eastern-desert-ware-from-marsa-nakari-and-wadi-sikait

Eastern Desert Ware from Marsa Nakari and Wadi SikaitAuthor(s): Hans BarnardSource: Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, Vol. 42 (2005/2006), pp. 131-146Published by: American Research Center in EgyptStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27651805 .Accessed: 05/04/2011 08:30

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Eastern Desert Ware from Marsa Nakari and Wadi Sikait

Hans Barnard

Eastern Desert Ware (EDW) refers to a recently identified corpus of hand-made ceramic vessels

that have been described at many sites in the Eastern Desert, between the Nile and the Red Sea, in

southern Egypt and in northern Sudan (Fig. I).1 Most sherds are from small cups and bowls, with

proportionally thin walls, that have frequently been burnished and are often decorated with incised or impressed patterns in sometimes remarkably asymmetric patterns. Of the 47 EDW sherds pre sented here, 9 were found by the Northern Arizona University excavations at Marsa Nakari (possibly the Greco-Roman harbor Nechesia), on the Red Sea coast,2 and 38 by the University of Delaware con

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 in Wadi 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 since been identified, often in retrospect, at several sites in the Nile Val

ley, including: Kalabsha North,5 Sayala,6 Wadi al-Arab,7 Qasr Ibrim,8 and much further south also

1 H. Barnard, "Eastern Desert Ware, a short introduction," Sudan & Nubia 6 (2002), 53-57. H. Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de

Blemmyes. A re-evaluation of historical and archaeological data," in J. C. M. Starkey, ed., People of the Red Sea. Proceedings of the

Red Sea Project II, held in the British Museum, October 2004. Society for Arabian Studies Monographs number 3. BAR International

Series 1395 (Oxford, 2005), 23-40. H. Barnard, "Eastern Desert Ware. Fine pottery from an arid wasteland," Egyptian Archaeol

ogy 28 (Spring 2006), 29-30. H. Barnard, A. N. Dooley, and K. E Faull, "New data on the Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala (Lower Nubia) in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna," ?gypten und Levante 15 (2006), 49-64. H. Barnard and A. A. Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot (Sudan). More links to the north," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen 10 (in press). H. Barnard and P. J. Rose, "Eastern Desert Ware from Berenike and Kab Marfu'a," in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike

1999-2000. Report of the 1999 and 2000 excavation in Berenike, Siket and Wadi Kalalat and the survey of the Egyptian Eastern Desert,

including the beryl mines in Wadi Sikait (Los Angeles, in press). H. Barnard and E. Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited," Annals of the

N?prstek Museum Prague 25 (2004), 29-55. S. E. Sidebotham, H. Barnard, L. A. Pintozzi, and R. S. Tomber, "The enigma of Kab

Marfu'a: precious gems in Egypt's Eastern Desert," Minerva 16,1 (January/February 2005), 24-26. 2 J. A. Seeger, "A preliminary report on the 1999 field season at Marsa Nakari

" JARCE 38 (2001), 77-88.

3 J. L. Rivard, B. C. Foster, and S. E. Sidebotham, "Emerald city," Archaeology 55,3 (May-June 2002), 36-41. S. E. Side

botham, H. M. Nouwens, A. M. Hense, and J. A. Harrell, "Preliminary report on archaeological fieldwork at Sikait (Eastern Desert of Egypt), and environs: 2002-2003," Sahara 15 (2004), 7-30, esp. figs. 27-28.

4 E. Strouhal, Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha-South (Prague, 1984), esp. 157-77, 195-200, Tabs. 31-34, Pis. 66-70. Barnard and

Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited? 5 H. Ricke, Ausgrabungen von Khor-Dehmit bis Bet el-Wali (Chicago, 1967), esp. 46-70, Tafs. 23-28. b F. A. Bedawi, Die R?mische Gr?berfelder von Sayala-Nubien (Vienna, 1976), esp. 29-31, Abb. 12, Taf. 28/fig. 2. Barnard et al.,

"Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala? K. Kromer, R?mische Weinstuben in Sayala (Unternubien) (Vienna, 1967), esp. 96-99, Abb. 30/

4-5, 31, Tafs. 16/fig. 2, 32, 34/3, 37-35. Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala." 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 the Roman frontier in Lower Nubia (Unpublished Ph.D.-thesis University of Cambridge, Darwin

College, 1992), esp. 161-62, figs. 7/75-78. Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala" 161-62, fig. 9.

