2,200-year-old shackles discovered at ancient Egyptian gold mine

2,200-year-old shackles discovered at ancient Egyptian gold mine

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Woodworking Plans Banner

2 sets of iron ankle shackles discovered at a historical site in Egypt are exposing the “significant human cost” of gold mining carried out to money Ptolemy I’s military projects, according to brand-new research study.

“The shackles complement an ancient text that describes the living conditions of miners in Egypt and mentions the presence of prisoners of war and common criminals in the mines,” research study author Bérangère Redonan archaeologist at the History and Sources of the Ancient Worlds (HiSoMALab in France, informed Live Science in an e-mail.

After Alexander the Great dominated Egypt, lots of mines were opened under the Ptolemaic dynasty (305 to 30 B.C.). Much of these mines consisted of real estate for the employees, however the living lodgings tended to be extremely managed and secured. Historic and historical details recommends that a variety of individuals worked as miners, consisting of both paid workers and individuals who were shackled.

In a research study released March 13 in the journal AntiquityRedon detailed the unusual discovery of shackles at Ghozza, the northern most Ptolemaic cash cow, which remained in usage from around 250 to 200 B.C. The shackles are amongst the earliest ever discovered in the Mediterranean area.

Related: Shackled skeleton might be very first direct proof of slavery in Roman Britain

The Ghozza mine complex consisted of a town with houses, streets and baths. Numerous ostraca– pottery pieces utilized as “scrap paper” — that were discovered at the website supplied ideas to the everyday activities of the miners. Some got earnings for their work, which included processing natural ore with portable grinding stones.

“We thought that the work of the miners must have included free people, as we found no guarded dormitories at Ghozza,” Redon stated. On the other hand, dorms at other ancient Egyptian mines “were guarded by a gatehouse near their narrow entrances,” Redon composed in a 2021 research study

Get the world’s most interesting discoveries provided directly to your inbox.

The discovery of 2 sets of shackles developed to limit the motion of miners working on the surface area exposed that there was at least some required labor at Ghozza.

Iron shackles being excavated at the Ghozza mine in Egypt. (Image credit: Bérangère Redon/ French Archaeological Mission at the Eastern Desert; Antiquity Publications Ltd.)

One set of shackles included 7 ankle rings and 2 links, and the other consisted of 4 links and 2 ankle-ring pieces. Archaeologists found the shackles, in addition to a big quantity of disposed of slag and numerous iron things, in an ancient storage structure at Ghozza.

The Ghozza shackles carefully look like ones discovered in the silver mines of Laurion in Greece, Redon composed in her research study, recommending the Greeks brought their technical understanding of mine engineering to Egypt throughout the Ptolemaic duration. The mined Egyptian gold would have assisted fund Ptolemy I’s military projects at the expenditure of the employees.

“These objects give us irrefutable proof of the miners’ status, which we did not have until now,” Redon stated.


Mummy test: Can you unwrap these ancient Egyptian secrets?

Find out more

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Like

About the Author: tech