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Egyptian Artifacts

Red Granite in Ancient Egypt

It’s time for a geology lesson! Today we are going to look at the significance of the red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ used by the ancient Egyptians! 

After limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ and sandstone π“‚‹π“…±π“‚§π“π“Œ—π“ˆ™, β€œAswan Granite” was the third most used rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ by the ancient Egyptians! β€œAswan Granite” is actually a collective term used to describe all of the intrusive igneous rocks in the Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š– area, even though they aren’t all granitic!Β 

Red Granite

Intrusive igneous rocks π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“¦ are rocks that form when magma solidifies deep under ground over long periods of time. This long period of cooling allows for crystallization to occur, which is why red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ contains large (coarse), beautiful 𓄀𓆑𓂋 quartz π“ π“ˆ–π“Œπ“ˆ™ crystals! Quartz π“ π“ˆ–π“Œπ“ˆ™ is a very hard and durable mineral, which makes red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ a strong rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™. 

This strength has caused controversy and skepticism because β€œhow could the ancient Egyptians have quarried and moved so much granite?” Well the answer is in the science! Tectonic forces move the granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ towards the surface and the release of that overlying pressure (called unloading) causes the granite to weather into blocks through fracturing and the creation of natural joints. All the ancient Egyptians had to do was find the right sized block for their projects and then ship it up the Nike! 

The most common of the β€œAswan Granite” rocks π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“¦ is known as red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ. Red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ was used for many different types of things such as vases, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ, sarcophagi π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­π“ͺ, stelae π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έπ“¦, obelisks 𓉢𓉢𓉢, and for parts of buildings, temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“ͺ, and even the pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴!Β 

Red Granite

One of the best examples of these red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ are the ones that used to line Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐 (as seen in my picture)! You can see the beautiful colored coarse crystals in the granite! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β 

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