Pottery from Tell el-Murra Graves

Abstract

Excavations conducted at the Tell el-Murra cemetery in seasons 2011 and 2012 revealed five graves with pottery assemblages. Grave no. 3 contained pottery vessels which could be dated to the end of the Naqada IIIB period. The pottery vessels found here included two cylindrical jars (one with a cord impression and the second with an incised continuous line beneath the rim), as well as a quite elongated, ovoid jar with impressed halfbows on its shoulders. Two chronologically later graves (nos 1 and 2) should probably be dated to the Naqada IIIC2 period. The pottery assemblage of these graves included large, tall-shouldered jars with impressed halfbows and pot marks (grave no. 1), jars with rope band decorations, wine jars (grave no. 2), ovoid jars, barrel-shaped jars, small broad-shouldered jars, beer jars and undecorated cylindrical jars. Other pottery types included bowls with convex sides, a tray with an oval orifice, a red-polished plate and pot stands. Grave no. 7 seems to date to a different time period, as it contained rough ware beer jars and bowls with convex sides and simple rims. It therefore probably dates to the Naqada IIIC2/IIID period. The most recent of the graves containing pottery vessels (grave no. 5) was discovered in the 2012 season. It contained two pottery vessels: one was a miniature and the other was a bowl with convex sides, a simple rim, a slightly narrowing area of concave contour below the rim and a flat base. Based on pottery analysis, it should be dated to the second half of the 2nd Dynasty.

Keywords

• Early Dynastic Egypt
• the Nile Delta
• burials
• cemetery
• ceramic vessels