Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis at West Saqqara: 1996-2003. Preliminary Report

InstItut fr ançaIs d ’archéolo gIe orIentale

Amphores d’égyptede la Basse époque à l’époque arabe

édité par

sylvie marchand & Antigone marangou

Cahiers de laCEramiquEEgyptienne

VolumE i

8

V

Sommaire

Antigone Marangou introduction ................................................................... 1 Sylvie Marchand

I. LES AMPHORES D’ÉGYPTE

le littoral méditerranéen [carte 1]

El-Alamein

Grzegorz Majcherek Aegean and Asia Minor Amphorae from Marina el-Alamein .... 9

Alexandrie

Gonca Cankardes-Senol Stamped Amphora Handles Found in the Rescue Excavations of CEAlex in Alexandria ................ 33

Ahmet Kaan Senol A Statistical Essay on the Distribution of Imported Amphorae Finds of the CEAlex Salvage Excavations .............. 57

le wadi natrun

Beni Salama et Bir Hooker

Sandrine Marquié Les amphores trouvées dans le Wadi Natrun (Beni Salama et de Bir Hooker) ................................................ 77

le delta

Tell Fara©in (Bouto) Janine Bourriau Imported Amphorae from Buto Dating from c. 750 BC Peter French to the Early 6th Century AD ..................................................... 115

volume i

cahiers de la céramique égyptienne 8

VI

Delphine Dixneuf Note préliminaire sur les amphores découvertes Guy Lecuyot par la mission « Recherches sur les ateliers hellénistiques et romains de Bouto » (2002-2003) ........................................... 135

Naucratis Lucien-François Gantès Les amphores commerciales, grecques, levantines et égyptiennes découvertes à Naucratis : une révision récente ................................................................... 143

Kôm Abou Billou

Pascale Ballet Un atelier d’amphores LRA 5/6 à pâte alluviale dans le Delta occidental (Kôm Abou Billou / Térénouthis) ....... 157

le caire et la région memphite

Vieux Caire (Babylone)

Alison L. Gascoigne Amphorae from Old Cairo: a Preliminary Note ....................... 161

Abou Roach Sylvie Marchand Les amphores égyptiennes et importées de la Basse Époque à l’époque arabe. Abou Rawash (1995-2004) ....................................................... 175

Abousir

Kv e ta Smoláriková Egyptian and Aegean Amphorae from the Saite Shaft Tombs at Abusir ....................................... 189

Saqqâra

Guy Lecuyot Amphores de la Basse Époque à l’époque copte provenant de Saqqâra, secteur du mastaba d’Akhethetep ......... 199

Teodozja Rzeuska Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis at West Saqqara: 1996-2003. Preliminary Report ................................................ 207

fayoum

Sud-ouest du Fayoum

Donald M. Bailey A Form of Amphores Égyptiennes 3 from the South-West Fayum ..................................................... 227

Tebtynis

Antigone Marangou Conteneurs importés et égyptiens de Tebtynis (Fayoum) Sylvie Marchand de la deuxième moitié du ive siècle av. J.-C. au xe siècle apr. J.-C. (1994-2002) ............................................ 239

sommaire

VII

moyenne-égypte [carte 2]

Oxyrhynchos

Eva Subías Pascual Notice sur les amphores tardives d’Oxyrhynchos ..................... 297

Baouît

Sylvie Marchand Amphores et conteneurs égyptiens et importés du viie siècle Delphine Dixneuf apr. J.-C. Sondages récents de Baouît (2003-2004) .................. 309

région thébaine et sud de la haute-égypte

Karnak

Grégory Marouard Quelques amphores d’époque hellénistique et romaine de Karnak (Cfeetk) .................................................. 345

Aurélia Masson Amphore de Chios et amphore à anses de panier découvertes dans la maison VII du quartier des prêtres de Karnak .................................................................................. 361

Karnak et Dendara

Sylvie Marchand Amphores de Karnak (Cfeetk, secteur du « tombeau d’Osiris ») et de Dendara (Ifao, prospections et sondages sous la basilique) ....................................................................... 369

Vallée des Reines, Deir er-Roumi, Ramesseum

Guy Lecuyot Amphores provenant de Thèbes-Ouest de la Basse Époque à l’époque copte ....................................... 377

Laurent Bavay Les amphores d’un anachorète copte de la montagne thébaine ............................................................ 389

Hiérakonpolis

Gillian Pyke A Group of Roman Amphorae from the Tumulus Cemetery at Hierakonpolis .......................... 401


VIII

volume ii

région d’assouan

Éléphantine

David A. Aston Amphorae, Storage Jars and Kegs from Elephantine A Brief Survey of Vessels from the Eighth-Seventh Centuries BC to the Seventh-Eighth Centuries AD .................. 419

Assouan / Syène

Stefanie Martin-Kilcher Un projet d’étude des céramiques issues des horizons ptolémaïques à fatimides explorés à Syène /Assouan .............. 447

oasis de bahariya, dakhla et kharga [carte 3]

Bahariya

Michel Bonifay Observations préliminaires sur les amphores africaines de l’oasis de Bahariya ............................................................... 451

Dakhla

Colin A. Hope Imported Amphorae from Dakhleh Oasis ................................. 463 Andrew Ross

Kharga

Pascale Ballet Les amphores de Kysis / Douch (1985-1990). Oasis de Kharga ........................................................................ 481

Sylvie Marchand Les conteneurs de transport et de stockage de l’oasis de Kharga de la Basse Époque (XXVIIe-XXXe dynasties) à l’époque ptolémaïque ............................................................. 489

désert oriental [carte 4]

Route de Myos Hormos et de Berenike : Didymoi, Maximianon, Krokodilô

Jean-Pierre Brun Amphores égyptiennes et importées dans les praesidia romains des routes de Myos Hormos et de Bérénice .. ............... 505

