An experimental approach to assessing the tempering and firing of local pottery production in Nubia during the New Kingdom period

Budka, Julia und D'Ercole, Giulia (8. Juli 2022): An experimental approach to assessing the tempering and firing of local pottery production in Nubia during the New Kingdom period. In: EXARC Journal, Bd. 22, Nr. 2

Abstract

Recently, the development of an independent strand of study, known as the ‘archaeology of dung,’ has resulted in numerous cross-geographical publications confirming the use of animal dung in archaeological deposits as the main fuel source and several other purposes. Most of these studies focus on the analysis of the microscopic evidence attributable to dung, combining multi-proxy approaches to investigate the biological components and potential markers of herbivore dung, as well identifying archaeobotanical indications from dung pellets and related sediments. Less numerous are studies concerning the identification of dung as a tempering agent in ceramic material. In this paper, we aim to replicate, observe, and discuss the recipe utilised by the ancient potters of Sai Island (northern Sudan) in the New Kingdom period (Late Bronze Age, c. 1500-1070 BCE) using an experimental approach. We aim to discuss the possible adoption of organic inclusions, and especially animal dung, as tempering agents to produce some of the locally made Nubian and Egyptian style ceramics.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• EU Funded Grant Agreement Number: 865463
• EU-Projekte: Horizon 2020 > ERC Grants > ERC Consolidator Grant > ERC Grant 865463: DiverseNile - Cultural diversity in the Middle Nile Valley. Reconstructing biographies in the periphery of urban centres in northern Sudan during the Bronze Age ; Horizon 2020
• Publikationsform: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: Ancient Nubia; New Kingdom; Bronze Age; ceramics; pottery technology; tempering; dung; firing temperature
• Fakultät: Kulturwissenschaften > Department für Kulturwissenschaften und Altertumskunde > Ägyptologie
• Themengebiete: 900 Geschichte und Geografie > 930 Geschichte des Altertums (bis ca. 499), Archäologie
• ISSN: 2212-8956
• Sprache: Englisch