131

132 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

Wadi 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 the Wadi 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

post-Meroitic cemetery at Gabati (Sudan).17 Some of the sherds found at Bir Abraq may also be EDW, as judged from published drawings,18 although they were thought by the surveyors of that site to

belong to the Pan-Grave culture. Similarly, some sherds that I tentatively identified as EDW later

appeared to be securely associated with the C-Horizon (2300-1500 b.c.e.). This illustrates the diffi

culty of identifying exemplars of this small and diverse corpus with almost 'Neolithic' characteristics.

Based 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.,

although it may have occurred as early as the 3rd, and as late as the 8th century c.E. The name EDW

was initially chosen because of the distribution of the finds, in combination with the fabric and the

appearance of the sherds, vis-?-vis technology, decorations and vessel shape (table 2), which render an

origin in the Nile Valley unlikely.

9 H.-?. Nordstr?m, "Pottery Production," in D. A. Welsby and J. R. Anderson, eds., Sudan, Ancient Treasures. An exhibition

of Recent Discoveries from the Sudan National Museum (London, 2004), 248-73, esp. 269, cat. no. 255. 10 Barnard and Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna revisited," 46-47, fig. 8. Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala," 60-61, fig. 9. 11 U. Luft, A. Alm?sy, M. A. Farkas, I. Furka, Z. Horv?th and G. Lass?nyi, "Preliminary report on the fieldwork at Bir Minih,

Arabian Desert," MDAIK 58 (2002), 373-90, esp. 384, fig. 7/10-13. 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 the Eastern Desert (Leiden, 1995), 33-36, esp. fig. 13. J. W. Hayes, "The pottery," in S. E. Sidebotham

and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1995. Preliminary report of the 1995 excavations at Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea coast) and the sur

vey of the Eastern Desert (Leiden, 1996), 147-78, esp. 153, figs. 6-15/1-6, 6-19. P. J. Rose, "Report on the handmade sherds," 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 the Eastern Desert (Leiden, 1995), 41-43. S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, "Berenike: Roman

Egypt's maritime gateway to Arabia and India," Egyptian Archaeology 8 (1996), 15-18, esp. 16-17. S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z.

Wendrich, "Berenike, Roms Tor am Roten Meer nach Arabien und Indien," Antike Welt 32,3 (2001), 251-63, esp. 256-57, Abb.

14. R. S. Tomber, "The pottery," in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1996. Report of the 1996 excavations at

Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea coast) and the survey of the Eastern Desert (Leiden, 1998), 163-80, esp. 170. R. S. Tomber, "The pot

tery," in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1997. Report of the 1997 excavations at Berenike and the survey of the

Egyptian Eastern Desert, including excavations at Shenshef (Leiden, 1999), 123-59, esp. 152, fig. 5-15/75. 13 K. Sadr, A. Castaglioni, and A. Castaglioni, "Nubian Desert archaeology: a preliminary view," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen 7

(1995), 203-35, esp. 210-21, figs. 10, 11, 25. 14 S. E. Sidebotham, H. Barnard, and G. Pyke, "Five enigmatic late Roman settlements in the Eastern Desert,"/ZL4 88 (2002),

187-225, esp. figs. 20, 23. Sidebotham et al., "The Enigma of Kab Marfu'a." 15 The license to excavate the site of Tabot was issued by the Department of Antiquities and National Museums, Khartoum,

Sudan, to Dr. Anwar Abdel-Magid. Test-excavations, carried out by the license holder in 1994-95, were sponsored by the Com

mittee for Development Research and Education (NUFU) of the Norwegian Council of Universities within the framework of

their Sudan Program (Phase II: Archaeology Project). The license holder authorized Hans Barnard to study and publish the

pottery from Tabot. 16 Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot." A. A. Magid, R. H. Pierce, and K. Krzywinski, "Test excavation in the

southern Red Sea Hills (Sudan): cultural linkages to the north," Arch?ologie du Nil Moyen 7 (1995), 165-70, esp. pi. V. A. A.

