Jerusalem: Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Givʻati Parking Lot). The Byzantine and early Islamic periods / Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets ; with contributions by Oriya Amichay [und 20 weiteren]. Stratum IV-I: The early Islamic period 9789654067218, 9789654067249, 9654067218

Citation preview

IAA Reports, No. 66/2

Jerusalem Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Givati Parking Lot) Volume II The Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods Part 2: Strata IV–I:The Early Islamic Period

Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets

With contributions by

Oriya Amichay, Donald T. Ariel, Hagar Ben Dov, Ariel Berman, Gabriela Bijovsky, Ram Bouchnick, Salome Dan-Goor, Vitaly Gutkin, Dorit Gutreich, Masha Krakovsky, Inbar Ktalav, Omri Lernau, Inna Popov, Peretz Reuven, Irina Segal, Ariel Shatil, Michael E. Stone, David Tanami, Anna de Vincenz, Ehud Weiss, Ayala Zilberstein

ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY JERUSALEM 2020

IAA Reports Publications of the Israel Antiquities Authority Editor-in-Chief: Zvi Greenhut Series and Production Editor: Shelley Sadeh Volume Editor: Shelley Sadeh Front Cover: Givati Parking Lot in the City of David, looking north (photograph, SkyView Photography Ltd.) Back Cover: Early Islamic pottery from Abbasid pits (Stratum III) (photograph, Givati Expedition) Cover Design and Production: Ann Buchnick-Abuhav Layout and Typesetting: Ann Buchnick-Abuhav Illustrations: Elizabeth Belashov, Natalia Zak Printing: Digiprint Zahav Ltd. Copyright © 2020, The Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem POB 586, Jerusalem, 91004 ISBN 978-965-406-721-8 EISBN 978-965-406-724-9 www.antiquities.org.il

Contents

ABBREVIATIONS

vii

FOREWORD

ix

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Doron Ben-Ami

1

CHAPTER 2: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE Stratigraphic Sections

Doron Ben-Ami

5 57

CHAPTER 3: THE BYZANTINE POTTERY

Anna de Vincenz

71

CHAPTER 4: THE BYZANTINE COINS

Donald T. Ariel

159

CHAPTER 5: A HOARD OF SOLIDI OF HERACLIUS

Gabriela Bijovsky

183

CHAPTER 6: THE BYZANTINE GLASS

Dorit Gutreich

201

CHAPTER 7: LITURGICAL FURNITURE

David Tanami and Yana Tchekhanovets

219

CHAPTER 8: A MINIATURE ICON DIPTYCH Appendix 8.1: SEM-EDS Analysis of the Miniature Icon Diptych

Yana Tchekhanovets Inna Popov and Vitaly Gutkin

237 243

CHAPTER 9: PICTORIAL GRAFFITO ON A STONE PLAQUE

Ayala Zilberstein

251

CHAPTER 10: ARMENIAN GRAFFITO

Michael E. Stone

261

CHAPTER 11: THE SOUTHEASTERN HILL OF JERUSALEM DURING THE BYZANTINE PERIOD––CONCLUDING REMARKS

Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets

263

PART 1: STRATUM V: THE BYZANTINE PERIOD

iv PART 2: STRATA IV–I: THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE Doron Ben-Ami

271

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Peretz Reuven

375

CHAPTER 14: THE COINS FROM STRATA III–II

Donald T. Ariel and Ariel Berman

523

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

Dorit Gutreich

531

CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION OF BONE OBJECTS IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD

Ariel Shatil

585

CHAPTER 17: A MINIATURE VESSEL CONTAINING CINNABAR

Salome Dan-Goor

641

CHAPTER 18: THE ARCHAEOBOTANICAL REMAINS Oriya Amichay and Ehud Weiss

645

CHAPTER 19: THE SOUTHEASTERN HILL OF JERUSALEM DURING THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD––CONCLUDING REMARKS

703

Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets

PART 3: COMPLEMENTARY STUDIES OF VARIOUS FINDS CHAPTER 20: THE METAL OBJECTS FROM STRATA V–I Appendix 20.1: Study of a Ceramic Crucible from Stratum III

Masha Krakovsky

709

Irina Segal

727

CHAPTER 21: THE BONE OBJECTS FROM STRATA V–I

Ariel Shatil

731

CHAPTER 22: THE SPINDLE WHORLS FROM STRATA V–I

Salome Dan-Goor

787

CHAPTER 23: THE BEADS AND A PENDANT FROM STRATA V–I

Hagar Ben Dov

799

CHAPTER 24: THE MARBLE ASSEMBLAGE FROM STRATA V–I

Yana Tchekhanovets

817

v CHAPTER 25: THE MOLLUSCS FROM STRATA VII–I Appendix 25.1: Chemical and Mineralogical Analyses of a Lump of Red Pigment from Stratum VI

Inbar Ktalav Irina Segal

835 863

CHAPTER 26: THE FAUNAL REMAINS FROM STRATA V–I Appendix 26.1: Bone Measurements of Faunal Specimens from Strata V–I (mm) Appendix 26.2: Distribution of Identified Bones (NISP) According to Period and Locus

