Ancient Egypt, Predynastic period, late Naqada I to early Naqada II, ca. 3600 to 3300 BCE. A superb coil-formed Nile silt pottery vessel with a highly-burnished, russet-hued surface made with a thin iron-oxide slip. The vase has an ovoid body which rests gently upon a narrow yet stable foot, with a deep interior cavity and a rolled rim. The upper black-hued portion is comprised of thick carbon deposits formed by administering the top to 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: 4.2" Diameter x 5.3" H (10.7 cm x 13.5 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.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#172732
Condition
Some areas of small chips and nicks to surfaces. Expected abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressively preserved pigments and form.