Bifacial Sickle Insert ca. 6900-3100 B.C. Neolithic-Predynastic Period This small piece of flint was a key element to a successful agricultural season in ancient Egypt. Grain was a staple of the economy, as bread and beer made from grain were consumed daily. They also formed the foundation of eternal sustenance, as funerary offerings. Ancient Egyptians used sickles made from flint and wood to reap grain. Pieces of flint such as this one were shaped to fit into a wooden haft along with a number of other such inserts, and secured with an adhesive. The flint pieces provided a sharp edge to cut the grain stalks. With use, the flint would wear down and develop a shiny gloss. The flint inserts could be re-sharpened or replaced as needed. Bifacial sickle inserts like this constitute some of the earliest evidence for farming in Egypt. They were made mainly during the 5th- 4th millennia BC, after which they were replaced by sickle inserts made on thin blades with less invasive retouch. The sick