Eastern Desert Ware from Marsa Nakari and Wadi Sikait Author(s): Hans Barnard Source: Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, Vol. 42 (2005/2006), pp. 131-146 Published by: American Research Center in Egypt Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27651805 . Accessed: 05/04/2011 08:30 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at . http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=arce. . Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
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Eastern
from Marsa
Desert Ware
and Wadi Hans
Nakari
Sikait
Barnard
(EDW) refers to a recently identified corpus of hand-made that have been described at many sites in the Eastern Desert, between the Nile and Eastern Desert Ware
ceramic
vessels
Sea, in southern Egypt and in northern Sudan (Fig. I).1 Most sherds are from small cups and bowls, with thin walls, that have frequently been burnished and are often decorated with incised proportionally or impressed patterns in sometimes remarkably asymmetric patterns. Of the 47 EDW sherds pre the Red
sented here, 9 were found by the Northern Arizona University excavations at Marsa Nakari (possibly con the Greco-Roman harbor Nechesia), on the Red Sea coast,2 and 38 by the University of Delaware
servation,
excavation
and
survey
project
in
the Mons
Smaragdus
area,
the main
source
of
the
gem
stone beryl (emerald) in the Roman Empire.3 The first comprehensive description of EDW, although not by its current name, derived from the rescue excavations of the cemeteries inWadi Qitna and Kalabsha South, just west of the Nile Valley and now lost under the water of Lake Nasser.4 Sherds with comparable technological features, forms and decorative motifs have ley, including: Kalabsha
identified, often in retrospect, at several sites in the Nile Val Sayala,6 Wadi al-Arab,7 Qasr Ibrim,8 and much further south also
since been
North,5
1 H.
"Eastern Desert Ware, a short introduction," Sudan & Nubia 6 (2002), 53-57. H. Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Barnard, of historical and archaeological data," in J. C. M. Starkey, ed., People of theRed Sea. Proceedings of the Blemmyes. A re-evaluation Red Sea Project II, held in the British Museum, number 3. BAR International October 2004. Society for Arabian Studies Monographs Series 1395 (Oxford, 2005), 23-40. H. Barnard, "Eastern Desert Ware. Fine pottery from an arid wasteland," Egyptian Archaeol from Sayala and K. E Faull, "New data on the Eastern Desert Ware (Spring 2006), 29-30. H. Barnard, A. N. Dooley, in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna," and A. A. Magid, 15 (2006), 49-64. H. Barnard (Lower Nubia) ?gypten und Levante "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot 10 (in press). H. Barnard and links to the north," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen (Sudan). More P. J. Rose, "Eastern Desert Ware in S. E. Sidebotham from Berenike and Kab Marfu'a," and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1999-2000. and the survey of theEgyptian Eastern Desert, Report of the 1999 and 2000 excavation in Berenike, Siket and Wadi Kalalat ogy 28
in press). H. Barnard and E. Strouhal, Sikait (Los Angeles, "Wadi Qitna revisited," Annals of the H. Barnard, L. A. Pintozzi, and R. S. Tomber, "The enigma of Kab 25 (2004), 29-55. S. E. Sidebotham, Marfu'a: 16,1 (January/February 2005), 24-26. gems in Egypt's Eastern Desert," Minerva precious " 2 "A preliminary 38 (2001), 77-88. J. A. Seeger, report on the 1999 field season at Marsa Nakari JARCE 3 L. B. C. and E. S. E. Side S. "Emerald Rivard, Foster, Sidebotham, 2002), 36-41. J. city," Archaeology 55,3 (May-June on at A. M. Hense, fieldwork Sikait and J. A. Harrell, botham, H. M. Nouwens, (Eastern report "Preliminary archaeological Desert of Egypt), and environs: 2002-2003," Sahara 15 (2004), 7-30, esp. figs. 27-28. 4 E. Strouhal, Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha-South and 195-200, Tabs. 31-34, Pis. 66-70. Barnard 1984), esp. 157-77, (Prague, "Wadi Qitna revisited? Strouhal, 5 von Khor-Dehmit bis Bet el-Wali H. Ricke, Ausgrabungen 1967), esp. 46-70, Tafs. 23-28. (Chicago, b et al., F. A. Bedawi, Die R?mische Gr?berfelder von Sayala-Nubien (Vienna, 1976), esp. 29-31, Abb. 12, Taf. 28/fig. 2. Barnard "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala? K. Kromer, R?mische Weinstuben in Sayala (Unternubien) (Vienna, 1967), esp. 96-99, Abb. 30/
including the beryl mines N?prstek Museum Prague
inWadi
et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala." 31, Tafs. 16/fig. 2, 32, 34/3, 37-35. Barnard 7 W. B. Emery and L. P. Kirwan, The excavations and survey between Wadi es-Sebua and Adindan 1929-31 (Cairo, 1935), esp. 117-22, figs. 89, 94/1, 99/5, 103/13. 8 P. J. Rose, The aftermath of theRoman frontier in Lower Nubia Ph.D.-thesis University of Cambridge, Darwin (Unpublished et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala" 161-62, fig. 9. 1992), esp. 161-62, figs. 7/75-78. Barnard College, 4-5,
131
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
132
al-Tereif,9 and Kurgus.10 East of the Nile, in the Eastern Desert as well as on the Red Sea coast, similar sherds have been found in, among others, Bir Minih,n Berenike,12 a number of tombs scat tered in theWadi Alaqi area,13 several sites with an unknown function,14 and also in Tabot,15 much further to the south (Fig. I).16 Two other sherds that may or may not be EDW were excavated at a
Wadi
at Bir Abraq may also be EDW, post-Meroitic cemetery at Gabati (Sudan).17 Some of the sherds found to were as judged from published thought by the surveyors of that site drawings,18 although they as some later I EDW sherds that tentatively identified belong to the Pan-Grave culture. Similarly, to the C-Horizon associated with be b.c.e.). This illustrates the diffi (2300-1500 appeared securely 'Neolithic' characteristics. and diverse with almost of this small of corpus culty identifying exemplars on the analysis of associated sherds and other datable finds such as coins,19 and radiocarbon dates,20 the peak of the production of EDW seems to have been during the 4th-6th centuries C.E., as the 3rd, and as late as the 8th century c.E. The name EDW although itmay have occurred as early
Based
was
initially chosen because
appearance
