easily; additionally, body sherds must have been preferred to rims, bases, or handles, as these thicker portions of a vessel did not allow for a regularly shaped break.
This process seems to be confirmed especially in the case of well tag ostraka, which, as said above, present roughly similar shapes and sizes, since they needed to fit on top of mud stoppers (Figs. 17–18). In the case of longer texts, such as letters or lists, the body sherds needed to be larger to fit more text, and to come from a rather straight portion of the vessel to facilitate the process of writing (Fig. 19). Larger vessels, like jars or cooking pots as well as kegs, seem to be preferred because of their larger body shapes, which provided a wider field for the text.46
Several scholars have argued in the past that the color of the sherd’s surface and the texture of its fabric were the main discriminants behind the choice of specific sherds versus others. I believe, however, that fragments from Group A vessels were preferred at Amheida because of the intrinsic qualities of the fabric, and not only because this ceramic type was the most common at the site and thus readily available. Indeed, Group A sherds present a degree of hardness that allows for neat breaks.47 This is not the case with B10 and A11 fabrics: during the experiment, B10 sherds were almost pulverized when they were hit by a flint tool, whereas A11 sherds shattered, and the fragments became unusable as writing surfaces. The choice of fabric was thus not at all random, nor was it dictated by qualities affecting its suitability as a writing surface. Those concerns, rather, drove the choice of vessel shape.
Figure 11. Diagnostic ostraka.
Figure 12. Diagnostic ostraka.
Figure 13. Diagnostic ostraka.
Figure 14. Diagnostic ostraka.
Figure 15. Circular lids reused as ostraka.
Figure 16. Ostrakon reused as a lid: O.Trim. 1.60.
3.2.4. CATALOG OF DIAGNOSTIC OSTRAKA
Fig. 11 a. O.Trim. 1.258
Text: Tag or Memorandum (275–350 CE)
Support: bowl (second–third century CE)
Fig. 11 b. O.Trim. 1.419
Text: Uncertain (275–350 CE)
Support: bowl (third–fourth century CE)
Fig. 11 c. O.Trim. 1.446
Text: Uncertain (275–350 CE)
Support: dish/bowl (second–fourth century CE)
Fig. 11 d. O.Trim. 1.355
Text: Tag ? (345–370 CE)
Support: dish/bowl (mid second–mid fourth century CE)
Fig. 11 e. O.Trim. 1.402
Text: Uncertain (275–350 CE)
Support: Knob of lid/footed bowl (second–third century CE)
Fig. 12 f. O.Trim. 2.644
Text: Tag Pmoun (286/7 CE)
Support: lid (second–third century CE)
Figure 17. Some Well Tags with Pmoun formula.
Figure 18. Some Well Tags with Hydreuma-Pmoun formula.
Figure 19. Letter and some receipts of Serenos.
Fig. 12 g. O.Trim. 1.381
Text: Uncertain (?)
Support: lid (second–third century CE)
Fig. 12 h. O.Trim. 1.77
Text: List ? (350–370 CE)
Support: lid (fourth century CE)
Fig. 12 i. O.Trim. 1.225
Text: Tag (350–370 CE)
Support: lid (fourth century CE)
Fig. 12 j. O.Trim. 2.815
Text: Miscellanea (350–370 CE)
Support: Large bowl (fourth century CE)
Fig. 13 k. O.Trim. 2.504
Text: Memorandum (350–370 CE)
Support: Large bowl (fourth century CE)
Fig. 13 l. O.Trim. 2.806 + 807
Text: Memorandum (Philippos) (350–370 CE)
Support: Large bowl (fourth century CE)
Fig. 13 m. O.Trim. 2.838
Text: Letter (350–370 CE)
Support: Large bowl (third–fourth century CE)
Fig. 13 n. O.Trim. 2.737
Text: Memorandum (275–350 CE)
Support: Large bowl (first–third century CE)
Fig. 13 o. O.Trim. 1.380
Text: Uncertain (350–370 CE)
Support: Jar (fourth century CE)
Fig. 14 p. O.Trim. 2.569
Text: Uncertain (second half of fourth century CE)
Support: Base of bowl (second–fourth century CE)
Fig. 14 q. O.Trim. inv. 11060
Text: Uncertain (not published)
Support: Base of jug (second–fourth century CE)48
3.2.5. FABRICS
| A1a |
- Iron rich clay with considerable amounts of sand temper, relatively coarse and poorly fired. It contains frequent medium-to-fine quartz grains and less frequent coarse ones. White calcareous inclusions of varying sizes, some fine-to-medium red and occasional black particles are visible. Medium hard fabric.48
- Generally firing to a pale red, red or red-brown color (oxidizing atmospheres). Gray core can be present especially in thicker sections. Surface can be pale red, brown-red or red in color.
- Storage and transport
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