Magid, "Ancient way stations in the southern Red Sea Hills: a new discovery," Sudan Notes and Records 2 (new series) (1998), 1

12. A. A. Magid, "The site of Tabot. An old waystation in the southern Red Sea Hills, Sudan," in S. Wenig, ed., Neueste Feldfor

schungen im Sudan und in Eritrea. Akten des Symposiums vom 13 bis 14 Oktober 1999 in Berlin (Wiesbaden, 2004), 155-72, esp. fig. 6. 17 L. M. V. Smith, "The post-Meroitic and medieval pottery," in D. N. Edwards, ed., Gabati. A Meroitic, Post-Meroitic and Medi

eval Cemetery in Central Sudan. Volume 1 (London, 1998), 178-93, esp. figs. 6.27-6.30. 18 K. Sadr, "Preliminary report on an archaeological reconnaissance in the Eastern Desert, southeast Egypt," in C. Bonnet

(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

Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha South" 265. 20

Magid, "The site of Tabot" 157-59. Sadr et al., "Nubian Desert archaeology" 212, 227.

Eastern Desert Ware from Marsa Nakari and Wadi Sikait 133

Fig. 1. Map of southeast Egypt and northeast Sudan showing the location of sites

mentioned in the text.

Using low magnification (16x), four characteristic EDW fabrics have been identified, as well as one

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 to Ancient Egyptian Pottery. Deutsches Arch?ologisches Institut Abteilung Kairo Sonderschrift 17 (Mainz am Rhein, 1993).

22 Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot."

134 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

Fig. 2. Eastern Desert Ware fabric type 1 (EDW-1). On the left afresh break of EDW 79 from Wadi Sikait at low magni fication (the scale is in mm), showing a rusty-red fabric with numerous poorly sorted, white inclusions (mostly quartz). On

the right petrologic thin-section of EDW 150 from Tabot in crossed polarized light (at WOx magnification), showing numer

ous iron-oxide, angular quartz and feldspar inclusions in a reddish clay matrix.

these were identified as 'unclassified' (Table 1). A few sherds, among which EDW 81 and 260 (Figs. 4

and 5), had additional small shiny flakes, probably mica, best visible on the surfaces; the fabric of

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

of Nile clay ('silt', LhLH^), well described in the Vienna System, or from a unique paste, identified as

'atypical' (Table 1 and catalogue). Many of the latter were found in the Mons Smaragdus area. In pet

rologic thin-sections, most of the mineral inclusions in typical EDW fabrics were shown to be angular quartz or 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

spectrometry (LA-ICP/MS),23 suggests that EDW was probably made in several geologically different

areas, all most likely outside the Nile Valley.24 These findings corroborate the assumption that the

vessels were probably primarily made and used in the Eastern Desert.

Because of the dearth of archaeological data from the region and the scarce as well as ambiguous historical sources,25 the people that made and used EDW are prudently labeled 'Eastern Desert

Dwellers'. They are assumed to have been pastoral nomads, much like the inhabitants of the desert

today,26 and can be expected to have left sherds of the pottery that they produced or otherwise

23 This research was done on the GBC Optimass Orthogonal Time-of-Flight ICP-MS, with attached New Wave LUV Laser

Ablation System, owned by the Institute for Integrated Research in Materials, Environments, and Society (IIRMES) at Califor

nia State University, Long Beach (USA) and sponsored by Dr. Hector NefF (IIRMES) and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology 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 and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology of Mobility. Nomads in the Old and in the New World (Los Angeles, 2008), 250-63. T. Eide, T. H?gg, R. H. Pierce, and L. T?r?k, Fontes Historiae Nubiorum. Textual Sources for the History of the Middle Nile

Region between the Eighth Century BC and the Sixth Century AD. Volume III. From the First to the Sixth Century AD (Bergen, 1998). R. T. Updegraff, "The Blemmyes I. The Rise of the Blemmyes and the Roman Withdrawal from Nubia under Diocletian," in W. Haase and H. Temporini, eds., Aufstieg und Niedergang der r?mischen Welt. Volume II (Berlin and New York, 1972), 44-97.

