Slinging.org Forum - Egyptian sling

winkleried

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #45 - Aug 9^th, 2008 at 10:00pm

Funda,
I don't suppose that you have an electronic Version of this article????

Marc Adkins

[quote author=funda_iucunda link=1140984986/0#12 date=1156627501]After three months of silence on this mail thread comes my first attempt to reconstruct the ancient Egyptian sling of Lahun, Egypt. The method of my reconstruction is largely based on the description of Burgess (Journal of the Arms and Armour Society, Vol. II, No. 10, June 1958, pp. 226-230).

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David Morningstar Slinging.org Moderator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 3419 UK	Re: Egyptian sling Reply #46 - Aug 10^th, 2008 at 11:52am An Egyptian sling in a museum a few miles from me, I will be going to see it when I get a free day... http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1172017416/270#270
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winkleried Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1535 Norman Oklahoma Gender:	Re: Egyptian sling Reply #47 - Aug 10^th, 2008 at 1:21pm Yep that's the Petra Lahun Sling. Lets us know when ya see it. Marc Adkins David Morningstar wrote on Aug 10^th, 2008 at 11:52am: An Egyptian sling in a museum a few miles from me, I will be going to see it when I get a free day... http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1172017416/270#270
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_kava_

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #48 - Aug 11^th, 2008 at 5:32am

I came across this info about the Egyptian sling, the abstract would appear to be of interest.

Conservation Information Network (BCIN)

Author: Burgess, E. Martin
Title Article/Chapter: "An ancient Egyptian sling reconstructed"
Title of Source: J. Arms and Armour Society
AATA Number: 2-2034
Volume Number: 2
Date of Publication: 1958
Page Numbers: 226-230

Abstract: In the Flinders Petrie Collection at University College, London there is a sling of plaited string in fragile state dated c. 800 B.C. The article describes a reconstruction in new string and explains how all the original plaits were made. Basically the sling was a diamond shaped pouch with cords at each end.
The pouch was woven on a frame, the warps being double strings looped over pegs and the wefts being the split ends of the 20 strings in the two cords. The cords are each 22 inches long and are 10 part "square sennits". One cord tapers at the end and the other has a finger loop in the form of a 9 plait strap joined into a loop by passing some of the 9 strings through a small 5 plait loop at the end of the 9 plait where the 10 part sq. sennit starts.
The reconstruction looked exactly like the original and would throw stones up to 100 yards without skill. All techniques are fully described, and the stages of production illustrated. -- AATA

Originating Institution: AATA
Record Type: Abstract
Literature Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Old BCIN Number: 106109
BCIN Number: 66315

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funda_iucunda

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #49 - Aug 27^th, 2008 at 5:52pm

David Morningstar,

a nearly 4000 year old sling! That is incredible! Do you have more information on and pictures of that? Is that the original sling or a replica? Is the kind of fiber known or the material of the sling shots? How long is the sling in total and in detail? It wozuld be fascinating to try to make a replica.
Until now I only knew the sling of Tut Anch Amun (1300 B.C.) and of Lahun (900 B.C.). Another sling was found in Switzerland of the Latène period (about 900 B.C.).

winkelried,

it seems to me that the sling David Morningstar shows is not the Lahun sling of 800 or 900 B.C. It looks significantly different to me. As far as I know there hadn't been found any sling shots with the Lahun sling.

funda iucunda

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winkleried

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #50 - Aug 27^th, 2008 at 8:29pm

Funda check out the style of the sling and the caption that goes with it.

Site: Africa, Egypt, Faiyum, Kahun (el-Lahun)

the (el-Lahun) is what is leading to belive that this is the same sling, along with the diamond shaped pouch ( although folded in half) and the weaving.

So in short it looks like the same bleeping sling, although the pics I do have of the Lahun sling are low quality ( basicly copies of copies) So I can't tell on the thogs attached to the pouch
The stones could have been added by one of the museam staff for the display

funda_iucunda wrote on Aug 27^th, 2008 at 5:52pm:

David Morningstar,

a nearly 4000 year old sling! That is incredible! Do you have more information on and pictures of that? Is that the original sling or a replica? Is the kind of fiber known or the material of the sling shots? How long is the sling in total and in detail? It wozuld be fascinating to try to make a replica.
Until now I only knew the sling of Tut Anch Amun (1300 B.C.) and of Lahun (900 B.C.). Another sling was found in Switzerland of the Latène period (about 900 B.C.).

winkelried,

it seems to me that the sling David Morningstar shows is not the Lahun sling of 800 or 900 B.C. It looks significantly different to me. As far as I know there hadn't been found any sling shots with the Lahun sling.

funda iucunda

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David Morningstar

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #51 - Aug 28^th, 2008 at 6:29pm

winkleried wrote on Aug 27^th, 2008 at 8:29pm:

So in short it looks like the same bleeping sling, although the pics I do have of the Lahun sling are low quality ( basicly copies of copies) So I can't tell on the thogs attached to the pouch

Googled with 'sling lahun petrie'. The upper one is a reproduction, the lower broken one is the original.

