1. on Gebel Ahmar, Cairo [30d 3.15m N, 31d 17.8m E] (OK-R)
Siliceous sandstone: light gray or red to mainly various shades of brown, medium- to
coarse-grained, commonly pebbly, quartz- cemented (= orthoquartzite). Minor siliceous
sandy pebble conglomerate [Gebel Ahmar Formation, Oligocene].
PHOTOS: VARIETY
1
VARIETY 2 - sample 1 ; VARIETY
2 - sample 2
VARIETY 3
2. at Widan el-Faras on Gebel el-Qatrani, Faiyum [29d 39.6m N, 30d 37.2m E] (OK, R)
Basalt: black, slightly porphyritic (phenocrysts up to 7 mm) [Widan el-Faras Formation,
Late Oligocene].
PHOTO: sample 1
3. at Tilal Sawda, near El-Behnasa/Oxyrhynchus [28 d 31.2m N, 30d 32.9m E] (late R)
Basalt: black, slightly porphyritic (phenocrysts up to 3 mm) [unnamed formation, Oligocene].
PHOTO: sample 1
4. on Gebels Gulab and Tingar near ruins of St. Simon's Monastery; on west bank opposite Aswan [24d 6.4m N, 32d 52.6m E] (NK-R)
Siliceous sandstone: light gray to mainly various shades of brown, fine- to
medium-grained, occasionally pebbly, quartz- cemented (= orthoquartzite) [Umm Barmil
Formation of the Nubia Group, Upper Cretaceous].
PHOTOS: VARIETY
1 - sample 1 ; VARIETY 1 - sample 2
VARIETY
2
VARIETY 3
5. near Wadi Abu Aggag; on east bank just north of Aswan [24d 7.5m N, 32d 54.7m E] (NK-R?)
Siliceous sandstone: various shades of brown - not studied yet because located in
restricted military zone [Abu Aggag Formation of the Nubia Group, Upper
Cretaceous]
PHOTO: sample 1
6. Numerous localities between Aswan and Shellal District [24d 3.7m N, 32d 53.7m E]
Three types of rock [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Coarse pink granite (ED-R): pinkish to occasionally reddish, very coarse- to mainly coarse-grained, occasionally gneissoid and porphyritic (phenocrysts up to 4 cm), and gradational with rock type 'b' below [= the "monumental red granite"].
PHOTOS: VARIETY 1 - sample 1 ; VARIETY
1 - sample 2
; VARIETY 1 - sample 3
VARIETY
1 - sample 4
VARIETY 2
(b) Coarse black granite to mainly granodiorite (ED-R): dark gray to nearly black, coarse- to mainly medium-grained, commonly porphyritic (phenocrysts up to 3 cm) and gneissoid, and gradational with rock type 'a' above [= the "monumental black granite"]. The phenocrysts vary from white to pink in color and may be largely or entirely absent in some specimens.
PHOTOS: VARIETY 1
- sample 1 ; VARIETY 1 - sample 2
VARIETY 2 - sample 1 ; VARIETY 2 - sample
2
; VARIETY 2 - sample 3
VARIETY
2 - sample 4
VARIETY 3
VARIETY
4
VARIETY 5 - sample 1 ; VARIETY
5 - sample 2
VARIETY 6
VARIETY
7 - sample 1 ; VARIETY 7 - sample 2
(c) rock transitional between coarse pink granite and coarse black granodiorite.
PHOTO: sample 1
(d) Fine gray to pink granite (NK-R): light gray to pinkish, medium- to mainly fine-grained, occasionally gneissoid.
PHOTOS: VARIETY
1 - sample 1 ; VARIETY 1 - sample 2
VARIETY
2 - sample 1 ; VARIETY 2 - sample 2
Rock types 'a' and 'b' are the marmor syeniten or lapis syenites ("stone of Syene", the Greek name for Aswan) and lapis Thebaicus ("stone of Thebes") of the Romans, and lithos pyrrhopoecilus ("red-spotted stone") of the Greeks. Italian stonecutters refer to rock type 'a' as granito rosso ("red granite"), rock type 'b' as granito nero ("black granite"), granito nero di Siene ("black granite of Syene") and granito antico bigio ("ancient grey granite"), and rock type 'd' as granito rosso minuto ("fine red granite").
7. Chephren's Quarry, Nubian Desert
General description: light gray with greenish-black bands, streaks or patches, fine- to medium-grained gabbro gneiss to mainly anorthosite gneiss (or, more generally, hornblende- bytownite gneiss) [Precambrian basement].
