Naqada III pottery in the Nile Delta: a view from Tell el-Murra, Tell Abu el-Halyat, Ezbet el-Tell/Kufur Nigm, Tell el-Akhdar, Tell Gezira el-Faras, and Minshat Radwan
2025, 34, No. 1
Publication date
Submission date
Acceptance date
Publishing model
License type
Field
Discipline
Language of publication
Number of views:73
Number of downloads:0
Crossref citations:0
Altmetric score:0
Abstract
This article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the materials obtained during surveys conducted in 2008, 2010, and 2017 by the Polish archaeological expedition of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, in the eastern part of the Nile Delta. The analyzed materials come from the sites of Tell el-Murra, Tell el-Akhdar, Tell Gezira el-Faras, Tell Abu el-Halyat, Minshat Radwan, and Ezbet el-Tell/Kufur Nigm. Comparisons were made, especially with the well-dated settlement pottery from Tell el-Farkha. The primary aim was to identify similarities between the data from Tell el-Farkha, considered one of the most important centers in the Nile Delta during the period of the formation of the Egyptian state, and data from the investigated sites located relatively close to Tell el-Farkha. The results of the research indicate a similar chronology across many sites in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta, located in close proximity to one another. These findings demonstrate that this area was more densely populated during the Naqada III period than previously thought and confirm its significant role in the beginnings of the Egyptian state.
Keywords:
Bibliography
Bakr, M.I. (1988). The new excavations at Ezbet et-Tell, Kufur Nigm: The first season 1984. In E.C.M. van den Brink (ed.), The archaeology of the Nile Delta, Egypt: Problems and priorities (pp. 49–62). Amsterdam: Netherlands Foundation for Archaeological Research in Egypt
Bakr, M.I. (1994). Excavations of Kufur Nigm. In C. Berger, G. Clerc, and N. Grimal (eds), Hommages à Jean Leclant IV. Varia (=Bibliothèque d’Étude 106/4) (pp. 9–17). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale
Bakr, M.I. (2003). Excavations at Ezbet al-Tel, Kufur-Nigm: The third and fourth seasons (1988 & 1990). In Z. Hawass and L.P. Brock (eds), Egyptology at the dawn of the twenty-first century: Proceedings of the Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists, Cairo, 2000, I (pp. 30–43). Cairo: American University in Cairo Press
Bąk-Pryc, G., Małecka-Drozd, N., Kazimierczak, M., Lajs-Klose, K., Puschhaus, N., and Jucha, M.A. (2023). Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey): Research in 2018 and 2022. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 32/2, 99–127
Buchez, N. (2014). Les matériaux et modes de construction de la période naqadienne. In B. Midant-Reynes and N. Buchez (eds), Tell el-Iswid: 2006–2009 (=Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire 73) (pp. 65–74). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale
Buchez, N. and Midant-Reynes, B. (2011). A tale of two funerary traditions: The Predynastic cemetery at Kom el-Khilgan (eastern Delta). In R.F. Friedman and P.N. Fiske (eds), Egypt at its origins 3: Proceedings of the third international conference “Origins of the State. Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt”, London, 27th July – 1st August 2008 (=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 205) (pp. 831–858). Leuven: Peeters
Chłodnicki, M. and Ciałowicz, K.M. with contributions by R. Abłamowicz, J. Dębowska, M.A. Jucha, R. Kirkowski, and A. Mączyńska. (2005). Polish excavations at Tell el-Farkha (Ghazala) in the Nile Delta. Preliminary report 2002–2003. Archeologia, 55, 47–74
Chłodnicki, M., Ciałowicz, K.M., and Mączyńska, A. (eds). (2012). Tell el-Farkha I. Excavations 1998–2011. Poznań–Kraków: Poznań Archaeological Museum; Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University
Chłodnicki, M., Fattovich, R., and Salvatori, S. (1992). The Italian Archaeological Mission of the C.S.R.L.-Venice to the Eastern Nile Delta: A preliminary report of the 1987–1988 field seasons. Cahiers de Recherches de l’Institut de Papyrologie et d’Égyptologie de Lille, 14, 45–62
Dębowska-Ludwin, J. (2023). Tell el-Farkha III. The cemeteries of the Eastern Kom. Pękowice–Kraków: Profil-Archeo Publishing House; Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University
Dreyer, G., Hartmann, R., Hartung, U., Hikade, T., Köpp, H., Lacher, C., Müller, V., Nerlich, A., and Zink, A. (2003). Umm el-Qaab: Nachuntersuchungen im frühzeitlichen Königsfriedhof 13./14./15. Vorbericht. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 59, 67–138
Gander, M. and Wenzel, G. (2010). Finds from Kufur Nigm. In M.I. Bakr, H. Brandl, and F. Kalloniatis (eds), Egyptian antiquities from Kufur Nigm and Bubastis (pp. 55–95). Berlin: Opaion
