Local cooking wares from the western Nile Delta, Egypt (1st– 3rd century AD)
Abstract
Research conducted since the late 1990s in the western part of the Nile Delta, particularly in the city of Alexandria and its chôra, by the Centre d’Études Alexandrines (CEAlex, CNRS) and the Mission Française des Fouilles de Taposiris Magna-Plinthine (IFAO, University of Paris-Nanterre, HiSoMA, CNRS) as well as on the site of Buto/Tell el-Fara’in, located further south on the eastern side of Rosetta branch of the Nile, by the Mission Française de Bouto (IFAO, University of Paris-Nanterre) since 2001, has produced a remarkable amount of ceramic material from both consumption and production contexts. Based on pottery assemblages found on different, recently excavated sites, this paper aims to present local cooking wares produced during Early Roman times (1st-3rd century AD) on the western side of the Delta. This presentation will lay particular stress on the typology of these Egyptian productions – such as cooking pots and cooking pans – and their relationships with imported types, in order to investigate the influence of these importations on local production and to consider the economic vitality of the Western Delta area.
References
Abadie-Reynal, C. 2007. La céramique romaine d’Argos (fin du IIe siècle avant J.-C. – fin du IVe siècle apr. J.-C.) (Etudes Péloponnésiennes XIII). Athens/Paris, De Boccard.
Abadie-Reynal, C. and Sodini, J.-P. 1992. La céramique paléochrétienne de Thasos (Etudes Thasiennes XIII). Athens/Paris, De Boccard.
Bailey, D. M. 1993. Hellenistic and Roman pottery. In G. B. Waywell and J. J. Wilkes, Excavations at Sparta. The Roman Stoa, 1988-1991. Preliminary report, part 1 (Annual of the British School of Athens 88): 221-249. London, British school at Athens.
Ballet, P. 2017. Alexandrie, cinema Majestic. Etude céramologique du remblai 117/119. La céramique égyptienne. In J.-Y. Empereur (ed.) Alexandrie, Césaréum. Les fouilles du cinéma Majestic (Études Alexandrines 38): 33-120. Alexandria, Centre d’Études Alexandrines.
Ballet, P., Lecuyot, G., Marouard, G., Pithon, M. and Redon, B. 2011. Et la Bouto tardive?. Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 111, 83-87. Cairo, IFAO.
Ballet, P. and Harlaut, C. 2001. Introduction à la céramique de Gabbari. In J.-Y Empereur and M.-D. Nenna (eds.), Nécropolis 1 (Études Alexandrines 5): 295-369. Cairo, IFAO.
Ballet, P. and Poludnikiewicz, A. 2012. Tebtynis V. La céramique des époques hellénistiques et impériales. Campagnes 1988-1993. Production, consommation et réception dans le Fayoum méridional (Fouilles franco-italiennes; Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire 68). Cairo, IFAO.
Bats, M. 1988. Vaisselle et alimentation à Olbia de Provence (v.350-v.50 av. J.-C.), modèles culturels et catégories céramiques (Revue Archéologique de Narbonnaise, suppl. 18). Paris, CNRS.
Boussac, M.-F. 2009. Taposiris Magna: la création du port artificiel. In F. Dumasy, F. Queyrel, Archéologie et environnement dans la Méditerranée antique (École Pratique des Haute Etudes III, Hautes Etudes du monde gréco-romain 42): 123-142. Genève, Librairie Droz.
Boussac, M.-F. and El-Amouri, M. 2010. The lake structures at Taposiris. In L. Blue and E. Khalil (eds.), Lake Mareotis Conference: reconstructing the past (Universities of Southampton and Alexandria, 5th-6th April 2008) (BAR International Series 2113): 87-105. Oxford, Archaeopress.
Carandini, A. and Panella, C. 1973. Ostia III. Le Terme del Nuotatore. Scavo degli ambienti III, VI, VII. Scavo dell’ambiente V e di un saggio nell’area SO (Studi Miscellanei 21). Roma, De Luca.
