Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

WEST SAQQARA

EGYPT

indeed a Canopic box, it is difficult to
explain the presence of these bowls.
The fill inside the burial chamber of
shaft C2/10 also contained a jar (Fig. 7: SQ
03-1276A) and two plates (Fig. 7: SQ 03-
1269, SQ 03-1275). The intact jar stood
next to the coffin, resting against the
northern wall of the chamber; the first of
the plates stood on the coffin, the second
next to it. The jar was wheel-made of
mixed clay (P.60) and had a self-slip (of
light reddish brown color = 2.5 YR 7/4)
that is produced automatically in the
process of drying that precedes firing. The
lower part was scraped. A two-part stopper
served to close the jar: the inner stopper
was of ovoid shape and filled the neck, the
outer one cylindrical, reaching down to the
shoulders. Jars closed in similar fashion

were found at Giza.20) The plates were
bent-sided, rim diameter in both cases
equaling 22 cm. They were wheel-made of
Nile silt B2, red-slipped inside and partly
outside on the uppermost section of the
body, the bases scraped. They were
presumably part of the grave equipment
deposited during the burial ceremonies.
From the technological point of view, they
recall the vessels from the wooden box.
The layers connected with the Late
Necropolis did not contain much pottery.
Prevalent among the Egyptian wares in
this area was a type of small jar made of
finer or coarser variants of marl clay A4
(Fig. 8). The imports were represented by
fragments of amphorae: a base recalling
Samian ware and a handle identical to
Chios and pseudo-Chios examples.21)


Fig. 8. Examples of common jars from the Late Necropolis
Not to scale

20) G. Reisner, GN I, PI. 68, f.
21) T.I. Rzeuska, “Amphorae from the Late Necropolis at West Saqqara, Preliminary Report”, CCE 8, in print.

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