Organic geochemistry indicates Gebel El Zeit, Gulf of Suez, is a source of bitumen used in some Egyptian mummies
✍ Scribed by A.O. Barakat; A. Mostafa; Y. Qian; M. Kim; M.C. Kennicutt II
- Book ID
- 102222980
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2005
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 351 KB
- Volume
- 20
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0883-6353
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Molecular geochemical properties of crude oils and surface petroleum seeps from the southern part of the Gulf of Suez were evaluated. The characterizations of individual aliphatic, aromatic, and biomarker compounds were based on gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. The results provided strong evidence for a close genetic association of these samples. The geochemical characteristics suggest an origin from Tertiary source rocks deposited in a normal marine environment that received continental runoff. The molecular signatures of the investigated samples were very similar to those of the Lower Miocene Rudeis Formation source rock in the southern Gulf of Suez. Further, biomarker fingerprints of the investigated oil seeps were compared with those of the Dead Sea asphalt, as well as the bitumen from some Egyptian mummies reported in the literature. The results demonstrate that oil seeps from the southern end of Gebel El Zeit were used by ancient Egyptians for embalming.