26 H. Barnard, "Geneeskunst gei'nspireerd door armoede [Medicine inspired by poverty]," Nederlands Tijdschrift voor

Geneeskunde 144 (2000), 39-41 (in Dutch with an English abstract). G. M. Murray, Sons of Ismael (London, 1935). A. Paul, A

History of the Beja Tribes of the Sudan (Cambridge, 1954). W. Z. Wendrich, "From Objects to Agents. The Ababda Nomads and

the Interpretation of the Past," in Barnard and Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology of Mobility, 509-42.


obtained, and subsequently discarded, thinly scattered over a large area, which makes detection diffi

cult. Only in places where outsiders provided an infrastructure that allowed the nomads to settle tem

porarily, possibly after they found some sort of employment, sherds accumulated and are now found

in small quantities among pottery produced elsewhere.27 Other places of accumulation were graves

and several of these, both in the Nile Valley and in the desert, have yielded EDW. The cemeteries in

Sayala were close to desert settlements suggested

to have been temporary settlements of desert no

mads helping with the harvest in the Nile Valley.28 From this perspective it is remarkable that no

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, in Wadi Alaqi.29 As the retrieved EDW may prove to be the only reliable source of information about the Eastern

Desert Dwellers, 51 sherds were tested for organic residues using combined gas chromatography mass

spectrometry (GC/MS).30 All sherds appeared to have preserved lipids, indicating that they were

probably used for food at least once, and were not exclusively used for water or as grave goods.31 Given the shape of the vessels (mostly cups and bowls), EDW was most likely employed as serving vessels and, given its remarkable appearance, it must at the same time have been an obvious cultural

or ethnic marker.32 The residues from the Mons 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.

Most of the decorations 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

right, when holding the vessel upright. This would be the easiest way to work for a right-handed potter, fixing the pot with the left hand while working with the right in a way that does not block the

view on the just finished parts of the decoration. The design was evidently not 'sketched', as many

repeating patterns are irregular and differ considerably in size to fill the available space. Many pat terns are

deliberately asymmetric and there is a large variation in motifs, including circles, rhom

boids, triangles, waves, X's, zigzags, and 'running dogs' (a series of interlocking '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 identified as part of an animal bone.34 More widely employed was an instrument with a

27 H. Barnard, "Suggestions for a Cha?ne Op?ratoire of Nomadic Pottery Sherds," in Barnard and Wendrich, eds., The Archae

ology of Mobility, 413-40. 28

Ricke, "Ausgrabungen" 33-35. 29 Alf. Castiglioni, Ang. Castiglioni andj. Vercouter, Das Goldland der Pharaonen (Mainz, 1995). K. Sadr, Alf. Castiglioni,

Ang. Castiglioni, and G. Negro, "Archaeology in the Nubian Desert," Sahara 6 (1994), 69-75. Sadr et al., "Nubian Desert archae

ology" 203-10. 30 This research was done on the Micromass-Waters GCT GC EI/CI Time-of-Flight instrument purchased by the Pasarow

Mass Spectrometry Laboratory; The NPI-Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior and The Department of Psy

chiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; University of California, Los Angeles (USA) through NSF grant number CHE 0078299, and was sponsored by Dr. Kym Faull (Pasarow Laboratory) and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA.

31 See H. Barnard, A. N. Dooley, and K. F. Faull, "An Introduction to Archaeological Lipid Analysis by Combined Gas Chro

matography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)," in H. Barnard and J. W. Eerkens, eds., Theory and Practice of Archaeological Residue

Analysis. British Archaeological Reports International Series 1650 (London, 2007), 42-60, for an introduction to the method, and

Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala," for a very brief discussion of our findings. 32 Barnard, "Suggestions for a Cha?ne Op?ratoire?

33 Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha South? 165, figs. 125, 127-30.

34 Strouhal, "Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha South? 157.

136 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

Fig. 3. Photographs showing the thorns at the base of a date-palm frond (a), three of the thorns used in the

experiments (b), and a piece of decorated plasticine (c), cf figs. 4191 and 51146.

triangular point, leaving impressed triangles or V-shaped incisions (Table 1, Figs 4 and 5). One item more or less readily available in Egypt that would leave such marks is the thorn of the date-palm {Phoenix dactylifera, cU^). Such thorns are actually the underdeveloped first blades at the base of the

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. It must be

assumed that either clay was brought into the Nile Valley, or that palm thorns were taken into the

desert. The latter seems the more likely option; especially as such thorns may primarily have served

35 Barnard, "Suggestions for a Cha?ne Op?ratoire?


Table 1. Overview of some of the characteristics of the EDW sherds from Marsa Nakari and Wadi

Sikait in the catalogue. Fabric and tools are discussed in the text; the parallels are specified in the 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

triangular 12 sherds: EDW 69, 75, 76, 79, 80, 82, 87, 91, 230, 233, 237 and 246

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

Berenike

Bir Abraq? Gabati?