Mons Claudianus, Mons Porphyrites, Quseir al-Qadim et Bérénice

Roberta Tomber Early Roman Egyptian Amphorae from the Eastern Desert of Egypt: a Chronological Sequence ........................................ 525

sommaire

IX

sinaï [carte 5]

Tell el-Makhzan

Delphine Dixneuf Les amphores égyptiennes et importées découvertes à Tell el-Makhzan dans le Nord-Sinaï (ive-viie siècles apr. J.C.) .......................................................... 539

Tell el-Herr

Catherine Defernez Le mobilier amphorique provenant d’un édifice monumental découvert sur le site de Tell el-Herr (Nord-Sinaï) .................... 547

¢Uyûn Mûsâ (« les Sources de Moïse »)

Pascale Ballet ¢Uyûn Mûsâ et sa production d’amphores byzantines ou proto-islamiques ................................................ 621

Qal©at al-Guindî

Sandrine Mouny Note préliminaire sur les amphores et première approche typologique et morphologique des conteneurs trouvés sur la forteresse de Qal©at al-Guindî (Sadr, Sinaï central) .................................................................. 627

II. DIFFUSION DES AMPHORES ÉGYPTIENNES [carte 6]

occident romain

David Williams Egyptian Amphorae in Britain .................................................. 643 Roberta Tomber

Fanette Laubenheimer Amphores égyptiennes en Gaule ............................................... 651

Giorgio Rizzo Le importazioni romane ed ostiensi di anfore egizie tra il I et il VII secolo d.C. ............................................. 657

méditerranée orientale et proche-orient

Mer Égée

Antigone Marangou Importation d’amphores égyptiennes dans le bassin égéen .................................................................. 669


X

Chypre

Antigone Marangou Quelques amphores égyptiennes des époques ptolémaïque et romaine à Chypre ............................................. 675

Sandrine Marquié Les amphores égyptiennes d’époques hellénistique Jean-Christophe Sourisseau et romaine à Kition, Amathonte et Potamia-Agios Sozomenos (Chypre) ................................................................. 681

Eustathios Raptou Les amphores orientales d’un bâtiment religieux de Yeroskipou (Paphos) ...................... 695

Proche-Orient

Gérald Finkielsztejn Note sur les amphores égyptiennes d’époque ptolémaïque trouvées au Levant sud .............................................................. 705

III. AUTOUR DES AMPHORES

Le vin et les potiers dans les textes

Seÿna Bacot Le vin à Edfou ........................................................................... 713

Le remploi des amphores

Roland-Pierre Gayraud « Quand l’amphore fait le mur… » ............................................ 721

Les amphores en contexte funéraire

Florence Calament Les amphores en contexte funéraire à Antinoé ......................... 727

L’image des amphores

Florence Calament La représentation des amphores dans la petite plastique à l’époque romaine .................................................................... 737

Sylvie Marchand conclusion ....................................................................... 751 Antigone Marangou

bibliographie ................................................................... 765

207

Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis at West Saqqara: 1996-2003 Preliminary Report

INTRODUCTION

The Polish-Egyptian mission at Saqqara, working to the west of the Netjerykhet funerary complex, has unearthed a necropolis in the late Old Kingdom stratum, dated to the VIth Dynasty, as well as a later one in the upper stratum, the so-called Upper Necropolis (Mys liwiec 1997, p. 109; 1998, p. 93; 1999, p. 89; 2000, p. 98; 2001, p. 109; 2002a, p. 129-132; 2002b).

This second necropolis covers the entire area which has been explored archaeologically. A great majority of the Upper Necropolis burials has been found in the stratum of clean, blown sand covering the remains of the Old Kingdom necropolis with a thick layer. By the 2003 campaign, some 300 predominantly impoverished burials have been discovered. These include skeletal burials, mummies and entombments in wood and clay sarcophagi (Mys liwiec 2002b, p. 350).

Overall, the relations between ceramics and individual burials are loose, as they are not found in the immediate vicinity of the tombs. The most part of these are of mixed archaeological contexts, and the burials are often accompanied by Old Kingdom ceramics.

Ceramics found within the bounds of the Upper Necropolis are predominantly Egyptian products. However, their variety is limited to several forms: small jars, bowls, dishes, storage jars and torches (Rzeuska 2001, p. 146-147, fig. 7). These ceramics are not presented here as they are published annu-ally in the excavation reports of the Polish-Egyptian Mission at Saqqara, cf.: PAM XI and ff. A mono-graph regarding the Upper Necropolis is also in preparation, where a chapter on cemetery ceramics has been included, written by the author. The oldest, most numerous ceramics date to the third phase of the Late Period of Lower Egypt (French, 1992b, p. 88-92). Identical ceramics have been found at Saqqara, in Late Period cemeteries: one located to the east of the Netjerykhet funerary complex in the vicinity of the Akhet-hotep mastaba (Lecuyot 2000, p. 237-242, fig. 2, nos. BE 6/Bol/, BE 7/torches/, BE 14/Bouteilles/) and another on the south side of the causeway of Unas (French, 1988, p. 82-85,

Teodozja Rzeuska (Warsaw).

Teodozja Rzeuska

teodozja rzeuska

208

nos. 1, 3, 58, 17-19; French, Ghaly 1991, nos. 9-11, 43, 55-60, 71-74, 114). They also accompany the Late Period Cemetery in the New Kingdom necropolis at Saqqara, such as in the tomb- chapels of Paser and Ra’ia (Bourriau, Aston 1985, p. 53-54, pl. 37, nos. 104, 119, 124). Identi-cal Egyptian forms are also represented in the pre-Ptolemaic strata at Tebtynis (Marchand 1996, p. 175-176, figs. 1-2, 8 from the layer 7641); Tell el-Herr (Defernez 1997, p. 60, fig. 2, nos. 8-11; Gratien 1996, levels 2-3, p. 61-65, fig. e 188; Gratien 1997, p. 72, pl. VI, nos. 89-845, 5-207, 8-409); Tanis (Chauvet, Marchand 1998, p. 342, fig. 9, p. 347, fig. 23); Mendes (Allen 1982, pl. XIV, no. 10) and Pelusium (Carrez-Maratray, Defernez 1996, p. 40-41, fig. 2. 6). Local ceramics are accompanied by imported black-glazed pottery from Attic, for instance amphoriscoi and lekythoi, some with stamped decoration (Rzeuska 2001, p. 147, fig. 7) dating to the last quarter of the Fifth century BC (Sparkes, Talcott 1970, p. 150-155, pl. 48).