of
the
sherds,
of the distribution
vis-?-vis
technology,
of the finds, in combination
decorations
and
vessel
shape
with the fabric and
(table
2), which
render
the an
origin in the Nile Valley unlikely. 9
in D. A. Welsby and J. R. Anderson, H.-?. Nordstr?m, eds., Sudan, Ancient Treasures. An exhibition "Pottery Production," 2004), 248-73, (London, esp. 269, cat. no. 255. ofRecent Discoveries from the Sudan National Museum 10 et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala," 60-61, fig. 9. Barnard and Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited," 46-47, fig. 8. Barnard 11 on the fieldwork at Bir Minih, and G. Lass?nyi, U. Luft, A. Alm?sy, M. A. Farkas, I. Furka, Z. Horv?th "Preliminary report Arabian Desert," MDAIK 58 (2002), 373-90, 7/10-13. 384, esp. fig. 12 Barnard and Rose, "Eastern Desert Ware from Berenike and Kab Marfu'a." J.W. Hayes, "Summary of pottery and glass finds," in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1994. Preliminary report of the 1994 excavations at Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea
coast) and the survey of theEastern Desert (Leiden, and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1995. Preliminary
"The pottery," in S. E. Sidebotham 33-36, esp. fig. 13. J.W. Hayes, sur report of the 1995 excavations at Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea coast) and the 6-19. P. J. Rose, sherds," in 153, figs. 6-15/1-6, "Report on the handmade 1994. Preliminary report of the 1994 excavations at Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea 1995),
1996), 147-78, esp. vey of theEastern Desert (Leiden, S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike "Berenike: Roman S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, coast) and the survey of the Eastern Desert (Leiden, 1995), 41-43. and W. Z. and India," Egyptian Archaeology 8 (1996), 15-18, esp. 16-17. S. E. Sidebotham gateway to Arabia Egypt's maritime und Indien," Antike Welt 32,3 (2001), 251-63, "Berenike, Roms Tor am Roten Meer nach Arabien Wendrich, esp. 256-57, Abb.
and W. Z. Wendrich, "The pottery," in S. E. Sidebotham eds., Berenike 1996. Report of the 1996 excavations at "The pot 1998), 163-80, esp. 170. R. S. Tomber, (Egyptian Red Sea coast) and the survey of theEastern Desert (Leiden, at Berenike excavations Berenike and the in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. 1997. the 1997 eds., Wendrich, survey Report of of the tery," 1999), 123-59, esp. 152, fig. 5-15/75. Egyptian Eastern Desert, including excavations at Shenshef (Leiden, 13 a "Nubian Desert K. Sadr, A. Castaglioni, and A. Castaglioni, view," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen 7 archaeology: preliminary (1995), 203-35, esp. 210-21, figs. 10, 11, 25. 14 S. E. Sidebotham, late Roman in the Eastern Desert,"/ZL4 88 (2002), H. Barnard, and G. Pyke, "Five enigmatic settlements et al., "The Enigma ofKab Marfu'a." 187-225, esp. figs. 20, 23. Sidebotham 15 The license to excavate the site of Tabot was issued by the Department of Antiquities and National Museums, Khartoum, 14. R. S. Tomber,
Berenike
Sudan, mittee
to Dr. Anwar Abdel-Magid. for Development Research
carried out by the license holder of the Norwegian Council (NUFU) license holder authorized Project). The
Test-excavations, and Education
in 1994-95, were sponsored by the Com of Universities within the framework of
to study and publish their Sudan Program Hans Barnard the (Phase II: Archaeology pottery from Tabot. 16 in the Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot." A. A. Magid, R. H. Pierce, and K. Krzywinski, "Test excavation southern Red Sea Hills cultural linkages to the north," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen 7 (1995), 165-70, (Sudan): esp. pi. V. A. A. 1 "Ancient way stations in the southern Red Sea Hills: a new discovery," Sudan Notes and Records 2 (new series) (1998), Magid, in the southern Red Sea Hills, Sudan," in S. Wenig, "The site of Tabot. An old waystation 12. A. A. Magid, ed., Neueste Feldfor 2004), 155-72, esp. fig. 6. schungen im Sudan und inEritrea. Akten des Symposiums vom 13 bis 14 Oktober 1999 in Berlin (Wiesbaden, 17 L. M. V. Smith, "The post-Meroitic and medieval ed., Gabati. A Meroitic, Post-Meroitic and Medi pottery," in D. N. Edwards, eval Cemetery in Central Sudan. Volume 1 (London, 1998), 178-93, esp. figs. 6.27-6.30. 18 in the Eastern Desert, K. Sadr, "Preliminary reconnaissance southeast Egypt," in C. Bonnet report on an archaeological (ed.), Etude Nubiennes. Actes du Vile congr?s international d'?tudes nubiennes, 3-8 septembre 1990. Volume II (Neuchatel, 1994), 8 10, esp. 9. 19 "Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha South" 265. Strouhal, 20 "The site of Tabot" 157-59. Sadr et al., "Nubian Desert archaeology" 212, 227. Magid,
Eastern
Desert
Ware
1. Map of southeast Fig. mentioned in the text.
Egypt
from Marsa
and
northeast
Nakari
Sudan
and Wadi
showing
133
Sikait
the location
of
sites
(16x), four characteristic EDW fabrics have been identified, as well as one Using low magnification catch-all category for the many variations on these, all distinctively different from the fabrics repre sented in the Vienna System.21 EDW-1 comprises a rusty-red to orange matrix with abundant, poorly sorted mineral inclusions (Fig. 2, left). EDW-2 is very similar, but has some reduced organic material
rendering the matrix, but usually not the surfaces, very dark to black.22 Other similar fabrics could not readily be assigned to either EDW-1 or EDW-2, but most likely belong to the same ware type; 21 D. Arnold and J. Bourriau, eds., An Introduction toAncient Egyptian Pottery. Deutsches Kairo Sonderschrift 17 (Mainz am Rhein, 1993). 22 "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot." Barnard and Magid,
Arch?ologisches
Institut Abteilung
134
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
Fig. 2. Eastern Desert Ware fabric type1 (EDW-1). On the leftafresh break ofEDW 79fromWadi Sikait at lowmagni
(the scale is in mm), showing a rusty-red fabric fication the thin-section of EDW 150 from Tabot right petrologic ous iron-oxide, inclusions quartz and feldspar angular
numerous On (mostly quartz). poorly sorted, white inclusions numer in crossed polarized WOx magnification), (at showing light in a reddish clay matrix.
