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A joint British-Austrian team has identified Egypt’s oldest known rotary tool. The small metal drill was found at Badari more than 100 years ago, and had attracted little attention until now. The tool, measuring 63mm (2.5in) in length and weighing 1.5g, is at least 5,300 years old. The new analysis discovered straight parallel lines near the tip, edges rounded from repeated motion, and a slight bend near the end. This type of wear and tear is caused by the stress of spinning against a hard material, rather than a piercing action. The researchers also found the remains of small coils of leather on the shaft that are similar to the cords used in a bow drill. The action of moving the bow back and forth would have caused the drill to spin quickly. Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence revealed the drill was made of copper, which was made harder by combining it with arsenic, nickel, silver, and lead. The silver and lead components would have been imported, suggesting strong trade links in the Prehistoric period.
Text: Sarah Griffiths / Image: MMA