Determining the beginnings of the necropolis on the basis of ceramics is very difficult (cf.Mys liwiec 2002b, 354-357). Merely, a few vessels were found near the burials, chiefly small ones made of marl clay, which allow us to date the burials to the end of the Late Period. It is also difficult to determine the cessation of usage of the Upper Necropolis on the basis of ceramics. Pottery of the Hellenistic and Roman periods is found very rarely. Until now only several sherds from those times have been found. Missing are unguentaria, vessels characteristic of the cemeteries of this period. A portion of the burials have been mummified in a fashion characteristic of the Roman period (personal communication of Prof. Maria Kaczmarek, who is responsible for the anthropo-logical analysis of human remains from the Polish-Egyptian excavations at Saqqara). Thus, it may be assumed that the deceased were also entombed during that period. Equally rare is pottery from the Byzantine period, though it is difficult to connect any vessel fragment with a particular burial (during examinations made in 1987, several fragments of Byzantine amphorae were found on the surface, oral communication of Prof. K. Mys liwiec).

Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis comprise a sparse, but interesting and varied group of ceramics. They are found throughout the cemetery area unearthed to date. Overall, during years 1996-2002, two complete amphorae were found (nos. 6-7), as well as twenty-eight diagnostic frag-ments predominantly preserved only to a small degree. The vessels were made of fifteen various fabrics. Their connection to particular burials, which also holds true for the remaining ceramics, is very difficult to determine.

Description of FabricsEach new type of fabric found in the area of West Saqqara is marked with the symbol “P.” and

a sequential number. In this report we present all those fabrics which were identified as amphora clays. A fresh break of each sample was studied in sunlight under a tenfold magnifying glass. To date, on the basis of clay, shapes of vessel and vice stamp, two groups of fabrics were identified: Samian and Phoenician. To confirm this diagnosis and to determine the remaining fabrics, it is necessary to carry out petrographic analyses of the clays, a project that is planned for the near future.

amphorae from the upper necropolis at west saqqara: preliminary report

209

Phoenician fabrics

Variant 1

Vessel nos. 1-3.Colour: 2.5 YR 6/6 light red (Munsell Soil Color Charts, 1994 revised edition).Hardness: medium.Feel: smooth, soapy.Fracture: smooth to hackly.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; pre-dominantly angular to subangular, grey and brown particles, probably quartz or feldspar; common red particles; grog, mica and shell particles. Massive frequent voids, maximum to 5 mm.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Variant 2

Vessel no. 4.Colour: 2.5 YR 6/8 light red.Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: slightly hackly.Inclusions: abundant; well sorted; predominantly angular brown particles, probably quartz; very large, rare red particles; grog, maximum to 0.3 cm; unmixed, yellow clay particles. Voids: massive, rare, maximum 1 cm.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Samian fabric

Vessels nos. 6-9, and possibly 10 (the clay of this vessel contains much more sand than the clays of the remaining vessels. It is admis-sible that this amphora hails from a region adjacent to Samos, such as the coast of Asia Minor).Colour: 2.5 YR 6/6 light red or 2.5 YR 5/6 red, some with core 2.5 YR 6/5 light reddish brown.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth to laminated.Inclusions: well sorted; common silver angular

mica particles, visible in the brake and on the sur-face; rare white, angular particle, probably lime-stone; very rare brown and black angular particles. Voids very rare.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the frac-ture, some vessels have lighter colour than break.

Fabric P. 7

Vessels nos. 11-13.Colour: 2.5 YR 6/6-8 light red, zoned.Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: hackly.Inclusions: common; moderately sorted; dark gray and brown angular particles; white mica; grog. Voids common.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Fabric P. 14

Vessel no. 14.Colour: 2.5 YR 5/8 red wit zone 2.5 YR 6/4 light reddish brown.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth to laminated.Inclusions: moderately frequent, well sorted, silver mica. Voids: rare to very rare.Vessel surface: 2.5 YR 5/8 red.

Fabric P. 18

Vessel no. 15.Colour: 7.5 YR 7/3 pink and 2.5 YR 6/6 light red, zoned.Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: slightly hackly.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; an-gular brown, sandy particles; silver mica; rare dark, angular particles. Voids: rare to very rare.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

teodozja rzeuska

210

Fabric P. 19

Vessel no. 16.Colour: 7.5 YR 6/3 light brown.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth to hackly.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; common white, subangular particles, probably limestone; angular dark gray particles, probably granite; silver mica; rare grog. Voids: very rare.Vessel surface: 7.5 YR 7/4 pink.

Fabric P. 20

Vessels nos. 17-19.Colour: 2.5 YR 6/8 light red.Hardness: hard.Feel: rough.Fracture: smooth to hackly.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; domi-nant white, subangular particles; common silver mica, angular grey and black particles. Voids: very rare.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Fabric P. 21

Vessel no. 20.Colour: 2.5 YR 6/6 light red.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; dom-inant white, angular particles, probably limestone; silver mica; rare grog particles; very rare black angular to subangular particles, probably granite or basalt. Voids: rare.Vessel surface: 5YR 7/4 pink.

