Ancient Egypt, Predynastic period, late Naqada I to early Naqada II, ca. 3600 to 3300 BCE. A beautiful Nile silt pottery jar of tall, ovoid form that was constructed with a coil-and-scrape technique and decorated with layers of iron-oxide slip. The upper black-hued portion is comprised of thick carbon deposits formed by thick clouds of smoke for extended periods of time in an oxygen-deprived environment. Black-top vessels originally rose to popularity during the early Naqada I, a culture which inhabited ancient Egypt during its pre-dynastic period. The Naqada were first described by famed archaeologist William Flinders Petrie; however, relatively little is known about them except that they were focused around the site of El-Amra in central Egypt, west of the Nile River. Size: 7" Diameter x 9.7" H (17.8 cm x 24.6 cm)
Pre-Dynastic Egyptian black-top vessels were traditionally made from silt deposits taken from the Nile River due to their abundance in iron and silica. After the pot had dried but before it was fired, it would first be burnished and rubbed smooth with a small stone to create the pinstripe vertical striations still visible today. An iron-rich slip would then be applied just before firing; when placed in an oxygen-rich environment, the elevated temperatures would create the vessels' signature red-orange hue.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession numbers 36.1.4 and 99.4.75
Provenance: private South Sutton, New Hampshire, USA collection, acquired as gifts in the 1950s and early 1960s
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#186994
Condition
One petite area of infill restoration along upper body where perforation had occurred. Minor abrasions and fading to pigment, otherwise in excellent condition. Great size, shape, and remaining coloration.