(a) near Quartz Ridge [22d 48.4m N, 31d 13.5m E] (PD-OK)
Anorthosite gneiss with dark streaks (VARIETY 1).
PHOTO: sample 1
(b) at Chisel Quarry [22d 46.5m N, 31d 12.0m E] (OK, MK:12)
Gabbro gneiss to mainly anorthosite gneiss with dark banding (VARIETY 2).
PHOTOS: sample 1 ; sample 2 ; sample 3 ; sample 4
8. on east bank of Nile River and on adjacent islands in Tumbos area at south end of Third Cataract, Sudan [19d 42.75m N, 30d 23.65m E] (NK:18, L:25, NM)
Two types of rock [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Granite gneiss: pinkish-gray, medium- to coarse-grained, well foliated with contorted compositional layering. The principal stone quarried at Tumbos.
PHOTOS: sample 1 ; sample 2 ; sample 3
(b) Granite: moderate gray, fine- to mainly medium-grained.
PHOTO: sample 1
9. on the south bank of the Nile River at Daygah in the el-Bellal district at the west end of the Fourth Cataract, Sudan [18d 33.96m N, 31d 56.94m E] (L:25, NM)
Granite gneiss to granodiorite gneiss: dark gray (nearly black on weathered surfaces), medium- to coarse-grained [Precambrian basement]
10. on Gebel Manzal el-Seyl [27d 32.6m N, 33d 7.8m E] (ED)
Two types of rock [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Calcareous tuff: moderate grayish- and bluish-green, fine- grained, highly calcitic and chloritic with subtle banding.
PHOTO: sample 1
(b) Tuffaceous limestone: light olive green to occasionally bluish-green, generally fine-grained but with occasional lithic fragments up to 3 cm, tuffaceous, crystalline calcite with abundant tiny black specks.
PHOTO: sample 1
11. in Wadi Umm Sidri near Gebel Dokhan — small, local-use quarry [27d 17.9m N, 33d 17.8m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD ?)
Alkali-feldspar quartz syenite porphyry: pink fine-grained groundmass, and gray or pink phenocrysts (up to 10 mm) [Precambrian basement].
12a. on Gebel Dokhan (Mons Porphyrites) [27d 15.1m N, 33d 18.0m E] (R: early 1st-early 5th c. AD)
Three varieties of andesite-dacite porphyry [Precambrian basement]:
(a) reddish-purple aphanitic groundmass, and pale pink and/or white phenocrysts (up to 3 mm) [= the "Imperial Porphyry"].
PHOTOS: VARIETY 1 - sample 1
VARIETY 2 - sample 2
(b) greenish-black aphanitic groundmass, and pale green and white phenocrysts (up to 5 mm).
PHOTO: sample 1
(c) black aphanitic groundmass, and pale green to mainly white phenocrysts (up to 5 mm).
PHOTO: sample 1
Note: specimens vary in composition from trachyandesite and trachydacite to mainly andesite and dacite.
Variety 'a' is the lapis porphyrites ("purple stone"), rubet porphyrites ("red porphyrites") and leptopsephos ("small pebbles", a reference to the phenocrysts) of the Romans, and the porfido rosso antico ("ancient red porphyry") and porfido rosso Egiziano ("Egyptian red porphyry") of the Italian stonecutters. Variety 'b' is the lapis hieracitis or ieracites ("hawk stone") of the Romans, and the porfido verde Egiziano ("Egyptian green porphyry") of the Italian stonecutters. Variety 'c' is the lapis porphyrites niger ("black porphyrites stone") of the Romans, and the porfido nero ("black porphyry") of the Italian stonecutters.
12b. in Wadi Abu Maamel near Gebel Dokhan (Mons Porphyrites) — small, local-use quarry [27d 15.0m N, 33d 18.0m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD ?)
Granite: pink to grey, coarse- to mainly medium-grained [Precambrian basement].
13. at Badia ruins near Gebel Dokhan — small, local-use quarry [27d 13.0m N, 33d 20.55m E] (R: unknown c. AD)
Granite: speckled pink and black, coarse- to mainly medium- grained [Precambrian basement].
14. in Wadi Umm Towat near Gebel Dokhan [27d 10.2m N, 33d 14.4m E] (R: unknown c. AD)
Trachyandesite porphyry: black aphanitic groundmass, and pale gray phenocrysts (up to 3 cm) [Precambrian basement]. This rock is the porfido serpentino nero ("black serpent porphyry") of the Italian stonecutters.
