The characteristic feature of Gerzean is the thin buff or grey ware decorated with designs in red. Shapes have been strongly influenced by stone vessels of the time. Many of the painted designs are based on the rush coverings in which stone jars were carried and hung. In the later Gerzean period, jars with wavy ledge-handles appear in profusion. There are also round bowls with ship designs, aloes, and all manner of birds, reptiles, and mammals.
