Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

FOURTH CATARACT - ULI ISLAND

SUDAN

Later finds are more frequent. The Mid-
dle Kerma period is represented mostly by
hemispherical bowls, as is the case in the
neighboring Gdansk Archaeological Muse-
um Expedition (GAME) concession.13 The
exterior of the vessels is red or brown, roughly
smoothed or unsmoothed and decorated with
various patterns of incised lines, the latter
varying from straight or oblique lines to
cross-hatching in different combinations.
Zones of ornament appear immediately be-
low the rim or cover the entire surface.
Vessel rims are simply rounded or tapered
with a few examples showing slight out-
ward eversion [Fig. 3:3].

The Pan-grave style of decoration is also
frequent. It comes as incised oblique lines
and dots or triangles in registers, usually
below the rim, as well as incised straight,
contiguous triangular motifs or horizontal
lines, all dated to the Middle Kerma/Kerma
Classic.14
Other kinds of ornament, albeit very few,
include dotted, probably impressed fish-
bone patterns [Fig. 2:3], relief dots below
the rim [cf. Fig. 4:4] and zigzag made with
a plain-edged rocker stamp.
Few of the sherds could be dated to the
Middle or Classical Kerma period. Small
fragments of black-topped red wares, of rat-


Fig. 3. Kerma-penodpottery: 1 - U23.8; 2 - U23.32; 3 - U23-27; 4 - U23.22; 3 - U23-2;
6 - U9.1; 7 - U23.23 (Drawing E. Klimaszewska-Drabot)

13 Kolosowska, El-Tayeb, loc. cit.
14 I. Welsby-Sjostrom, "The pottery from the survey", in: D.A. Welsby, Life on the Desert Edge. Seven Thousand Years
of the Settlement in the Northern Dongola Reach, Sudan, vol. I (London 2001), 246-247: type D43, D58.

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