(105) in the XVIIIth Dynasty. The thread was secured by a
spiral notch in the stick. In Roman times an iron hook on the top held
the thread (106) as in modern spindles. Needles of copper were made in
the prehistoric, as early as S.D. 48, and very delicate ones by S.D. 71.
Gold needles are found of the Ist Dynasty. Fine ones of bronze are
common in the XVIIIth Dynasty, and some with two eyes at right angles,
one above the other, to carry two different threads. The copper bodkin
is found in S.D. 70. Netters are common, of rib bones, pointed (107);
the thread was wound round them. Long netting needles were probably
brought in by the dynastic people as they figure in the hieroglyphs.
Finely-made ones are found in the XVIIIth Dynasty and later. Reels were
also commonly used for net making, of pottery (108) or even pebbles
(109) with a groove chipped around. The flint vase-grinders were used in
the early dynasties (110), and also sandstone grinders for hollowing
larger vases (111).

_Stone-Work._--In the prehistoric ages stone building was unknown, but
many varieties of stones were used for carving into vases, amulets and
ornaments. The stone vases were at first of cylindrical forms, with a
foot, and ears for hanging. These are worked in brown basalt, syenite,
porphyry, alabaster and limestone. In the second prehistoric
civilization barrel-shaped vases became usual; and to the former
materials were added slate, grey limestone and breccia. Serpentine
appears later, and diorite towards the close of the prehistoric ages.
Flat dishes were used in earlier times; gradually deeper forms appear,
and lastly the deep bowl with turned-in edge belongs to the close of the
prehistoric time and continued common in the earlier dynasties (P.D.P.
19). This stone-work was usually formed on the outside with rotary
motion, but sometimes the vase was rotated upon the grinder (Q. H. 17).
The interior was ground out by cutters (figs. 110, 111) fixed in the end
of a stick and revolved with a weight on the top, as shown in scenes on
the tombs of the Vth Dynasty. The cutters were sometimes flints of a
crescent shape (P. Ab. ii. liii. 24), but more usually grinders blocks
of quartzite sandstone (26-34), and occasionally of diorite (Q. H.
xxxii. lxii.). These blocks were fed with sand and water to give the
bite on the stone (P. Ab. i. 26). The outsides of the vases were
entirely wrought by handwork, with the polishing lines crossing
diagonally. Probably