Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (13.2001(2002))

TELL EL-LARKHA

EGYPT

hard-smoothed ware from phases 4-5, is
the plastic rope band, which is found on
wine jars, adorning the upper section of the
body and/or the area just above the vessel's
base. S-ware vessels have also been re-
corded with motifs consisting of a lightly
impressed or incised row of arches on the
shoulder. Another decorative motif used on
cylindrical hard-smoothed ware vessels
comprises a band formed by pushing the
clay upwards with the finger-nail.
Fragments of cylindrical vessels decorated
with impressed points forming a contin-
uous line are also typical designs of phases
4 and 5.
The smallest group of pottery in this
assemblage is represented by Y-ware,
which has a characteristic layer of white
liquid clay on its outer surface.
It is possible to divide Y-ware into two
technologically dissimilar groups. The first
is reminiscent of R2-ware, and has
a N I.C1-2 fabric, whilst the second is
distinguished by a better prepared ceramic
body containing much smaller quantities
of mineral and organic temper (N I.B).
Characteristic vessel forms for the first of
these two groups include: open, shallow
bowls with outer rims in the form of lips;
small and large globular jars with wide
rims, an indistinct division between neck
and body, and rounded rims. Vessels made
of better quality fabric include medium
and large open bowls with outward
rounded rims, as well as jars with a narrow
mouth, short cylindrical neck and outward
rounded edges.
Also characteristic of phases 4 and 5 are
fragments of D-ware decorated with so-
called “water lines”.
PHASE 6
Some vessel forms typical of the preceding
period also occur among the material
characteristic of the early Predynastic

period (latter half of the First Dynasty and
the Second Dynasty). Potsherds adorned
with arched motifs, rope band and
punctated decoration were also recorded in
the younger strata of this phase.
Phase 6 is distinguished by a moderate
prevalence of Rl-ware over R2-ware. New
rough coarse ware vessel forms include
bread moulds, which are deeper than
earlier examples, their walls flaring out-
wards at the point where they join the
base. Typical rough ware vessels include
beer jars with either pointed or rounded
bases and distinctive body surface treat-
ment carried out with the use of a brush.
The most common type of bowl is the
tulip bowl, which has concave walls and
rims, which are either straight or slightly
thickened on the outside. A few sherds and
two complete vessels of this type have
a hole made in the base after firing.
The number of vessels covered in red
slip is slightly greater in relation to the
previous phase. Carinated bowls with
burnished surfaces now appear alongside
the bowls and jars which were already in
use earlier.
Pottery with a hard smoothed surface
classified as S-ware does not display any
greater diversity than in the previous phase.
A variety of potmarks (including geometric
patterns of incised lines) and fragments of
serekhs frequently appear on jars.
The quantity of Y-ware decreases quite
significantly in relation to the Proto-
dynastic and early First Dynasty periods.
Of all the pottery groups this remains the
smallest. A new type of fine ware jar
appears in the occupation levels of this
phase. These jars have a short neck whose
walls are slightly inverted, thus restricting
the rim diameter. A growing number of
large storage jars is observed among the
vessels with coarser temper in their fabric.
(AM)

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