CNCing an Egyptian Vase
Experimental archaeologist Dan Richards tried to reproduce an ancient Egyptian vase using CNC fabrication to test whether modern digital tools can replicate features previously attributed to lost craft techniques — the episode was published March 28 and highlights how makerspace tech informs craft debates. The experiment shows digital fabrication’s value for testing hypotheses about ancient production methods and toolmarks. (youtube.com)
A short video clip titled "We Tried to CNC an Ancient Egyptian Vase... Here’s What Happened" was posted to Dan Richards' YouTube channel; the clip links viewers to a longer discussion and shows Richards working with maker tools on-camera. (youtube.com) The full conversation appears on the Ancient Technology Podcast episode "Egyptian Vases, Lost Tech, and the Limits of Debunking," a 1 hour 57 minute episode featuring Dan Richards and hosted by Károly Póka that was published on the Ancient Technology Podcast channel on March 19, 2026. (youtube.com) The clip and the podcast join an active research thread sparked by high‑resolution metrology: structured‑light and industrial scans of predynastic granite vases have reported geometric precision down to thousandths of an inch, findings publicized by projects such as UnchartedX in 2023 and follow‑up scanning work cited in 2025. (unchartedx.com) Laboratory‑grade scanning at institutions and private projects has led to reverse‑engineering and replication efforts; groups like Ancient Stone Vases and past GOM Blue Light scans of the so‑called "OG Vase" have produced CAD models and STL files used to attempt physical reproductions. (ancientstonevases.com) (artifactfoundation.org) Those metrology results prompted a wave of public debate across specialist forums and history sites, with coverage in outlets such as Ancient Origins and The Archaeologist discussing whether the artifacts’ tolerances require non‑conventional tool hypotheses or are reproducible by modern workshops. (ancient-origins.net) (thearchaeologist.org) Richards’ short CNC clip explicitly directs viewers to the full podcast episode for the full test protocol and results, and the podcast page and video descriptions include links to the fuller technical discussion and supporting uploads. (youtube.com 1) (youtube.com 2)