Fabric P. 25

Vessel no. 21.Colour: 5 YR 6/4 light reddish brown.Hardness: hard.

Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; com-mon black, subangular particles, probably granite; silver mica; rare white, angular particles. Voids: common.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Fabric P. 32

Vessel no. 22.Colour: 7.5 YR 6/4 light brown with zone 5 YR 6/4 light reddish brown.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: slightly hackly.Inclusions: moderately frequent; dominant white and gray, angular particles; common brown, sub-rounded particles; very rare red, rounded particles. Voids: rare, massive, the maximum is c. 1 cm.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Fabric P. 43

Vessels nos 23-25.Colour: 7.5 YR 6/4 light brown.Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: shackly.Inclusions: abundant; well sorted; white, grey and brown, subrounded, sandy particles; Voids: rare to very rare.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Fabric P. 61

Vessels nos. 26-28.Colour: 5 Y 7/4 pale yellow.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: hackly.


211

Inclusions: abundant, well sorted, dominant white, grey and black, subangular to subrounded sandy particles, probably quartz, frequent red, rounded particles and silver mica, few organic particles in the form of negatives. Voids: frequent.Vessel surface: cream slipped on the outer surface 10 YR 8/2 very pale brown.

Fabric P. 66

Vessel no. 29.Colour: 5 Y 7/3 pale yellow.Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: hackly.Inclusions: abundant; well sorted; predominantly greyish white, angular, sandy particles; rare white, angular particles; very rare red, rounded particles. Voids: rare.Vessel surface: difficult to determine due to damage.

Fabric P. 69

Vessel no. 30.Colour: 10 YR 7/3 very pale yellow to 2.5 Y 8/2 pale yellow.

Hardness: hard.Feel: harsh.Fracture: hackly.Inclusions: abundant; well sorted; predominately grayish white and black, subrounded sandy parti-cles, rare red, rounded particles. Voids: common.Vessel surface: 2.5 Y 8/2 pale yellow.

Fabric P. 72

Vessel no. 31.Colour: 5 YR 6/6 reddish yellow.Hardness: hard.Feel: smooth.Fracture: smooth.Inclusions: moderately frequent; well sorted; predominantely grey and brown, rounded, sandy particles; silver mica; very rare large, angular, grey particles. Voids: rare, small.Vessel surface: comparable to the colour of the fracture.

Discussion

Phoenician Amphorae

Represented by four diagnostic fragments:1. SQ 02-1106, upper part of amphora; rim diam.: 7 cm; preserved height: 10.4 cm; fig. 1.2. SQ 02-1078, upper part of amphora; rim diam.: 9 cm; preserved height: 18.9 cm; fig. 2.3. SQ 02-1130, bottom; preserved height: 11 cm; fig. 3.4. SQ 02-1116, upper part of amphora; rim diam.: 9.2 cm; preserved height: 13.4 cm; fig. 4.

Syro-Palestine or Canaanite amphorae comprise a particularly interesting group of vessels, sometimes described as torpedo due to their characteristic shape. All those found to date in the Upper Necropolis correspond to flat-shoulder type 6 in the classification of Sagona (Sagona 1982, p. 80-82, fig. 2, nos. 1-4). Two variants of Phoenician fabrics were identified in the material, of

teodozja rzeuska

212

which two types of amphorae were made. Vessels nos. 1-2 were made of the first type of clay, and have rounded rims, as well as a gentle incision in the upper portion of the body, at the level of the clamps. The clamps are small and protrude from the area of the handles. Although they are not preserved completely in both vessels, it is possible to determine from the remaining pieces that they were not twisted. This group also includes pointed bottom no. 3. Amphora no. 4 is made from the second variant of Phoenician clay. This type has a rim, slightly tilted to the outside, straight body walls without an incision, and twisted clamps.

The best dated and closest matching analogies come from Tell el-Maskhuta (Paice 1986/1987). The forms of vessels corresponding nos. 1-2 from Saqqara occur in strata dated to c. 400 BC, (Paice 1986/1987, p. 98-99, fig. 2, no. 9) and vessels analogous to nos. 4 are found in strata dated c. 486 BC (Paice 1986/1987, p. 98-99, fig. 2, nos. 7-8; Holladay 1982, p. 131, pl. 27, no. 1, 4). It seems that we are dealing with two chronologically divergent types of torpedo vessels. We have not yet been able to determine whether these vessels stem from the same, or from different areas of Syro-Palestine.

The fact that the fragments of torpedo vessels are almost always found alongside Samian vessels seems interesting. This dependence, however, does not hold true in the other direction.

Torpedo type vessels occur often in Egypt, in Late Period contexts. Territorially, the closest analogies hail from the Late Period cemetery found to the south of the causeway of Unas (French, Ghaly 1991, no. 19) as well as Dahshur (Allen 2000, p. 44, fig. 3/10, no. 93/22). They are par-ticularly numerous at sites along the Delta, at Tell el Herr, during the second half of the Persian period, meaning the end of the Vth to the IVth century BC (Defernez 1997, p. 65, pl. II, nos. 35-36; Defernez 1998, p. 69-73, fig. 57,7 and fig. 59; Gratien 1996, p. 65, nos. 35-36, fig. 5; Gratien 1997, p. 71, pl. I nos. 8-425, 8-207, 8-406). In Mendes (Allen 1982, pl. XIX, no. 2) and Pelusium (Carrez-Maratray, Defernez 1996, p. 44, fig. 4.1), vessels of this type occur in strata of the Persian and pre-Ptolemaic periods, as well as at Tanis in pre-Ptolemaic strata (Chauvet, Marchand 1998, p. 348-9, fig. 25; Brissaud et al. 1987, p. 76, fig. 13, no. 155, dated to the XXXth dynasty). Torpedo vessels are also found in Upper Egypt, e.g. at Karnak (Grataloup 1993, p. 199, fig. 23, no. 50 and 536, fig. 26; Shubert, Hummel 1988, p. 68, fig. 8. 1-2, dated c. Vth century BC) and at Elephantine (Aston 1999, p. 232-234, pl. 72, no. 2044, pl. 73. no. 2046).

