Egyptian and Imported Pottery from the Red Sea port of Mersa Gawsis, Egypt

Sally Wallace-Jones

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781784919030
• eBook ISBN: 9781784919047
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

The unique site of Mersa Gawasis was a base for seaborne trade along the Red Sea coast during the Middle Kingdom. The Egyptians' purpose was to trade with Punt for incense and other exotic materials. There is little evidence of any permanent structures at the site apart from man-made caves in which shipping equipment was stored between expeditions. The pottery is, therefore, amongst the most significant evidence for human activity here. Vessel types include many marl C jars, but other kinds of vessels including significant foreign material also occur, some in large quantities. This variety of vessels and the careful reuse of potsherds is central to an understanding of specific and day to day domestic activities and of how the site operated. Mersa Gawasis has many vessel forms of the 12th and Early 13th dynasties. Epigraphic evidence closely dates the site, helping to confirm and underpin an understanding of vessel types and technologies within the ceramic chronology of the period. This volume presents the site's wide variety of ceramic material, offering also an interpretation of what pottery reveals about activities at the site. The author and excavation photographer have worked together to enhance details of the text with specific photographs.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents Page
• List of Figures
• Foreword and acknowledgements
• Chronology of the Middle Kingdom
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Figure 1. Marl B2/C Beer Bottle base resting in a Nile C pot stand
• Figure 2. Rim of a Marl AV2 carinated bowl with incised decoration from WG61
• Figure 3. Rim similar to Figure 2, from WG71
• Figure 4. Rims and body sherds with incised decoration
• Figure 5. The almost complete rim of a Marl AV3 water jar with thickened/rolled lip.
• Figure 6. The rim of a Marl AV3 water jar with a direct rim.
• Figure 7. Rim of a decorated marl AV3 bowl with clay button and incised deign
• Figure 8. Detail of incision on Figure 7 showing lines made in wet clay and puncture marks possibly done with a fish bone.
• Figure 10. Marl C bag-shaped cooking pot.
• Figure 9. Marl AV3 sherd with incised decoration and clay swirls. Note the clay creases inside the roll showing how it was finger rolled.
• Chapter Three
• Figure 11. Typical cup-shaped marl C rim from a large jar. This rim shape is very frequent at Mersa Gawasis.
• Figure12. Nile E cooker rim diameter approximately 14cm.
• Figure 13. Sherds of a large marl C jar coated on the inside with beeswax. Tracks showing where the soft wax was scraped out o the jar, can be seen clearly in the left-hand picture.
• Figure 14. Sherds of an unusual black jar before restoration. The high level of fragmentation can be seen.
• Figure 15. Wheel made based of the vessel in Figure 14 showing the pre-firing pot mark and the technology used to create the base, a turned ring base which appears to have been applied to the body.
• Figure 16. Sherds in Figure 14 after restoration, note the single nub handle on the left-hand side. There is no evidence of a spout suggesting that this was not a juglet.
• Figure 17. Marl AV2 closed vessel showing rilling lines inside and the smooth finish of the exterior.
• Figure 18. Ring base of Figure 17 showing the ring foot applied over the base which has been scraped.
• Figure 19. Pomegranate shaped vessels from WG 70.
• Figure 20. The reverse of the vessel in Figure 19 showing the grooves left inside by rotary motion and also faint traces of a hieratic inscription in ink, now too faded to read.
• Figure 21. Some of the many counters found at the site, they were re-cut from broken sherds.
• Figure 22. Front and back of a blade shaped scraper, but from a marl AV3 jar, traces of the incised decoration can be seen on he outer surface. These and other shapes of scraper are not uncommon at Mersa Gawasis and draw on the technology used to shape f
• Figure 23. A small fan-shaped tool, very delicately and skilfully made from a fine piece of Nile A or B1. The tipped edge has een shaped with a great deal of care. It appears to be the only example of this type of tool at the site.
• Figure 24. Large wooden disc showing it fitting into the mouth of a marl C jar. The disc is grooved, with the remains of string inside the groove. This can be seen at the bottom of the photograph.
• Figure 25. Small disc cut from a marl AV3 jar so that it fits like a stopper. Unlike the counters, this disc is grooved around the circumference resembling the wooden disc in Figure 24. Note the very close fit to the diameter of the jar neck.
• Figure 26. Recut sherd with a central hole probably used as a weight for a net.
• Figure 27. Drawing of a miniature funnel-shaped rim from WG 32 in marl AV3
• Figure 28. Drawing of a miniature corrugated rim in marl C from the entrance to cave 7.
