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
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Eastern

Desert Ware

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi
Hans

Sikait

Barnard

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
excavation and survey project in the Mons Smaragdus area, the main source of the gem

(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

servation,

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 ley, including: Kalabsha
1 H.

since been

North,5

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

"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 inWadi

including the beryl mines N?prstek Museum Prague

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. Rivard, B. C. Foster, and S. E. Sidebotham, S. E. Side "Emerald 2002), 36-41. J. city," Archaeology 55,3 (May-June on A. M. Hense, fieldwork at Sikait (Eastern and J. A. Harrell, botham, H. M. Nouwens, 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/ 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

132
Wadi

JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

Based

at Bir Abraq may also be EDW, post-Meroitic cemetery at Gabati (Sudan).17 Some of the sherds found were thought by the surveyors of that site to as judged from published drawings,18 although they some sherds that I tentatively identified as EDW later belong to the Pan-Grave culture. Similarly, to be securely associated with the C-Horizon b.c.e.). This illustrates the diffi (2300-1500 appeared of identifying exemplars of this small and diverse corpus with almost 'Neolithic' characteristics. culty 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., may have occurred as early as the 3rd, and as late as the 8th century c.E. The name EDW although it initially chosen because
of the sherds,

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

was

of the distribution
technology,

of the finds, in combination

and vessel shape

with the fabric and

2), which render

the
an

appearance

vis-?-vis

decorations

(table

origin in the Nile Valley unlikely.

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, 384, fig. 7/10-13. esp. 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 1995), 9

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. 14. R. S. Tomber, Berenike

"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

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, in S. E. Sidebotham and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., Berenike 1997. Report of the 1997 excavations at Berenike and the survey 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, to Dr. Anwar Abdel-Magid. for Development Research Test-excavations, and Education carried out by the license holder of the Norwegian Council (NUFU) license holder authorized Project). The in 1994-95, were sponsored by the Com of Universities within the framework of

Sudan, mittee

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

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi

Sikait

133

1. Map of southeast Fig. mentioned in the text.

Egypt

and

northeast

Sudan

showing

the location

of

sites

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

(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

134

JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

(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

Fig. 2. Eastern Desert Ware fabric type1 (EDW-1). On the left afresh break ofEDW 79fromWadi Sikait at lowmagni
with numerous On (mostly quartz). poorly sorted, white inclusions numer in crossed polarized (at WOx magnification), showing light in a reddish clay matrix.

of the dearth of archaeological data from the region and the scarce as well as ambiguous the people that made and used EDW are prudently labeled 'Eastern Desert sources,25 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 Ablation research was on the GBC ICP-MS, with attached New Wave LUV Laser Optimass Orthogonal Time-of-Flight at Califor inMaterials, the Institute for Integrated Research and Society (IIRMES) Environments, by Institute of Archaeology and the Cotsen (USA) and sponsored Long Beach by Dr. Hector NefF (IIRMES) done

in several geologically different spectrometry (LA-ICP/MS),23 suggests that EDW was probably made all most likely outside the Nile Valley.24 These findings corroborate the assumption that the areas, vessels were probably primarily made and used in the Eastern Desert.

in the Vienna System, or from a unique paste, identified as clay ('silt', LhLH^), well described 1 and catalogue). Many of the latter were found in theMons Smaragdus area. In pet 'atypical' (Table 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 of Nile

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

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 the New World (Los Angeles, and W. Z. Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology of 2008), Mobility. Nomads Middle Nile Textual Sources for the 250-63. T. Eide, T. H?gg, R. H. Pierce, and L. T?r?k, Fontes Historiae Nubiorum. History of the 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 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 The Ababda Nomads and

owned

History of theBeja the Interpretation

to Agents. Tribes of the Sudan "From Objects 1954). W. Z. Wendrich, (Cambridge, of the Past," in Barnard and Wendrich, eds., The Archaeology of Mobility, 509-42.