The group of Phoenician clays from the Upper Necropolis at Saqqara corresponds to such clays as clay P12 at Elephantine (Aston 1999, p. 8), clay P.7 at Tanis, (Chauvet, Marchand 1998, p. 342), torpedo amphora clay at Tanis (Carrez-Maratray, Defernez 1996, p. 44). Pâte 8 w Karnak (Grataloup 1993, p. 199) as well as Marl 2a from Amarna (French 1986, p. 154-155).

Vessels of this type must have occurred so commonly in Egypt that local pottery workshops must have started copying torpedo amphorae during the Late Period. We have not yet been able to tell when this process began, nor how long it lasted (Grataloup 1993, p. 174, footnote 69, refers to P. Paice, who stated that these vessels were imitated during the Late Period).

Within the bounds of the Upper Necropolis, one fragment of an Egyptian imitation of a Phoeni-cian amphora (cf. infra, no. 5) was uncovered. The vessel is made of Nile silt containing a large amount of organic inclusions, visible on the outer surface. The vessel is reminiscent in shape of the older form of no. 4. It is possible that the vessels started to be imitated in Egypt as early as the first half of the Vth century BC.

5. SQ 98-550, upper part of amphora, Nile silt B2, rim diam.: 8 cm, preserved height: 14.8 cm; fig. 5 and 32.


213

Samian Amphorae

These are represented by two amphorae and three diagnostic fragments:6. SQ 98-563, complete; rim diam.: c. 13.5 cm; maximum body diam.: 42 cm; height: 73 cm;

scraped potter mark reminding the letter “M” on the upper body; fig. 2 and 33.7. SQ 98-564, restored from sherds, missing bottom; rim diam.: 13 cm; maximum body diam.:

41.5 cm; preserved height: 32 cm; fig. 2, photo 3; on the neck, red and black dipinti, fig. 35; stamp on the clamp, fig. 36.

8. SQ 00-833, rim; rim. diam.: 8.6 cm; preserved height: 3.4 cm; fig. 8.9. SQ 98-596, lower part of amphora, missing bottom; maximum preserved body diam.: 13 cm,

preserved height: 25.4 cm; fig. 9.10. SQ 96-317, lower part of amphora, missing bottom; maximum preserved body diam.: 33 cm;

preserved height: 34 cm; fig. 10.

These vessels have a characteristic wide rim of the “mushroom” type, a cylindrical neck, wide arms, a body tapering towards the bottom, as well as a short foot. The vertical clamps, parallel to the neck, have an elliptical cross-section. The identification of this group of fabrics was possible due to a stamp on the clamp of Vessel no. 7. It is heart-shaped, in which the monogram eta-rho is inscribed. V. Grace attributes such stamps to Samian workshops (Grace 1971, p. 82). These stamps occur very rarely. Identical or similar ones have been found exclusively on amphorae attributed to workshops be-longing to Samians, including on Samos (Grace 1971, p. 82, pl. 14, no. 77; Isler 1978, p. 138, pl. 65, nos. 478-479, dated to the late IVth century BC; Jöhrens 1986, p. 503, no. 20, dated to the second quarter of the IVth century BC); at Thasos (Bon, Bon 1957, no. 2194, the stamp is round; Garlan 1986, p. 248, no. 7, fig. 42, dated to the second quarter of the IVth century BC); in Naucratis (Rehard 1996, p. 158, no. 42, the stamp is heart-shaped with a shell underneath the monogram, dated to IVth-IInd centuries B.C; Coulson et all 1986, p. 542, no. 40); at Pergamon (cf.: Schuchhart, Fabricius 1895, p. 497, no. 1309); in Callatis (Buzoianu 1979, p. 93, no. 50, pl. III (no. 6), pl. IV, no. 23; in the drawing, the stamp is round, though in the picture it is heart-shaped), or in the Bosphorus region (Zeest 1960, p. 62) as well as at the Hermitage in St Petersburg (Pridik 1917, pl. XVI, no. 18).

The Samian origin of Amphora 7 can be confirmed not only by the stamp, but also by the clay of which it was made, and its shape (cf. Whitbread 1995, 126-127; Cook, Dupont 1998, p. 164-151). Furthermore, this amphora possesses black-red dipinti on the neck. The state of preservation enables us to state that this is a rectangle drawn in black with difficult to identify the remains of red dip-inti inside it. Similar dipinti have been found on another Samian amphora (Grace 1971, p. 94-95, pl. 15, no. 13. The red dipinti on the neck is elliptical).

The identification of Amphora 7 as a Samian product facilitated the inclusion of the remaining vessels, meaning nos. 6 and 8-10, made of identical clay as products of Samos. Amphorae from Late Saqqara seem to originate from the end of the Late Period, i.e. second or third quarter of the IVth century BC, though a slightly later date is also admissible.

Their closest analogues come from the Delta. At Tell el-Herr, Samian amphorae occur in workshops dated to the second and third quarters of the IVth century (Defernez 1998, p. 70, fig. 62). Identical vessels have been found at Romana, near Pelusium (Oren 1998, p. 80-81, fig. 73 in the middle; such sites are dated to the Persian period), as well as Pelusium itself, where they date to the late Persian period (Carrez-Maratray, Defernez 1996, p. 44, fig. 4.2; the authors admit the possibility that it may be a Corinthian amphora. Judging by the description of the clay, it is very reminiscent of the

teodozja rzeuska

214

clay of Samian amphora no. 7 from Saqqara. The shape of Samian amphorae was imitated through-out the whole of the eastern Mediterranean. It is admissable that the amphora found at Anubieion in Saqqara may have come from Samos, cf.: French 1992a, p. 84, pl. 62, no. 13; like the amphora from Elephantine, cf.: Aston 1999, p. 354, pl. 122, no. 3135. This vessel has a slightly different foot).

