DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49517#0206
150
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
with rounded outer corner at the two outer edges of the beam. Thus the fourth side of the
beam must have rested against a wall or against the roof.
On the floor of the NW corner of the same room, KHA, a large pottery vessel was
found inlaid with tiles. The upper part was shattered, but it appeared to have been a
tall circular receptacle. The sides sloped outwards and the height must have been about
100 cm. The ware was a soft-baked red ware (R. W.). In the surface, vertical ridges had
been formed before baking, and these ridges inclosed sunk channels which ran from the
bottom upwards and widened with the flare of the vessel. In the channels, blue plano-convex
tiles were set with plaster, and the tiles, being about 20 cm. long, widened from bottom to
top in conformity with the flare of the channel. The bottom tile was thus ca. 6 cm. wide
at the bottom and ca. 7.5 cm. at the top, and the second tile, beginning with 7.5 cm.
must have widened to about 9 cm. at the top. No evidence was found of any other inlaid
jar, and no tiles of this form were found except near this jar.
In this room, K II A, in the NE quarter, some fragments of sandstone were found which
appeared also to have been inlaid with tiles, but I was unable to reconstruct the object.
The bottom of the plano-convex tile was often quite smooth, but many examples
showed the print of cloth. The top only was glazed, while the sides and bottom were
usually more or less covered with the blue glazing solution, imperfectly fused. On the
bottom some examples had rough prints left by drying or glazing setters. Each tile was
made by hand, not molded, and must have been made to fit the place it was to fill (cf. the
tiles on the pottery jar). The tiles bear certain marks which were cut in the soft paste
before firing and which indicated, I believe, the place the tile was to occupy in the inlaid
object. I call them therefore inlayer’s marks (Fig. 179, nos. 2-10). These marks were of
two sorts — a larger mark nearer the middle, and a set of three to eleven vertical strokes
on the ends (perhaps to be read 1 to 11 or more). I take it that the larger mark designates
the row or side to which the tile belonged, while the end marks connected it with the pre-
ceding and following tile. For example in Fig. 179, nos. 3 and 6 belonged to the same row,
being set as shown. The other ends of the tiles were marked with five and seven strokes
respectively and adjoined other tiles marked also with a line and with five and seven
strokes on the adjoining ends. In the case of no. 8, the row-mark is lost, having been near
the missing end. Owing to the fragile condition of the tiles found in place, I was unable to
verify this theory on the beam or jar.
The fragments of plano-convex tiles were found chiefly in the debris in front of K II
(Fig. 179, nos. 2-10), and in KII rooms A and B. The scattered fragments were registered
as follows:
K III: Reg. no. 14-2-642.
Reg. no. 13-12-516.
KX: Reg. no. 14-1-515.
K XVIII: Reg. no. 14-1-1146.
KXX: Reg. no. 14-1-987.
K IV: Reg. no. 13-12-301.
Filling of comp. 17-3. One fragment.
Filling of comp. DD. Three fragments.
Upper debris.
K 1804 debris.
Debris of grave.
K 420 debris.
(c) Type III, rilled tiles:
The fragments of rilled tiles showed that this type of tile was like the ordinary plano-
convex tile, except that the upper surface was crossed by parallel ridges or rills sometimes
parallel to the ends and sometimes running obliquely. One kind was observed which was
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
with rounded outer corner at the two outer edges of the beam. Thus the fourth side of the
beam must have rested against a wall or against the roof.
On the floor of the NW corner of the same room, KHA, a large pottery vessel was
found inlaid with tiles. The upper part was shattered, but it appeared to have been a
tall circular receptacle. The sides sloped outwards and the height must have been about
100 cm. The ware was a soft-baked red ware (R. W.). In the surface, vertical ridges had
been formed before baking, and these ridges inclosed sunk channels which ran from the
bottom upwards and widened with the flare of the vessel. In the channels, blue plano-convex
tiles were set with plaster, and the tiles, being about 20 cm. long, widened from bottom to
top in conformity with the flare of the channel. The bottom tile was thus ca. 6 cm. wide
at the bottom and ca. 7.5 cm. at the top, and the second tile, beginning with 7.5 cm.
must have widened to about 9 cm. at the top. No evidence was found of any other inlaid
jar, and no tiles of this form were found except near this jar.
In this room, K II A, in the NE quarter, some fragments of sandstone were found which
appeared also to have been inlaid with tiles, but I was unable to reconstruct the object.
The bottom of the plano-convex tile was often quite smooth, but many examples
showed the print of cloth. The top only was glazed, while the sides and bottom were
usually more or less covered with the blue glazing solution, imperfectly fused. On the
bottom some examples had rough prints left by drying or glazing setters. Each tile was
made by hand, not molded, and must have been made to fit the place it was to fill (cf. the
tiles on the pottery jar). The tiles bear certain marks which were cut in the soft paste
before firing and which indicated, I believe, the place the tile was to occupy in the inlaid
object. I call them therefore inlayer’s marks (Fig. 179, nos. 2-10). These marks were of
two sorts — a larger mark nearer the middle, and a set of three to eleven vertical strokes
on the ends (perhaps to be read 1 to 11 or more). I take it that the larger mark designates
the row or side to which the tile belonged, while the end marks connected it with the pre-
ceding and following tile. For example in Fig. 179, nos. 3 and 6 belonged to the same row,
being set as shown. The other ends of the tiles were marked with five and seven strokes
respectively and adjoined other tiles marked also with a line and with five and seven
strokes on the adjoining ends. In the case of no. 8, the row-mark is lost, having been near
the missing end. Owing to the fragile condition of the tiles found in place, I was unable to
verify this theory on the beam or jar.
The fragments of plano-convex tiles were found chiefly in the debris in front of K II
(Fig. 179, nos. 2-10), and in KII rooms A and B. The scattered fragments were registered
as follows:
K III: Reg. no. 14-2-642.
Reg. no. 13-12-516.
KX: Reg. no. 14-1-515.
K XVIII: Reg. no. 14-1-1146.
KXX: Reg. no. 14-1-987.
K IV: Reg. no. 13-12-301.
Filling of comp. 17-3. One fragment.
Filling of comp. DD. Three fragments.
Upper debris.
K 1804 debris.
Debris of grave.
K 420 debris.
(c) Type III, rilled tiles:
The fragments of rilled tiles showed that this type of tile was like the ordinary plano-
convex tile, except that the upper surface was crossed by parallel ridges or rills sometimes
parallel to the ends and sometimes running obliquely. One kind was observed which was