• Figure 29. Drawing of a miniature zir rim in marl C from WG 38.
• Figure 30. Photograph of a miniature water jar rim in Nile B1 fabric from WG32.
• Figure 31. Photograph of the miniature corrugated rim from cave 7 entrance.
• Figure 32. Photograph of a miniature marl C rim from WG 67 inside cave 8.
• Figure 33. Photograph of a miniature rim in Nile B1 with a high quality, red, burnished finish.
• Figure 34. Sherd of a Minoan cup found in WG55. Left-hand side inner surface with white paint, right-hand side outer surface.
• Figure 35. Rime sherd of Minoan fine buff crude ware from WG 55.
• Chapter Four
• Figure 36. Nile B1 cup: cut base
• Figure 37. Nile B1 cup scraped base
• Figure 38. Nile B1 Cup interior. Note the red washed interior and the spiral left by rotary motion.
• Figure 39. Nile B1 complete cup interior showing the central spiral and thinness of the vessel wall.
• Figure 40. Nile B1 shallow cup, complete profile with clear scarping of the lower section and traces of a red rim band.
• Figure 41 a and b. Complete Nile B1 cup with a pre-firing repair, plate 41b shows the repair in more detail.
• Figure 42. Nile B2 plate exterior scraped with a red rim and wash, and smooth red washed interior.
• Figure 43. Nile C plate exterior showing heavy scraping; plate interior with deeply grooved turning marks
• Figure 44a. Marl AV3 bowl with turned rim jointed to the scraped body. Scraping is very evident on the lower section.
• Figure 44b. Bowl with what appears to be a wheel made rim it has a clear join or seam where it attaches to a scraped body.
• Figure 45. Marl AV3 dish with central spiral, scraped exterior and different colours of firing zones. Exterior on the left, interior on the right.
• Figure 46. Marl AV3. Shallow bowl wheel made with uneven and lumpy central spiral from uneven turning. In other respects, this is a well-made vessel demonstrating a high level of technical ability.
• Figure 47. Marl C ‘ration type’ plate, wheel made with a scraped base, and rim neatened using rotary motion. The interior is well smoothed. The exterior on top, the interior on bottom.
• Figure 48. Marl C cooking vessel with sharply everted lip, it is heavily smoked form use Exterior on left, interior on right
• Figure 49. Marl C bowl exterior on top and interior on bottom Note the high firing resulting in limestone decomposition seen as cream pitting on the surface and also the central spiral.
• Figure 50. Nile B1 Bottle with red burnish outside and on the inner rim.
• Figure 51a and 51b. 15. B2 Bottle base 51a. Exterior with scraping and rope marks and 51b. Interior with turning spiral and coil joins visible.
• Figure 52a. and 52b.Nile B2 bottle necks 52a. The exterior on the left, the interior on the right with red wash, 52b. uncoated.
• Figure 53. Jar construction: Finger smoothing and detail of coil joins on the inner surface of a marl C Jar.
• Figure 54. Flat base of a large jar base in marl C, Exterior on the left showing the smoothed surface and the join between the wall and the base. Interior of the base on the right showing marks of finger shaping, smoothing and jointing. The flat piece of
• Figure 55. Interior of a marl C jar showing evidence of horizontal coiling and smoothing used to form the flat base and also o vertical smoothing where the wall joins the base. On the right detail of the finger smoothing marks.
• Figure 60. Very clear interior spiral left by turning inside the base of a small marl C jar. The irregularity of the spiral suggests that the wheel turned relatively slowly.
• Figure 56. Internal surface of the rim of a marl C jar a regular with a wheel made rim and the rough joining marks where the wheel made part was attached to the coiled body.
• Figure 57. Wheel made the rim of marl C showing the regularity of shape and the horizontal rilling line typical of a competently wheel made rim.
• Figure 58. The elaborately ridged rim of a marl C jar. This type of shaping would have been done on a wheel using the potter’s fingers and simple tools to create the profile. Rilling lines are visible on the inner surface.
• Figure 59a and 59b. 59a. The rim of a large marl AV3 jar showing the way in which clay could be folded over to create a thicke ed rim. Shapes vary over time during the Middle Kingdom, but the principle of using a folded or rolled thickness of clay remains
• Figure 61. The inner surface of a marl C jar showing the chaotic marks of rough smoothing on the inner surface.