with
these were identified as 'unclassified' (Table 1). A few sherds, among which EDW 81 and 260 (Figs. 4 small shiny flakes, probably mica, best visible on the surfaces; the fabric of and 5), had additional these has been labeled EDW-3. A final fabric, so far only observed in sherds found in the Nile Valley, contained crushed pottery (grog) and was labeled EDW-4. A few EDW sherds were apparently made
in the Vienna System, or from a unique paste, identified as clay ('silt', LhLH^), well described 1 and of the latter were found in theMons Smaragdus area. In pet 'atypical' (Table catalogue). Many most in typical EDW fabrics were shown to be angular of the mineral inclusions rologic thin-sections, or quartz feldspar (Fig. 2, right), although rounded fragments of limestone and sandstone were also seen. Chemical research of the same fabrics by laser ablation and inductively coupled plasma mass of Nile
in several geologically different spectrometry (LA-ICP/MS),23 suggests that EDW was probably made most all outside the Nile These corroborate the assumption that the areas, likely findings Valley.24 vessels were probably primarily made and used in the Eastern Desert.
of the dearth of archaeological data from the region and the scarce as well as ambiguous the that made and used EDW are prudently labeled 'Eastern Desert sources,25 people Dwellers'. They are assumed to have been pastoral nomads, much like the inhabitants of the desert can be expected or otherwise to have left sherds of the pottery that they produced today,26 and Because
historical
23 This
research
Ablation
was
on the GBC ICP-MS, with attached New Wave LUV Laser Optimass Orthogonal Time-of-Flight at Califor in the Institute for Research and Society (IIRMES) Materials, Environments, by Integrated Institute of Archaeology and the Cotsen (USA) and sponsored Long Beach by Dr. Hector NefF (IIRMES) done
owned
System, nia State University, at UCLA. 24 A very brief discussion of these findings can be found in Barnard and Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited? 25 = = Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? S. M. Burstein, "Trogodytes Blemmyes Beja? The misuse of ancient ethnography" in H. Barnard in the Old and in theNew World (Los Angeles, and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology ofMobility. Nomads 2008), Textual Sources for theHistory of theMiddle Nile 250-63. T. Eide, T. H?gg, R. H. Pierce, and L. T?r?k, Fontes Historiae Nubiorum. 1998). Region between theEighth Century BC and the Sixth Century AD. Volume III. From theFirst to the Sixth Century AD (Bergen, R. T. Updegraff, "The Blemmyes inW. Haase and H. Temporini, 26H. "Geneeskunst Barnard, Geneeskunde 144 (2000), 39-41
History of theBeja the Interpretation
I. The Rise of the Blemmyes and the Roman Withdrawal from Nubia under Diocletian," der r?mischen Welt. Volume II (Berlin and New York, 1972), 44-97. eds., Aufstieg und Niedergang voor door armoede [Medicine gei'nspireerd inspired by poverty]," Nederlands Tijdschrift (in Dutch with an English abstract). G. M. Murray, Sons of Ismael (London, 1935). A. Paul, A
to Agents. Tribes of the Sudan "From Objects 1954). W. Z. Wendrich, (Cambridge, of the Past," in Barnard and Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology ofMobility, 509-42.
The Ababda
Nomads
and
Eastern and subsequently
obtained, cult.
Desert
in
Only
places
Nakari
an
provided
that
infrastructure
porarily, possibly after they found some sort of employment, in small
among
quantities
pottery
and several of these, both were
Sayala
135
Sikait
settlements
allowed
of
places
detection
suggested
been
temporary
tem
and are now found were
accumulation
and in the desert, have yielded EDW. The to have
diffi
to settle
the nomads
sherds accumulated
Other
elsewhere.27
produced
in the Nile Valley
to desert
close
and Wadi
thinly scattered over a large area, which makes
discarded, outsiders
where
from Marsa
Ware
graves
in
cemeteries of
settlements
no
desert
it is remarkable that no helping with the harvest in the Nile Valley.28 From this perspective EDW has (yet) been found in Daraheib, which was a major settlement almost in the center of its distribution area, or in the settlements directly west of there, inWadi Alaqi.29
mads
As
to be the only reliable
the retrieved EDW may prove
Desert
51
Dwellers,
All
(GC/MS).30
spectrometry used
probably
were
sherds
for
at
food
tested
the shape of the vessels
vessels
and,
were
and
once,
residues
combined
to have preserved not
itmust
appearance,
or ethnic marker.32
source of information about
using
exclusively at
the
for water
used
same
gas
time
have
the Eastern
that they were
or
as
grave
likely employed been
mass
chromatography
lipids, indicating
EDW was most
(mostly cups and bowls),
its remarkable
given
organic
sherds appeared
least
Given
for
an
goods.31
as serving
obvious
cultural
The residues from theMons Smaragdus area appeared from higher status food sources (richer in animal products) than those from coastal sites, such as Berenike and Marsa Nakari. This may be related to the overall differences between the state run harbors and the privately owned beryl
mines.
characterizing EDW have been incised or impressed in the surface of the vessels before they were fired. Where visible, the vessels appear to have been decorated from left to a to when the This work for vessel would be the easiest way right, holding right-handed upright. potter, fixing the pot with the left hand while working with the right in a way that does not block the Most
of the decorations
view on the just finished parts of the decoration. The design was evidently not 'sketched', as many are in size to fill the available space. Many pat repeating patterns irregular and differ considerably terns
boids,
are
deliberately
triangles,
and
asymmetric
waves,
X's,
zigzags,
and
there
is a
'running
large
(a
dogs'
in motifs,
variation series
of
including
interlocking
rhom
circles,
'S'-shapes,
see
EDW
232 and 239) as well as more figurative suns, birds, and fish.33 After the decoration was finished, the patterns were often emphasized by applying a red slip to part of the vessel, often spilling over the rim into the inside, or by filling the lines of the decoration with a white substance, possibly lime putty. None of the tools used by the production of EDW have ever been found, but some can be inferred from the marks that they left. Rarely used is the 'hollow probe', leaving an impressed circle, which
has been 27 H.
identified as part of an animal bone.34 More
Barnard,
"Suggestions
ology ofMobility, 413-40. 28 Ricke, "Ausgrabungen" 29Alf. Castiglioni, Ang.
for a Cha?ne Op?ratoire
of Nomadic
widely
employed
Pottery Sherds,"
in Barnard
was
an instrument with a
and Wendrich,
eds., The Archae
33-35.
