The Excavation Technology used in the Cow Catacombs of the Sacred Animal Necropolis, North Saqqara

Abstract

The technology used in tomb excavation in ancient Egypt has not been the subject of thorough investigation to date. A ‘false end’ in the catacombs of the mother of Apis bulls at the North Saqqara necropolis provides evidence of one excavation system used by tomb excavators. Chisel marks and ‘cone’ excavations elsewhere in the catacombs provide some evidence of an alternative practice. The paper interprets this evidence and shows that practices used in ancient Egypt in principle at least are still applied today, albeit in conjunction with explosives. It is noteworthy that some of the main chisel types used in the tomb construction have not been discovered in archaeological excavation in Egypt.