Resumen de Grinding Through the Ages: Grinding Tools from the Second Intermediate Period and New Kingdom at Tell el-Retaba

Veronika Verešová, Lucia Hulková, Agnieszka Ryś

• Stone grinding tools, although abundant in the settlements of ancient Egypt, have in the past been neglected by archaeologists. However, modern excavations increasingly explore this valuable source of information on ancient societies and the analytical possibilities they provide. This study analyses the assemblage of grinding tools from the Second Intermediate Period and New Kingdom at Tell el-Retaba in the eastern Nile Delta. It introduces the types of grinding tools, the materials from which they were made, and their find-contexts throughout the studied time periods. A comparison with similar assemblages from contemporary sites across Egypt is also presented. The analysis clearly shows that, despite their apparent uniformity, grinding tools underwent slight changes with the passage of time. More importantly, it shows the range of activities conducted by the inhabitants of Tell el-Retaba, their access to resources, and sheds light on the site’s position and significance within the broader context of the ancient Egyptian empire.