The Samian fabric seems to be fabric P. 8 in Saqqara (French, Ghaly 1991, p. 99, nos. 3-4, 6) and in Elephantine (Aston 1999, p. 9).

Amphorae of Fabric P. 7

They are represented by three diagnostic fragments:11. SQ 00-859, rim and neck with handle; rim diam.: 13 cm; preserved height: 20 cm; fig. 11.12. SQ 00-998, rim and neck with partly preserved handle; rim diam.: 14 cm; preserved height:

12.8 cm; fig. 12.13. SQ 00-859, handle; preserved height: 18.5 cm; fig. 13.It was not possible to identify clay P. 7, but it is reminiscent of the Phoenician fabric variant 2.

It is not excluded, therefore, that it is an import from the Syro-Palestine region.

Amphora of Fabric P. 14

It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:14. SQ 00-802, rim; diam.: 16.5 cm; preserved height: 5.8 cm; fig. 14.The clay has not been identified. An identical vessel has been found at Tell el-Herr (Defernez

1997, p. 66, no. 42, fig. 6).


It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:15. SQ 00-803, bottom; preserved height: 8.4 cm; fig. 15.This is very close to the Samian fabric, so it is possible that this vessel may come from the

region of the island, i. e. the west coast of Asia Minor.


It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:16. SQ 00-817, bottom; preserved height: 5.8 cm; fig. 16.The clay is slightly reminiscent of Samian fabric, so it is distinctly possible that it is a product

of the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.


These are represented by three diagnostic fragments:17. SQ00 -828, rim; rim diam.: 11.5 cm; preserved height: 6 cm; fig. 17.18. SQ 00-826, rim and neck; rim diam.: 10 cm; preserved height: 12.2 cm; fig. 18.19. SQ 00-831, neck; diam.: 12 cm; preserved height: 11 cm; fig. 19.


215

The preserved fragments suggest that we are dealing with amphorae of long, cylindrical necks, topped with rolled rims and thus, with amphorae from Lesbos (cf. Whitebread 1995, p. 154-164; Cook, Dupont 1998, 156-163). The closest analogy comes from Tell el-Herr. The clay formed into this vessel, like fabric P.20, contains white and black mineral particles, the fracture is homog-enous orange, and the surface of the vessel is the same colour as the fracture (Defernez 1997, p. 65, fig. 6, no. 38).


It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:20. SQ 00-858, lower part of amphora; maximum preserved body diam.: 19 cm; preserved

height: 15.7 cm; fig. 20.It was not possible to identify the fabric. It is reminiscent of Phoenician fabric, so this vessel

likely comes from the coast of Syro-Palestine.


It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:21. SQ 00-834, shoulder of an amphora; diam.: ?; preserved height: 10 cm; fig. 21.The fabric has not been identified and no hypothesis has been made.


Represented by one diagnostic fragment:22. SQ 00-857, bottom; maximum preserved body diam.: 25 cm; preserved height: 14.6 cm;

fig. 22.The clay is reminiscent of Phoenician fabric, and the vessel may come from the coast of Syro-

Palestine.


They are represented by three diagnostic fragments:23. SQ 02-1096, rim with partly preserved neck and handle; rim diam.: 11 cm; preserved height:

14 cm; fig. 23.24. SQ 01-929, rim with partly preserved neck and handle; rim diam.: 14.8 cm; preserved

height: 7.8 cm; fig. 24.25. SQ 01-928, part of bottom; preserved height: 3.3 cm; fig. 25.The fabric was impossible to identify more closely, and no hypothesis has been formulated.

Amphorae of Fabric P.61

These are represented by three diagnostic fragments:26. SQ 02-1142, shoulder part of amphora; maximum body diam.: 25 cm; preserved height: 17.5 cm;

cream slipped, probably also painted dark brown, partly preserved in the middle of the belly; fig. 26.

teodozja rzeuska

216

27. SQ 02-1055, rim and neck; rim diam.: 9.5 cm; preserved height: 10,2 cm; cream slipped. It is difficult to state whether it was painted, since the whole surface was covered by a layer of crystallised salt.; fig. 27.

28. SQ 02-1063, handle, preserved height: 8.5 cm; the surface is extensively damaged; fig. 28.The fragments belong to amphorae possessing long, cylindrical necks topped with a rolled

rim, gently curved arms and vertical clamps with elliptical cross-sections. The characteristic trait of these amphorae is a thick white-yellow slip. On fragment no. 26, signs of painted deco-rations have been preserved, in the shape of a horizontal, dark brown band or bands. Both these characteristics, the slip and painted decoration, suggest that we are dealing with Chian amphorae (Cook, Dupont 1998, 146-151) or, more likely, their local imitation (Allen 1982, p. 21, and recently Möller 2000, p. 136-140) The second option is supported by the fact that in fabric P. 61, organic inclusions were identified, which are lacking in the Chian fabric (cf. Whitbread 1995, p. 139-142). Chian amphorae are dated to the middle VIth century BC in Egypt (Aston 1999, p. 212). In the case of the vessels from Saqqraa, which are most likely local imitations, a later date is probable.

The closest analogies are found at Tell el-Herr (Gratien, Soulié 1988, p. 51-4, fig. 17 c-e), Tell el-Maskhuta (Holladay 1982, pl. 26, 1-2, 5-6), Qedua (Hamza 1997, p. 85, fig. 14), as well as Elephantine (Aston 1999, p. 212, pl. 65, nos. 1911-1913. P. 61 is reminiscent of clay “P. 21” from Elephantine; cf. Aston 1999, p. 9).



height: 12 cm; fig. 29.It was impossible to closely identify the fabric, and no analogies are known.