Das Goldland der Pharaonen (Mainz, 1995). K. Sadr, Alf. Castiglioni, andj. Vercouter, in the Nubian Desert," Sahara 6 (1994), 69-75. Sadr et al., "Nubian Desert archae and G. Negro, Castiglioni, "Archaeology ology" 203-10. 30 This research was done on the Micromass-Waters GCT GC EI/CI Time-of-Flight instrument purchased by the Pasarow Castiglioni
Ang.
Mass
The NPI-Semel of Psy Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior and The Department Spectrometry Laboratory; of California, Los Angeles Sciences; University 0078299, (USA) through NSF grant number CHE chiatry and Biobehavioral and was sponsored at UCLA. and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology by Dr. Kym Faull (Pasarow Laboratory) 31 to Archaeological See H. Barnard, A. N. Dooley, and K. F. Faull, "An Introduction Gas Chro Lipid Analysis by Combined Mass Spectrometry in H. Barnard and J.W. Eerkens, eds., Theory and Practice of Archaeological Residue (GC/MS)," matography Analysis. British et al., Barnard 32 Barnard, 33 Strouhal, 34 Strouhal,
for an introduction 2007), 42-60, Archaeological Reports International Series 1650 (London, "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala," for a very brief discussion of our findings. a Cha?ne "Suggestions for Op?ratoire? "Wadi Qitna "Wadi Qitna
and Kalabsha
South?
and Kalabsha
South?
165, figs. 125, 127-30. 157.
to the method,
and
136
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
Fig. 3. Photographs showing the thornsat the base of a date-palmfrond (a), threeof the thornsused in the experiments(b), and a piece of decoratedplasticine (c), cffigs. 4191 and 51146.
incisions (Table 1, Figs 4 and 5). One item triangular point, leaving impressed triangles or V-shaped more or less readily available in Egypt that would leave such marks is the thorn of the date-palm first blades at the base of the {Phoenix dactylifera, cU^). Such thorns are actually the underdeveloped
large, feather-shaped leaf of the date-palm (Fig. 3). As part of my experiments to reproduce EDW,35 I showed that such thorns can leave marks as visible on, for instance, EDW 91 and 146 (Figs. 3-5). The thorns of Acacia nilotica or A. raddiana (.Luiui),which occur regularly throughout the region in which EDW has been found, may have produced the marks attributed to a 'round point' (Table 1), although such marks are obviously less distinctive. The same is true for the tool identified as a 'chisel', which
was probably a knife or a blade. The use of date-palm thorns on EDW
is interesting. As palm fronds are often used as fuel by potters in the Nile Valley, their triangular thorns are readily available to them. The use of palm thorns to apply decoration on pottery from the Nile Valley is rarely attested after the C-Horizon, with its cen ter in Lower Nubia, and there is no evidence to suggest a continuous tradition over 1800 years, nor of a revival of this culture in the early centuries C.E. In the desert there are very few palm trees and the use of palm thorns is indicative of contact with the Nile Valley. The origin of Eastern Desert Ware in the Nile Valley, however, is not concurrent with the results of the analysis of the fabric. Itmust be
assumed
that either clay was brought into the Nile Valley, or that palm thorns were taken into the latter seems the more likely option; especially as such thorns may primarily have served
desert. The 35
Barnard,
"Suggestions for
a Cha?ne Op?ratoire?
Eastern 1. Overview
Table Sikait
of
in the catalogue.
Desert
some
Fabric
of and
Ware
from Marsa
the characteristics tools
are
of
Nakari the EDW
in the
discussed
text;
and Wadi sherds
from Marsa
the parallels
137
Sikait
are
Nakari
and Wadi in the
specified
catalogue
Fabrics
EDW-1
7 sherds: EDW 76, 79, 82, 89, 90, 238 and 244
EDW-2
5 sherds: EDW 67, 83, 91, 237 and 246
EDW-3
3 sherds: EDW 81, 249 and 260
unclassified
23 sherds: EDW 68-75, 77, 78, 80, 84, 86-88, 230, 232, 236, 241-243, 248 and 261
atypical
9 sherds: EDW 85, 231, 233, 235, 239, 240, 245, 247 and 250 Tools
12 sherds: EDW 69, 75, 76, 79, 80, 82, 87, 91, 230, 233, 237 and 246
triangular round
2 sherds: EDW 74 and 78
hollow
EDW 231
chisel
30 sherds: EDW 67, 68, 70, 71, 73, 77, 81, 83-86, 88-90, 231, 232, 235, 236, 238-241, 243-245, 247 250 and 260 Parallels
EDW 235
Berenike
Bir Abraq?
EDW 240
Gabati?
EDW 75 and 76
Kab Marfu'a
EDW 33, 35 and 39
Kurgus
EDW 238
Sayala Tabot
EDW 249
Wadi Qitna
EDW 235
EDW 235, 240 and 249
as awls or pins. Many dwellings
of
made
of the current inhabitants of the Eastern Desert
rugs
and
mats
over
a
wooden
dome-shaped
live, at least part of the time, in
frame.