Eastern obtained,
cult. Only

Desert

Ware

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi

Sikait detection
to settle

135
diffi
tem

and subsequently
in places where

discarded,
outsiders

thinly scattered over a large area, which makes

an infrastructure that allowed the nomads

porarily, possibly after they found some sort of employment,

in small quantities were among pottery produced elsewhere.27 Other

provided

sherds accumulated
places of

and are now found

were graves

accumulation

and several of these, both

Sayala close to desert

in the Nile Valley

settlements

and in the desert, have yielded EDW. The

to have been temporary settlements

cemeteries
of desert no

in

mads

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 As the retrieved EDW may prove
Dwellers, 51 sherds were

suggested

to be the only reliable

for organic were residues

source of information about

combined gas

the Eastern
mass

Desert

tested

spectrometry
probably used

(GC/MS).30
for food at

All
least

sherds appeared
once, and

to have preserved
not exclusively at the used

using

chromatography or as

lipids, indicating
for water

that they were as serving

cultural goods.31

grave

Given
vessels

the shape of the vessels

and, given its remarkable

(mostly cups and bowls),

appearance, itmust

EDW was most

same time have

likely employed
been an obvious

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 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 when holding the vessel upright. This would be the easiest way to work for a right-handed right, 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 waves, asymmetric X's, zigzags, and and there is a large dogs' variation (a series in motifs, of interlocking including circles, see rhom EDW triangles, 'running 'S'-shapes, beryl mines.

or ethnic marker.32

has been
27 H.

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 identified as part of an animal bone.34 More
"Suggestions for a Cha?ne Op?ratoire 33-35. Castiglioni of Nomadic

widely

employed
in Barnard

was

an instrument with a
eds., The Archae

Barnard,

Ang.

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 and Kalabsha South? South? 165, figs. 125, 127-30. 157. to the method,

Mass

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

Mobility, 413-40. ology of 28 Ricke, "Ausgrabungen" 29Alf. Castiglioni, Ang.

Pottery Sherds,"

and Wendrich,

and

136

JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

used in the Fig. 3. Photographs showing the thornsat the base of a date-palm frond (a), threeof the thorns and a piece of decoratedplasticine (c), cf 4191 and 51146. (b), experiments figs.

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

was probably a knife or a blade. The use of date-palm thorns on EDW

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 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

desert. The
35

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
a Cha?ne Op?ratoire?

Barnard,

"Suggestions for

Eastern
Table Sikait 1. Overview of

Desert
of and

Ware

from Marsa
of

Nakari
the EDW text;

and Wadi
sherds

Sikait
Nakari specified and Wadi in the

137

some

the characteristics tools are discussed

from Marsa are

in the catalogue.

Fabric

in the

the parallels

catalogue

Fabrics

EDW-1 EDW-2 EDW-3 unclassified atypical

7 sherds: EDW 76, 79, 82, 89, 90, 238 and 244 5 sherds: EDW 67, 83, 91, 237 and 246 3 sherds: EDW 81, 249 and 260 23 sherds: EDW 68-75, 77, 78, 80, 84, 86-88, 230, 232, 236, 241-243, 248 and 261 9 sherds: EDW 85, 231, 233, 235, 239, 240, 245, 247 and 250
Tools

triangular round hollow chisel

12 sherds: EDW 69, 75, 76, 79, 80, 82, 87, 91, 230, 233, 237 and 246 2 sherds: EDW 74 and 78 EDW 231 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

EDW 235 EDW 240 EDW 75 and 76 EDW 33, 35 and 39 EDW 238 EDW 249 EDW 235, 240 and 249 EDW 235

Bir Abraq?
Gabati?

Kab Marfu'a Kurgus Sayala Tabot Wadi Qitna

as awls or pins. Many

dwellings made of

of the current inhabitants of the Eastern Desert

and mats over a dome-shaped wooden frame.

live, at least part of the time, in

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>^ texts while Strabo reports, in the first in various Middle and Late Kingdom appear to be mentioned
century leafs.37 C.E., that the nomads in the desert live in dwellings made of interwoven split pieces of palm

rugs

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

eds., The Archaeology of Mobility, 441-64. 3H Eide et al., Fontes Historiae Nubiorum,

3() "From Objects toAgents? Wendrich, 37 A. A. Magid, "History of the Nomadic

Architecture 1127, 1150

of the Hadendowa Barnard,

in Northeast

Sudan,"

in Barnard

and Wendrich,

(n. 777). H.

"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes?

138

JARCE 42 (2005-2006)

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
the historical sources. 42 That these sources are to be

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

tual analysis,43 and can be

tradantur capita abesse ore

illustrated by a remark of Pliny the Elder when

pectori

interpreted

with

some

care

is evident

from

tex

he wrote
to have

that 'Blemmyes
no heads, their

et oculi

mouths

and eyes being attached

to their chests,' Natural History Acknowledgments

adfixis'

(the

'Blemmyes

are

reported

5, 46).44

Cotsen
H.

thanks for their help Sandrine Marqui?, Sidebotham, Institute of Archaeology

Barnard.

