Disc of Sabu – Ancient Egyptian technologies

Author: Gizo Vashakidze
Keywords: Disc of Sabu, Egypt, Ancient Egyptian technologies
Annotation:

Disc of Sabu – Ancient Egyptian technologies Present historical artifact was discovered in Egypt in 1936, in past 20th century by English Egyptologist Walter Bryan. Excavation was carried out close to ancient settlement Saqqara. Tomb where there was found this disc belonged to Sabu, son of Pharaoh Anedjib (Anedjib was the fifth ruler of ancient Egypt’s first dynasty). According to traditions of Egypt, tomb contained numerous welfares, vessels of stone and clay, and several copper instruments. Disc is dated back to 3100-3000 BC. Disc is made from aleurite (very fine-grained sediment rock, average between clay and stone); diameter – 61 cm, width – 1cm; At present it is located at Cairo Museum, Egypt What is the applicability of the disc of Sabu? There are following versions and views: 1) it looks like wheel, but wheel has been identified in 1500 BC in Egypt; 2) it looks like vessel for ritual or religion purposes; 3) it is pedestal for lighting lamp; Laboratory testing that was done by me has shown that disc has very interesting feature – distribution of water vapor in the air efficiently and rapidly; According to archaeologists, Egyptians pay huge attention to the hygiene of body, also they treated different diseases by using water. Thus, they had made different face masks and inhalation by using hot vapor. According to historians, Egyptian priests were bathing four times a day and this was explained not only by desire to remove dirt, but also they considered that frequent contact with water represented the ritual of purge. Bath was as in private houses, also in public promises. Thus it was available for every Egyptian. This ritual has been founded exactly in ancient Egypt and it then spread in ancient Rome and Greece. Archaeologists have found bath tanks in several Egyptian tombs. So that, it cannot be astonishing if we conclude that bath item, namely the presented disc, has been found in the tomb of Sabu.

Lecture files:

Disc of Sabu – Ancient Egyptian technologies [en]
საბუს დისკი - ძველი ეგვიპტის ტექნოლოგიები [ka]