It is represented by one diagnostic fragment:30. SQ 02-1105, lower part of amphora; maximum body diam.: 31.5 cm; preserved height:

35 cm; fig. 30.Fabric P. 69 is reminiscent of P. 61 with the difference that it totally lacks organic inclusions,

and the vessel is not slipped. The fabric was not identified and no analogies are known.

Amphora of Fabric P.72


height: 20.5 cm; fig. 31.Fabric P. 72 is reminiscent of the Samian one, so it is admissible that the vessel comes from

Samos or the island’s region.


217

Summarising the above very preliminary deliberations, it is possible to state that at the Upper Necropolis in Saqqara, we are dealing with amphorae mainly imported from the region of the east-ern Mediterranean, the Greek islands: Samos, Chios and Lesbos, the western coast of Asia Minor, as well as the Syro-Palestinian coast (an analogous situation, where Syro-Palestinian amphorae are found alongside Greek ones has been observed at other sites from this period, i. e. Tell el-Herr, cf. Gratien 1997, p. 71, pl. I-III)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen 1982: S. J. Allen, “The Pottery”, in K. L. Wilson

(ed.), Cities of the Delta II, Mendes, ARCER 5,

Undena, p. 13-23.

Allen 2000: S. Allen, “Dahshur 1990-1995”, BCE 21,

p. 43-49.

Aston 1999: D. A. Aston, Elephantine XIX. Pottery from

the Late New Kingdom to the Early Ptolemaic Period,

ArchVer 95, Mainz.

Bon, Bon 1957: A. Bon, A.-M. Bon, “Les timbres

amphoriques de Thasos”, EtudThas IV, Paris.

Bourriau, Aston 1985: J. Bourriau, D. A. Aston, “The

Pottery”, in: G. Th. Martin et al., The Tomb-Chapels

of Paser and Ra’ia at Saqqara, ExcMem 52, London,

p. 32-55.

Brissaud et al. 1987: Ph. Brissaud, V. Carpano,

L. Cotelle, S. Marchand, L. Nouaille, C. Veillard,

“Répertoire préliminaire de la poterie trouvée

à Sân el-Hagar (2e partie)”, CahTan I,

p. 75-99.

Buzoianu 1979: L. Buzoianu, “Noi ‚tampile pe amfore

descoperite la Callatis”, Pontica 12, 78-98.

Carrez-Maratray, Defernez 1996: J.-Y. Carrez-

Maratray, C. Defernez, “Premières données sur

l’occupation ancienne du site de Péluse (la stratigraphie

de Farama Ouest)”, CRIPEL 18, p. 33-49.

Chauvet, Marchand 1998: V. Chauvet, S. Marchand,

“La céramique préptolémaïque des fosses de l’avant-cour

du temple d’Amon de Tanis”, in Ph. Brissaud, Chr. Zivie-

Coche (eds.), Travaux récents sur la Tell Sân el-Hagar.

Mission française des fouilles de Tanis 1987-1997, Paris,

p. 335-350.

Cook, Dupont 1998: R. M. Cook, P. Dupont, East Greek

Pottery, London and New York.

Coulson et al. 1986: W. D. E. Coulson, N. C. Wilkie,

J. W. Rehard, “Amphoras from Naucratis and Environs”,

in J.-Y. Empereur, Y. Garlan (éd.), Recherches sur les

amphores grecques : actes du colloque international

organisé par le Cnrs, l’université de Rennes II et l’École

français d’Athènes (Athènes, 10-12 septembre 1984),

BCH-Suppl. 13, Paris, 1986, p. 535-550.

Defernez 1997: C. Defernez, “La céramique

préptolémaïque de Tell el-Herr. Présentation

préliminaire”, CCE 5, p. 35-37.

Defernez 1998: C. Defernez, “Le Sinaï et l’Empire

perse”, in D. Valbelle, Ch. Bonnet (eds.),

Le Sinaï durant l’Antiquité et le Moyen Âge, Paris,

p. 67-74.

French 1986: P. French, “Late Dynastic Pottery from the

Vicinity of the South Tombs”, in B. J. Kemp, Amarna

Reports III, London.

French 1988: P. French, Late Dynastic Pottery from the

Berlin/Hannover Excavation at Saqqara, MDAIK 44,

p. 79-89.

French 1992a: P. G. French, “The Pottery”, in L. Giddy,

The Anubieion at Saqqara II, The Cemeteries, London,

p. 79-85.

teodozja rzeuska

218

French 1992b: P. French, “A Preliminary Study of Pottery

in Lower Egypt in the Late Dynastic and Ptolemaic

Period”, CCE 3, p. 88-92.

French, Ghaly 1991: P. French, H. Ghaly, “Pottery

Chiefly of the Late Dynastic Period, from Excavations

by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation at Saqqara”,

1987, CCE 2, p. 93-124.

Garlan 1986: Y. Garlan, “Quelques nouveaux ateliers

amphoriques à Thasos”, in J.-Y. Empereur, Y. Garlan

(eds.), Recherches sur les amphores grecques : actes

du colloque international organisé par le Cnrs,

l’université de Rennes II et l’École français d’Athènes

(Athènes, 10-12 septembre 1984), BCH-Suppl. 13, Paris,

p. 201-276.

Grace 1971: V. R. Grace, “Samian Amphoras”, Hesperia

XL/1, p. 52-95.

Grataloup 1993: “Étude du materiel”, in P. Béout,

M. Gabolde, C. Grataloup, O. Jaubert, “Fouilles

dans le secteur nord-ouest du temple d’Amon-Rê.

Sondage contre le massif 16 de l’enceinte de

Nectanébo, carré VI.R. Fouille d’une structure de

briques rubéfiées, carré VI.Q/R”, CahKarn IX, Paris,

p. 169-175.

