Redazione Archaeogate, 30-12-2008
Pag. 10 di 16 
Foreign ceramics - A. Manzo
Twenty-one foreign sherds were collected in the 2007-08 field season. The foreign sherds were collected in almost all the excavations units which were investigated. Their description and classification follow:
WG 49, General Surface
A Brown ware rim sherd of a closed hand-made bowl with thickened flat rim. Incised oblique lines on the top of the rim, rim band consisting of notches. Horizontal incised lines on the body. Although its shape is quite atypical, the decoration of this sherd is similar to one of bowls from Middle Nubian settlement sites (Gratien 1985, Figures 12, 151, 182; Säve-Söderbergh 1989, pp. 261-262; Pl. 163, 6) and cemeteries (Bietak 1968, Taf. 16, type P 13; Säve-Söderbergh 1989, pp. 200-205, Pl. 37, 8, 176/76:0 from site 176, and from site 18 C) associated with Egyptian material dating from the Middle Kingdom to the first half of the 18th Dynasty).
Southern Terrace Slope, General Surface
A Brown ware body sherd of a hand-made vessel. Irregular crossing lines on the external surface. This sherd may be ascribed to Middle Nubian types dating to late Middle Kingdom-Early New Kingdom times (e.g., Gratien 1985, Figure 11, 314, 315)
WG 55; WG 47, E2, SU1 bottom; WG 45, A2, SU2; WG 46, E4, SU1/2; WG 49
Greyish brown body sherds and a rim sherd of hand-made bowls decorated with parallel incisions on the external surface. Wiping on the internal surface. This Middle Nubian type was recorded in Nubian cemeteries as well as in domestic assemblages in Egypt dating from the late Middle Kingdom to the early New Kingdom (Bourriau 1991, p. 131, Fig. 1, 2; Giuliani 2001, pp. 41-43, Figure 11, a-e, i, Figure 12, a-b, e). In Lower Nubia these vessels occur in Pangrave cemeteries (Bietak 1966, Taf. 25-26 Grab B/1 # 76001, 76002, and 76003/a, Taf. 27, Grab B/3, 76020, 76015/b, Taf, 30 Grab B/10, 76046/b, Taf. 31, Grab B/12, 76052/a; type P 8/9 of Bietak 1968, Taf. 16; Säve-Söderbergh 1989, pp. 166-174, 218-219, Plate 20, type PI c2, 47/A, and type PI b4 47/1:1, 47/121:1, 47/51:1 and 193/3:1) dating to the Second Intermediate Period-early New Kingdom.
WG 49, E5, SU2
A flat rim fragment of a large greyish-brown ware bowl with a pattern consisting of incised oblique lines delimiting a rectangular sector on the external surface. Similar to Middle Nubian types dating to the late Middle Kingdom-early New Kingdom (e.g., Gratien 1985, Figure 14, 234).
WG 55, D3, SU2
A rim sherd of a grey ware bowl with incised parallel lines forming geometric sectors filled by other incised lines alternated with undecorated sectors on the external surface. Possible remains of red paste in the incisions. This type of vessel was discovered in Pan-grave funerary assemblages (Bietak 1968, Taf. 16, type P 10; Säve-Söderbergh 1989, Plate 20, type PI b2 47/B and 47/1:2) and C-Group domestic assemblages (Gratien 1985, p. 51, type NT 7, Figure 11, 314) dating to the Second Intermediate Period and early New Kingdom.
WG 55, SU8
A body sherd of a black-topped bowl or beaker, with red and black burnished external surface, black internal surface. Black-topped pottery is a widespread feature of Middle Nubian cultures (e.g., Bietak 1966; Bourriau 1991).
WG 33, SU3
Fragments of rims and bases of at least 5 medium-sized bottles with lightly everted grooved rim and flat base. In one case the rim is thickened and triangular in section. Reddish-brown mineral tempered paste, wheel-made. Undetermined provenance, possibly Canaanite (Manfred Bietak personal communication to K. A. Bard) (Figure 27).
WG 51, SU 3; WG 32, A5, SU30; WG 32, B4-5, SU25
Fragments of neck and rim of bag-shaped elongated brown ware hand-made bottles or jars. Similar to Eritrean Ona bottles or jars (see Tringali 1965, Plate 76, 4; Plate 77, 1) (Figure 28).
WG 56, SU8
Fragmentary shoulder of a mineral tempered brown ware hand-made jar with burnished surfaces. Molded decoration consisting of two vertical parallel ledges. Similar to jars with everted rim and a molded decoration above the shoulder from the site of Ma'layba, in the Gulf of Aden region, dating to phase 1 of the Sabir culture (ca. 2000-1500 BC) (Vogt and Buffa 2005, p. 439, Figure 2, 8).
General remarks
The 2007-08 collection consists of Middle Nubian types and foreign sherds from the southern Red Sea region.
As already remarked for previous finds (see Bard and Fattovich 2007: 133-134), all the Nubian sherds can be ascribed to domestic cooking wares except for the black-topped sherd from WG 55, which can be ascribed to a serving vessel.
Nubian sherds were collected in all the sectors of the site investigated this year: at the base of the southern slope of the terrace, on the beach of the "harbour area," and in the area close to the entrances of the caves.
The possible Canaanite sherds from WG 33, if confirmed and after a careful typological/functional study, may give further and unexpected insights into the organization of the seafaring expeditions.
The imports from regions in the southern Red Sea confirm that the Yemeni coast and possibly Eritrea were involved in the Egyptian-Punt trade network. The sherds from the Yemeni coast and Eritrea are also important for their chronological significance. Because of their association with (late) Middle Kingdom Egyptian materials the first link can be established between the chronology of the protohistoric cultures of the southern Red Sea regions and the Egyptian dynastic chronology.
Noteworthy, all the sherds of vessels imported from regions in the southern Red Sea which were collected this field season can be ascribed to closed bottles/jars, suggesting that they were used as containers. Thus, these sherds represent the first clear evidence of goods in pots imported to Egypt from the southern Red Sea, although a use for water storage is also possible for the large ones. As in past field seasons, the imports from the southern Red Sea region were discovered almost exclusively on the terrace near the entrances to the caves (see Bard and Fattovich 2007: Figure 55).
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