An open question is to where the pavings were, and indeed likely still are, being produced and distributed. Details on this aspect are sketchy, to say the least. However, following information provided by a correspondent, Mohammed Elmokadem, he told me that these are made in small workshops in Basateen, Al Darb al Ahmar, and in Giza. However, these have not been found, some of the areas are either far from my two investigators, Pam Garnett and Gregg De Young to visit, or not suitable places to visit due to security concerns. Also, Mohammed told me that frequently details of the date are inscribed on the reverse side, and this had led to further detail, thanks to the ‘in the field’ investigations of Pam in examining the reverse side of a square format loose tile, as shown below. This shows not the date, but the place of manufacture, which translates as it being made in the district of Basateen, with the ‘Basateen United supply company’, New Maadi, but here the investigation has come to a stop, as Pam has not been able to find the company, despite having a street address upon Googling the above reference; the shop there present knows nothing of this; possibly they have moved. However, this at least provides a lead. Does anyone know of this company? Also, following correspondence with Laëtitia Huré, general secretary to the manager of the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, there is a report of it being made in Aswan, 450 miles away from Cairo, who told me that upon asking the staff, it is made in ‘small factories in Aswan’. However, she was not able to be more specific than this. This report is certainly interesting. Upon reflection, it would appear that rather than ordering these directly from Cairo, with all the costs arising from such a far distance, one can readily imagine that these would be made local. Therefore, they could indeed be being made in a variety of locations, but if so, they have so far evaded detection! Does anyone know of these places?

However, despite the above tantalising reports, contact with the manufacturer/distributor (possibly more than one) has not been made. Would any reader of this page know of this? This aspect remains one of the ‘great unknowns’; if the manufacturer can be contacted, much new light could be shed on the inquiry, such as the all important history, and the exact angles of the pentagon then determined (there are two possibilities), and so hence my desire to find this detail if at all possible.