The Schist Disk

The Schist Disk: Egypt and “Advanced” Technology

Since discovered in 1936 in the Egyptian village of Saqqara, the so-called 

“Schist Disk” has been used to support the widely-held contention that the ancient Egyptian culture acquired technology far superior to their own at some point in their development from an outside source.

And while this disk may not be definitive proof of that contention, considering all that is known about the Egyptian culture after nearly two centuries of concerted study, theEgyptians of 3000 BCE did not have the capabilities to create such a sophisticated pieceof technology. Yet, they did.

 

The Schist Disk

The Mystifying Discovery

Uncovered by renowned British Egyptologist Brian Walter Emery while excavating the tomb of Prince Sabu, son of Adjuib Pharaoh, governor of the First Dynasty (circa 3000BCE), the Schist Disk was found among some common funerary objects (including stone vessels, flint knives, arrows, and a few copper tools) Emery initially cataloged as “a container in the form of a schist bowl.”

The term schist, derived from the Greek word σχ?ζειν meaning “to split” (referring to the relative ease with which this material can be split along the lateral plane), is a category of medium-grade metamorphic rock rich in what are termed “lamellar” minerals, which include mica, chlorite, talc, hornblende, and graphite.

Derived from clay and mud, which have undergone a series of extreme physical-chemical(transitioning from shale to slate to phyllite), most schists are made of mica, but graphite and chlorite are also quite common.

 

And while the existence of ancient objects made of this hard but brittle material is far from rare, the design and craftsmanship of this disk, in particular, is astounding—if not more than a little eerie. Not only did it require extraordinary practice and patience to create, but other similarly-crafted pieces also have never been found.

The Realm of Incredibility

Approximately one cm thick (approximately two-fifths of an inch), 61cm in diameter (24inches), and 10.6 cm (4.2 inches) in the centre, the method used to craft the Schist Disk remains unknown. It continues to confound craftsmen even after two centuries.

Resembling a plate or concave steering wheel of a car, it has three cuts or curved“shovels” that resemble the helix of a boat, and in the centre is an opening with a collar that would appear to function as the receptacle of some axis of a wheel or other unknown mechanism; perhaps a central hub designed to fit onto a wooden pole.

Although experimental archaeologists have offered several possible engineerings cenarios to explain how the Egyptians may have accomplished other incredible feats of construction, such as the pyramids and the Great Sphinx, the Schist Disk remains within the realm of: How could they possibly have conceived, let alone accomplished that?

But unlike the monumental works created by the Egyptians, which can be visually traced through several stages of technological success and failure, no earlier prototypes or unsuccessful attempts at constructing a schist disk have been discovered during decades of Egyptian excavation.

It is as if one and only one disk was created—perfect and flawless. However, renownedBritish Egyptologist Cyril Aldred rejects this idea asserting that regardless of what purpose the object was intended to serve, its design was, without a doubt, a replication of a previous, much older metallic object. (An object never discovered.)

Adding to the mystery of the object’s construction is the well-documented theory that the introduction of the wheel to Egyptian society didn’t occur until the Hyksos invasion of

 

the late Middle Kingdom (around 1640 BCE). The Hyksos are historically known to have employed the wheel on several devices but used it primarily on their military chariots.

Thus, one must ask: If the Schist Disk is not a wheel nor modeled after a wheel, from what was it conceived? And how could a culture that typically used crudely-made copper or bronze chisels to hew stone by hand have mastered a technique to work a material as delicate as mica to this extraordinary level of perfection?

And perhaps most importantly, why would the Egyptians invest the time, tools and skills needed to create this object if it didn’t serve some specific, very significant purpose?

Other-Worldly Origins?

Even after nearly a century of theorizing and speculation, the Schist Disk remains just as much an enigma as when first discovered.

For a growing number of both scholars and laypeople, this mysterious object has bee nadded to a growing list of accomplishments demonstrating technological and engineering feats far beyond the capabilities of what continues to be viewed as a“primitive” and “less advanced” culture.

In recent years, this belief has led to a growing number who support the assumption that the ancient Egyptians must have been provided advanced technological knowledge from an outside source (even, perhaps, aliens from beyond our solar system).

And while this assertion lacks credence with the modern scientific community, there can be no denying that the Egyptians somehow succeeded in technological accomplishments that should have been beyond their abilities–according to everything we know about them today.

The Ongoing Mystery

Currently, the Schist Disk is housed in the first wing of the Egyptian Museum of Cairo and labeled an “incense container,” although there is no proof (nor even common consensus) to support this assertion.

What is certain, however, is that during the time of its construction, stone carving was amuch more sophisticated skill than modern scientists had initially imagined.