Sincere

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

Catalogue This
format:

catalogue
EDW-number.

of Eastern Desert Ware

Context and date.

found
Weight

inMarsa
and average

Nakari

and Wadi
of the

Sikait has
recovered

the following
sherd. Mun

thickness

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

Marsa EDW

Nakari

(Fig. 4, top) 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

67-Marsa

thickness 3.4 mm.

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).

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), JESHO 43 46-87). = = "Trogodytes Blemmyes Beja?" 44 "The Blemmyes," 64, n. 126. Barnard, Updegraff, Burstein, 46, 1 [2003],

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

39

S. E. Sidebotham

"Sire, il n'y a pas de Blemmyes?

34.

Eastern

Desert Ware
Table 2. Overview

from Marsa
of

Nakari

and Wadi
of EDW and

Sikait

the classification and by decoration Barnard

according after

to form Strouhal

(H-classification) 1984, modified

(D-classification), Strouhal 2004

H-classification 0 Unknown

D-classification 0 1 2 Cup 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ladle 8 Unknown/No Exclusively Narrow, Multiple, Vertical Vertical Horizontal Continuous on single decoration rim band bands

Bowl

3 Jar/pot 4 5 6 7 Miniature Beak-spouted Tubular-spouted Goblet

horizontal with metopes without and

metopes vertical

diagonal

Unarticulated/Asymmetric

9 Dish 9 10 Other 10

Zoomorphic Other

EDW
Average

68-Marsa
thickness

Nakari;
4.9 mm.

MN02-07
Color and

[008]; Late Roman

treatment inside

(3rd-6th
unknown.

century C.E.). Weight

Color and treatment

unknown.
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
Surfaces very worn, treatment and

fication.

EDW
Average

original

color

uncertain.

69-Marsa
thickness

Nakari;
5.9 mm.

MN02-07
Color and

[008]; Late
treatment

Roman
inside

(3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight

unknown. Color and treatment

unknown.
outside 10R

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
classification; surfaces very worn, treatment and

break

10R

for certain

Nakari; thickness 6.3 mm. Color Average 2.5YR 5/6; smoothed. Decoration impressed 3/1; fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D
classification.

EDW

70?Marsa

MN02-07

[012]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown. treatment inside 10R 4/6; wiped. Color and treatment outside and

original

color

uncertain.

(direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 2.5YR 0 (spirals). Body sherd, too little remains for certain

Nakari; MN02-07 [012]; Late Roman (3rd-6th century C.E.). Weight unknown. thickness 5.3 mm. Color and treatment inside 10R 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 4.9 mm. Color and treatment inside

EDW

71-Marsa

(3rd-6th
2.5YR 5/6;

century C.E.). Weight

smoothed. Color and

unknown.
treatment

Average

outside
ration

10R 5/6; burnished.

Form H 1; lay-out lost.

Rim diameter
D 0. Surfaces

12 cm. (5% preserved).

very worn, treatment

Color
and

break

2.5YR

2.5/1; fabric
deco

unclassified.

original

color

uncertain,

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

EDW

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. Color and treatment inside unknown. Color and treatment outside 10R 4/6; Average thickness 4.6 burnished.
worn,

Decoration Form H
treatment

unclassified.
very

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 filled in. Rim diameter 12 cm. (9% preserved). Color break 10YR 3/1; fabric unclassified. gular tool, EDW 75-Marsa Form H 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). Sikait surface finds (Fig. 4, bottom) 76?Wadi and and GC/MS). Pos

Wadi

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 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 and treatment incised inside 2.5YR

Color

Decoration

grill decoration; H Id; lay-out D7 EDW 79?Wadi Color and

Color

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 and treatment inside 7.5YR 5/3; smoothed. Color 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

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,

5/4; wiped. Color and treatment outside 7.5YR 6/4; smoothed. left to right) with round point. Base of a conical cup (H Id) with incised (from diameter 6 cm. (28% preserved). Color break 5YR 5/4; fabric unclassified. Form ICP-MS and GC/MS. (grille).

