Gerzeh culture

Gerzeh (also Girza; جرزه Gerzeh ) is a place in Egypt, about 80 south of Cairo. Near Gerzeh, in the desert, was in 1911 a small prehistoric cemetery are dug, which was occupied about 3500-3000 BC. Close this cemetery is the burial ground of Riqqeh later.

Cemetery

The burials found here are mostly simple inhumations. The graves were still in good condition generally. As free gifts were found mainly ceramic vessels, stone vessels, jewelry and make-up palettes. Some skeletons show traces of special treatment. The bodies have been cut possibly after death. This may be taken as evidence for trials towards mummification.

A special feature is a necklace found in a grave of rod-shaped chain links, which was made around 3200 BC. The individual chain links consist of either perforated gems or rolled sheets of iron, or gold. The iron of the iron rolls comes from an iron meteorite. These iron rolls are one of the oldest records of processing of iron by cold hammering. A total of nine rolls were found from meteorite iron, originating from two graves. Lapis-lazuli prove the long-distance trade at this time.

Cultural mapping

The cemetery, the Naqada culture are assigned to that developed in Upper Egypt and then spread slowly to the north. The Naqadakultur can be divided into two main phases, which are now referred to as the Naqada I and Naqada II. This distinction has, however, worked out only with the discovery of this cemetery, and Naqada II was therefore often referred to as Girzéen or Girza culture in the earlier research into this locality.