Gypsum Quarries in the Northern Faiyum Quarry Landscape, Egypt: a Geo-Archaeological Case Study

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NORWAY SPECIAL PUBLICATION n 12 Gypsum quarries in the northern Faiyum quarry landscape, Egypt: a geo-archaeological case study Tom Heldal1, Elizabeth G. Bloxam2, Patrick Degryse3, Per Storemyr1 and Adel Kelany4 1Geological Survey of Norway, 7491 Trondheim, Norway. 2University College London, Institute of Archaeology,UK. 3Center for Archaeological Sciences, section Geology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. 4SCA (Supreme County of Antiquities) Aswan, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected] An ancient gypsum quarry is situated at Umm el-Sawan in the northern Faiyum desert, approximate- ly 40 km southwest of the Giza Plateau. The gypsum was used largely in the Early Dynastic Period/ Old Kingdom for ornamental purposes such as small vessels, as well as for utilitarian purposes such as wall plaster. Geologically, the gypsum occurs within the upper part of the Eocene Qasr el-Sagha Formation, in which deposits and smaller extraction sites are found also elsewhere in the northern Faiyum area. Blocks of gypsum were moved from the quarry to a number of workshops where the shaping of the vessels took place. Within the quarry and in nearby areas the ground is scattered with several types of stone tools. These have a bipartite provenance, originating partly from a local to semilocal source in other parts of the Tertiary rock successions, and partly from Upper Egypt. In the latter case, the presence of such exotic rocks links the vessel production at Umm el-Sawan with similar production elsewhere from the same period (3rd–4th Dynasties). The previous interpretation of a ‘hut-circle’ area for the workmen was proven to represent a group of grinding stone quarries, bearing implications for the interpretation of the social organisation of the gypsum quarrying. The remains from gypsum quarrying and working, extraction of secondary stone resources for tools, and quarries targeting domestic utensils, collectively illustrate the interaction between man and the geological resources throughout the landscape, and illuminate the problem of delineating a small part of this landscape for preservation. Heldal, T., Bloxam, E.G., Degryse, P., Storemyr, P. and Kelany, A. (2009) Gypsum quarries in the northern Faiyum quarry landscape, Egypt: a geo-archaeological case study. In Abu-Jaber, N., Bloxam, E.G., Degryse, P. and Heldal, T. (eds.) QuarryScapes: ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean, Geological Survey of Norway Special Publication,12, pp. 51–66. 51 n TOM HELDAL, ELIZABETH G. BLOXAM, PATRICK DEGRYSE, PER STOREMYR AND ADEL KELANY Introduction alabaster vessels, and settlements for the workers. Numerous rough-outs of vessels In ancient Egypt, gypsum was used for as well as chert tools for making them several purposes (Aston 1994, Aston were documented, but unfortunately et al. 2000). Alabaster (massive, finely were removed from the site. crystalline gypsum) vessels of various The present paper builds on a Quar- shapes and sizes were produced from the ryScapes survey carried out in March Predynastic Period (prior to 3100 BC) 2006, the objectives of which were to to at least the 4th Dynasty (2613–2494 put the archaeological infrastructure on BC). In the New Kingdom, it was used the map, make fresh observations and for kohl jars, and in the Late Period for interpretations, and provide the geologi- alabastra. Selenite (coarsely crystalline cal background to the gypsum quarry- Figure 1. Location of the northern Faiyum area in Egypt (extent of Figure 2 indicated by red rectangle). gypsum) was applied for making gypsum ing. The mapping was carried out using plaster from the Predynastic onwards. a Quickbird satellite image combined The only known Dynastic gypsum with GPS. the Late Eocene Qasr el-Sagha Forma- quarries in Egypt are found in the north- tion (Figure 4). This formation, and the ern Faiyum (Aston 1994, Aston et al. overlying Early Oligocene Gebel Qatrani 2000) (Figures 1 and 2), with the Umm Geology Formation, has been studied in detail el-Sawan quarry as the most heavily ex- by many authors (see Bown and Kraus ploited (Figure 3). They are situated ap- The geology of the northern Faiyum 1988 and references therein). The Qasr proximately 20 km northeast of Lake desert comprises a series of Eocene to el-Sagha Formation comprises a series of Qarun and 40 km southwest of the Giza Oligocene sedimentary rocks overlain essentially nearshore marine and fluvial Plateau. The quarry was found and in- by Oligocene basalt (Widan el-Faras ba- deposits. According to Bown and Kraus vestigated in detail by Caton-Thompson salt) and Miocene sediments (Figure 2, (1988) the upper part of the formation, and Gardner (1934). They identified Table 1). The gypsum deposits described the Deir Abu Lifa Member, consists of quarry areas, workshops for making below are situated in the upper part of “77 meters of nearshore marine sandstones Figure 2. Geology of the northern Faiyum area. Background based on Landsat satellite imagery. 