Aswan Byzantine-early Islamic Common ware
Egypt/Upper Egypt
5th century - 8th century CE
Byzantine, Early Islamic - Umayyad/Abbasid/Tulunid
General Information
This group includes vessels, that clearly differ from the tableware based on their inferior quality or function – when clearly identifiable – and based on their traces of use or the fabric cannot be identified as cooking ware. The common ware was mainly used for the preparation and storage of food. Its daily use at the table cannot be excluded since this ware also includes vessel shapes that are similar to tableware but cannot be linked with it because of its remarkably poorer quality.
This group includes all open and closed shapes, however, the cups/bowls are by far the most common.
The vessels usually are unslipped or only have a very poor plain slip and have thicker walls that are coarsely made. Occasionally, the vessels exhibit a red or seldom also a white slip. Some vessels are painted or decorated a horizontal groove on the exterior of the wall.
