My colleague Ianir Milevski and I (Eliot Braun) are researching
information on the utilization and trade of bitumen/asphalt in Late 4th
mill. and early 3rd mill. contexts. There are sources in and around the
Dead Sea and in the Negev. In our part of the world we have asphalt at
sites of EB I. There is also evidence of trade with
Egypt at Maadi. We are interested in other evidence in Egypt during
Nagada II-III/Pre and Protodynastic up til Djer in Dyn I. Evidence from
Syria would also be interesting although I have the feeling that if the
material is found there that it would have come from another source,
perhaps southern Mesop. To date we have no evidence of asphalt in
Northern Israel. We would appreciate any help in this matter. Eliot Braun