52 GYPSUM QUARRIES IN THE NORTHERN FAIYUM QUARRY LANDSCAPE, EGYPT: A Geo-arCHAEOLOGICAL CASE STUDY n Table 1. Tertiary stratigraphic sequence in the Fayum area. is described by Bown and Kraus (1988) conformable to minor erosional un- Kashab Formation >100 m as a “ conformity”. The Gebel Qatrani Forma- tion contains several levels with petrified forests, and clusters of logs of fossil wood Widan el-Faras basalt (24–27 Ma) 0–10 m can be viewed at several localities. Although there are some geological Widan el-Faras basalt (31 Ma) 0–15 m differences between the western (i.e., Gebel Qatrani Formation 340 m Qasr el-Sagha) and the eastern (Umm el- Sawan) parts of the area, the rock strata Qasr el-Sagha Formation 77 m (Deir Abu Lifa Member) can be correlated. However, the charac- teristic upper part of the Deir Abu Lifa Qasr el-Sagha Formation 123 m (Temple Member) Member (the ‘bare limestone’ of Beadnell 1905 and the ‘upper cross-bedded sand- Birket Qarun Formation 50 m stone and mudstone’ of Bown and Kraus Gehannam Formation 70 m 1988), as defined near Qasr el-Sagha, seems to be lacking at Umm el-Sawan. Middle Early Late Late EOCENE OLIGOCENE MIOCENE Wadi Rayan Formation 130 m Furthermore, the upper boundary of the Gebel Qatrani Formation at Umm el- From Bown and Kraus (1988), based on the work of Beadnell (1905), Said (1962), Vondra (1974), Bowen and Vondra (1974) and Bown (1982). Sawan is clearly an erosional unconfor- mity, displaying palaeosol development and alluvial lateral accretion channel de- upper part of the member. On top of (Figure 5) and strong palaeotopography. posits that record sporadic but gradual the Qasr el-Sagha Formation follows the Logs of petrified wood (Figures 6 and 7) Late Eocene regression of the Tethys Sea”. dominantly fluvial Gebel Qatrani For- and fluvial channels with silicified con- Sandstone with gypsum is found in the mation. The boundary between the two glomerate are found on top of the un- Figure 3. Geological map of the Umm el-Sawan area. Q. e. S.=Qasr el-Sagha Formation, G. Q. = Gebel Qatrani Formation. Background based on Quickbird satellite imagery. 53 n TOM HELDAL, ELIZABETH G. BLOXAM, PATRICK DEGRYSE, PER STOREMYR AND ADEL KELANY conformity surface. In the Qasr el-Sagha of the Gebel Qatrani Formation. Thus, 13b, see also map in Figure 14). Because area, such features are found higher up in there seems to be a pattern of uplift and the quarrying targeted mainly the ran- the formation (Bown and Kraus 1988). erosion characterising the upper part domly distributed veins, there are no The Qasr el-Sagha Formation is of the Qasr el-Sagha Formation. There clear quarry walls but instead irregular mapped in detail at Umm el-Sawan (Fig- are numerous normal faults in the area pits and trenches (Figure 13c) of varying ures 3 and 4). The lower part of the strata (Figures 2–3, 12) (predominantly related size scattered across the outcrops of the in the outcrop area is composed of yel- to Oligocene faulting, Bown and Kraus main gypsum deposits. Hence, despite lowish muddy sandstone with two dis- 1988), disrupting the continuity of the the workings giving the impression of tinct fossiliferous beds, one with Carolia layers, and causing local rotation of the a haphazard distribution, it seems clear sp. (Figure 8) and the other with Ostria beds. that all the gypsum deposits in the area Elegenus-Multicostata, and a distinctive, The lower gypsum bed is by far the were subjected to systematic prospecting calcite-cemented golden sandstone. In richest and thus most heavily exploited and trial quarrying in order to locate the the middle part of the succession, two both at Umm el-Sawan and near Qasr best quality rock. In fact, traces of small- gypsum beds (in the following referred el-Sagha (Figure 13). The upper bed is scale quarrying and/or trial quarrying to as the upper and lower, respectively) thin or completely absent and only mi- are seen in most places where there are occur and these are separated by green- nor extractions are seen. Within the outcrops of gypsum, including the Qasr ish and golden rhizolitic sandstones (Fig- gypsum beds there are two types (or el-Sagha area (Figure 13d). ure 9). Above the upper gypsum bed is generations) of gypsum: veins of impure Within the quarry, as well as in near- a white to greenish sandstone, partially gypsum (alabaster with minor calcite by areas, the ground is scattered with displaying tabular cross stratification and barite) cutting across the strata, and several types of stone tools (Figure 15), with thin ferruginous layers (Figure 10). sheets of coarsely crystalline gypsum (sel- including stone hammers (pounders) of The uppermost part of the formation enite) parallel to the strata (Figure 13a). different sizes and types.

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