Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

BANGANARTI

SUDAN

the entire visible surface of the mud
sealing, including the impressions. In
a few cases, the impressions alone were
painted red,5) 6 7 whether intentionally or as
a factor of preservation is hard to tell. Use
of white paint is far less frequent.Three
white mud sealings with red-painted
impressions were recovered from Ban-
ganarti.
The purpose of painting the surface is
unclear. It may have had apotropaic
function,or was used perhaps as a deco-
rative element. Protection of the surface is
also a possibility, the stamping being used
for identification purposes.
All the features described above refer to
the top surfaces or upper parts of mud
sealings. Their lower parts inside the vessel
neck also bear some interesting
impressions. These so-called 'preliminary
stoppers' were placed inside the vessel neck
before actually closing the vessel with the
mud sealing itself. At Banganarti,
potsherds were the 'preliminary stoppers'
used. One example has a potsherd still
adhering, whilst another 22 are suggested
by the remaining negative profiles.

One well-preserved impression shows
that the potsherd used was from a ribbed
amphora. Several mud sealings have no
imprint or are too fragmentary to be
identified for certain. The ‘preliminary
stopper’ on three mud sealings is quite
different, apparently being made of straw
instead.8) 9 10
As none of the Banganarti examples
were found attached to their associated
vessel, we should look to parallels and
associated pottery for dating suggestions.
The second phase of the ‘Upper Church’,
and its surrounding fortifications are set in
the 12th century AD. Most of the mud
sealings were found under the foundations
of the corner tower of the fortification, so
providing a terminus ante quem in the 12th
century for this large group.
Mud sealings paralleling most closely
the finds from Banganarti were found at
Hambukol.59 Although a date for the mud
sealings as such was not provided, the
pottery from ‘House One’ in which the
vast majority were found is dated to the
Post Classic Christian and Late Christian
periods. 1C9

5) Red coloring of the surface or seal impressions of mud sealings is known from Faras (G.S. Mileham, Churches in Lower
Nubia, vol. II (Philadelphia 1910), 35), Karanog (Woolley & Randall-Maclver, op. cit., 79), Thebes (Winlock & Crum, op.
cit., 80), Arminna West (B.G. Trigger, The Late Nubian Settlement at Arminna West (New Haven/Philadelphia 1967), 32),
Qasr Ibrim (A.J. Mills, The Cemeteries of Qasr Ibrim (London 1982), 13, 16, 17, 64, 67), Hambukol (Phillips, op. cit., 223),
Soba (Welsby, op. cit, 74) and Old Dongola (personal observation).
6) White paint on the seal impressions is known from Karanog (Woolley & Randall-Maclver, op. cit., 79), Firka (Kirwan,
op. cit., 21), Thebes (Winlock & Crum, op. cit., 80); white paint was used on the entire mud sealing surface in a few cases at
Old Dongola (personal observation).
7) Phillips, op. cit., 233.
8) ‘Preliminary stoppers’ made of straw were also used at Kellia (Egloff, op. cit., 180). Wads of vine leaves have been
recognized by their impressions at Old Dongola (personal observation), vine leaves or palm fibers at Thebes (Winlock &
Crum, op. cit., 79). A stone was used in one case at Old Dongola and in another at Hambukol (J. Phillips, personal
communication), and a wadded cloth at Hambukol (Phillips, op. cit., 230).
9) For similarities of shape, size and types of decoration, cf. Phillips, op. cit., 232, Fig. 2, 234, Fig. 3.
10) J.S. Phillips, “Christian Pottery from Hambukol”, in: Proceedings of the Coptic and Nubian Pottery Conference,
Nieborow, August 1988, Occasional Paper 2 (Warsaw 1991), 24.

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