A curious pottery sherd labeled “UQ” emerged in last year’s excavations, during the 2020 field season at the predynastic brewery site in north Abydos. After identifying the label as Flinders Petrie’s designation for the tomb of King Qa’a —...
Field Documentary 2020 (episode 4) / Posted in Field Diary 2021.3 © Abydos Archaeology
A curious pottery sherd emerged in last year’s excavations, during the 2020 field season at the predynastic brewery site in north Abydos. The sherd, which surfaced during the excavation of 100-year-old backdirt in an area known as “Peet’s Cemetery D,” featured the interesting juxtaposition of a First Dynasty pot mark (sherd bottom) and the modern letters “UQ” on the shoulder (upper right). After identifying the label as Flinders Petrie’s designation for the tomb of King Qa’a — excavated by him in 1899 — the “Petrie sherd” took its place among a number of exciting finds reflecting the “archaeology of archaeology” at Abydos last season. Details in our latest video.
Video by Abydos Archaeology © 2020