Height: 43.000 cm

EA 51500

Room 65: Sudan, Egypt & Nubia

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Sudan Past and Present: Early cultures to the Arrival of Christianity

Red slipped amphora

This high-quality amphora is covered in a red slip upon which the painted decoration is applied in bands, using a basic palette of black, red and white. A picture of the vessel itself appears on the neck of the amphora. The combination of geometric, floral and animal motifs is typical of pottery of this period. The ducks at the base of this vessel could have been observed from local wildlife. They could also be derived from Egyptian art, in which they were frequently depicted, or copied from hieroglyphic symbols.

The amphora shows the influence of the Mediterranean world, which was becoming ever more pronounced as Egypt came under the domination of the Greeks, and then the Romans. The running vine leaves continued to be a popular motif into the Coptic period, appearing on pottery until the Arab conquest of Egypt in the seventh century AD. Jewellery, bronzes and textiles found in cemeteries and settlements also display high standards of craftsmanship.