DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49517#0584
478 HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
ample of the same group but with a different pattern. By Type VII, form and pattern,
K B 39 and K 450 are intimately connected. It may be inferred that the basket-shaped
vessels (Types I—III) of K III were replaced by the basket-shaped vessels (Type IV) of
K IV, since the surface technique and the patterns are of the same general character. But
Type IV belongs to group (5), grey ware, and by both ware and technique is connected
closely with Type V. Representatives of this group occurred only in K IV (two of Type
IV) and K XII (one of Type V) and serve to tie K IV and K XII together.
Group (c), the painted red-polished bowls, are the most widely scattered, and were
found with certainty in K III (graves), K IV (sacrificial corridor), and K X (sacrificial cor-
ridor). The fragments in K XVI might have been intrusive. Thus in any case, this group
of painted vessels connects K III, K IV, and K X, and possibly K XVI.
The other two examples, groups (d) and (e), represent jar-forms of which only one ex-
ample (Type X) was found in the other wares (group (a), W. S. R.). The existence of these
two examples would be plausibly explained by assuming that they represent a later degen-
eration of group (a), inasmuch as they are also of a poor quality of W. S. R.
It must finally be noted that certain worn examples of vessels of Egyptian form (see
R. W. VI) were decorated with dark reddish (purple ?) lines.
The painted wares above seem then to fall into the following chronological order:
Painted Type
I-III, VI, VII, VIII.
IV, V, VIII.
X (from K B 21), VIII (from K X).
X (from K XXXIIIA), VIII (from K XVI), IX (from K XVIII).
and to predicate the order of the tumuli as follows:
K III.
K IV (connected with K III by Type VII, and separated from it by Type IV).
K XII (connected with K IV by Types IV and V).
KX.
K XXXIIIA, K XVI, K XVIII.
20. DISTRIBUTION OF THE VARIOUS WARES
The question of variations in ware and in form becomes most significant when consi-
dered from the point of view of the whole site and the relative numbers of each ware which
occurred. The value of this method of approach was fully shown in Naga- d-Der I in deal-
ing with the pottery and the stone vessels of the first two Egyptian dynasties. An archaeo-
logical group is characterized by the frequency of the occurrence of any one object or class
of objects, quite as much as by the number of different classes. The purpose of placing
together the mass of objects and facts which constitute an archaeological group is to permit
deductions as to the general character of the group and its period; and the frequency of
classes of objects, such as vessels of the same ware, is absolutely essential to correct deduc-
tions. The most frequent classes are those which give us the common technical processes
and the forms which satisfied the necessities of the people and the appearances which ap-
pealed to their taste. The infrequent objects are also of value, it is true, but they have
heretofore not been neglected, and I wish to emphasize the necessity for the fullest exposi-
tion of the facts in regard to the common objects.
ample of the same group but with a different pattern. By Type VII, form and pattern,
K B 39 and K 450 are intimately connected. It may be inferred that the basket-shaped
vessels (Types I—III) of K III were replaced by the basket-shaped vessels (Type IV) of
K IV, since the surface technique and the patterns are of the same general character. But
Type IV belongs to group (5), grey ware, and by both ware and technique is connected
closely with Type V. Representatives of this group occurred only in K IV (two of Type
IV) and K XII (one of Type V) and serve to tie K IV and K XII together.
Group (c), the painted red-polished bowls, are the most widely scattered, and were
found with certainty in K III (graves), K IV (sacrificial corridor), and K X (sacrificial cor-
ridor). The fragments in K XVI might have been intrusive. Thus in any case, this group
of painted vessels connects K III, K IV, and K X, and possibly K XVI.
The other two examples, groups (d) and (e), represent jar-forms of which only one ex-
ample (Type X) was found in the other wares (group (a), W. S. R.). The existence of these
two examples would be plausibly explained by assuming that they represent a later degen-
eration of group (a), inasmuch as they are also of a poor quality of W. S. R.
It must finally be noted that certain worn examples of vessels of Egyptian form (see
R. W. VI) were decorated with dark reddish (purple ?) lines.
The painted wares above seem then to fall into the following chronological order:
Painted Type
I-III, VI, VII, VIII.
IV, V, VIII.
X (from K B 21), VIII (from K X).
X (from K XXXIIIA), VIII (from K XVI), IX (from K XVIII).
and to predicate the order of the tumuli as follows:
K III.
K IV (connected with K III by Type VII, and separated from it by Type IV).
K XII (connected with K IV by Types IV and V).
KX.
K XXXIIIA, K XVI, K XVIII.
20. DISTRIBUTION OF THE VARIOUS WARES
The question of variations in ware and in form becomes most significant when consi-
dered from the point of view of the whole site and the relative numbers of each ware which
occurred. The value of this method of approach was fully shown in Naga- d-Der I in deal-
ing with the pottery and the stone vessels of the first two Egyptian dynasties. An archaeo-
logical group is characterized by the frequency of the occurrence of any one object or class
of objects, quite as much as by the number of different classes. The purpose of placing
together the mass of objects and facts which constitute an archaeological group is to permit
deductions as to the general character of the group and its period; and the frequency of
classes of objects, such as vessels of the same ware, is absolutely essential to correct deduc-
tions. The most frequent classes are those which give us the common technical processes
and the forms which satisfied the necessities of the people and the appearances which ap-
pealed to their taste. The infrequent objects are also of value, it is true, but they have
heretofore not been neglected, and I wish to emphasize the necessity for the fullest exposi-
tion of the facts in regard to the common objects.