EDW 235

EDW 240

EDW 75 and 76

Kab Marfu'a EDW 33, 35 and 39

Kurgus EDW 238

Sayala EDW 249

Tabot EDW 235, 240 and 249

Wadi Qitna EDW 235

as awls or pins. Many of the current inhabitants of the Eastern Desert live, at least part of the time, in

dwellings made of rugs and mats over a dome-shaped wooden frame. These mats are made 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>^ )

appear to be mentioned in various Middle and Late Kingdom texts while Strabo reports, in the first

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 the Mons 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,

Fig. 1), states that in his day one needed permission of the king of the Blemmyes, who used the title

?aaiAicjKoc ('little king'), to visit the beryl mines in the desert.38 The occurrence of EDW in Berenike

coincided with the presence of a desert oriented group, the identity of which has so far escaped

3() Wendrich, "From Objects to Agents?

37 A. A. Magid, "History of the Nomadic Architecture of the Hadendowa in Northeast Sudan," in Barnard and Wendrich,

eds., The Archaeology of Mobility, 441-64. 3H Eide et al., Fontes Historiae Nubiorum, 1127, 1150 (n. 777). H. Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes?

138 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

definition,39 although the Blemmyes from the historical sources have been suggested.40 Also at Be

renike, the thin clay deposits on the desert surface were demonstrated to be suitable for the produc 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

produced in the desert whenever the need occurred or the opportunity presented itself. Its users may well turn out not to be a homogenous group, nor to coincide with any of the groups mentioned in the historical sources. 42 That these sources are to be interpreted with some care is evident from tex

tual analysis,43 and can be illustrated by a remark of Pliny the Elder when he wrote that 'Blemmyes tradantur capita abesse ore et oculi pectori adfixis' (the 'Blemmyes are reported to have no heads, their

mouths and eyes being attached to their chests,' Natural History 5, 46).44

Acknowledgments

Sincere thanks for their help in preparing this article are due to John and Valerie Seeger, Steve

Sidebotham, Sandrine Marqui?, Anwar Abdel-Magid, Hector Neff, Kym Faull and, of course, the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA and Willeke Wendrich. All illustrations were prepared by H. Barnard.

Catalogue

This catalogue of Eastern Desert Ware found in Marsa Nakari and Wadi Sikait has the following format: EDW-number. Context and date. Weight and average thickness of the recovered sherd. Mun

sell color and treatment of the inside and the outside of the vessel. Method and direction 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

prevalent motif. Remarks, including the type of molecular analysis performed (ICP-MS or GC/MS). Possible parallels.

Marsa Nakari (Fig. 4, top)

EDW 67-Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 [008]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century ce.). Weight 8 g. Average thickness 3.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 4/2; burnished. Decoration punctuated (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Color break 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, "Interpretative summary and conclusion," in Sidebotham and Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1996. Report of the 1996, 451-53. S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, "Interpretative summary and conclusion," in Sidebotham and Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1997, 451-54.

40 Rose, "Report on the handmade sherds? Sidebotham and Wendrich, "Berenike, Roms Tor am Roten Meer? But see Barnard,

"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? 41 A. van As and L. F. H. C.Jacobs, "Archaeo-ceramological survey," in Sidebotham and Wendrich. eds., Berenike 1994, Ab. 42

Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? W. Z. Wendrich, R. S. Bagnall, R. T. J. Cappers, J. A. Harrell, S. E. Sidebotham, and R. S. Tomber, "Berenike crossroads. The integration of information," in N. Yoffee and B. L. Crowell, eds., Excavating Asian

History. Interdisciplinary Studies in Archaeology and History (Tucson, 2006), 15-66 (a revised version of an earlier article in the

JESHO 46, 1 [2003], 46-87). 43

Burstein, "Trogodytes =

Blemmyes =

Beja?" 44 Updegraff, "The Blemmyes," 64, n. 126. Barnard, "Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes? 34.

