Egyptian stone vases show 12,000-year-old precision technology. Egyptian stone vases date from 12,000-14,000 years ago (Naqada cultures) to the start of dynastic civilization around 3,000 BC Tens of thousands of these vases exist in museums worldwide in pre-dynastic sections Some vases found beneath the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara

Ancient Egyptian stone vases match modern precision. 3D scanning reveals thousandths-of-inch accuracy in granite/diorite. UCL Petrie Museum research at Saqqara.

Key Facts

  • Egyptian stone vases date from 12,000-14,000 years ago (Naqada cultures) to the start of dynastic civilization around 3,000 BC
  • Tens of thousands of these vases exist in museums worldwide in pre-dynastic sections
  • Some vases found beneath the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara
  • 3D structured light scanning and CT X-ray scanning reveal precision to single digit thousandths of an inch in concentricity and roundness
  • Vases made from granite, diorite and other extremely hard stones
  • Project involves collaboration with Egyptian university and the Petrie Museum at UCL
  • The scanning project is expanding the dataset to analyze geometric consistency across more vases

Related site: Serapeum of Saqqara — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.