Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

BEAKERS AND BOWLS

The second major group of vessels is com-
posed of straight-sided cylindrical beakers
and bowls with rounded rims and flatfish
bases, very often with a pontil scar. These
included both undecorated [Fig. 3:1-2] and
decorated examples [Fig. 3:3-7}.
Decorated objects are easily identifiable
because of their impressed patterns. Such
vessels with tonged or pincered decoration
are extremely common in the Islamic levels
at Kom el-Dikka.19 The technique, involv-
ing a tong-like tool with ornaments on
both sides, is alleged to have originated in
Egyptian workshops. Fustat was thought
of as the main center of such production,
but this exclusive attribution seems now
to be contested by the findings from
Alexandria. As a rule, the decoration of
such vessels was simple and consisted of
a limited number of geometrical motifs.
Among the most common were concentric
circles with or without a central dot, often
distorted into ovals by subsequent free-
blowing, but also rhomboids, dots and
lines. All these elements were usually re-
peated around the wall. Sometimes they
filled the entire surface of the vessels.
A unique find at present is a fragment of
side wall of a two-color beaker, featuring
a cobalt blue upper part contrasting with

a colorless bottom with yellowish tinge
[Fig. 3:5].20 Most suited to this technique
were open forms, but the decoration also
occurred on vessels with cylindrical neck,
as in the case of this big pitcher [Fig. 3:3].
It had a slightly flaring neck with rounded
rim, bearing a horizontal line of circles im-
pressed at irregular intervals, which assumed
an oval shape after tooling. Vessels with
tonged decoration are a frequent find on
9th and 10th century sites around the Is-
lamic world. Findspots elsewhere in Egypt
include Fustat,21 Tebtynis,22 Ashmunein,23
el-Tur.24 Pincered decoration is prevalent
at Raya.25 They have been found even as far
as Gao, Mali26 and China.27
A notable number of fragments of deco-
rated bowls with moulded-blown ornaments
were registered in the assemblage. Two of
the bases are very similar in appearance. The
molded and optic-blown decoration, execu-
ted in high relief, consists of an eight-petal-
led rosette, a motif widely used in Islamic
art [Fig. 4:1-2]. Surrounding it is a row of
ovals with triangular dimples between
them. Other elements of the overall pattern
could not be determined. A prominent pon-
til mark on the underside of the base, cru-
dely superimposed on the design, evidently
spoiled the pattern. A comparable flower

19 Rodziewicz, op. cit., 346, Fig. 348:1-8.
20 The same combination is observed on a jug with pinched decoration from the David Collection, cf. K. von Folsach,
Islamic art. The David Collection (Copenhagen 1990), 144:223.
21 Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson, op. cit., 79-82, Fig. 38:a-f, h-j; undecorated 28-30, PI. 8b; Shindo, "Glass", op. cit.,
577:1-7, 22-23; undecorated 589:6-8.
22 Foy, op. cit., 474-475, Fig. 5:84-102; 478-480, 488, Fig. 7:131, 135-136, 141-144; undecorated 473, 476-477,
485:82, 487:116.
23 Bailey, op. cit., 150, PI. 92:Y28, Y30; undecorated 149-150, PI. 92:Y7, Y8, Y10, Y13.
24 M. Kawatoko, A Port City Site on the Sinai Peninsula, al-Tur (Tokyo 1996), 68, PI. 40:11.
25 Shindo "Raya", op. cit., 181-182, Fig. 3:1-2; undecorated: 180-181, Fig. 2:1.
26 T. Insoll, "Islamic Glass from Gao, Mali",/GY 40 (1998), 82-85, Figs. 3-4.
27 An Jiayao, "Dated Islamic Glass in China", Bulletin of the Asia Institute, New Series 5 (1991), 124, 129, Fig. 9.

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