These
are made
mats
of
split
palm fronds (Phoenix dactylifera or Hyphaene thebaica, fJJ), to which these desert dwellers obviously have access, held in place with wooden pegs not unlike palm thorns.36 Such mat-dwellings ) (cA>^ texts while Strabo reports, in the first in various Middle and Late Kingdom appear to be mentioned century
C.E.,
that
the nomads
in the desert
live
in
dwellings
made
of
interwoven
split
pieces
of
palm
leafs.37
The discovery of EDW in theMons Smaragdus area is noteworthy as Olympiodorus, writing in the 5th century c.E. on his diplomatic visit to the Dodecaschoinos (the northern part of Lower Nubia, one states that in his of the needed 1), permission Fig. day king of the Blemmyes, who used the title to in visit the mines the The occurrence of EDW in Berenike desert.38 ?aaiAicjKoc ('little king'), beryl coincided
with
the presence
of a desert
3() "From Objects toAgents? Wendrich, 37 A. A. Magid, "History of the Nomadic
eds., The Archaeology ofMobility, 441-64. 3H Eide et al., Fontes Historiae Nubiorum,
oriented
Architecture 1127, 1150
group,
of the Hadendowa
(n. 777). H.
Barnard,
the identity of which
in Northeast
Sudan,"
has
so far escaped
in Barnard
"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes?
and Wendrich,
138
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
definition,39 although the Blemmyes from the historical sources have been suggested.40 Also at Be to be suitable for the produc renike, the thin clay deposits on the desert surface were demonstrated tion of pottery,41 although this in no way proofs that such actually took place there. Apart from suitable clay, water and fuel would have had to be brought in from far inland. More likely, EDW was
in the desert whenever the need occurred or the opportunity presented itself. Its users may produced well turn out not to be a homogenous in group, nor to coincide with any of the groups mentioned sources.
the historical
42
That
tual analysis,43 and can be tradantur
abesse
capita
mouths
ore
these
sources
are
to be
with
interpreted
some
care
illustrated by a remark of Pliny the Elder when
et oculi
and eyes being attached
pectori
(the
adfixis'
'Blemmyes
are
to their chests,' Natural History
is evident
he wrote to have
reported
from
tex
that 'Blemmyes no
heads,
their
5, 46).44
Acknowledgments Sincere
thanks for their help Sandrine Marqui?, Sidebotham, Institute of Archaeology
Cotsen H.
in preparing this article are due to John and Valerie Seeger, Steve Hector Neff, Kym Faull and, of course, the Anwar Abdel-Magid, at UCLA and Willeke Wendrich. All illustrations were prepared by
Barnard.
Catalogue This
catalogue
format:
EDW-number.
of Eastern Desert Ware Context
and
date.
found Weight
inMarsa and
sell color and treatment of the inside and the outside
average
Nakari
and Wadi
thickness
of
of the vessel. Method
Sikait has the
the following
recovered
and direction
sherd.
Mun
of decora
tion. Munsell color and classification of the fabric. Rim diameter and preserved radius (estimated vessel equivalent). Classification of the form and the decoration of the vessel (Table 2), including the motif. Remarks, including the type of molecular (ICP-MS or GC/MS). prevalent analysis performed Possible
parallels.
Marsa
Nakari
EDW
(Fig. 4, top)
67-Marsa
thickness 3.4 mm.
Nakari; MN02-07 [008]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century ce.). Weight 8 g. Average Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3; smoothed. Color and treatment outside
2.5YR 4/2; burnished. Decoration (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Color break punctuated 2.5Y R3/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (rhomboids). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS and GC/MS).
39
S. E. Sidebotham
and W. Z. Wendrich, in Sidebotham and Wendrich, eds., summary and conclusion," "Interpretative 1996. Report of the 1996, 451-53. S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, in summary and conclusion," "Interpretative Sidebotham and Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1997, 451-54. 40 and Wendrich, Rose, "Berenike, Roms Tor am Roten Meer? But see Barnard, "Report on the handmade sherds? Sidebotham
Berenike
"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? 41 A. van As and L. F. H. C.Jacobs, and Wendrich. eds., Berenike 1994, Ab. "Archaeo-ceramological survey," in Sidebotham 42 R. S. Bagnall, R. T. J. Cappers, S. E. Sidebotham, Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? W. Z. Wendrich, J. A. Harrell, and R. S. Tomber, "Berenike crossroads. The eds., Excavating Asian integration of information," inN. Yoffee and B. L. Crowell, 15-66 (a revised version of an earlier article in the History. Interdisciplinary Studies in Archaeology and History (Tucson, 2006), 46,
1 [2003],
46-87). = = "Trogodytes Blemmyes Beja?" 44 "The n. 126. Barnard, Updegraff, Blemmyes," 64,
JESHO 43
Burstein,
"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes?
34.
Eastern
Table according after
from Marsa
Desert Ware
of
2. Overview
to form
and
Unknown
0 Cup
Exclusively
3
Multiple,
horizontal
Narrow,
4
Vertical
with metopes
5
Vertical
without
6
Beak-spouted
6
Horizontal
7
Tubular-spouted
7
Continuous
10 Other
Average
band
single
Miniature
Goblet
9 Dish 9
Nakari; 4.9
rim
2
8 Ladle 8
thickness
on
Bowl
4
68-Marsa
decoration
Unknown/No
1
3 Jar/pot
2
EDW
(D-classification), Strouhal 2004
and
D-classification
1
5
mm.
10
[008]; Late Roman
MN02-07 Color
Sikait
of EDW
decoration
Barnard
by
H-classification 0
and Wadi
the classification
(H-classification) 1984, modified
Strouhal
Nakari
and
treatment
inside
and
bands
metopes vertical
diagonal
Unarticulated/Asymmetric
Zoomorphic Other
(3rd-6th
unknown.
century C.E.). Weight
unknown.
Color
and
treatment
outside
10R
4/4; smoothed. Decoration (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 2.5/1; fab punctuated ric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (rhomboids). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classi
fication.
Surfaces
EDW
very
69-Marsa thickness
Average
Nakari; 5.9
treatment
worn,
mm.
MN02-07 Color
and
and
original
[008]; Late treatment
color
Roman inside
uncertain.
unknown.
(3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown.
Color
and
treatment
outside
4/4; burnished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Color 2.5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (waves). Body sherd, too little remains surfaces
classification;
EDW
very
worn,
treatment
and
original
color
break
10R
10R
for certain
uncertain.
[012]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown. treatment and inside 10R 4/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside
70?Marsa
MN02-07
Nakari; thickness 6.3 mm. Color Average 2.5YR 5/6; smoothed. Decoration impressed 3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D
(direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 2.5YR 0 (spirals). Body sherd, too little remains for certain
classification.
