Vasellame ellenistico a vernice nera e a vernice rossa da Schedia presso Alessandria d’Egitto: impasti, forme e problematiche delle produzioni alluviali regionali

Luana Toniolo,

---

Abstract

The paper deals with black and red fine wares produced with Nile silt clay recovered by the German Archaeological Mission of the University of Cologne and Göttingen at Schedia, located km 40 south of Alexandria (Egypt). The analysis of the ceramic assemblages allowed to detect different fabrics that can be related to production centers of the Delta valley such as Bouto, in the western Delta, or possibly local productions at Schedia. The typological repertoire is clearly inspired by the greek imports, with imitations of echinus bowls, rolled-rim plates or carinated bowls. From the half of the II cent. BC the repertoire was enlarged with imitations of Levantine and rhodian types such as the skyphos with “anses en accolade”. Nonetheless, still some types of the previous pharaonic tradition survive, even if adapted to the new hellenistic fashion. A debated question concerns the dating of these vessels, that were likely produced well after the roman conquest. Our contexts, in fact, suggest a long continuity of the hellenistic tradition into the roman imperial age, due to the particular social and political situation of early Roman Egypt.

Keywords

• Egitto