Jebel Moya
Pottery
Pottery
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Most of the pottery found at Jebel Moya was not directly inside burials, but found in burial contexts. The pottery samples at Jebel Moya are categorized into assemblages by their types and dates. Assemblage 1, with only 13 remaining sherds, consists of designs and motifs using stamped objects and combs to create lines. It dates to the Late Mesolithic (late 6000s BCE). The clay used for the pottery contains sand, mica, and bone. There is no burnishing on Assemblage 1 pottery.

Assemblage 2 pottery, with 104 sherds, also was created using stamps, combs, and corded sticks. This assemblage dates to 2500\-1500 BCE.

There are 369 sherds of Assemblage 3 pottery. They are highly burnished, thin in comparison to Assembly 2, and red slipped. Decorations were made with combs, stylus, and cord. Most designs on the body of the vessel were in zoned geometric forms. The temper contains mica and bone, and date from 100 BCE to 500 CE.

To attempt to gain more dating information for Jebel Moya, six sherds of pottery have been [OSL](/wiki/Optically_stimulated_luminescence "Optically stimulated luminescence") dated. Three samples each from Assemblages 2 and 3 were each dated. Although [OSL](/wiki/Optically_stimulated_luminescence "Optically stimulated luminescence") dating has a large standard error of deviation, there is no overlap between any of the dates from Assemblage 2 and 3 sherds. This indicates three broad temporal phases at Jebel Moya. While Assemblage 1 was not OSL dated, the relative date is 600\-500 BCE, via a previous pottery analysis. There are no burials associated with pottery during this period. Similar pottery to Assemblage 2 was found at other local sites, such as [Rabak](/wiki/Rabak "Rabak") to the west and at Jebel et Tomat to the northwest.

Assemblage 3 has been [OSL](/wiki/Optically_stimulated_luminescence "Optically stimulated luminescence") dated from 100 BCE to 500 CE. The majority of the graves at Jebel Moya date from this time. The later occupation of Jebel et Tomat also dates to this period, whose pottery is similar to Jebel Moya's during this period. Both are thin and burnished. Assemblage 3 pottery was also found at Abu Geili, an agro\-pastoralist site 30 kilometers east of Jebel Moya. The pottery found at both Jebel Moya and Abu Geili shows the socio\-economic ties between their respective communities. A number of hand made pottery forms likened to that found at Jebel Moya indicate a trade network and contemporary existence between it and Abu Geili.
[alt\=Wellcome Collection.\|thumb\|300x300px\|Feeding cup found in the grave of two infants](/wiki/File:Neolithic_infant_feeding_cup%2C_Africa%2C_1000_BCE-400_BCE_Wellcome_L0057861.jpg "Neolithic infant feeding cup, Africa, 1000 BCE-400 BCE Wellcome L0057861.jpg")
In Gerharz' study of Jebel Moya pottery he identified nine pottery categories and relatively dated them.

* Impressed and Dotted Wavy Line pottery (Phase 1\)
* Rabak Ware, with everted rims and decorated lips (Phase 2\)
* Incised and Rocked pottery (Phase 2 and 3\)
* Scratched ware, designs were etched onto the surface using a blunt instrument once the surface was dry (Phase 3\)
* Notched ware, regular dots impressed using a rocker tool  (Phase 3\)
* Red Painted ware, rims are often notched, sherds painted with parallel lines (similar sherds found at Abu Geili) (Phase 3\)
* Channeled ware, deeply incised parallel lines (Phase 3\)
* Moulded ware, small occurrences of pottery resembling crescent horns in shape (Phase 3\)
* Specific vessel types from Phase 3: feeding cups, footed dishes, beaker, bowls with pedestal rings

### Petrographic study

Three Period 3 sherds of pottery were petrographically tested; they all had common characteristics, which include “abundant, poorly\-sorted, generally angular inclusions of quartz and feldspar in a non\-calcareous clay matrix”. There was little processing to the clay before vessel construction, and no evidence of any kind of temper to the clay. This analysis also ‘confirmed’ that it was likely the inhabitants of Jebel Moya who inhabited Jebel Saqadi 20 km (10 miles) to the Northwest.

After World War II, the excavation records, remains, and artifacts were placed with the Duckworth Laboratory at the [University of Cambridge](/wiki/University_of_Cambridge "University of Cambridge"), where they remain. Most of the pottery excavated at Jebel Moya was donated to the [British Museum](/wiki/British_Museum "British Museum"), with some finds going to the [Petrie Museum](/wiki/Petrie_Museum_of_Egyptian_Archaeology "Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology") (University College London), the [Pitt Rivers Museum](/wiki/Pitt_Rivers_Museum "Pitt Rivers Museum") (University of Oxford) and the [Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology](/wiki/Museum_of_Archaeology_and_Anthropology%2C_University_of_Cambridge "Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge") (University of Cambridge). Only a few artifacts were returned to [Sudan](/wiki/Sudan "Sudan").


How were the pottery samples categorized at Jebel Moya?