29. Black-Polished Spherical Jar

This globular jar was carefully shaped by hand, using fine Nile silt. Its smooth round body has a striking metallic sheen to it, created through burnishing and firing in a reducing environment. The narrow neck and mouth and small size of the vessel suggest it was intended for holding a liquid substance, perhaps beer. Cemetery B, where the jar was found, was situated to the north of K III and was roughly contemporary with the large royal tumulus. It consisted of independent graves of moderate size, many of which (and perhaps originally all according to the excavator) had small mounds on top. Among them, Tomb K B 8 was a small rectangular grave. It contained two sets of disturbed remains, interpreted as sacrificial subsidiary burials to a primary burial on a bed. The globular jar was the only intact vessel recovered from the tomb, which had been looted, along with sherds of likely three other pots of fine quality.