Even so, the Schist Disk continues to constitute one of the most perplexing Egyptian and ancient civilization mysteries, providing fuel for all those who flatly refuse to believe that such an advanced piece of technology could have been conceived and created by any ancient culture–without other-worldly help. Many even speculate that it was intended to serve some other-worldly purpose.

By James R. Coffey

Dates the Fruit

DATES 

Majestic palm tree

Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around Iraq.  The species is widely cultivated and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide Date trees typically reach about 70–75 feet (21–23 m) in height growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system. The leaves are 4–6 meters (13–20 ft) long, with spines on the petiole, and pinnate, with about 150 leaflets. The leaflets are 30 cm (12 in) long and 2 cm (0.79 in) wide. The full span of the crown ranges from 6–10 m (20–33 ft).

The species name dactylifera "date-bearing" comes from the Greek words daktylos (δάκτυλος), which means "date" (also "finger"), and fero (φέρω), which means "I bear”.

History of dates

Dry Dates

Dates have been a staple food of the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. There is archaeological evidence of date cultivation in eastern Arabia in 6000 BCE. They are believed to have originated around what is now Iraq, and have been cultivated since ancient times from Mesopotamia to prehistoric Egypt, possibly as early as 4000 BCE. The Ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make date wine, and ate them at harvest.

There is also archeological evidence of date cultivation in Mehrgarh around 7000 BCE, a Neolithic civilization in what is now western Pakistan. Evidence of cultivation is continually found throughout later civilizations in the Indus Valley, including the Harappan period 2600 to 1900 BCE.   

In later times, traders spread dates around South West Asia, northern Africa, and Spain. The Spaniards introduced dates into Mexico and California in 1765, around Mission San Ignacio.

A date palm cultivar, known as Judean date palm is renowned for its long-lived orthodox seed, which successfully sprouted after accidental storage for 2000 years. This particular seed is presently reputed to be the oldest viable seed, but the upper survival time limit of properly stored seeds remains unknown.   

Fossil records show that the date palm has existed for at least 50 million years.     

Dates

Red Dates,
Traditionally eaten by Copts in Egypt
Symbol of the martyr's during Nyrouz

The fruit is known as a date. The fruit's English name (through Old French), as well as the Latin species name dactylifera, both come from the Greek word for "finger", dáktulos, because of the fruit's elongated shape. Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) diameter, and when ripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in color, depending on variety. Dates contain a single stone about 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) thick.

Three main cultivar groups of date exist: soft (e.g. 'Barhee', 'Halawy', 'Khadrawy', 'Medjool'), semi-dry (e.g. 'Dayri', 'Deglet Noor', 'Zahdi'), and dry (e.g. 'Thoory'). The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose, and sucrose content.

The date palm is dioecious, having separate male and female plants. They can be easily grown from seed, but only 50% of seedlings will be female and hence fruit bearing, and dates from seedling plants are often smaller and of poorer quality. Most commercial plantations thus use cuttings of heavily cropping cultivars. Plants grown from cuttings will fruit 2–3 years earlier than seedling plants.

Yellow dates before turning Brown

 Dates are naturally wind pollinated, but in both traditional oasis horticulture and in the modern commercial orchards they are entirely pollinated manually. Natural pollination occurs with about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance, one male can pollinate up to 100 females. Since the males are of value only as pollinators, this allows the growers to use their resources for many more fruit-producing female plants. Some growers do not even maintain any male plants, as male flowers become available at local markets at pollination time. Manual pollination is done by skilled laborers on ladders, or by use of a wind machine. In some areas such as Iraq the pollinator climbs the tree using a special climbing tool that wraps around the tree trunk and the climber's back (called تبلية in Arabic) to keep him attached to the trunk while climbing.

Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khlal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried).   

Date Pit

Dates are an important traditional crop in Iraq, Arabia, and North Africa west to Morocco. Dates are also mentioned more than 50 times in the Bible and 20 times in the Qur'an. In Islamic culture, dates and yogurt or milk are traditionally the first foods consumed for Iftar after the sun has set during Ramadan. Dates (especially Medjool and Deglet Noor) are also cultivated in America in southern California, Arizona and southern Florida in the United States and in Sonora and Baja California in Mexico.

Date palms can take 4 to 8 years after planting before they will bear fruit, and produce viable yields for commercial harvest between 7 and 10 years. Mature date palms can produce 68 to 176 kilograms of dates per harvest season, although they do not all ripen at the same time so several harvests are required. In order to get fruit of marketable quality, the bunches of dates must be thinned and bagged or covered before ripening so that the remaining fruits grow larger and are protected from weather and pests such as birds.

