Vase with black rim

Black top vessels are a distinctive type found widely in Predynastic contexts, most notably in tombs. They were mad in a variety of shapes, from low bowls to tall vases such as this example, which has thin walls and is in relatively good condition. Vessels of this type, of Nile river clay, were hand-modelled, without the use of a potter’s wheel, and were burnished before firing to achieve a glossy sheen.