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Ancient E gyptian Pottery from the Subsurface Floodplain of the S aqqara– M emphis Area: Its Mineralogical and Geochemical Implications*
Author(s) -
Hamdan M. A.,
Martinez S. M.,
Garcia Vallès M. T.,
Nogués J. M.,
Hassan F. A.,
Flower R. J.,
Aly M. H.,
Senussi A.,
Ebrahim E. S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/arcm.12075
Subject(s) - marl , pottery , silt , geology , floodplain , radiocarbon dating , archaeology , mineralogy , geochemistry , structural basin , geomorphology , geography , paleontology , cartography
Potsherds recovered from the S aqqara– M emphis floodplain in E gypt, dated according to their typology and radiocarbon dating of the included sediments, are analysed geochemically and mineralogically to identify source materials and fabrication characteristics. Pottery layers were identified and potsherds were recovered from several settlement levels. Sherd typology was used to identify sherds from four periods (the O ld and N ew K ingdoms, and from the L ate P eriod to the P tolemaic). The P haraonic pieces were found at depths of between 8 and 12 m and the later material was between 6 and 3 m. Chemical analyses of the potsherds revealed three main source materials: local N ile silt, marl clay and mixed N ile silt–marl. Two marl clay types were recognized: marl clay from U pper C retaceous marine sediment and another one from L ate P liocene deltaic sediments. The mineralogical composition of the pottery samples shows that the estimated firing temperature was about 850–900° C . No consistent differences in sherd mineralogy and geochemistry were found according to pottery types, so that the ancient E gyptian potters used essentially the same materials throughout the P haraonic period. However, this initial study has revealed the existence of extensive pottery‐rich occupation sites buried within the N ile floodplain deposits between M emphis and S aqqara.