General Information

Egyptian Red Slip A (ERS A) is a ware made of pink clay native to a production center in Aswan, a fact confirmed by the excavations done by Hayes (1972 and 1980) and Adams (1986) at Elephantine. At Coptos, this ware first appears in the 1st century CE, in one of the earliest Roman ceramic assemblages, and is used exclusively for the manufacture of tablewares, large and small shallow dishes and bowls.

Egyptian Red Slip A (ERS A) is made of a rather gritty textured, hard, bright pink marl fabric. Vessels are well-made, with attention to wall and rim details such as narrow grooves and ridges. A polished orange-pink slip covers the interior, and frequently the exterior; this is further enlivened by white and black painted swags, lines, and festoons, cursorily applied.

Coptos (Egypt/Upper Egypt)