[Post edited to make it sound less arsey, sorry about that!]

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« Last Edit: Aug 30^th, 2008 at 1:52pm by David Morningstar »

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David Morningstar

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #52 - Aug 30^th, 2008 at 1:50pm

I have seen the sling! I made a flying visit this morning and took some photos but I wont be able to post them till tomorrow cos I'm with my folks now and didnt bring my camera cable with me. Muppet!

Anyway the first thing to report is that its tiny, and so is the ammo. I doubt I'd be able to get my finger through the retention loop.

The cords look surprisingly lo-tech and scruffy compared to the very neat work of the pouch. I'm speculating wildly here, but could it be they are not the original cords? Was it originally a bigger sling with braided cords that broke and was re-strung and handed down for a child to use?

There is a large collection of all sorts of items from Lahun in Manchester. Lots of textile and corded items have survived astonishingly well. I'll go back again when I have time to do the place justice.

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funda_iucunda

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #53 - Aug 30^th, 2008 at 5:08pm

David Morningstar,

many thanks for the quick report. I couldn't wait for hearing of it and I'm curious to read about your next visit. May be there is a report available with details and circumstances of the excavation or measures of the sling.

winkleried,

the pouch is in deed very similar to the "Petrie's sling" but the cord is very simple, just two or three twisted strings instead of 10 strings square sinnet which much more fits to the accuratness of the pouch. So I think that David has a point to assume that the cords might not be the originals.
What is surprising to me is, that obviously both slings are from the same place. Was this site used for 1000 years or might there be an uncertainty in fixing the age of the artifacts?

funda

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David Morningstar

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #54 - Aug 30^th, 2008 at 6:07pm

The site was a pyramid construction area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El-Lahun

The museum is confident in its dating. Many of the other objects were dated to the same period. Petrie is mentioned in the Manchester Museum so it seems he is responsible for discovering both slings at the same site and dating them to different periods.

I will be able to find out more when I spend more time there soon. If you have a shopping list of questions I can try and get answers for you.

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winkleried

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #55 - Aug 30^th, 2008 at 6:39pm

I would suspect that the cords are not the originals, It could be they are old reproductions. Basicly not authentic but still antiques.

Museums were not always the models of conservation that they are today.

Marc Adkins

David Morningstar wrote on Aug 30^th, 2008 at 1:50pm:

I have seen the sling! I made a flying visit this morning and took some photos but I wont be able to post them till tomorrow cos I'm with my folks now and didnt bring my camera cable with me. Muppet!

Anyway the first thing to report is that its tiny, and so is the ammo. I doubt I'd be able to get my finger through the retention loop.

The cords look surprisingly lo-tech and scruffy compared to the very neat work of the pouch. I'm speculating wildly here, but could it be they are not the original cords? Was it originally a bigger sling with braided cords that broke and was re-strung and handed down for a child to use?

There is a large collection of all sorts of items from Lahun in Manchester. Lots of textile and corded items have survived astonishingly well. I'll go back again when I have time to do the place justice.

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winkleried

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Re: Egyptian sling
Reply #56 - Aug 30^th, 2008 at 6:43pm

Ok
So we now have evidence of the same sling pattern being conserved for almost 1000 years if the date is accurate. I have no idea how they dated it but I would think they could get it with in a hundred years or so.

Marc Adkins

funda_iucunda wrote on Aug 30^th, 2008 at 5:08pm:

winkleried,

the pouch is in deed very similar to the "Petrie's sling" but the cord is very simple, just two or three twisted strings instead of 10 strings square sinnet which much more fits to the accuratness of the pouch. So I think that David has a point to assume that the cords might not be the originals.
What is surprising to me is, that obviously both slings are from the same place. Was this site used for 1000 years or might there be an uncertainty in fixing the age of the artifacts?

funda

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David Morningstar Slinging.org Moderator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 3419 UK	Re: Egyptian sling Reply #57 - Aug 31^st, 2008 at 6:02pm Apologies for the poor light, the whole gallery is very dark and the exhibits have only dim lighting. Scroll down the picture to see the captions. I can send you the original shots if you want them, 3072x2304 pixels and 3 Mb each.
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David Morningstar Slinging.org Moderator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 3419 UK	Re: Egyptian sling Reply #58 - Aug 31^st, 2008 at 6:03pm The pouch in more detail
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David Morningstar Slinging.org Moderator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 3419 UK	Re: Egyptian sling Reply #59 - Aug 31^st, 2008 at 6:03pm The tiny finger loop
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