Evaporites of the Wadi Natrun: Seasonal and Annual Variation and Its Implication for Ancient Exploitation*

The evaporitic deposits of the Wadi Natrun on the edge of the Western Desert of Egypt have been used in variety of crafts and industries for over 6000 years. This paper reviews the formation processes of the evaporitic deposits between the different lakes in the wadi and for the wadi as a whole. It shows that the precipitation of sodium carbonate minerals within the lakes is seasonal and probably subject to long‐term fluctuation as climate varies. This has a significant impact on the use of the lakes for ancient industries, particularly the manufacture of glass.