© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2013 DOI: 10.1163/18741665-12340007 Journal of Egyptian History 6 (2013) 152–176 brill.com/jeh Ship Timber and the Reuse of Wood in Ancient Egypt* Pearce Paul Creasman University of Arizona pcreasman@ltrr.arizona.edu Abstract Reuse of materials in ancient Egypt is neither a new nor novel concept. The ancient Egyptians reused a variety of materials and certainly any resource that had spiritual, ideological, or econo- mic value that was available to them. Yet, reuse of certain raw materials has not been thoroughly examined, notably timber. This manuscript explores the modes, preferences and implications of wood use, specifically reuse, in Egypt’s Pharaonic Period, using ship timber as the illustrative example. This synthesis suggests specific preferences for commodity consumption and conserva- tion existed, revealing cultural and behavioral trends. Keywords reuse; economy; wood; timber; Egypt * * * * Introduction Since timber was first exploited and manipulated, it has been an important commodity.1 Throughout history, the restrictions of timber reserves have often dictated politics, military tactics, social relations, and economics.2 In ancient ∗ The author is grateful for reflection on earlier drafts of this article by Noreen Doyle, assis- tance locating references by Steven Vinson, thought-provoking discussions with Jillian Gifford, and the advice of three anonymous reviewers. 1  Creasman, Extracting Cultural Information, 1–39; see Perlin (A Forest Journey) for an intro- duction to the history of wood use. 2 For example: “the control of and access to the timber resources of Macedon were . . . major factors influencing the political and military decisions of several other states during the Classical [Greek] period” (Borza, “Timber and Politics,” 47); role of the forests in war and history: see Corvol and Amat (Forêt et Marine) and McNeill (“Woods and Warfare”); social relations: Mark Antony’s gift of Cilician forests to Cleopatra VII as source for ship timber, ca. 36 B.C.E. (Strabo, Geography, 14.5.3); economics: see Meiggs’s chapter titled “The Timber Trade” (Trees and Timber, 325–70) or