Gerzeh culture
Gerzeh culture/ Naqada II | |
| Dates | c. 3,650 BC — c. 3,300 BC |
|---|---|
| Major sites | al-Girza |
| Preceded by | Naqada I (Amratian) |
| Followed by | Naqada III (Semainian) |
| Chalcolithic Eneolithic, Aeneolithic, or Copper Age |
|---|
|
↑ Stone Age ↑ Neolithic |
|
↓ Bronze Age ↓ Iron Age |
The Gerzeh culture, also called Naqada II, refers to the archaeological stage at Gerzeh (also Girza or Jirzah), a prehistoric Egyptian cemetery located along the west bank of the Nile. The necropolis is named after el-Girzeh, the nearby contemporary town in Egypt. Gerzeh is situated only several miles due east of the oasis of Faiyum.
The Gerzeh culture is a material culture identified by archaeologists. It is the second of three phases of the prehistoric Naqada cultures and so is also known as Naqada II. The Gerzeh culture was preceded by the Amratian culture ("Naqada I") and followed by the Naqada III ("protodynastic" or "Semainian culture").