EDW
71-Marsa
Nakari; MN02-07 [012]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown. mm. treatment thickness 5.3 Color and 10R inside 4/6; burnished, red slip. Color and treat Average ment outside 10R 4/6; burnished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 11 cm. (4% preserved). Color break 10R 2.5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 1; lay-out D 0 (lines). Possible parallel EDW 248 (Wadi Sikait). EDW 72?Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 [011]; Late Roman thickness
Average
outside
EDW
mm.
Color
10R 5/6; burnished.
unclassified. ration
4.9
Form
H
1; lay-out
and
treatment
Rim diameter D
0. Surfaces
inside
(3rd-6th 2.5YR
12 cm. (5% preserved). very worn,
treatment
unknown.
century C.E.). Weight smoothed.
5/6;
Color and
Color
break
original
and
2.5YR
color
treatment
2.5/1; fabric
uncertain,
deco
lost.
73-Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 [011]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century c). Weight unknown. Average thickness 3.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 5/4; burnished. Color and treatment outside 5YR
140
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
4/3; burnished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 5YR 4/1; Fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification. EDW 74-Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown. [011]; Late Roman mm. treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/6; Color and Average thickness 4.6 burnished.
unclassified. very
Decoration Form H treatment
worn,
incised (direction unknown) with round point. Color break 10R 2.5/1; Fabric 0; lay-out D 0. Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification; surfaces and
original
color
uncertain.
Nakari; MN02-07 [011]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight 6 g. Average thickness 3.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 4/3; burnished, red slip. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 4/4; burnished, red slip. Decoration incised, impressed (direction unknown) with trian cm. Rim filled in. diameter 12 (9% preserved). Color break 10YR 3/1; fabric unclassified. gular tool, EDW
75-Marsa
1; lay-out D 3 (triangles, waves). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS " sible parallel Gabati Tl/42c (Smith, Post-meroitic pottery" 191, fig. 6.30).
Form H
Wadi
and GC/MS).
Pos
Sikait surface finds (Fig. 4, bottom)
17 g. Average thickness 5.9 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight treatment inside 2.5YR 4/3; burnished, mottled. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/6; incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diam burnished, mottled, red slip. Decoration eter 10 cm. (19% preserved). Color break 5YR 3/1; fabric EDW-1. Form H Id; lay-out D 5 (waves). " ICP-MS and GC/MS. Possible parallel Gabati Tl/42c (Smith, "Post-meroiticpottery 191, fig. 6.30). EDW 77?Wadi 16 g. Average thickness 6.9 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.e.). Weight Color and treatment inside 5YR 4/3; untreated. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/6; burnished. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 18 cm. (4% preserved). Color EDW
Color
76?Wadi
and
break 2.5YR 4/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 2b; lay-out D 3 (waves). Carefully squared rim. Surfaces very worn, treatment and original color uncertain (ICP-MS and GC/MS). EDW 78?Wadi 17 g. Average thickness 5.2 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight
Color
and
Decoration
treatment
grill decoration; H Id; lay-out D7 EDW 79?Wadi Color
and
5/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5YR 6/4; smoothed. to left (from right) with round point. Base of a conical cup (H Id) with incised diameter 6 cm. (28% preserved). Color break 5YR 5/4; fabric unclassified. Form ICP-MS and GC/MS. (grille). inside 2.5YR
incised
11 g. Average thickness 7.1 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight treatment inside 2.5YR 5/3; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/3; burnished,
red slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Color break 5YR 6/4; fabric EDW-1. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (circles, waves). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS). EDW 80?Wadi thickness 5.6 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.e.). Weight 7 g. Average
Color
and treatment inside 7.5YR 5/3; smoothed.
Color
Decoration
and treatment outside with
(direction unknown) impressed, punctuated triangular 7.5YR 5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (circles, triangles). Body for
certain
classification;
surfaces
very
worn,
treatment
and
original
7.5YR 6/4; smoothed. in. Color break
tool, filled
color
sherd, too little remains
uncertain
(ICP-MS).
11 g. Average thickness 6.2 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight Color and treatment inside 10YR 3/1; smoothed, burnt. Color and treatment outside 5YR 5/6, smoothed. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10YR 3/1; fabric EDW-3. EDW
81?Wadi
Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS). EDW 82?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight 24 g. Average thickness 6.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4, burnished, red slip. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/4,
Eastern
Desert
from Marsa
Ware
Nakari
and Wadi
70
67 r^
I
71
J/ 73 0 cm.
74 5
72
V7
7
75HT
\^9\
70
873?
7
90 0 cm. 91 4. Eastern Desert Ware F?g. Eastern Desert Ware 76-91, EDW
83
thefull
141
Sikait
preserved
67-75,
^\ excavated
7
5
?0 MBW
at Marsa
in Wadi Sikait surface finds decoration is represented.
Nakari (in
and (ancient Nechesiaf), theMons area). Of Smaragdus
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
142
burnished, mottled, red slip. Decoration impressed (decoration unknown) with triangular tool. Color break 2.5YR 4/1; fabric EDW-1. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines, X-motif). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS and GC/MS). EDW 83?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight 53 g. Average thickness 4.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 5/6; smoothed, red slip. Color and treatment outside 5YR 6/6; bur nished, red slip. Decoration (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. impressed, incised, punctuated Base of a conical cup (H Id) with incised X-motif; diameter 7 cm. (76% preserved). Color break 5YR Form H
3/1; fabric EDW-2. and GC/MS).
Id; lay-out D 5 (lines, X-motif). Red
slip spills over on inside rim (ICP/MS
thickness 7.3 mm. 12 g. Average Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.) Weight treatment 10R 4/4; outside red slip. Color and Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3, burnished, break 10R 4/1; chisel. Color with red slip. Decoration burnished, (direction unknown) impressed fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (spirals, waves). Body sherd, too little remains for certain EDW
84?Wadi
(ICP-MS and GC/MS). thickness EDW 85?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 9 g. Average red slip. Color and treatment outside Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; burnished, red slip. Decoration burnished, impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break numerous fabric with oval, relatively large organic inclusions. Form H 0; lay-out D atypical classification
4.2 mm. 10R 5/6; 10R 5/2; 0 (lines,
spirals). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS and GC/MS). EDW 86?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 20 g. Average thickness 6.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 3/1; burnished, burnt. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/3; bur cm. (4% preserved). nished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 21
10R 3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 2c; lay-out D 3 (spirals, waves). ICP-MS and GC/MS. 14 g. Average thickness 6.5 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; smoothed, mot cm. tled. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diameter 7 break
Color
EDW
87?Wadi
Color
(12% preserved). GC/MS. EDW
break
10R 5/6; fabric unclassified.
