A Multiproxy Approach to the Reconstruction of an Ancient Manufacturing Technology: A Case Study of a Faience Ptolemaic Bowl from Tell Atrib (Nile Delta)

Abstract

Faience objects produced from the fourth millennium BC in ancient Egypt are considered as the first high-tech ceramics in human history. Despite extensive studies on manufacturing technology, many aspects of this complex technology remain a mystery and there is no methodology in place to unravel the techniques of Egyptian faience object production. Detailed studies presented herein fill the gaps, verifying standing opinions and allowing certain aspects of faience manufacturing technology to be reconstructed. The object of this innovative investigation is a hemispherical faience bowl discovered by archaeologists excavating a Ptolemaic workshop district at the site of Tell Atrib in the southern Nile Delta. The multiproxy analysis included the application of specialised software and preparation techniques coupled with complementary methods of light and digital microscopy, SEM with EDS, XRD, STA with EGA, as well as image analysis. Sources of raw and accessory materials (mineral and organic binders, fluxes, colourants) used for preparing the silica paste and glaze slurry were determined. The results helped to reconstruct how the raw material was prepared and how faience vessels were made. The bowl was moulded by compression using a two-part mould. The moulded and dried bowl was then covered by glaze slurry using the application method. A synthetic colourant, Egyptian Blue, was probably used to colour the glaze. The item was fired once at a temperature of 1050–1150 °C. Oxidised conditions were maintained in the kiln during the firing process and firing at the maximal temperature was relatively short. Application of the multiproxy approach has shed light on the technological aspects of faience bowl manufacturing. The obtained results have confirmed the usefulness of the comprehensive methodology that was applied for the reconstruction of particular manufacturing stages of faience objects.

Source of Raw Materials and Its Processing for the Manufacturing of Ptolemaic Faience Bowls from Tell Atrib (Nile Delta, Egypt)

“…In some cases, the determination of the presence of primary mineral phases was possible based only on the analysis of the chemical composition and textures of the reaction products. In turn, the identification of mainly oxidation processes may point to the prevalent character of the atmosphere in the kiln, as already indicated by Zaremba et al, [18].…”

“…Minerals other than quartz occur in the faience in very small amounts and are randomly distributed, which hampers their identification due to the strong background from quartz. The influence of random sample selection for analysis is visible in the comparison of results obtained for sample MS presented by Zaremba et al, [18], in which feldspars and plagioclases were identified beside quartz and cristobalite at short registration time. The application of different analysis variants in the case of samples of the faience body have not given reliable results and is not recommended.…”

“…Photographs were used to carry out image analysis. Quantitative image analysis was based on BSE images with application of STIMAN software [18,34]. The analysis was performed on one image at ×100 magnification on a total area of 6.6 mm 2 .…”

“…Analysis of the faience body by Nenna and Seif el-Din [10] has indicated that objects from the Roman Period contain coarser material than those from the Ptolemaic Period, and comprise single sand grains. Studies of Welc [16,17] and Zaremba et al, [18] of the faience relief-decorated hemispherical bowl from Tell Atrib have allowed to elaborate on the source of the siliceous raw material with precisely dated objects from the Ptolemaic Period. According to this multiproxy approach, the material was pure, high-quality quartz, whose source could have been quartz veins from pegmatites in igneous rocks or coarse-grained clastic quartz rocks.…”

On-Line Thermally Induced Evolved Gas Analysis: An Update—Part 1: EGA-MS

“…The multiproxy analysis included the application of specialized software and preparation techniques coupled with complementary methods of light and digital microscopy. The results helped to reconstruct how the raw material was prepared and how faience vessels were made [ 225 ].…”