Upper Egypt Fired ceramic / terracotta with glaze and painted decoration Egyptian Green-Glazed Bowl Fragment – Elephantine Island near Aswan - 8 cm

Fragment of an Egyptian green-glazed ceramic bowl, traditionally attributed to Elephantine Island near Aswan in Upper Egypt, according to an old collection inscription preserved on the underside.

A substantial part of the originally circular bowl survives, including sections of the rim and foot ring. The interior is covered with a deep green glaze and decorated with an attractive geometric and vegetal design. Around the darker central field are regularly arranged leaf- or almond-shaped motifs in varying shades of green, further structured by concentric lines. Despite its fragmentary condition, the surviving decoration gives the vessel a particularly appealing and characteristic appearance.

The exterior is also largely covered with green glaze, while the broken edges reveal the light beige to sandy-coloured ceramic body beneath. The glaze displays pronounced age-related craquelure together with numerous fine surface marks and traces of use.

Of particular interest is the underside of the vessel. The foot ring bears an old collection inscription painted in red, including the clearly legible words “INSEL ELEPHANTINE …”, together with further partially preserved information. This historic inscription records the traditional attribution of the piece to Elephantine within the old collection. As no documented archaeological excavation context accompanies the object, Elephantine should be understood as the historic collection provenance/findspot attribution rather than a scientifically verified excavation findspot.

Elephantine Island lies in the Nile directly opposite Aswan and was one of the most important historic settlement sites of Upper Egypt. Due to its strategic position at Egypt's southern frontier, the island developed into an important centre of trade, administration and religion already in Pharaonic times and remained inhabited throughout the Graeco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic periods.

Based on its glazed ceramic technique and decorative vocabulary, the present fragment does not belong to the Pharaonic period. The green glaze and ornamentation are more consistent with ceramic production of Islamic Egypt, and a date approximately within the 10th–13th century AD appears plausible. In the absence of a documented archaeological context, however, this dating should be regarded as an attribution rather than an absolute determination.

Fragmentary, with substantial portions of the original bowl missing. Old irregular break edges along the rim. Age-related craquelure to the glaze, scratches and traces of use, minor glaze losses and deposits. The foot ring is partially preserved. The historic red collection inscription on the underside remains clearly visible. Please refer to the photographs for the exact condition.

Provenance:
Formerly in the Madeleine & Erich Dammann Collection, Germany. Acquired during the collectors' extensive travels between 1950 and 1970. The collection has been documented in Germany since 1970 and subsequently remained in continuous family ownership. As was customary for private purchases made in local markets during the 1950s–1970s, purchase receipts or invoices were generally neither issued nor requested. The provenance is therefore supported by the family's continuous ownership, historical photographs and biographical documentation.