Copper extraction in the Timna mine : an archaeological and historical study

Abstract EN

Mining in ancient Egypt goes back to pre-dynastic Egypt because it has substantial mineral resources.

Accordingly, the ancient Egyptian miners had long experience in mining.

The research tries to shed valuable light upon the methods and technique of those miners to extract the copper depending on the archaeological findings because texts of the site at hand are scarce.

It sketches the work system of this society through the site of Timna Valley that located some 25 km north of the modern site of Eilat.

In particular, the study discusses the economic value of ancient Egyptian mines outside the traditional borders of Ancient Egypt.

In sum, Timna site considered one of the major mines of copper that ancient Egyptians had controlled and used it economically along the New Kingdom Period.

Evidently, the technique, methods, workers, tools, inscriptions, documents, cult objects and deities inside that site were Egyptian.