Fruit food uses 

Common commercial Dates

Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, candied orange and lemon peel, tahini, marzipan or cream cheese. Pitted dates are also referred to as stoned dates. Partially dried pitted dates may be glazed with glucose syrup for use as a snack food. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savory dishes, from tajines (tagines) in Morocco to puddings, ka'ak (types of Arab cookies) and other dessert items. Date nut bread, a type of cake, is very popular in the United States, especially around holidays. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste called "'ajwa", spread, date syrup or "honey" called "dibs" or "rub" in Libya, powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Vinegar made from dates is a traditional product of the Middle East.    Recent innovations include chocolate-covered dates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan. When Muslims break fast in the evening meal of Ramadan, it is traditional to eat a date first.

Dates can also be dehydrated, ground and mixed with grain to form a nutritious stock feed.

In Southeast Spain (where a large date plantation exists including UNESCO protected Palmeral of Elche) dates (usually pitted with fried almond) are served wrapped in bacon and shallow fried.

It is also used to make Jallab.

Dates provide a wide range of essential nutrients, and are a very good source of dietary potassium. The sugar content of ripe dates is about 80%; the remainder consists of protein, fiber, and trace elements including boron, cobalt, copper, fluorine, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc, The glycemic index for three different varieties of dates are 35.5 (khalas), 49.7 (barhi), and 30.5 (bo ma'an).       

The caffeic acid glycoside 3-O-caffeoylshikimic acid (also known as dactylifric acid) and its isomers, are enzymic browning substrates found in dates. 

Nomads (Bedouins) in Egypt deserts are know to live on a diet of dry dates and goats milk.

      

Other uses of the fruits 

In Pakistan, viscous thick syrup made from the ripe fruits is used as a coating for leather bags and pipes to prevent leaking.

Uses of other parts of the plant 

Where craft traditions still thrive, such as in Oman, the palm tree is the most versatile of all indigenous plants, and virtually every part of the tree is utilized to make functional items ranging from rope and baskets to beehives, fishing boats, and traditional dwellings.   

Seeds 

Variety of Dates in Cairo market 

Date seeds are soaked and ground up for animal feed. Their oil is suitable for use in soap and cosmetics    Date palm seeds contain 0.56–5.4% lauric acid. They can also be processed chemically as a source of oxalic acid. The seeds are also burned to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can be strung in necklaces. Date seeds are also ground and used in the manner of coffee beans, or as an additive to coffee. Experimental studies have shown that feeding mice with the aqueous extract of date pits exhibit anti-genotoxic and reduce DNA damage induced by N-Nitroso-N-methylurea.  

Fruit clusters 

Stripped fruit clusters are used as brooms. Recently the floral stalks have been found to be of ornamental value in households.    

Sap 

Drying dates in the sun

Sweet sap tapped from date palm in West Bengal, India, In large parts of Northern India the local species of wild date palm, Phoenix sylvestris, is tapped for palm wine, while in Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries in the region it is now mostly tapped for jaggery and palm syrup production. Wild date palms are also tapped in large parts of Africa for palm wine. The process of palm tapping involves the cutting of the unopened flower stalk and then fastening a bottle gourd, clay or plastic vessel on to it. The palm sap then collects in the vessel and is harvested in the early morning hours. If a few drops of limejuice are added to the palm sap, fermentation can be stopped and the sap can then be boiled to form palm syrup, palm sugar, jaggery and numerous other edible products derived from the syrup. In India and Pakistan, North Africa, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, date palms are tapped for the sweet sap, which is converted into palm sugar (known as jaggery or gur), molasses or alcoholic beverages. In North Africa the sap obtained from tapping palm trees is known as lāgbī. If left for a sufficient period of time (typically hours, depending on the temperature) lāgbī easily becomes an alcoholic drink.    citation needed     Special skill is required when tapping the palm tree so that it does not die.

Leaves 

Palm tree bearing red dates (Zaagloul)

Date palm leaves are used for Palm Sunday in the Christian religion. In North Africa, they are commonly used for making huts. Mature leaves are also made into mats, screens, baskets and fans. Processed leaves can be used for insulating board. Dried leaf petioles are a source of cellulose pulp, used for walking sticks, brooms, fishing floats and fuel. Leaf sheaths are prized for their scent, and fibre from them is also used for rope, coarse cloth, and large hats. The leaves are also used as a lulav in the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Suite American dates

Young date leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, as is the terminal bud or heart, though its removal kills the palm. The finely ground seeds are mixed with flour to make bread in times of scarcity. The flowers of the date palm are also edible. Traditionally the female flowers are the most available for sale and weigh 300–400 grams. The flower buds are used in salad or ground with dried fish to make a condiment for bread.

Wood 

Date palm wood is used for posts and rafters for huts; it is lighter than coconut and not very durable.