Page 69 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

Ancient Egyptian Rope and Knots 57

located both at the Red Sea coast and near to the Eastern Desert. The knots
found at Abu Sha'ar show an awareness and practical training in the use of
knots. Apart from the half knots used around bundles, the reef knot is used
.frequently for the same purpose. The reef knots are not mis-used for tying two
ropes together and there are very few granny knots. Fig. 19 is an example of
two grass ropes of different sizes, connected with a hitch.

: Fig. 20. Schematic drawing of
Fig. 19. Connection of ropes of different size
the string is hitched to the larger rope with netting with reef knots. a: ori-
a Clove Hitch, #1670. There are two Half entation differs per row: SZ and
Hitches at the end (#54) ZS; b: orientation is the same for
all reef knots (ZS)
Reef knots were used for making carrying nets. For a well-knotted fabric
the reef knots should be orientated differently in each row of knotting: first
a row of SZ reef knots, then a row of ZS reef knots, in order to prevent the
net from curling up (Fig. 20a). In Abu Sha'ar, however, all reef knots are
orientated the same: only ZS reefknots are used (Fig. 20b). Fishing nets were
not made with reef knots, but with Z-mesh knots. A large quantity of fishing
nets were found at Abu Sha'ar, made of s-spun and Z-plied flax yarn. The
mesh size differed for the two main periods of occupation (Wendrich & Van
Neer, in press).
Qasr Ibrim
The materials used for cordage at Qasr Ibrim are mainly leaves of the dom palm
(Hyphaene thebaica); leaves and leaf sheath fibre from the date palm (Phoenix
dactylifera), grass (Desmostachya bipinnata), flax (Linum usitatissimum) and
flax (Gossypium arboreum). Cabled rope does occur frequently in Qasr Ibrim