On the chopping block: animal butchery technologies in Old Kingdom Egypt

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dc.contributor.authorAbreu De Sousa, Eleuterio
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeGamble, Julia (Anthropology)en_US
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeMacKinnon, Michael (University of Winnipeg)en_US
dc.contributor.supervisorGreenfield, Haskel (Anthropology)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-24T17:28:31Z
dc.date.available2020-09-24T17:28:31Z
dc.date.copyright2020-09-23
dc.date.issued2020-09-23en_US
dc.date.submitted2020-09-24T04:25:15Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineAnthropologyen_US
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US
dc.description.abstractThe development of an egalitarian to a complex society has often been studied from the perspective of social development (i.e. social stratification, specialisation, resource intensification) and the impact of aspects of daily life are left marginally explored. This study aims to explain how the development of metallurgy, particularly the adoption of metal-based tools, played an important role in early complex societies by acting as a driver for social stratification. Specifically, the study examines whether stone or metal based blades were utilized in animal butchery during the Old Kingdom in Egypt. To test the hypothesis that stone or metal tools were employed during the Old Kingdom in Egypt, slice marks on animal bone are examined for diagnostic characteristics that allow for the determination of stone or metal blades used in animal butchery practices. The faunal assemblage from the Kromer Dump at Giza is chosen as a sample for this study. The assemblage derives from the Quarry Settlement at Giza where some of the pyramid workers resided during the construction of the pyramids of Kings Khafra and Menkaure of the 4th Dynasty. It was within this faunal assemblage that an abundant quantity of butchered bones with slice marks were found. The slice marks were identified according to diagnostic criteria established by previous authors, mainly that of Haskel Greenfield who examined the development of metallurgy over broad swaths of the Old World, including neighbouring southern Levant. The results demonstrate that stone-based blades were used for animal butchery at the Quarry Settlement at Giza during the Old Kingdom and that metal-based blades were not adopted for quotidian activities. These results suggest that metal objects were reserved for individuals of higher status and in fact acted as mechanisms to maintain the social stratification as a symbol of status and wealth. The individuals of lower strata (i.e. butchers) likely did not have access to such rare commodoties during this time as a result of their social status. This thesis demonstrates that the development of metallurgy played an important role in social complexity in Egypt, but that the adoption of metal for various purposes occurred for quotidian purposes occurred much more slowly.en_US
dc.description.noteFebruary 2021en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/35088
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectArchaeologyen_US
dc.subjectZooarchaeologyen_US
dc.subjectEgyptologyen_US
dc.subjectFaunalen_US
dc.subjectGizaen_US
dc.subjectToolsen_US
dc.subjectComplex societiesen_US
dc.subjectTechnologyen_US
dc.subjectMetallurgyen_US
dc.subjectAnimal bonesen_US
dc.subjectAnimal Butcheryen_US
dc.subjectSEMen_US
dc.subjectArchaeological scienceen_US
dc.subjectMetalen_US
dc.subjectCopperen_US
dc.subjectStoneen_US
dc.subjectBladesen_US
dc.subjectFlinten_US
dc.subjectSocial stratificationen_US
dc.subjectCattleen_US
dc.subjectSheepen_US
dc.subjectGoaten_US
dc.titleOn the chopping block: animal butchery technologies in Old Kingdom Egypten_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
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