Hornblende Diorite

There are three types of hornblende diorite. Type A.: course-grained, patchy, black and white rock. 60 % white plagioclase, 40 % black hornblende in irregular grains. This type A was called 'porphyry' by Petrie and others, but geologically should be distinguished from porphyry; note that the famous statues of Khafre (Khefren) are diorite gneiss. Type B is also coarse-grained but speckled black and white with conspicuous , elongated hornblende crystals (0.5 - 1.0 cm long). 75% plagioclase and 25 % hornblende. Type C is a middle to fine-grained rock with some crystal faces. 60-70 % plagioclase, 30-40 % hornblende.

Egyptian name: inr km?

Diorite was used in the Predynastic Period for vessels, but does not appear later very often. It was quarried on a larger scale in the Roman Period for export.

examples

Aston/Harrell/Shaw 2000: 30-31
Aston 1994: 13-15