Egyptian ripple flake knife, Predynastic Period, Naqada II, c.3500-3100 BC
Flint
Length: 23.2cm
9481
£ 24,000
The underside polished smooth, the end of the blade gently curving. The flaking is of high quality, with alternating ripples and a serrated cutting edge formed from minute flakes. One small chip restored, another chip at the very tip of the blade.
The exceptional quality of this knife suggests a ceremonial or votive use. Such Predynastic knives are among the finest examples of flint knives in the world. These blades were made from chert, a type of light brown flint. The flaking was produced by applying localised pressure at a right angle to the blade’s long edge.
The exceptional quality of this knife suggests a ceremonial or votive use. Such Predynastic knives are among the finest examples of flint knives in the world. These blades were made from chert, a type of light brown flint. The flaking was produced by applying localised pressure at a right angle to the blade’s long edge.
Provenance
Mr & Mrs Darchambeau, Belgium; acquired 1963-1967Thence by descent
Literature
Compare L.M. Berman, Catalogue of Egyptian Art (New York, 1999), no. 66
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