This volume comprises short archaeological descriptions of the pyramids and their enclosures and determines the exact origin of the building material (above all limestone) from a total of 26 pyramids through a petrographic and geochemical comparison with samples from other quarries.

An important study not only of the geological structure of Egypt and the mineral composition of its rocks, but also of ancient Egyptian stone quarries. Illustrated with almost 500 photographs and diagrams, microscopic sections and electronic scans, as well as colour photographs of all the types of stone discussed, the detailed descriptions of the quarries and numerous examples of quarrying and masonry techniques make this book an indispensable tool for the provenancing of museum exhibits. Originally published in German in 1993, this edition has been updated to take account of new research, and a new chapter on the building stones of the western oases has been added. Archaeologists, Egyptologists and travellers to Egypt will find a wealth of fascinating information on ancient quarry sites, working methods and transport in ancient Egypt, as well as an introduction to the geology of the Nile valley and the surrounding desert regions.