• Figure 62. Exterior surface of a marl AV3 jar showing the clear change in zones between the smoothed and probable wheel finished upper section and the very rough scraping of the lower part.
• Figure 63. Nile B2 vessel with a hand pinched flat but flaring foot or proto ring base, formed from the vessel wall.
• Figure 66. Carinated cup. With a pinched and tooled ring foot probably handmade separately then applied to the vessel being trimmed with a tool after application. Note the neat finish, but the irregularity of the ring shaping in contrast to the wheel made
• Figure 67 Nile B2 small vessel with a wheel made and applied ring foot.
• Figure 68. Marl AV3 vessel with applied ring foot showing the contrast between the scraped area and the smoothed join where the foot was applied
• Figure 69. The fine join between the body and the ring foot. Note how neatly it has been smoothed and finished.
• Figure 70.The base of the jar showing rilling lines where the foot was added and smoothed on a wheel. The slight swell of the original rounded base can be seen in the middle of the ring.
• Figure 71. Marl AV2 jar with ring foot, note how the regular the ring is and also how it has been applied to a scraped rounded base which swells out in the middle of the ring. The jar base shows residual scraping, note also the extremely neat finishing an
• Figure 72. Typical tubular Middle Kingdom shaped bread mould. Note the evidence of pinching and smoothing on the exterior surface.
• Figure 73. The join between the wall of the mould and the fine slip lining.
• Figure 74. Typical tubular bread moulds, one lined and one unlined.
• Figure 75. Tubular mould with a slip lining and a full slipped outer coating.
• Figure 76. Large coarse bread platter in situ. Note the hand modelled groove and pinching of the lip.
• Figure 77. Misshapen marl AV3 vessel the join between the base and upper sections showing evidence of wheel making on both sec ions
• Figure 78. Interior of the above showing the shaping of the base and the bulge where the vessel wall was pressed in.
• Figure 79. Detail of cracking and splitting at the site of the bulge
• Figure 83. Handle of marl C made by pinching and finger shaping.
• Figure 84. Marl AV3 vessels with incised decoration. The clean lines on the top sherd suggest that the decoration was done while the pot was leather hard
• Figure 85 Detail of decoration on the shoulder and neck of a marl AV3 closed vessel.
• Figure 86. Marl AV3 open vessel showing the detail of the wavy rim. This vessel is also incised on the inner surface as shown in the second photograph. Note also the pale outer 86a and darker red inner 86b surfaces, the result of uneven firing.
• Figure 87. Detail of rolled decoration on a carinated and incised mar AV3 vessel. Note the creasing on the inside of the roll showing that the clay was soft when rolled, also the seam where the roll was smoothed together. Incising was probably done after
• Figure 88. Incised and applied decoration on a small open vessel. The hatching here shows the characteristic ridging and dragging of clay that has been incised while still soft. Buttons were applied to the rim again probably while the vessel was soft. Not
• Figure 89. Symbol incised in wet clay, note the raised ridges at the edges of the lines. Marl AV3 sherd.
• Figure 90. Nfr symbol incised post firing, note the chipping at the edges of the lines. Marl C sherd.
• Figure 91. Sun symbol incised post firing on a marl C sherd. Marl C was often used for such post firing graffiti, perhaps because of the contrast between the pale surface and the reddish core which was revealed by scratching the pale surface away. Note th
• Figure 92. Red burnished Nile B1 sherd with a Hieratic inscription in ink. Made post-firing.
• Figure 93. Marl C sherds with ink inscriptions, the right hand one of which appears to be tally lines while the right hand has the remains of a Hieratic inscription.
• Figure 94. Marl C sherd with a graffiti drawing in ink made post-firing. It may show a lotus flower.
• Figure 95. Marl C sherd with a picture of a dog made post firing in ink. It has been identified as a tsm dog. Perlingieri 2007: 107.
• Chapter Five
• Figure 96. Marl C sherd with large cream inclusions breaking the surface.
• Figure 97. Marl C type clay with large grey inclusions.
• Figure 100. A stack of ration plates in situ as found.
• Figure 98. Nile B1 bowl with fine walls and thin red rim band.
• Figure 99. Marl AV3 open form with deeply incised decoration and a break along the incision line.
• Figure 101. Possible lid from WG 69.
• Figure 102. Large ledged lid in Nile B2/C from WG 49.
• Figure 103 small marl AV3 vessel of dense, hard, fine fabric, possibly a lid.
