Ptolemaic-Roman Red Slipped Nile Silt Common ware
Egypt/Upper Egypt
2nd century BCE - 3rd century CE
Hellenistic/Ptolemaic, Roman
General Information
This ware includes all vessels that were primarily used as storage vessels. Since the function of the individual vessels cannot always be precisely determined they are simply assigned to the use in everyday life. This ware is almost entirely classified on the basis of its appearance. In contrast to the tableware this group only includes vessels that were primarily used as storage vessels. The repertoire of shapes also includes all open and closed shapes, but it is striking that in comparison to the plain common ware there are more bowls. This group is found in all periods, but appears most frequently in the Ptolemaic find assemblages in Syene.
This ware is characterized by a red or orange-red slip that in most cases clearly differs from the color of the fabric. The slip usually has a dull to glossy dull finish and was applied in a very thick coat. Similar to the Ptolemaic-Roman Red-Slipped Nile Silt ware, the slip of this ware can sometimes also have a slightly pink appearance. Some vessels of this group are painted or decorated with the so-called cord decoration. The painting was applied with a brush before the vessel was fired. In most cases the painting is dark and monochrome. However, there are also a few pieces with polychrome decoration. In addition to
vegetal and figural motifs simple bands are the most common, but this is mostly due to the fragmentary state of preservation.
Aswan, Syene (Egypt/Upper Egypt)
B'ir Samut (Egypt/Eastern desert/Red Sea Coast)
‘Abbad, Abu Gehâd (Egypt/Eastern desert/Red Sea Coast)
