Production and Use of Ceramics in the First Millennium BC: Jebel Moya, Sudan

Abstract The site of Jebel Moya, situated in the center southern Gezira Plain southcentral Sudan, has an occupational sequence spanning at least five millennia until around 2000 years ago. Renewed excavation is shedding new light on its chronology and socioeconomic history, including activities such as burial, savanna herding, domesticated sorghum cultivation practices dating to mid-third millennium BC. In present study, predominantly final phase pottery sherds from first BC start AD (Assemblage 3) have been analyzed via a combination thin section petrography instrumental geochemistry determine their raw materials place manufacture reconstruct manufacturing technology. Organic residue analysis was also conducted identify products processed within vessels found site. results suggest existence well-developed local ceramic craft tradition that persisted for over one thousand years. Pots Assemblage 3 were used process, store, consume animal plant products, thus reinforcing emerging evidence early agro-pastoral activities.