Gratien 1996: B. Gratien, “Tell el-Herr. Étude

stratigraphique de la céramique”, CRIPEL 18, p. 51-105.

Gratien 1997: B. Gratien, “Tell el-Herr. Sondage

stratigraphique”, CCE 5, p. 71-73.

Gratien, Soulié 1988: B. Gratien, D. Soulié,

“La céramique de Tell el-Herr, campagnes 1986 et 1987.

Étude préliminaire”, CRIPEL 10, p. 23-54.

Hamza 1997: O. Hamza, “Qedua”, CCE 5, p. 81-85.

Holladay 1982: J. S. Jr. Holladay, Cities of the Delta III:

Tell el-Maskhuta, ARCER 6, Malibu.

Isler 1978: P. Isler, Samos IV. Das archaische Nordtor und

seine Umgebung in Heraion von Samos, Bonn.

Jöhrens 1986: G. Jöhrens, “Zur Herkunft der

Amphorastempel aus dem Heraion von Samos”, in

J.-Y. Empereur, Y. Garlan (eds), Recherches sur les

amphores grecques : actes du colloque international

organisé par le Cnrs, l’université de Rennes II et

l’École français d’Athènes (Athènes, 10-12 septembre

1984), BCH-Suppl. 13, Paris, p. 497-503.

Lecuyot 2000: G. Lecuyot, “La céramique du mastaba

d’Akhethetep à Saqqara. Observations preliminaires”,

CCE 6, p. 225-250.

Marchand 1996: S. Marchand, “La céramique du

ive siècle av. J.-C. découverte à Tebtynis”, CCE 4,

p. 171-188.

Möller 2000: A. Möller, Naukratis. Trade in Archaic

Grece, Oxford.

Mys liwiec 1997: K. Mys liwiec, “Saqqara. Excavations

1996”, PAM VIII, p. 103-109.

Mys liwiec 1998: Mys liwiec, “Saqqara. Excavations 1997”,

PAM IX, p. 90-99.

Mys liwiec 1999: K. Mys liwiec, “West Saqqara.

Excavations, 1998”, PAM X, p. 81-90.

Mys liwiec 2000: K. Mys liwiec, “West Saqqara.

Excavations, 1999”, PAM XI, p. 89-99.

Mys liwiec 2001: K. Mys liwiec, “Saqqara. Excavations,

2000”, PAM XII, p. 107-119.

Mys liwiec 2002a: K. Mys liwiec, “Saqqara. Excavations,

2001”, PAM XIII, p. 127-142.

Mys liwiec 2002b: K. Mys liwiec, “The Ptolemaic Period

Cemetery in West Saqqara”, in T. A. Bács (ed.),

A Tribute to Excellence. Studies Offered in Honour of

Ernõ Gaál, Urlich Luft, László Török, StudAeg XVII,

Budapest, p. 349-359.

Oren 1998: E. Oren, “Le Nord-Sinaï à l’époque perse.

Perspectives archéologiques”, in D. Valbelle, Ch. Bonnet

(eds.), Le Sinaï durant l’antiquité et le Moyen Âge, Paris,

p. 75-82.

Paice 1986/87: P. Paice, “A Preliminary Analysis of Some

Elements of the Saite and Persian Period Pottery at Tell

el-Maskhuta”, BES 8, p. 95-107.

Pridik 1917: E. M. Pridik, Inventarnij katalog klejm

na amfornich ru÷kach i gorliskoch i na ÷erepitach

Ermitažnogo sobrania, Petrograd.

Rehard 1996: J. W. Rehard, “The Stamped Amphora

Handles”, in W. D. E. Coulson, Ancient Naucratis.

Vol. II, The Survey at Naukratis and Environs. Part I,

The Survey at Naukratis, p 147-161.

Rzeuska 2001: T. Rzeuska, “The Pottery. West Saqqara

2001”, PAM XII, p. 138-147.


219

Sagona 1982: A. G. Sagona, “Levantine Storage Jars

of the 13th to 4th Century BC”, OpAth XIV:7,

p. 74-110.

Schuchhart, Fabricius 1895: C. Schuchhart,

E. Fabricius, Die Inschriften von Pergamon, Altertümer

von Pergamon VIII:2, Berlin 1895.

Sparkes, Talcott 1970: B. A. Sparkes, L. Talcott, Black

and Plain Pottery of the 6th, 5th and 4th Centuries BC,

The Athenian Agora XII, Princeton.

Shubert, Hummel 1988: S. B. Shubert, R. Hummel,

“Preliminary Ceramic Analysis: Mendes L Trench”,

in D. B. Redford, “Three Seasons in Egypt: The First

Season of Excavations at Mendes (1991)”, JSSEA XVIII,

p. 67-70.

Whitbread 1995: I. K. Whitbread, Greek Transport

Amphorae: A Petrological and Archaeological Study,

with Special Reference to Corinthian Amphora

Production, Fitch Laboratory Occasional Paper 4,

[Londres], 1995.

Zeest 1960: I. B. Zeest, Kerami÷eskije tara Bospora,

Moskva.

220

0 10 cm

1

2

3

45

Fig. 1-5.

221

6

Fig. 6-10.

0 10 cm7

0 10 cm

8

9 10

teodozja rzeuska

222

0 10 cm

11

Fig. 11-15.

12

13

14

15


223

0 10 cm

Fig. 16-21.

16 17

18 19

20

21

teodozja rzeuska

224

Fig. 22-26.

22 23

24

2625

0 10 cm


225

Fig. 27-31.

27 28

30

29

31

0 10 cm

teodozja rzeuska

226

Fig. 33.

Fig. 36.

Fig. 32.

Fig. 35.

Fig. 34.

Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis at West Saqqara: 1996-2003. Preliminary Report

Documents

Transcript of Amphorae from the Upper Necropolis at West Saqqara: 1996-2003. Preliminary Report