Form H
7; lay-out D
8 (lines, triangles).
Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 20 g. Average thickness 6.3 mm. treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 3/3, burnished. incised, punctuated (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 5/4; fabric unclas
88?Wadi
Color
and
Decoration
sified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines, triangles). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS). EDW 89?Wadi 19 g. Average thickness 7.1 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4; burnished. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/6; bur nished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 5/6; fabric EDW-1. Form
H
0;
lay-out
D
0
(spirals,
waves).
Body
sherd,
too
little
remains
for
certain
classification.
19 g. Average thickness 5.1 mm. Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight Color and treatment inside 7.5R 2.5/1; smoothed, burnt. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/6; 17 cm. smoothed, mottled. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter Color break 2.5YR 5/6; fabric EDW-1. Form H 3; lay-out D 5 (X-motif, zig-zag). (9% preserved). EDW
ICP-MS
90?Wadi
and GC/MS.
Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 33 g. Average thickness 5.2 mm. treatment inside 10YR 5/3; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/4; burnished, red incised, punctuated (direction unknown) with triangular tool, filled in. Rim diameter slip. Decoration 18 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 5YR 3/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H 2a; lay-out D 7 (running dog, EDW
Color
91?Wadi
and
triangles). Red
slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS
and GC/MS).
Eastern Wadi
Desert Ware
from Marsa
Nakari
and Wadi
143
Sikait
Sikait (Fig. 5)
Sikait; SK03-9 [016] pb#055 (5th century c.e.). Weight 24 g. Average thickness 7.3 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 6/4; red slip, smoothed. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Color break EDW
230-Wadi
Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (triangles, waves).
2.5YR 6/4; fabric unclassified. for
certain
Body
sherd, too little remains
classification.
thick (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 6 g. Average 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R impressed (direction unknown) with chisel, hollow probe;
EDW
231-Wadi Sikait; SK03-10 [027] pb#083 ness 4.1 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR
4/6; burnished, red slip. Decoration plastic, filled in. Color break 10R 3/1; atypical fabric with burnt organic remains, few mineral inclusions and micaceous surfaces. Form H 1; lay-out D 0 (lines). Too little remains for certain classification. EDW
Color
served). Color inside
treatment
and
tled. Decoration 6 cm.;
Sikait; SK03-9
232-Wadi
6.1 mm.
[012] pb#030
inside
(late 5th century c.e.). Weight
Color
unknown.
treatment
and
outside
53 g. Average
10R
thickness
smoothed,
5/6;
mot
(direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 11 cm. (37% pre 10R 6/6; fabric unclassified. Form H 1; lay-out D 2 (lines, running dog). Height
incised break
surface
very
treatment
worn,
color
and
uncertain
also
See
(ICP-MS).
Barnard,
original " "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2, and Barnard, "Fine pottery 30. thick EDW 233-Wadi 12 g. Average Sikait; SK03-6 [050] pb#113 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight ness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 6/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6,
Decoration incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Base of a cup (H 1) with incised decoration; diameter 9 cm. Color break 2.5YR 4/1; atypical fabric with burnt organic remains and few mineral inclusions. Form H 1; lay-out D 0 (lines). EDW 235-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [041] pb#125 (4th-5th century C.E.). Weight 4 g. Average thickness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 7.5R 5/8; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; bur
burnished.
cm. plastic, impressed, incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 12 fabric burnt remains and few mineral Color break 5YR with 3/1; atypical (11% preserved). organic inclusions. Form H 1; lay-out D 3 (lines, waves). Carefully squared rim. Possible parallels BE94/95-1 " 166, fig. 6-15/5); EDW 57 (Barnard and Rose "Eastern [bee] pb#67 (Hayes, "Pottery,Berenike 1995 Desert Ware from Berenike")', EDW 108 and 126 (Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot"); EDW 207 and 210 (Barnard and Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited"). nished. Decoration
EDW 236-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [013] pb#110 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 2 g. Average thickness 4.5 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/6, smoothed. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/6, burnished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 9 cm. (4% preserved).
Color break 5YR 6/6; fabric unclassified.
for
classification.
certain
Form H
la; lay-out D 2 (waves). Too
little remains
EDW 237-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [042] pb#091 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 5 g. Average thickness 5.1 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6, red incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diameter 10 cm. (5% pre slip. Decoration served). Color
slip
spills
treatment
EDW 4.6 mm.
over and
break on
inside
original
238-Wadi Color
10R 4/4; fabric EDW-2.
and
too
rim; color
little
Form H
remains
for
1; lay-out D 7 (lines). Carefully
certain
classification;
outside
squared rim; red
surface
very
worn,
uncertain.
5 g. Average thickness Sikait; SK03-6 [021] pb#043 (5th century c.e.). Weight treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/4; red
incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 10 cm. (13% pre slip. Decoration served). Color break 10R 5/8; fabric EDW-1. Form H la; lay-out D 7 (lines, waves). Red slip spills over on
inside
rim;
too
little
remains
for
certain
classification;
outside
surface
very
worn,
treatment
and
144
JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
232 233
j
^tJ
235
1
7 J
7
i 237
236
238
239
\
240 ^
7
242
1
243 m
\W
r?"
247
248
246
249
^| 250
7vw Ocm.
260 5. Eastern Desert Ware Hg. Mons area). Too Smaragdus diameter.
r
to
HEW 260 and 261, at Wadi excavated Sikait 230-233, 235-250, (in the little of the rims was EDW 231 and 241 to establish a rim of preserved
Desert
Eastern original color uncertain. fig. 9/EDW 227).