Eastern Desert Ware from Marsa Nakari and Wadi Sikait

Table 2. Overview of the classification of EDW

according to form (H-classification) and decoration (D-classification), after Strouhal 1984, modified by Barnard and Strouhal 2004

H-classification D-classification

0 Unknown 0 Unknown/No decoration

1 Cup 1 Exclusively on rim

2 Bowl 2 Narrow, single band

3 Jar/pot 3 Multiple, horizontal bands

4 Goblet 4 Vertical with metopes

5 Miniature 5 Vertical without metopes

6 Beak-spouted 6 Horizontal and vertical

7 Tubular-spouted 7 Continuous diagonal

8 Ladle 8 Unarticulated/Asymmetric

9 Dish 9 Zoomorphic 10 Other 10 Other

EDW 68-Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 [008]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown.

Average thickness 4.9 mm. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R

4/4; smoothed. Decoration punctuated (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 2.5/1; fab

ric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (rhomboids). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classi

fication. Surfaces very worn, treatment and original color uncertain.


Average thickness 5.9 mm. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R

4/4; burnished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Color break 10R

2.5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (waves). Body sherd, too little remains for certain

classification; surfaces very worn, treatment and original color uncertain.

EDW 70?Marsa Nakari; MN02-07 [012]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown.

Average thickness 6.3 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 4/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside

2.5YR 5/6; smoothed. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 2.5YR

3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (spirals). Body sherd, too little remains for certain

classification.


Average thickness 5.3 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 4/6; burnished, red slip. Color and treat 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 (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown.

Average thickness 4.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment

outside 10R 5/6; burnished. Rim diameter 12 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 2.5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 1; lay-out D 0. Surfaces very worn, treatment and original color uncertain, deco

ration lost.

EDW 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.


Average thickness 4.6 mm. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/6; burnished. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with round point. Color break 10R 2.5/1; Fabric

unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0. Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification; surfaces

very worn, treatment and original color uncertain.

EDW 75-Marsa 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

gular tool, filled in. Rim diameter 12 cm. (9% preserved). Color break 10YR 3/1; fabric unclassified.

Form H 1; lay-out D 3 (triangles, waves). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS and GC/MS). Pos

sible parallel Gabati Tl/42c (Smith, " Post-meroitic pottery" 191, fig. 6.30).

Wadi Sikait surface finds (Fig. 4, bottom)

EDW 76?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight 17 g. Average thickness 5.9 mm.

Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 4/3; burnished, mottled. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/6;

burnished, mottled, red slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diam 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-meroitic pottery

" 191, fig. 6.30).

EDW 77?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.e.). Weight 16 g. Average thickness 6.9 mm.

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

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 Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight 17 g. Average thickness 5.2 mm.

Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5YR 6/4; smoothed.

Decoration incised (from left to right) with round point. Base of a conical cup (H Id) with incised

grill decoration; diameter 6 cm. (28% preserved). Color break 5YR 5/4; fabric unclassified. Form H Id; lay-out D7 (grille). ICP-MS and GC/MS.


Color and 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 Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.e.). Weight 7 g. Average thickness 5.6 mm.

Color and treatment inside 7.5YR 5/3; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 7.5YR 6/4; smoothed. Decoration impressed, punctuated (direction unknown) with triangular tool, filled in. Color break

7.5YR 5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (circles, triangles). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification; surfaces very worn, treatment and original color uncertain (ICP-MS).


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. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification (ICP-MS).


Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4, burnished, red slip. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/4,


67 70

r^ 71 I V7 72 7

J/ 73 74 0 cm. 5 70

\^9\ HT 75

7 3? 87

^\

90

0 cm. 5

7

?0

91 MBW

F?g. 4. Eastern Desert Ware 67-75, excavated at Marsa Nakari (ancient Nechesiaf), and

Eastern Desert Ware 76-91, surface finds in Wadi Sikait (in the Mons Smaragdus area). Of EDW 83 the full preserved decoration is represented.

142 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

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 impressed, incised, punctuated (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in.

Base of a conical cup (H Id) with incised X-motif; diameter 7 cm. (76% preserved). Color break 5YR

3/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H Id; lay-out D 5 (lines, X-motif). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP/MS and GC/MS).

