The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt - Black-Topped Red-Ware Ceramics

BLACK-TOPPED RED-WARE CERAMICS

Material: Clay

Period: Prehistoric

Reign: Unknown

Dimensions:

Vase: Height: 7.6 cm

Width: 6.5 cm

Pot: Height: 7 cm

Diameter: 6.6 cm

Goblet:

Height: 13.2 cm

Diameter: 5.7

Ceramics of different sizes and shapes were produced in Egypt from the Predynastic Period onwards. The potter took advantage of the residual clays of the Nile banks so that he only molded the clay and set it out to dry in the sun, then polished it with a stone and occasionally coated it with an ochre slip. The polishing gives the vessel its red hue while the black top and interior are black due to carbonization as the hot vessel was placed in a bed of smoldering chaff. The final vessels had excitingly variant shapes with modern overtones as is apparent from these few examples.

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