Possible
from Marsa
Ware
parallel Kurgus
Nakari
(Barnard
and Wadi
Sikait
145
et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala"
10 g. Sikait; SK03-10 [140] pb#309 & [164] pb#336 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight out treatment thickness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 5/4; smoothed. Color and
EDW
239-Wadi
Average side 10R 5/8; smoothed, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diame ter 11 cm. (11% preserved). Color break 5YR 2.5/1; atypical fabric with burnt organic remains. Form H 1; lay-out D 3 (running dog). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes," 35-37, fig. 2. 11 g. Average thick EDW 240-Wadi Sikait; SK03-8 [049] pb#105 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight ness 6.5 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 6/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 17 cm. (5% smoothed, red slip. Decoration inclusions. preserved). Color break 2.5YR 4/4; atypical reddish brown fabric with abundant mineral Form H 2b; lay-out D 2 (grille). Indented, carefully squared rim (ICP-MS). Possible parallels EDW 33, 155 (Barnard and Magid, 35 and 39 (Barnard and Rose, "Eastern Desert Ware from Berenike"); EDW "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot"); possibly also Bir Abraq (Sadr, "Preliminary report," 9, fig. 3).
241-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [066] pb#148 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight unknown. Average thickness 4.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 4/6; EDW
burnished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 2.5YR 4/2; fabric unclassified. Form H 3; lay-out D 8 (circles, rhomboids, waves). Unusual large body sherd, clas sification remains uncertain (ICP-MS). EDW
242-Wadi
5.8 mm.
Color
21 cm. (7% preserved).
diameter rated,
12 g. Average thickness Sikait; SK03-9 [015] pb#029 (late 5th century c.e.). Weight and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 3/1, burnt. Rim
may
not
color uncertain
be
EDW.
Carefully
Color
break
squared
2.5YR
rim;
inside
5/1; fabric unclassified. surface
very
worn,
Form H treatment
2b; undeco and
original
See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2. 11 g. Average EDW 243-Wadi thick Sikait; SK03-7 [083] pb#148 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight ness 5.5 mm. Color and treatment 7.5YR 6/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; bur cm. (4% nished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 12 preserved). Color break 5YR 5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H le; lay-out D 8 (circles, waves). Red slip (ICP-MS).
spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS). See also Barnard 2005, pp. 35-37, fig. 2. EDW 244-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [042] pb#090 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 6 g. Average thickness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 4/4; incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 8 cm. (14% burnished, red slip. Decoration preserved). Color break 10R 5/6; fabric EDW-1. Form H Id; lay-out D 6 (lines, running dog). Two, same conical cup (H Id); inside surface very worn, treatment and non-joining sherds of the original color
uncertain.
EDW 4.4 mm.
Sikait; SK03-8 [059] pb#118 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 6 g. Average thickness and treatment inside 5YR 3/1; burnt. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 5/6; bur red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 5YR 2.5/1; atyp 245-Wadi Color
nished, ical fabric with burnt organic for
certain
remains. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (X-motif). Body
sherd, too little remains
classification.
EDW 246-Wadi 14 g. Average thick Sikait; SK03-7 [033] pb#201 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight ness 4.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 6/3; treatment Color and outside 10R 6/3, wiped. cm. Decoration incised Rim diameter 17 with tool. (direction unknown) wiped. impressed, triangular (8% preserved). Color break 10R 4/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H 2a; lay-outD 7 (triangles, waves). Indented rim (ICP-MS). EDW 247-Wadi 13 g. Average thickness Sikait; SK03-9 [023] pb#046 (5th century c.e.). Weight 5.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3, smoothed, burnt. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/3;
146
JARCE 42 (2005-2006) burnt. Decoration
impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 16 cm. (10% inclusions. 4/3; atypical reddish brown fabric with abundant mineral preserved). Form H 2b; lay-out D 3 (waves). See also Barnard, "Sire, il de 2. 35-37, y'a pas Blemmyes" fig. EDW 248-Wadi thickness Sikait; SK03-9 [007] pb#014 (late 5th century c.E.). Weight 4 g. Average 5.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4; treatment Color and 7.5R outside 5/4; wiped, wiped. red slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 10 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 10 R3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H Id; lay-out D 3 (lines). Red slip spills over on inside rim. Possible parallel EDW 71 (Marsa Nakari). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes," 35-37, 2. fig. smoothed,
Color
break 2.5YR
EDW 249-Wadi 10 g. Average thickness Sikait; SK03-9 [007] pb#014 (late 5th century c.E.). Weight 6.2 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed, red slip. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; smoothed, red slip. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 14 cm. (4% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 5/6; fabric EDW-3. Form H 2b; lay-out D 3 (tri ICP-MS. Possible 76251 Abb. angles, waves). 12/2, Tafel (Bedawi 1976, pp. 29-30, parallels Sayala 105 (Barnard and Magid, "Eastern 28/2); Sayala 77183 (Kromer 1967, pp. 96-99, Abb. 31/2); EDW Desert Ware from Tabot"); EDW 287 (Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware 58-59, from Sayala" fig. 7). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes," 35-37, fig. 2. EDW 250-Wadi 5 g. Average thickness Sikait; SK03-9 [025] pb#050 (5th century c.E.). Weight 4.5 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; and treatment outside 10R 5/6; wiped. Color incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter smoothed, mottled. Decoration 14 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 4/4; reddish brown fabric with mineral abundant atypical inclusions.
Form H
2d;
lay-out D
2 (waves).
Small hole
in the wall of the vessel
(for suspension
or
repair?). EDW 260-Wadi Sikait; SK02-1 [004] pb#007 (5th-6th century c.E.). Weight 28 g. Average thick ness 6.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; treatment and Color outside 7.5R 4/2; wiped. burnished, burnt. Rim diameter 14 cm. (3% preserved). Color break 10R 5/8; fabric EDW-3. Form H 2b; undecorated, may not be EDW. EDW 261-Wadi Sikait; SK02-1 [008] pb#012 (5th-6th century c.E.). Weight 44 g. Average thick ness 6.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 3/1; incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break smoothed, burnt. Decoration impressed, 5YR 4/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (triangles, waves). Two, non-joining body sherds of the same vessel; too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS and GC/MS). Cotsen
Institute of Archaeology of California, Los Angeles
University