• Figure 104. Rim and body of a very large marl AV3 storage jar, this is one of the largest vessels found at Mersa Gawasis and gives some idea of the capacity required of large storage and transport vessels.
• Figure 105. Jar comparable in size to Figure 104 but in marl C.
• Figure 106. The exterior of a vessel which had been pierced before firing, possibly for use as a sieve. Notice the blackening as a result of exposure to fire.
• Figure 107a Nile E cooker rim with evidence of smoking. 107b. Marl C small cooker with evidence of fire blackening.
• Figure 108. Nile B2 cooker exterior showing red wash on the upper body and fire blackening on the base of the vessel.
• Figure 109. Nile C plate found in situ showing how it might have been used.
• Figure 110.Large basin or cooking vessel in Nile C. Note the impression of rope on the exterior surface where it was used for support during manufacture.
• Figure 111. Sherd of possible Second Intermediate Period date with unusual black and red banded decoration.
• Figure 112. Sherd of possible New Kingdom date in fine marl clay possible marl AV2 with black banded decoration.
• Figure 113 Map of Egypt showing the location of Mersa/Wadi Gawasis.
• Figure 114. Location map of excavation units on the western terrace and Wadi Gawasis.
• Figure 115.View of the coral terrace and entrance to the caves.
• Figure 116. View of the site looking across the Wadi bed.
• Figure 117. Nile B1: Open forms, uncoated, large plates and dishes.
• Figure 118. Nile B1: Numbers 1-13 open forms, uncoated, numbers 14-17 uncoated with red rim band.
• Figure 119. Nile B1: Open forms, numbers 1-4 red out, numbers 5-12 red in and out, (5 is a lid), numbers 13-15, red and bur ished in and out, number 16 base, red out.
• Figure 120. Nile B1: Closed forms, numbers 1-7 uncoated, number 8 red out, number 9, Nile E cooker rim, number 10 typical bread mould with a hole in the base
• Figure 121. Nile B2: Open forms, uncoated, smaller and larger vessels numbers 2 and 4 with rope marks
• Figure 122. Nile B2: Open forms, uncoated, number 5 is a cooker of typical shape. Bowls similar to numbers 3 and 4 are very common at Mersa Gawasis.
• Figure 123. Nile B2: Open forms, red in and out without burnish. Number 7 has been drawn at 1:4 because of its large size. These forms are relatively common at Mersa Gawasis. Numbers 4-8 appear to have been used for cooking and vessels of this shape are o
• Figure 124. Nile B2: Open forms: Numbers 1 –2 red out and on the inner lip, number 3, red in, number 4, uncoated with red rim, numbers 5-6 red and burnish out, numbers 7-8 red and burnish in and out, number 7 is heavily smoked stained.
• Figure 125. Nile B2: Pot stands: Numbers 1-2 uncoated, numbers 3-4 red in and out, number 5 red and burnish out.
• Figure 126. Nile B2: Open forms: Numbers 1-5 lids, numbers 1-4 uncoated, number 5 red in and out, number 6 bread tray of unce tain fabric which could be either Nile C or local clay.
• Figure 127. Nile B2: Closed forms: bottle rims and small jars. Numbers 1-4 uncoated, numbers 5-17 red out.
• Figure 128. Nile B2: Numbers 1-3 bases, 1-2 uncoated, number 3 red and burnished out. Numbers 4-11 Nile C: open forms, uncoated. Large platters and open dishes of wide diameter usually 30 cm or greater.
• Figure 129. Nile C: Number 1, open form, uncoated, number 2, lid uncoated, number 3, large cooking vessel, red out, number 4, jar or bottle base red out, number 5, complete large pot stand, uncoated. This type and size of stand is perfect for holding the
• Figure 130. Marl AV3: Open forms: uncoated. This range of small bowls cups and plates are very common at Mersa Gawasis in marl AV3. Number 12 may have been used as a lid; number 15 shows signs of having been repaired.
• Figure 131. Marl AV3: Open forms: uncoated. This figure also shows a very typical range of material, open vessels of these types are found in almost all excavation units.
• Figure 132. Marl AV3: Open forms, uncoated, number 9 is an uncoated body sherd from a carinated vessel with applied and incised decoration around he carination point. Number 10 has a wavy rim and incised decoration.
• Figure 133. Marl AV3: Various forms uncoated, number 1, a small vessel with incised and modelled decoration, number 2 a conical vessel of unknown function, numbers 3-4, lids, numbers 5-6 ring bases, possibly from carinated bowls.