Coulson, W. D. E. 1996. Ancient Naukratis. Volume II. The Survey at Naukratis and Environs. Part I. The Survey at Naukratis (Oxbow Monograph 60). Oxford, Oxbow.
Doksanaltı, E. M. 2010. The Coarse Ware from a ‘Late Roman House in Knidos’. In S. Menchelli, S. Santoro, M. Pasquinucci, G. Guiducci (eds.), LRCW3. Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean, Archaeology and Archaeometry, Comparison between western and eastern Mediterranean (BAR International Series 2185.II): 769-780. Oxford, Archaeopress.
Elaigne, S. 1998. Alexandrie, étude préliminaire d’un contexte céramique du Haut-Empire. In Alexandrina I (Études Alexandrines 6): 75-114. Le Caire, Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
Empereur, J.-Y. 1995. Alexandrie (Egypte). Études. Chroniques et rapports. Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 119/2, 743-760.
Empereur, J.-Y. 1996. Alexandrie (Egypte). Études.Chroniques et rapports. Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 120/2, 959-970.
Gempeler, R. D. 1992. Elephantine. X, Die Keramik römischer bis früharabischer Zeit (Archäologische Veröffentlichungen 43). Mainz am Rhein, P. von Zabern.
Goudineau, Chr. 1970. Note sur la céramique à engobe interne rouge pompéien. Mélanges de l’École Française de Rome 82, 159-186.
Guimier-Sorbets, A.-M. 1998. Le pavement du triclinium à la Méduse dans une maison d’époque impériale à Alexandrie (Terrain du théâtre Diana). In Alexandrina I (Études Alexandrines 6): 115-139. Le Caire, Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
Harlaut, C. 2002. Productions céramiques égyptiennes d’Alexandrie à l’époque ptolémaïque. Evolution des formes et des fabriques: traditions locales et innovations. In F. Blondé and J.-Fr. Salles (eds.), Céramiques hellénistiques et romaines. Productions et diffusion en Méditerranée orientale (Chypre, Égypte et côte syro-palestinienne) (Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient 35): 263-28. Lyon, Paris.
Harlaut, C. and Hayes, J. W. 2018. Pottery in Hellenistic Alexandria (Études Alexandrines 45). Alexandria, Centre d‘études alexandrines.
Hayes, J. W. 1983. The Villa Dionysos Excavations, Knossos: The Pottery. Annual of the British School of Athens 78, 97-169.
Hayes, J. W. 2000. From Rome to Beirut and beyond: Asia Minor and eastern Mediterranean trade connections. In Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautorum Acta 36, 285-297. Abingdon, Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautores.
Hayes, J. W. 2003. Hellenistic and Roman Pottery Deposits from the Saranda Kolones Castle site at Paphos. The Annual British School at Athens 98, 447-557.
Hayes, J. W. and Harlaut, C. 2002. Ptolemaic and Roman Pottery Deposits from Alexandria avec une annexe de C. Georges. In J.-Y. Empereur (ed.), Alexandrina 2 (Études Alexandrines 6): 99-133. Le Caire, Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
Holladay, J. S. Jr. 1982. Cities of the Delta, III. Tell el-Maskhuta. Preliminary Report on the Wadi Tumilat Project 1978-1979 (American Research Center in Egypt Reports 5). Malibu, Undena Publications.
Lamarche, A. 2003. La céramique. Secteur 2 de la fouille du pont de Gabbari. In J.-Y. Empereur, M.-D. Nenna (eds.), Nécropolis 2 (Études Alexandrines 7): 111-190. Alexandria, Centre d’Études Alexandrines.
Lecuyot, G. 2018. Une production de vaisselle commune dans le Delta occidental aux environs du IIIe siècle apr. J.-C. Marmites et autres récipients de Tell el Fara’in/Bouto. In D. Dixneuf (ed.), LRCW5. Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean, Archaeology and Archaeometry (Études Alexandrines 43): 899-906. Alexandria, Centre d’Études Alexandrines.