Hendrickx, S., Faltings, D., Op de Beeck, A., Raue, D., and Michiels, C. (2002). Milk, beer and bread technology during the Early Dynastic period. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 58, 277–304
Jacquet-Gordon, H. (1981). A tentative typology of Egyptian bread moulds. In D. Arnold (ed.), Studien zur altägyptischen Keramik (pp. 11–24). Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern
Jucha, M.A. (2005). Tell el-Farkha II. The pottery of the Predynastic settlement (phases 2 to 5). Kraków–Poznań: Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University; Poznań Archaeological Museum
Jucha, M.A. (2009a). The north-eastern part of the Nile Delta—Research perspectives. Polish archaeological survey in the Ash-Sharqiyyah Governorate. In J. Popielska-Grzybowska and J. Iwaszczuk (eds), Proceedings of the Fifth Central European Conference of Young Egyptologists: Egypt 2009. Perspectives of research, Pułtusk, 22–24 June 2009 (=Acta Archaeologica Pultuskiensia 2) (pp. 83–88). Pułtusk: Pułtusk Academy of Humanities
Jucha, M.A. (2009b). Beer Jars of Naqada III Period. A View from Tell el-Farkha. In T.I. Rzeuska and A. Wodzińska (eds), Studies on Old Kingdom Pottery (pp. 49–60). Warsaw: Neriton
Jucha, M.A. (2011a). The development of pottery production during the Early Dynastic Period and the beginning of the Old Kingdom: A view from Tell el-Farkha. In R.F. Friedman and P.N. Fiske (eds), Egypt at its origins 3: Proceedings of the third international conference “Origins of the State. Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt”, London, 27th July – 1st August 2008 (=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 205) (pp. 953–974). Leuven: Peeters
Jucha, M.A. (2011b). Tell Abu el-Halyat: The new Naqada III – Old Kingdom (?) site in the northeastern Nile Delta. Studies in Ancient Art and Civilization, 15, 65–76
Jucha, M.A. (2016). The northeastern part of the Nile Delta during the Naqada III period. In M.D. Adams, B. Midant-Reynes, E.M. Ryan, and Y. Tristant (eds), Egypt at its origins 4: Proceedings of the fourth international conference “Origins of the State. Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt”, New York, 26th–30th July 2011 (=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 252) (pp. 63–76). Leuven–Paris–Bristol, CT: Peeters
Jucha, M.A. (2021a). Made of burnt clay tiles: The Early Dynastic structures within the Nile Delta cemeteries and settlements. In W. Claes, M. de Meyer, M. Eyckerman, and D. Huyge (eds), Remove that pyramid! Studies on the archaeology and history of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in honour of Stan Hendrickx (=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 305) (pp. 645–660). Leuven–Paris–Bristol, CT: Peeters
Jucha, M.A. (2021b). The burial customs in Early Dynastic Egypt—A view from the cemetery at Tell el-Murra (Nile Delta). In E.C. Köhler, N. Kuch, F. Junge, and A.-K. Jeske (eds), Egypt at its origins 6. Proceedings of the international conference “Origins of the State. Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt”, Vienna, 10th–15th September 2017 (=Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 303) (pp. 275–296). Leuven–Paris–Bristol, CT: Peeters
Jucha, M.A., Bąk-Pryc, G., and Małecka-Drozd, N. (2015). Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey). Seasons 2012–2013. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 24/1, 199–214
Jucha, M.A., Bąk-Pryc, G., Małecka-Drozd, N., and Kazimierczak, M. (2017). Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey): Preliminary report on research in 2014 and 2015. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 26/1, 137–160
Jucha, M.A., Bąk-Pryc, G., Małecka-Drozd, N., and Kazimierczak, M. (2018). Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey): Research in 2016–2017. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 27/1, 149–167
Jucha, M.A. with contributions by G. Bąk-Pryc, N. Małecka-Drozd, M. Kazimierczak, M.F. Ownby, K. Mądrzyk, A. Pankowska, B. Woźniak, and R. Abłamowicz. (2016). Polish excavations at Tell el-Murra in the Nile Delta. Preliminary report 2013–2015. Archeologia, 65, 85–146
Jucha, M.A. and Mączyńska, A. (2011). Settlement sites in the Nile Delta. Archéo-Nil, 21, 33–50
Kaiser, W., Arnold, F., Bommas, M., Hikade, T., Hoffmann, F., Jaritz, H., Kopp, P., Niederberger, W., Paetznick, J.-P., von Pilgrim, B., von Pilgrim, C., Raue, D., Rzeuska, T., Schaten, S., Seiler, A., Stalder, L., and Ziermann, M. (1999). Stadt und Tempel von Elephantine: 25./26./27. Grabungsbericht. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 55, 63–236