Decoration

tool, filled
uncertain

7.5YR 6/4; smoothed. in. Color break

(ICP-MS).

sherd, too little remains

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,

original

color

Eastern

Desert

Ware

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi

Sikait

141

67 r^ I

70

71

V7

72

J/ 73
0 cm. 5

74
70

\^9\

75HT

3? 87

90
0 cm. 91
4. Eastern Desert Ware F?g. Eastern Desert Ware 76-91, EDW 83 thefull preserved 67-75,

?0 MBW

^\
excavated at Marsa Nakari (in

in Wadi Sikait surface finds decoration is represented.

and (ancient Nechesiaf), the Mons area). Of Smaragdus

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 (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 3/1; fabric EDW-2. and GC/MS). EDW 84?Wadi Form H 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 outside 10R 4/4; red slip. Color and Color and treatment inside 10R 4/3, burnished, red slip. Decoration burnished, (direction unknown) with chisel. Color break 10R 4/1; impressed fabric unclassified. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (spirals, waves). Body sherd, too little remains for certain (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 fabric with numerous 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 Color break EDW 87?Wadi

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

(12% preserved). GC/MS. EDW Color 88?Wadi 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;

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

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 90?Wadi ICP-MS EDW 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, 91?Wadi and triangles). Red slip spills over on inside rim (ICP-MS and GC/MS).

lay-out

(spirals,

waves).

Body

sherd,

too

little

remains

for

certain

classification.

Color

Eastern Wadi Sikait (Fig. 5) 230-Wadi

Desert Ware

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi

Sikait

143

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 2.5YR 6/4; fabric unclassified.
for certain classification.

Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (triangles, waves).

Body

sherd, too little remains

231-Wadi Sikait; SK03-10 [027] pb#083 ness 4.1 mm. Color and treatment inside 2.5YR

EDW

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 232-Wadi
Color and

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;

Sikait; SK03-9
treatment

[012] pb#030
unknown.

(late 5th century c.e.). Weight

and treatment outside

53 g. Average
5/6;

thickness
mot

6.1 mm.

inside

Color

10R

smoothed,

tled. Decoration served). Color

6 cm.; inside

incised break

(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
worn, treatment and color uncertain (ICP-MS). See also Barnard,

burnished.

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,

surface

very

cm. plastic, impressed, incised (direction unknown) with chisel. Rim diameter 12 Color break 5YR 3/1; atypical fabric with burnt organic remains and few mineral (11% preserved). 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

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

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).
for certain

Color break 5YR 6/6; fabric unclassified.

classification.

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
spills over and treatment

break
on

10R 4/4; fabric EDW-2.

rim; color too little uncertain.

Form H
for

1; lay-out D 7 (lines). Carefully

classification; outside

squared rim; red

very worn,

slip

inside

remains

certain

surface

EDW 4.6 mm.

original

238-Wadi Color and

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

^tJ 7 J 7 i 237

235

236

238

239

240 ^

242

243 m

\W

247

246

r?"

248

249

7vw
Ocm.

^| 250

to

260
5. Eastern Desert Ware Hg. Mons area). Too Smaragdus diameter.

HEW
260 and 261, at Wadi excavated Sikait 230-233, 235-250, (in the little of the rims EDW 231 and 241 was to establish a rim of preserved

Eastern original color uncertain. fig. 9/EDW 227). EDW 239-Wadi

Desert

Ware

from Marsa

Nakari

and Wadi

Sikait

145

Possible

parallel Kurgus

(Barnard

et al., "Eastern Desert Ware from Sayala"

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). EDW

10 g. Sikait; SK03-10 [140] pb#309 & [164] pb#336 (5th-6th century c.e.). Weight treatment out thickness 3.9 mm. Color and treatment inside 5YR 5/4; smoothed. Color and

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 5.8 mm. diameter
rated, may

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;

242-Wadi Color
not

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 Color break 2.5YR
inside

21 cm. (7% preserved).

be EDW. Carefully

5/1; fabric unclassified.

surface very worn,

Form H
treatment

2b; undeco
and original

squared

rim;

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.

color uncertain

EDW 4.4 mm.

nished, ical fabric with burnt organic

for certain classification.

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 remains. Form H 0; lay-out D 0 (X-motif). Body sherd, too little remains

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; Color and treatment outside 10R 6/3, wiped. 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-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
smoothed, burnt. Decoration Color

JARCE 42 (2005-2006)
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 parallels Sayala 76251 (Bedawi 1976, pp. 29-30, Abb. 12/2, Tafel angles, waves). 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, fig. 7). from Sayala" 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 abundant mineral 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; Color and treatment 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

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 Blemmyes" 35-37, fig. 2. y'a pas 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; Color and treatment outside 7.5R 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; D 3 (lines). Red slip spills over on inside lay-out rim. Possible parallel EDW 71 (Marsa Nakari). See also Barnard, "Sire, il y'a pas de Blemmyes," 35-37, 2. fig.

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