Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

BANGANARTI

SUDAN

pottery report by the author in this
volume). They have also been recorded at
Dar el-Arab (Bagihska forthcoming b) and
the monastery at Ghazali (Shinnie,
Chittick 1961: 41, Fig. 11/E2).


Fig. 5. Lamp (white ware), Early Christian
(Drawing M. Momot; photo A. Oles'-
Niedzielska)

Footed bowl (white ware) with stamped
decoration in the form of rhombuses
containing an inscribed cross with a red
dot emphasizing the center [Fig. 6:d\. The
ornament is characteristic of the Early
Christian period (style N III) (Adams
1986: 483-485, Figs. 159, 276/24).
Lamp (white ware) decorated with a red
painted radial pattern [Fig. 5]. Early
Christian form, most likely with a small
looped handle (Adams 1986: 483-485,
Fig. 277/18).
The same thick layer of intentionally
broken amphorae was noted in Trial pit 2
as well. All the containers were of local,
Nubian production, the form and clay
pointing to the Old Dongola workshops
[Figs 4:e-g; j:e]; this type was recorded on
the kiln site R1 in Dongola (Pluskota
2001: 363, Fig. 9).
There was a similar abundance in this,
as in the previously discussed trial pit, of
bottles commonly referred to as “beer jars’’
[Figs 6:d-h; 2:F]. It is characteristic of the
Early Christian period in the 6th/7th
century and refers to Aiwa ware vessels
(ware H2) (Adams 1986: 423-424,
Fig. 250).
Bottles with painted black, red and
yellow decoration on the outer walls and a
purple red slip on the neck and rim,
featuring mat impressions on the body, are
diagnostic of the transition from post-
Meroitic to Early Christian.

LOWER CHURCH - TRIAL PIT 3

The material from the trial pit behind the
apse does not differ from the assemblages
already discussed from the first two
trenches dug to test the Lower Church
levels. Among the quality wheel-made
wares, a fragment of so-called Samian-ware
plate (red ware) with characteristically

modeled rim is of chronological signifi-
cance [Figs 1:a; 3:a] (see above, plate
fragment from Trial pit 2).
The red-ware vessel with everted
modeled rim, decorated on the inside with
stamped decoration [Fig. 7:F], is known
from the R1 kilns (Pluskota 2001: 361-

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