EDW 84?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.) Weight 12 g. Average thickness 7.3 mm.

Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3, burnished, red slip. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/4;

burnished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 4/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (spirals, waves). Body sherd, too little remains for certain

classification (ICP-MS and GC/MS). EDW 85?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 9 g. Average thickness 4.2 mm.

Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; burnished, red slip. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6;

burnished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 5/2;

atypical fabric with numerous oval, relatively large organic inclusions. Form H 0; lay-out D 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

nished. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 21 cm. (4% preserved). Color break 10R 3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 2c; lay-out D 3 (spirals, waves). ICP-MS and GC/MS.

EDW 87?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 14 g. Average thickness 6.5 mm.

Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; smoothed, mot

tled. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diameter 7 cm.

(12% preserved). Color break 10R 5/6; fabric unclassified. Form H 7; lay-out D 8 (lines, triangles). GC/MS.


Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 3/3, burnished.

Decoration incised, punctuated (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 5/4; fabric unclas

sified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (lines, triangles). Body sherd, too little remains for certain classification

(ICP-MS). EDW 89?Wadi Sikait; surface find (3rd-6th century c.E.). Weight 19 g. Average thickness 7.1 mm.

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.


Color and treatment inside 7.5R 2.5/1; smoothed, burnt. Color and treatment outside 2.5YR 5/6;

smoothed, mottled. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 17 cm.

(9% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 5/6; fabric EDW-1. Form H 3; lay-out D 5 (X-motif, zig-zag). ICP-MS and GC/MS.


Color and treatment inside 10YR 5/3; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/4; burnished, red

slip. Decoration incised, punctuated (direction unknown) with triangular tool, filled in. Rim diameter 18 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 5YR 3/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H 2a; lay-out D 7 (running dog,

triangles). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS and GC/MS).


Wadi Sikait (Fig. 5)

EDW 230-Wadi 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

2.5YR 6/4; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (triangles, waves). Body sherd, too little remains

for certain classification.

EDW 231-Wadi Sikait; SK03-10 [027] pb#083 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 6 g. Average thick ness 4.1 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R

4/6; burnished, red slip. Decoration plastic, impressed (direction unknown) with chisel, hollow probe; 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 232-Wadi Sikait; SK03-9 [012] pb#030 (late 5th century c.e.). Weight 53 g. Average thickness

6.1 mm. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; smoothed, mot

tled. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 11 cm. (37% pre

served). Color break 10R 6/6; fabric unclassified. Form H 1; lay-out D 2 (lines, running dog). Height 6 cm.; inside surface very worn, treatment and original color uncertain (ICP-MS). See also Barnard,

"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2, and Barnard, "Fine pottery " 30.

EDW 233-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [050] pb#113 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 12 g. Average thick ness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 6/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6, burnished. 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

nished. Decoration plastic, impressed, incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 12 cm.

(11% preserved). Color break 5YR 3/1; atypical fabric with burnt organic remains and few mineral

inclusions. Form H 1; lay-out D 3 (lines, waves). Carefully squared rim. Possible parallels BE94/95-1

[bee] pb#67 (Hayes, "Pottery, Berenike 1995 "

166, fig. 6-15/5); EDW 57 (Barnard and Rose "Eastern

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").

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. 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

slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diameter 10 cm. (5% pre served). Color break 10R 4/4; fabric EDW-2. Form H 1; lay-out D 7 (lines). Carefully squared rim; red

slip spills over on inside rim; too little remains for certain classification; outside surface very worn,

treatment and original color uncertain.

EDW 238-Wadi Sikait; SK03-6 [021] pb#043 (5th century c.e.). Weight 5 g. Average thickness

4.6 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; smoothed. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/4; red

slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 10 cm. (13% pre 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)

7 J 7 235 236

1 238 239

1 243 m

\W 247

r?" 248 249

260

232

233

^tJ j

i 237

\

240 ^

7 242

246

7vw | r ^ 250

Ocm. to

HEW

Hg. 5. Eastern Desert Ware 230-233, 235-250, 260 and 261, excavated at Wadi Sikait (in the Mons Smaragdus area). Too little of the rims of EDW 231 and 241 was preserved to establish a rim diameter.


original color uncertain. Possible parallel Kurgus (Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala"

fig. 9/EDW 227). EDW 239-Wadi Sikait; SK03-10 [140] pb#309 & [164] pb#336 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 10 g.