PHOTO: sample 1
15. in Wadi Umm Balad near Gebel Dokhan [27d 9.1m N, 33d 16.75m E] (R: 1st-4th c. AD ?)
Quartz diorite: speckled white, pale green and dark green, fine- to medium-grained [Precambrian basement]. This is the granito verde fiorito di bigio ("gray-flowered green granite") of the Italian stonecutters.
PHOTO: sample 1
16. in Wadi Qattar near Gebel Umm Disi — not a true quarry but rather an exploratory prospect [27d 4.75m N, 33d 14.15m E] (R: unknown c. AD)
Granodiorite to tonalite: speckled light gray and dark green with pinkish to organish veins, fine- to medium-grained [Precambrian basement].
17. in Wadi Umm Shegilat near Gebel Abu el-Hasan [26d 56.6m N, 33d 14.9m E] (PD-ED ?, R: 1st-2nd c. AD)
Pegmatitic diorite: mottled light gray, pale pink and greenish-black, very coarse- to mainly coarse-grained, pegmatitic (grains up to 7 cm) [Precambrian basement]. This is the granito della colonna ("granite of the column") of the Italian stonecutters.
18. at Mons Claudianus: between Wadis Abu Marakhat and Umm Diqal near Wadi Fatiri el-Bayda [26d 48.55m N, 33d 29.1m E] (R: 1st-3rd c. AD)
Tonalite gneiss: speckled light gray and greenish-black, medium- grained, well foliated with short, straight dark-mineral streaks [Precambrian basement]. This rock is the granito del foro ("granite of the forum") of the Italian stonecutters, and is the marmor Claudianum ("Claudius' marble") of the Romans.
19. in Wadi Barud near Mons Claudianus [26d 43.05m N, 33d 34.5m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD)
Two varieties of quartz diorite [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Yellowish-white to light gray and spotted with large, isolated blocky to ovoid greenish-black crystals, medium- to mainly coarse-grained (from the lower quarry workings).
(b) Light gray with irregular, interconnected patches of greenish-black grains, medium- to coarse-grained (from the upper quarry workings).
PHOTO: sample 1
These rocks are the granito bianco e nero ("white and black granite") of the Italian stonecutters, and maybe the lapis Tibereum of the Romans. It is proposed that the two varieties hereafter be called granito bianco e nero di Santa Prassede ('a') and granito bianco e nero del Cairo ('b').
20. in Wadi Umm Huyut near Mons Claudianus [26d 45.08m N, 33d 27.95m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD)
Tonalite gneiss: speckled light gray and greenish-black, medium- grained, well foliated with long, wavy dark-mineral stringers [Precambrian basement].
PHOTO: sample 1
21. in Wadi Fatiri el-Bayda [26d 44.0m N, 33d 19.3m E] (R: 1st- 2nd c. AD)
Quartz diorite: speckled light gray, pale green and dark green, medium-grained [Precambrian basement].
PHOTO: sample 1
22. in Wadi Umm Wikala near Wadi Semna [26d 25.85m N, 33d 39.7m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD)
Two varieties of gabbro - both can be called metagabbro [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Speckled white, medium green and dark green, uniform fine- to mainly medium-grained.
PHOTO: sample 1
(b) Speckled white, medium green and dark green, medium- to mainly coarse-grained.
These rocks may be the lapis ophites of the Romans. Italian stonecutters refer to variety 'a' as granito verde [minuto] della sedia di San Lorenzo ("[fine] green granite of the chair of [the church of] Saint Lorenzo") and variety 'b' as granito verde della sedia di San Pietro (... [the church of] Saint Peter").
23. in Wadi Abu Gerida at its confluence with Wadi Maghrabiya [26d 21.72m N, 33d 16.97m E] (R: unknown c. AD)
Syenite porphyry (identification tentative; petrographic analyses in progress): brownish pink overall but with pinkish brown aphanitic groundmass and phenocrysts of pink euhedral to subhedral alkali feldspar (up to 25 mm) and colorless to bluish anhedral quartz (up to 10 mm) [Tertiary ? dike cutting Precambrian basement]. This rock is apparently the porfido rosso laterizio ("lateritic red porphyry") of the Italian stonecutters.
