The Wizz Vase,
a Visual Representation of Cultural Intersection
Fall 2022, Ceramics Analysis in Archaeology
The “Wizz Vase” creates quite a first impression. Imposing yet fragile, covered with a beautiful frieze and fragmented throughout, it begs for another look. It is so complex that every turn from the viewer seems to uncover another design or simply a new perspective peaking between the cracks of slip-painted clay. This piece of ceramic, dated 900 AD, is considered one of the most important artefacts found at the Qasr el-Wizz Monastery and is a staple example of Classic Christian Nubian Pottery.
Throughout the course of my investigation, I attempted to lay out a thorough analysis of this vessel – both visual and contextual – to draw significance on the complex cultural and historical setting from which it was sourced. As I came to establish and argue, at this point in cultural transitions in Christian Nubia, the patterns pictured in the Wizz Vase’s frieze represent both a continuation of Nile river tradition and a symbolic appeal to the Christian iconography. Additionally, while there were many external influences in Christian Nubia at the time, these influences conform to local Nubian temperament and tradition.
This work was conducted as my final project for my course, Ceramics Analysis in Archaeology at the University of Chicago. I was able to access the private collections of the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) to conduct this research, and used resources from the ISAC library to contextualize my findings. Please reach out to me directly for the full paper!