The Mystery of Kerma-ware Pottery and Tomb Deffufa

The Mystery of Kerma-ware 

Pottery and Tomb Deffufa

Egyptian influence permeates many tombs particularly in the material evidence of pottery and tomb utensils such as those found in Second Intermediate Egyptian pottery A distinctive feature of Kerma pottery is that the Kerma invented the technique of blue decoration of vessels Pottery known as Kerma-ware has been discovered at the archaeological site of Kerma Sudan It sheds light on the prosperity of the Kerma civilization in ancient Africa and demonstrates the creativity and technology of the Kerma people in producing their unique pottery The pottery is distinguished by the use of blue decoration a technique invented by the Kerma people themselves Kerma pottery was discovered at the archaeological site of Kerma, the former center of the Kerma civilization

Western Deffufa, Kerma, Sudan

Evidence of pottery and copper alloys dates from approximately 2200–2000 BC. The site was largely abandoned possibly due to a decrease in the Nile's water level during this period A second stagnation occurred between 4050 BC and 3450 BC. This is likely due to the minimal water supply from Kerma the capital of the Kerma culture which was established in present-day Sudan before 3500 BC. 

Egyptian fired vessel fragment with hippopotamus figure and fired bead belt with glazed quartz pendant

 / Early Kerma tomb of Reisner.

Kerma is one of the largest archaeological sites in ancient Nubia with evidence of a significant decline in livestock herding in archaeological records dating back to around 1750 BC. Kerma boasts a necropolis with over 30,000 tombs The necropolis exhibits a typical pattern of large tombs surrounded by smaller tombs suggesting social stratification in the area. Burial mounds are located to the south

Jewellery of queen Amanishakheto

Skeletal remains are often found shrunk or slightly shrunk when lying on their side Due to the arid desert climate natural mummification was common in larger tomb structures closer to the river The Upper Defufa necropolis located a few kilometers east of the river houses the deceased in the tombs with most lying slightly on their side Reisner sees numerous connections to ancient Egyptian culture Burials are marked by low circular superstructures made of black sandstone slabs set into the ground in a concentric circle White quartz pebbles reinforce the structure After the New Kingdom took over Upper Nubia human-like deities became more prominent This cultural exchange was two-way as New Kingdom Egyptians began to regard Jebel Barkal as a sacred site a tradition they likely learned from the indigenous culture of Kerma