Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

MtoM - EL-ZUMA

SUDAN

Cups of the 1.1 category deserve comment
as they appear to be typical of the majority of
U-shaped graves, like Tumuli 23 and 2
excavated in 2005 in Zuma (personal
observation), Tumulus 4 in Hammur
(Phillips, El-Tayeb 2003: Pi. 2b), as well as
some of the simple graves with vertical shafts
and side chamber like graves 1 and 2 at
Kassinger Bahri (Kolosowska, El-Tayeb
2007: 39, 44-45). This type of cup often
occurs together with bowls of the II.2 and
II.4 categories.
A Lower Nubian connection is
emphasized by the decoration of II.4. This
ornament of engraved horizontal lines
originates from the same family as Group X
pottery (El-Tayeb 1998: 37) and although
these vessels were most certainly produced
locally in the Dongola Reach, the painted
white dots found on them are clearly
patterned on Lower Nubian models.
Bowls of the II. 1 group are less frequent.
Three vessels were found at Tanqasi
(Klimaszewska-Drabot 2008: 488, Fig.
10:1-3). The technology and fabric are not

unlike other wheel-made pots from the
region, but the form itself was copied from
elsewhere in Sudan. Similar bowls but of
much poorer quality have been recorded in
the south (Rose 2002: Fig. 6Fig. 6.13,4105).
Workshop differences observed in the
production of bowls of the II.3 group
may yet confirm the existence of slightly
different technologies being applied to the
manufacture of some vessels in the region in
question in Early Makurian times.
The bowls with clay added to the base
(VI. 1 and VI.2) are the most interesting
component of the handmade pottery assem-
blage. They often come in pairs in particular
burials (e.g. tumuli 10 and 19) or in threes as
in Tumulus 87 in Tanqasi (Klimaszewska-
Drabot 2008:490, Fig. 14) and Tumulus 4 at
Hammur (Phillips, El-Tayeb 2003: 459-460).
Note should be taken of small bowls
(V.l and V.2), which, to date, have been
found, but without the clay layer added to
the base, solely in Gaddar (El-Tayeb 2002:
Fig. 28, T2/III, 41, Tl/g) and El-Zuma
(Tumulus 23, El-Tayeb, pers. comm.).

REFERENCES

Abdel-Rahman, M.A., Kabashy, H.
1999 Two seasons in the Fourth Cataract region, Preliminary Results, Sudan & Nubia 3, 60-70
El-Tayeb, M.
1994 Excavation at El-Ghaddar-Old Dongola [in:] Ch. Bonnet (ed.), Etudes Nubiennes II,
Geneve, 65-79
2002 Genesis of the Makurian Culture in the Light of Archaeological Sources [-CRJPEL
Supplement 6], Villeneuve dAscq: Universite Charles de Gaulle, Lille III
2003 Excavations at Hammur-Abbassiyah [in:] B. Zurawski (ed.), Survey and Excavations
Betiveen Old Dongola and Ez-Auma, [Nubia II, SDRS I] Warsaw: ZAS PAN, 130-139
2007 Early Makuria Research Project. Excavations at El-Zuma, preliminary report, PAM XVI
f Reports 2005\ 389-399
2010 Early Makuria Research Project — excavations at El-Zuma [in:] W. Godlewski, A. Lajtar
(eds), Between the Cataracts, Proceedings of the 11th International Coyiference for Nubian
Studies, Warsaw University, 27 August-2 September 2006, Part Two: Session Papers
[=PAM Supplement Series, 2.2/1-2J, Warsaw: PCMA and Warsaw University Press,
205-217

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Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007