24. near Wadi Maghrabiya [26d 18.65m N, 33d 23.7m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD)
Four varieties of gabbro - all can be called metagabbro [Precambrian basement]:
(a) mottled white, light gray and dark green, medium-grained. PHOTO: sample 1
(b) mottled light gray and moderate green, medium-grained. PHOTO: sample 1
(c) mottled light gray, dark green and greenish black, coarse-grained. PHOTO: sample 1
(d) mottled white, light gray, moderate and dark green (and pale pink where coarser), medium-grained to commonly more coarsely grained than variety 'c'. PHOTO: sample 1
Italian stonecutters refer to varieties 'a' and 'c' by the modern geologic name gabbro eufotide or just eufotide, and variety 'b' as granito verde plasmato ("green plasma granite"). Variety 'd' is very similar in appearance to the gabbro variety 'b' Wadi Umm Wikala, and the two rocks may be mistaken for each other.
25. in Wadi Hameda near Wadi Atalla — small, local-use quarry [26d 12.77m N, 33d 30.85m E] (B: 5th-6th c. AD)
Chert: mottled medium and dark green, fine-grained (possibly devitrified tuff) [Precambrian basement].
PHOTO: sample 1
26. near Wadi Umm Esh in the Wadi Atalla area — now destroyed [26d 3.9m N, 33d 36.6m E] (R: unknown c. AD)
Serpentinite: mottled light yellowish-green and dark green, fine-grained, dolomitic [Precambrian basement]. This rock may be the lapis batrachites ("frog stone") of the Romans, and is the serpentina verde ("green serpent"), serpentina moschinata ("mossy serpent") and verde ranocchia ("green frog") of the Italian stonecutters.
PHOTO: sample 1
27. at Bir Umm Fawakhir near Wadis Hammamat and el-Sid [26d 0.65m N, 33d 36.4m E] (R: 1st-2nd c. AD ?)
Granite to mainly granodiorite: pinkish-gray, coarse- to mainly medium-grained [Precambrian basement]. This rock is apparently the granito bianco e nero gabino ("white and black granite of Gabii," where Gabii is an ancient city near Rome ) of the Italian stonecutters.
PHOTO: sample 1
28a. in Wadi Hammamat - Eastern Quarry [25d 59.4m N, 33d 34.05m E]
Three types of slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks (chlorite/epidote grade with no foliation) [Precambrian basement]:
(a) Graywacke metasandstone to metasiltstone (ED-R): dark greenish-gray to mainly grayish-green, medium- to very fine- grained, occasionally pebbly, chloritic graywacke metasandstone to coarse-grained metasiltstone. Can be called metagraywacke.
(b) Metaconglomerate (NK-R): greenish (with multi-colored clasts), sandy, commonly diamictic, chloritic, pebbly to cobbly.
(c) Metamudstone (PD-OK): dark-, purplish- and greenish-gray to mainly grayish-green, chloritic.
Rock type 'a' is the bekhen-stone of the ancient Egyptians, the basanites lithos and basanos (from the transliteration of bekhen) of the Greeks, the lapis basanites of the Romans, and the pietra bekhen, basanite and basalte verde antique of the Italian stonecutters. Rock type 'b' is the lapis hecatontalithos ("stone of a hundred stones") of the Romans, and the breccia verde d'Egitto ("green breccia of Egypt"), breccia verde dure ("hard green breccia") and breccia verde antica ("ancient green breccia") of the Italian stonecutters.
28b. in Wadi Hammamat - Western Quarry [25d 58.66m N, 33d 33.40m E] (LP-R)
Metaconglomerate: same as in the Wadi Hammamat - Eastern Quarry except well-rounded, pinkish granitoid pebbles and cobbles are especially abundant.
29. near Gebel Umm Naqqat [25d 29.8m N, 34d 15.1m E] (PD-ED)
Pegmatitic diorite: mottled light-gray/white and black, very coarse to mainly coarse-grained, pegmatitic [Precambrian basement].
PHOTO: VARIETY 1 - sample 1 ; sample
2
VARIETY 2 - sample 1
30. in Wadi Abu Bokari (a.k.a. el-Bakriya) near Wadi Miya [25d 15.15m N, 33d 45.51m E] (Pt or R)
Granodiorite (identification tentative; petrographic analyses in progress): light gray overall but actually speckled white, light to medium gray and black, medium-grained [Precambrian basement].
31. in Rod el-Gamra near Gebel Urf Hamam [24d 45.72m N, 33d 59.31m E] (LP:30)
Dolerite porphyry: slightly greenish overall but with black aphanitic groundmass and medium gray phenocrysts (up to 15 mm) [Tertiary dike cutting Precambrian basement].
PHOTO:
sample 1
James A. Harrell and V. Max Brown
Department of Earth, Ecological and Environmental Sciences
The University of Toledo