Average thickness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 5/4; smoothed. Color and treatment out

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. EDW 240-Wadi Sikait; SK03-8 [049] pb#105 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 11 g. Average thick

ness 6.5 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 6/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6;

smoothed, red slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 17 cm. (5%

preserved). Color break 2.5YR 4/4; atypical reddish brown fabric with abundant mineral inclusions.

Form H 2b; lay-out D 2 (grille). Indented, carefully squared rim (ICP-MS). Possible parallels EDW 33, 35 and 39 (Barnard and Rose, "Eastern Desert Ware from Berenike"); EDW 155 (Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot"); possibly also Bir Abraq (Sadr, "Preliminary report," 9, fig. 3).

EDW 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;

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 Sikait; SK03-9 [015] pb#029 (late 5th century c.e.). Weight 12 g. Average thickness

5.8 mm. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 3/1, burnt. Rim

diameter 21 cm. (7% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 2b; undeco

rated, may not be EDW. Carefully squared rim; inside surface very worn, treatment and original

color uncertain (ICP-MS). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2. EDW 243-Wadi Sikait; SK03-7 [083] pb#148 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 11 g. Average thick

ness 5.5 mm. Color and treatment 7.5YR 6/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; bur

nished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 12 cm. (4%

preserved). Color break 5YR 5/1; fabric unclassified. Form H le; lay-out D 8 (circles, waves). Red slip

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;

burnished, red slip. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 8 cm. (14%

preserved). Color break 10R 5/6; fabric EDW-1. Form H Id; lay-out D 6 (lines, running dog). Two,

non-joining sherds of the same conical cup (H Id); inside surface very worn, treatment and original color uncertain.

EDW 245-Wadi Sikait; SK03-8 [059] pb#118 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 6 g. Average thickness 4.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 3/1; burnt. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 5/6; bur

nished, red slip. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 5YR 2.5/1; atyp ical fabric with burnt organic remains. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (X-motif). Body sherd, too little remains


EDW 246-Wadi Sikait; SK03-7 [033] pb#201 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight 14 g. Average thick ness 4.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 6/3; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 6/3,

wiped. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with triangular tool. Rim diameter 17 cm.

(8% preserved). Color break 10R 4/1; fabric EDW-2. Form H 2a; lay-out D 7 (triangles, waves). Indented rim (ICP-MS).

EDW 247-Wadi Sikait; SK03-9 [023] pb#046 (5th century c.e.). Weight 13 g. Average thickness

5.8 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3, smoothed, burnt. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/3;

146 JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

smoothed, burnt. Decoration impressed (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 16 cm. (10% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 4/3; atypical reddish brown fabric with abundant mineral inclusions. Form H 2b; lay-out D 3 (waves). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2.

EDW 248-Wadi Sikait; SK03-9 [007] pb#014 (late 5th century c.E.). Weight 4 g. Average thickness 5.4 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR 5/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 5/4; 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, fig. 2.

EDW 249-Wadi Sikait; SK03-9 [007] pb#014 (late 5th century c.E.). Weight 10 g. Average thickness 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 angles, waves). ICP-MS. Possible parallels Sayala 76251 (Bedawi 1976, pp. 29-30, Abb. 12/2, Tafel

28/2); Sayala 77183 (Kromer 1967, pp. 96-99, Abb. 31/2); EDW 105 (Barnard and Magid, "Eastern Desert Ware from Tabot"); EDW 287 (Barnard et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala" 58-59, fig. 7). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes," 35-37, fig. 2.

EDW 250-Wadi Sikait; SK03-9 [025] pb#050 (5th century c.E.). Weight 5 g. Average thickness 4.5 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 5/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside 10R 5/6; smoothed, mottled. Decoration incised (direction unknown) with chisel, filled in. Rim diameter 14 cm. (5% preserved). Color break 2.5YR 4/4; atypical reddish brown fabric with abundant mineral 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; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5R 4/2; 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; smoothed, burnt. Decoration impressed, incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 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 University of California, Los Angeles

eastern-desert-ware-from-marsa-nakari-and-wadi-sikait

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