Title: Painted decoration on water jars from Byzantine Athribis in the

Title:
Painted decoration on water jars from Byzantine Athribis in the Egyptian
Delta
Author(s): Anna Południkiewicz
Journal: Pol ish Archaeolog y in the Me diterranean 25
Year: 2016
Pages: 781–798
ISSN: 1234–5415 (Print), ISSN 2083–537X (Online)
Publisher: Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw (PCMA
UW),
Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego (WUW)
www.pcma.uw.edu.pl - www.wuw.pl
ABSTRACT: Water jars are easily recognizable as a type owing to the strainer fitted
into the neck of these vessels. This form was distinguished in the assemblage
coming from the Polish excavations around Kom Sidi Youssuf in Tell Atrib, the
site of ancient Athribis in the Nile Delta. The discussed vessels were made of Nile
silt and richly painted on the surface. The article focuses on the decoration of
these water containers, presenting a catalogue of motifs, which includes
geometrical, vegetal, zoomorphic and others. The set is dated to the 6th–7th
century AD based on the excavation context and comparative studies of the socalled 'Coptic' painted pottery from Egypt.
KEYWORDS: Athribis, Byzantine, Coptic, Egypt, Kom Sidi Youssuf, painted
decoration, pottery, Tell Atrib, water jars
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