The ‘Pigeon Pots’ of Tell el-Ghaba in the Eastern Delta of Egypt during the Third Intermediate PeriodTypology and Contexts

Resumen

Tell el-Ghaba is located on the Eastern Nile Delta/North Sinai, Egypt, near the extinct Pelusiac branch of the Nile. It is an urban settlement that was occupied between the beginning of the Third Intermediate Period and the Early Saite Period (from the mid-10th century BC to the end of the 7th century BC). This paper delves into the study of a particular ceramic type within the group of objects found and analysed at Tell el-Ghaba: containers known as ‘pigeon pots’. First, we will describe these objects, emphasising their morphology and composition; we will situate them temporally and spatially based on their discovery in other archaeological sites of ancient Egypt. Next, we will summarise the various problems associated with their recognition and study. Finally, we examine the Tell el-Ghaba pigeon pots to establish their typology, the contexts in which they were found, and compare them with those from other contemporary sites, such as Tell el-Retaba, Tanis, Kom Firin, among others, from the Third Intermediate Period. Through this approach, we aim to contribute additional information to the ongoing ceramic studies on pigeon pots in various Egyptian sites.