ABSTRACT
Archaeologists have been showing an interest in the technology behind the manufacture of ancient stone vessels since the later Nineteenth Century. Craftsmen in different regions adopted different approaches to the problem of shaping stone vessels, depending on local traditions and available tools. An understanding of the manufacturing techniques applied to stone vessels can therefore help with the correct identification of the origin of individual pieces, especially when combined with some form of stylistic analysis. The chapter examines the nature of the tools available to Bronze Age stone vessel craftsmen and the manner in which these tools were applied within specific regional industries. It discusses technology in its specific cultural setting, by considering how groups in different regions made specific use of these techniques for the production of their stone vessels. There is considerable evidence for Egyptian manufacturing methods in the form of debris, unfinished vessels, tools and tool marks.