• Figure 134. Marl AV3: Closed forms: uncoated, these small jars are found with some frequency at Mersa Gawasis.
• Figure 135. Marl AV3: Closed forms: uncoated. Figures 134 and 135 give a very good indication of the range of rim shapes and sizes in closed forms of marl AV3 from Mersa Gawasis.
• Figure 136. Marl AV3: closed forms: uncoated, number 4 is drawn at 1:4 because of its large size. Large jars in Upper Egyptian marl AV3 are less frequent than those in marl C, but they are represented as this range of rim types illustrates.
• Figure 137. Numbers 1-7 show a typical range of marl AV3 bases numbers 1-3show a badly misshapen base, numbers 8-11 are the only marl AV2 vessels from the site. Number 11 in the form of a pomegranate has a broken rim, making the form uncertain; it also ha
• Figure 138. Marl C: Number 1 shows a small bowl with an uneven surface where a large organic infusion was burned away. Numbers 2-19 show a typical range of small closed forms, in this fabric, uncoated. Number 12 is a typical medium to small bag-shaped jar
• Figure 139. Marl C: Typical closed forms or zirs with a rolled rim, uncoated.
• Figure 140. Marl C: large closed forms or zirs with a rolled rim, uncoated.
• Figure 141. Marl C: Numbers l and 3 are large closed forms or zirs. Number 2 illustrates a typical range of angular zir rims, uncoated.
• Figure 142. Marl C: Large closed jars or zirs with flat and angular zir rims, uncoated.
• Figure 143. Marl C: Cup-shaped zir rims, uncoated. This cupped rim occurs commonly at Mersa Gawasis.
• Figure 144. Marl C: Numbers 1-9, cup-shaped zir rims, numbers 10-17 corrugated rims, from egg or bag-shaped jars, uncoated.
• Figure 145. Marl C: Numbers 1-6 corrugated rims from egg or bag-shaped jars, number 7 is a small, hand pulled handle, numbers show 8-14 body sherds with pot marks, number 14 was made post firing, other examples were made before firing, uncoated.
• Figure 146. Marl C: Zir rims with pre-firing pot marks. Many of the marl C jars from the site have marks similar to these, made before firing, uncoated. The zir rims forms shown in figures 139-146 give a good idea of the range of marl C jars from Mersa G
• Figure 147. Number 1 Nile D cooker, uncoated, number 2, Minoan fine buff crude ware bowl, numbers 3-6, vessels of uncertain origin and fabric all uncoated but number 6 with red painted vertical lines.
• Figure 148. 1-2 Syro-Palestinian Handle WG47, 3-6 Syro-Palestinian fabrics WG33, 7 Syro-Palestinian amphora handle WG54, 8 Syrp Palestinian jar base WG 33.
• Figure 149. Top: Syro-Palestinian sherds from small jars/bowls; bottom: MBIIA Syro-Palestinian amphora with parallels at Tell Daba.
• Figure 150 (1). Nubian and Southern Red Sea Ceramics: Figure 1 a) WG61 D-E 2 SU45, 1b) WG18 SU9, 1c) WG66 D-E 3 SU3, 1d) WG 8 SU14, 1e) WG17 SU1, 1f) WG28 East, 1g) WG general surface collection, 1h) WG 3 SU1 (scale in cm).
• Figure 151 (2). Nubian and Southern Red Sea Ceramics: Figure 2a) WG55 D3 SU2, 2b) WG 46 E4 SU1-2, 2c) WG68 SU1, 2d) WG18 SU, 2e) WG16 tr. 2 sq. 2 SU48, 2f) WG15 B3 SU1, 2g) WG16 tr. 1 backfill (scale in cm).
•  Figure 152 (3). Nubian and Red Sea Ceramics: 3a) WG32 A5 SU39, 3b) WG16 tr. 1 SU1, 3c) WG36 SU2, 3d) WG 52 SU1
• Figure 153 (4). Nubian and Southern Red Sea Ceramics, Figure 4a) WG65 A4-5 SU46, 4b) WG39 Cave 3 A10 SU11, 4c) WG18 SU9, 4d) WG17 SU1.
• Figure 154 (5a). General map of the western sector of the site. The black triangles show where the sherds of Upper Nubian type were collected; the black squares indicate where the sherds of vessels from the African side of the southern Red Sea were collec
•  Figure 155 (6) Map showing the origin of the different types of imported ceramics from the southern Red Sea found at Mersa Gawasis. The black and brown highlights show the areas with obsidian and ebony sources respectively.