Pottery Samples Recovered From Abu Erteila (Sudan) – Correlation of Macroscopically Identified Fabrics With Laboratory-defined Raw Material Groups

This article reports on the use of laboratory analysis to examine whether pottery recovered from excavations at Abu Erteila includes wares made at the same workshops as pottery found at other Meroitic sites in the region. It also examines whether wares deemed typical of the Abu Erteila ceramic assemblage were made of the same raw materials as pottery at neighbouring sites or clay used at other workshops. Particular attention was paid to assessing whether samples with fabrics which macroscopically resemble the Musawwarat fabrics were indeed made at workshops in Musawwarat or whether this macroscopic similarity is deceptive.