Majchereck, G. 2008. Alexandria: Kom el-Dikka excavations and preservation work. Preliminary report 2007/2008. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean XX, 35-42.
Peignard-Giros, A. 2007. Hellénisation et romanisation en Méditerranée orientale à époque hellénistique: l’exemple de la céramique, Pallas 73, 203-219.
Peppers, J. M. 1979. Selected Roman Pottery, Isthmia Excavation 1967-1972. Ann Arbor, Kelsey.
Rifa Abou El-Nil, P. 2009. Chantier du Diana: circulation de l’eau dans un quartier de l’antiquité tardive. In I. Hairy (ed.), Du Nil à Alexandrie : histoires d’eaux (exposition au Laténium du 23 octobre 2009 au 30 mai 2010), 374-387. Alexandrie, Harpocrates.
Robinson, H. S. 1959. Pottery of the Roman Period: Chronology (The Athenian Agora V). Princeton, New Jersey, American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
Rotroff, S. I. 2006. Hellenistic pottery: the plain wares (The Athenian Agora XXXIII). Princeton, New Jersey, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
Sackett, L. H., Branigan, K., Callaghan, P. J., Catling, H. W., Catling, E. A., Coldstream, J. N., Higgins, R. A., Popham, M. R., Price, J., Price, M. J.and Waywell, G. B. 1992. Knossos: From Greek City to Roman Colony. Excavations at Unexplored Mansion II (The British School at Athens. Supplementary Volumes, 21). Athens, The British School of Archaeology at Athens.
Slane, K. W. 1986.Two deposits from Early Roman Cellar Building. Hesperia 55, 271-318.
Tomber, R. 1992. Pottery from Mons Claudianus. In P. Ballet (ed.) Ateliers de potiers et productions égyptiennes (Cahiers de la Céramique Egyptienne 3): 137-142. Le Caire, l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale.
Tomber, R. 2006. The Pottery. In V. A. Maxfield and D. P. S. Peacock, Mons Claudianus: Survey and Excavation 1987-1993, vol. 3 Ceramic Vessels and Related Objects, 3-326. Cairo, IFAO.
Tomber, R. 2007. Pottery from the Excavated Deposits. In D.P. S. Peacock and V. A. Maxfield, The Roman Imperial Quarries: Survey and Excavations at Mons Porphyrites1994-1998, vol. 2: The Excavation, 177-208. London, Egypt Exploration Society.
Vokaer, A. 2011. La Brittle Ware en Syrie. Fouilles d’Apamée de Syrie 2. Bruxelles, Académie Royale de Belgique.
Vokaer, A. 2014. A 3rd to 4th century AD pottery assemblage from Apamea and some further considerations on pottery production and distribution in Roman Syria. In B. Fischer-Genz, Y. Gerber, H. Hamel (eds.), Roman Pottery in the Near East, Local Production and Regional Trade (Proceedings of the round table held in Berlin, 19-20 February 2010) (RLAMP. Roman and Late Antique Mediterranean Pottery 3): 37-51.Oxford, Archaeopress.
Waksman, S. Y. and Lemaître, S. 2010. Céramiques culinaires de Lycie (Turquie) aux époques romaine et proto-byzantine : approches archéologiques et archéométriques. In S. Menchelli, S. Santoro, M. Pasquinucci, G. Guiducci (eds.), LRCW3. Late Roman coarse wares, cooking wares and amphorae in the Mediterranean, Archaeology and Archaeometry, Comparison between western and eastern Mediterranean (BAR International Series 2185 II): 781-790. Oxford, Archaeopress.
Wells, B. 1996. The Berbati-Limnes Archaeological Survey 1988- 1990. Stockholm, Paul Åströms Förlag.
Williams, C. K. and Zervos, O. H. 1985. Corinth 1984: East of the Theater. Hesperia 54, 55-80.
Wilson, P. and Grigoropoulos, D. 2009. The West Nile Delta Regional Survey, Beheira and Kafr el-Sheikh provinces. London, Egypt Exploration Society.