A deeply worn grinding stone excavated from Level 5, Unit 130W 28S, Mound 138, Kuulo Kataa. Mound 138 is a low mound covering roughly 300 m2. Mound 138 deposits included slag and a burned feature (Unit 130W 30S) which was probably related to processing metals. These associations suggest that the grinding stone in unit 130W 28S may have been used in metalworking activities. Photo scale in 5 cm intervals. Kuulo Kataa, 1995.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Kuulo Kataa, Mound 138, Unit 130W 30S, Level 5
Date:
1995-07-12
Location(s) Facet:
Kuulo Kataa
Subjects Facet:
Archaeology; Excavations (Archaeology); Artifacts (Antiquities); Grinding stone
Photo of a reconstructed carinate globular pottery jar, with profile depicted (left). The jar was found in an upright position beneath a lens of hardened clay, its rim at 211 cm below datum and its base at 224 cm bd. The jar's mouth is small. Below its lip is a ridge marked with vertical impressions. The surface above the carinated shoulder is decorated with alternating horizontal lines of dentate (comb) impression and grooving. Below the carination, the base and lower portions of the jar are decorated with a carved roulette impression. The interior surface of the jar is heavily eroded, perhaps an indication that the jar was used to store a fermented liquid like millet or sorghum beer. An INAA sample (NA "KK 95-61") from this jar was assigned to the "K1" group of ceramic fabrics. The jar was therefore likely made east of the Banda hills. A jar of similar form, decoration, and interior wear (KK 95-693) was found one meter away and at a slightly lower level in the east profile wall of the excavation unit. Rim diameter: 8 cm. Photo scale in cm. Kuulo Kataa. 13 June, 1995.
Photo of a patially reconstructed carinate globular pottery jar, with profile depicted (left). The jar was partially exposed, sitting upright in the east profile wall of the unit. The jar broke insitu and half of the vessel was removed and reconstructed. The jar has a narrow mouth. Alternating horizontal bands of shallow grooving and dentate (comb) impression decorate the area below the lip. A horizontal grooved line and a line of dentate (comb) impression applied above the carinated shoulder meet at small circular punctate impressions. The base and lower portions of the jar are decorated with a carved roulette impression. The interior surface of the jar is heavily eroded, perhaps an indication that the jar was used to store a fermented liquid like millet or sorghum beer. A jar of similar form, decoration and interior wear was found one meter away and at a slightly higher level in the same unit (KK 95-350). Rim diameter: 10 cm. 50% of vessel reconstructed. Photo scale in cm. Kuulo Kataa. 10 July, 1995.
Photo (interior) of a reconstructed carinate globular pottery jar, with profile depicted (left). The jar was partially exposed, sitting upright in the east profile wall of the unit. The jar broke insitu and half of the vessel was removed and reconstructed. The jar has a narrow mouth. The interior surface of the jar is heavily eroded, perhaps an indication that the jar was used to store a fermented liquid like millet or sorghum beer. A jar of similar form, decoration and interior wear was found one meter away and at a slightly higher level in the same unit (KK 95-350). Rim diameter: 10 cm. 50% of vessel reconstructed. Photo scale in cm. Kuulo Kataa. 10 July, 1995.
Photo of an inward-curving (recurved) jar rim sherd, with profile depicted (left). A zone of diagonally oriented dentate (comb) impressions is bounded on upper and lower edges by a shallow horizontal groove. A mica paint/slip was applied over top of the dentate impressions. The ceramic fabric was tempered with angular quartz grit. An INAA sample ("KK NA-29") was unassigned to a specific group of ceramic fabrics, lending no insight into where the jar was made. Interior neck diameter: 18 cm. Sherd represents an 12% of the jar's circumference. Scale in cm. Kuulo Kataa. 25 June, 1995.
Photo of the rim and shoulder of a large pottery bowl, with profile depicted (left). The bowl's exterior is decorated with a herringbone design, created by rolling a carved wooden roulette across its entire surface, except for a narrow band just below the bowl's lip. A single diagonal shallow groove was applied across the surface above the shoulder. An INAA sample (NA "A212-8") from this bowl was "unassigned" to a specific group of ceramic fabrics, lending no insight into where the bowl was made. Rim diameter: 20 cm at the interior lip. Sherd represents about 11% of the bowl's circumference. Scale in cm. Site A-212. 18 February, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Levels 5-6. The jar (Vessel 1) was located in the north profile wall of the unit, together with another vessel (Vessel 2).
The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. To the right and below the carination, a portion of the exterior surface has broken away. The upper area of the jar is decorated with three horizontal grooved lines, inbetween which are lines of dentate impression. Just above the carination is another line of dentate impression and a grooved line. To the left and right, on the upper side of the carination, sets of two triangular designs were applied, consisting of three punctates connected by two short grooved lines. The area inside the triangle is marked by crossed dentate impressions, forming an "X" inside the triangle. This design was repeated twice on the recovered portion of the jar. It was likely repeated a third time on the missing portion. Below the carination are two shallow horizontal grooves. The jar's base is smooth, with no surface treatment applied. Roughly 65% of the vessel was recovered. Rim diameter 25 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 5. The jar (Vessel 2) was located in the north profile wall of the unit together with another vessel (Vessel 1). The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The upper area of the jar is decorated with three horizontal grooved lines inbetween which are lines of dentate impression. The base of the jar is surface treated with a twisted cord roulette. Two roughly parallel horizontal grooved lines separate the cord rouletted zone from a plain zone below the carination. A hole in the base of the pot (ca. 7 cm across) may have been deliberately broken in this otherwise whole pot. Rim diameter 22 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, levels 15-16, where the jar was exposed in the south wall of the excavation unit. The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The area above the carination was decorated by five unevenly placed horizontal grooved lines. In three places around the vessel's circumference, the grooved line just above the carination is marked by "ꓥ." In a zone that begins c. 2 cm below the carination, lower areas of the jar are surface treated with a carved roulette impression. The ceramic fabric includes mixed grit (including laterite and quartz) and likely also finely crushed slag. An INAA sample (Banda 40/3) from the jar could not be assigned to a known source group. Roughly 2/3 of the vessel present. Rim diameter: 22.5 cm at interior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, levels 15-16, where the jar was exposed in the south wall of the excavation unit. The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The area above the carination was decorated by five unevenly placed horizontal grooved lines. In three places around the vessel's circumference, the grooved line just above the carination is marked by "ꓥ." In a zone that begins c. 2 cm below the carination, lower areas of the jar are surface treated with a carved roulette impression. The ceramic fabric includes mixed grit (including laterite and quartz) and likely also fine crushed slag. An INAA sample (Banda 40/3) from the jar could not be assigned to a known group. Roughly 2/3 of the vessel present. Rim diameter: 22.5 cm at interior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Ngre Kataa (Banda 40), Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 15, South Wall