Kazimierczak, M. (2014). Meidum bowls from Tell el-Murra, Trench T5 (season 2013). In M.A. Jucha, J. Dębowska-Ludwin, and P. Kołodziejczyk (eds), Aegyptus est imago caeli: Studies presented to Krzysztof M. Ciałowicz on his 60th birthday (pp. 161–166). Kraków: Institute of Archaeology, Jagiellonian University; Archaeologica Foundation
Kazimierczak, M. (2015). Beer jars from Tell el-Murra graves: Seasons 2011–2015. Studies in Ancient Art and Civilization, 19, 7–21
Kazimierczak, M. (2021). Corpus of types of ceramic vessels discovered in Proto- and Early Dynastic graves at Tell el-Murra cemetery. Ägypten und Levante, 31, 179–205
Köhler, E.C. (1998). Tell el-Faraʻîn – Buto III. Die Keramik von der späten Naqada-Kultur bis zum frühen alten Reich (Schichten III bis VI) (=Archäologische Veröffentlichungen 94). Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern
Köhler, E.C. and Smythe, J.C. (2004). Early Dynastic pottery from Helwan—Establishing a ceramic corpus of the Naqada III period. Cahiers de la céramique égyptienne, 7, 123–143
Kroeper, K. (1988). The excavations of the Munich East-Delta expedition in Minshat Abu Omar. In E.C.M. van den Brink (ed.), The archaeology of the Nile Delta, Egypt: Problems and priorities (pp. 11–46). Amsterdam: Netherlands Foundation for Archaeological research in Egypt
Mączyńska, A., Chłodnicki, M., and Ciałowicz, K.M. (eds). (2019). Tell el-Farkha: 20 years of Polish excavations. Exhibition. Poznań: Muzeum Archeologiczne
Midant-Reynes, B. and Buchez, N. (eds). (2014). Tell el-Iswid: 2006–2009 (=Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire 73). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale
Midant-Reynes, B. and Buchez, N. (eds). (2021). Kôm el-Khilgan: la nécropole prédynastique (=Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire 87). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale
Midant-Reynes, B. and Buchez, N. (eds). (2024). Tell el-Iswid: 2010–2018. Les occupations naqadiennes du secteur 4 (=Fouilles de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire 95). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale
Needler, W. (1984). Predynastic and archaic Egypt in the Brooklyn Museum. New York: The Brooklyn Museum
Op de Beeck, L. (2004). Possibilities and restrictions for the use of Maidum-bowls as chronological indicators. Cahiers de la céramique égyptienne, 7, 239–274
Petrie, W.M.F. (1921). Corpus of prehistoric pottery and palettes. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt
van den Brink, E.C.M. (1987). A geo-archaeological survey in the north-eastern Nile delta, Egypt: The first two seasons, a preliminary report. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 43, 7–31
van den Brink, E.C.M. (1988). The Amsterdam University Survey Expedition to the Northeastern Delta (1984–1986). In E.C.M. van den Brink (ed.), The archaeology of the Nile Delta, Egypt: Problems and priorities (pp. 65–114). Amsterdam: Netherlands Foundation for Archaeological Research in Egypt
van den Brink, E.C.M. (1993). Settlement patterns in the Northeastern Nile Delta during the fourth–second millennia B.C. In L. Krzyżaniak, M. Kobusiewicz, and J. Alexander (eds), Environmental change and human culture in the Nile basin and Northern Africa until the second millennium B.C. (=Studies in African Archaeology 4) (pp. 279–304). Poznań: Poznań Archaeological Museum
Wenzel, G. and Bakr, M.I. (2010). Kufur Nigm: An Early Dynastic cemetery in the Nile Delta. In M.I. Bakr, H. Brandl, and F. Kalloniatis (eds), Egyptian antiquities from Kufur Nigm and Bubastis (pp. 5–13). Berlin: Opaion
Other articles from the issue
- Late Bronze Age ThessalyPefkakiaMycenaean cultureDemetriasmetallurgy
Mycenaean Pefkakia Excavation Project: report on archaeological research conducted in 2024
- western CreteSatyrRoman bathsVenetian churchesRoman provinces
Satyr sculpture from the site of Agios Georgios at Nopigia (municipality of Kissamos, western Crete)
- KarfiAegean archaeologyprehistoric GreeceCrete1200 BC crisis in the Mediterraneandefensive settlementsritual places
Polish excavations at the mountainous site of Karfi (Lasithi, Crete): a preliminary report on the 2023 and 2024 seasons
Similar publications
- Late Bronze Age ThessalyPefkakiaMycenaean cultureDemetriasmetallurgy
Mycenaean Pefkakia Excavation Project: report on archaeological research conducted in 2024
- western CreteSatyrRoman bathsVenetian churchesRoman provinces
Satyr sculpture from the site of Agios Georgios at Nopigia (municipality of Kissamos, western Crete)
- KarfiAegean archaeologyprehistoric GreeceCrete1200 BC crisis in the Mediterraneandefensive settlementsritual places
Polish excavations at the mountainous site of Karfi (Lasithi, Crete): a preliminary report on the 2023 and 2024 seasons