Ram Bouchnick

865

CHAPTER 27: THE FISH REMAINS FROM STRATA V–I

Omri Lernau

897 911

915

APPENDIX 1: LOCUS LIST

923

APPENDIX 2: WALL LIST

963

D. Ben-Ami, Y. Tchekhanovets, 2020, Jerusalem: Givati Parking Lot II (IAA Reports 66)

Chapter 12

Stratigraphy and Architecture Doron Ben-Ami

Stratum IV: The Umayyad Period (Plans 12.1–12.4; Plan 2.30: Sections 2-2, 5-5, 6-6, 10-10; Figs. 12.1–12.13) While there is evidence in Byzantine Stratum V for continuity of the architectural concept first established early in the Late Roman period (Stratum VI), despite the wholesale destruction of Stratum VI caused by the 363 CE earthquake, the Persian conquest in 614 CE marked a turning point in the occupation history of the area. During the Umayyad occupation of Stratum IV, the nature of the area changed from a prosperous administrative and domestic quarter to an industrial zone. The main feature in Stratum IV was a large rounded limekiln (L1850) erected in the northwestern part of the area (Plans 12.1, 12.2; Plan 2.30: Section 5-5). It was built against the southern wall (W1232) of the now destroyed and entirely abandoned Building 1821 of the Byzantine period (Fig. 12.1). The kiln was c. 5 m in diameter and coated with orange clay on the inner face of the fire chamber to protect the walls from the intense heat. The kiln floor was made of the same orange clay, c. 0.25 m thick, and was covered by a heap of whitish limestone debris resting on a layer of dark ash––the remains of the last use of the kiln (Figs. 12.2, 12.3). The circular wall of the fire chamber (W1244/W1245) was 1.2 m thick and made of limestone blocks. Due to their exposure to the intense fire, the stones lost their original form and merged together. During excavation, it was often impossible to discern one stone from the other, as W1245 had turned into white flour-like material (Fig. 12.4), and only its thick clay coating had prevented it from falling apart. Wall 1245 was cut through by an installation (Sewage Pit 1777) from Stratum II (see below). The outer perimeter of the circular fire chamber was supported by a series of walls providing a solid, somewhat rectangular frame: W1221 in the west, W1253 in the south and W1236 in the east; in the north, Byzantine W1232 served this purpose. The kiln was preserved to a maximum height of c. 2 m. Its interior shows no trace of any openings for air intake into the fire chamber. Ventilation windows are an integral feature of limekilns, enabling a kiln operator to control the heat inside the fire chamber (Hirschfeld 2000:84, see references therein). The only opening that was noticed in the kiln’s interior was that of the plastered channel of the previous stratum (L1934), which ran along the southern wall of Building 1821 and was cut by the kiln. It is likely that this part of the channel was integrated into the kiln construction to function as an air conduit (Fig. 12.5). Alternatively, a ventilation window was located higher up and not preserved.

272 97

DORON BEN-AMI

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 N

N

L

6

5

M

6

M

7

L 10 L1850

K

K

10

J

J

I

I

H

2

H

G

G

2

F

E

E

D

D 5

F

C

C

B

A

B 0

10 m

A

Z

Z 97

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Plan 12.1. Stratum IV: schematic plan (for sections, see Plan 2.30).

8

9

10

273

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

99

0

1

M

M (Building L1821)

701 65

L W1232

700 88 699 40

W

W 12 45

6

700 29 700 06 L1940

699 78 699 06

700 37 699 86

700 73 699 40

#L1444 700 12

701 26 700 08

700 40 699 91

W1271 0

700 57

99

K

64

53 700 67 W12 L1935 L1909 W1124

W1254

W1270

700 07

W1256

W3187

L1886

701 28 700 54

W1281

W1269

700 57

700 20

701 29

W1135

700 84

700 44

W123

700 61

700 46

W1248

# L1812

701 11 700 68

J

699 41

W1243

701 59 700 97

700 89 700 59

W1221

246

700 58

700 81 700 58

44

Limekiln #L1850

#L1811

W1

K

12

700 76

700 69

L

701 01

W11

701 68

2 m

0

Plan 12.2. Stratum IV: Limekiln 1850 and its immediate vicinity.

1

J

274

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.1. Aerial view of Limekiln 1850 built against the southern wall of Building 1821; looking south (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.2. Limekiln 1850 containing whitish limestone debris remaining from its last use; looking southwest.

Fig. 12.3. The floor of Limekiln 1850 covered with a dark ash layer; note signs of intense fire on Building 1821’s southern wall; Pit 1777 (Stratum II) cuts through the kiln’s wall; looking east.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

275

Fig. 12.4. Limekiln 1850; signs of the intense fire are visible on W1245; looking east.

Fig. 12.5. Limekiln 1850; plastered channel of the previous Stratum V integrated into the kiln construction; looking west.

Two small chambers were attached to the southern wall of Limekiln 1850: L1940 in the west and L1909 in the east, with a narrow space (L1935) separating them (Fig. 12.6). Chamber 1940, 0.9 × 1.2 m, was built of one-stone-wide walls. An inner, cell-like unit was located in its northern side, adjacent to the kiln’s wall (Fig. 12.7), and remnants of burnt wood were found

276

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.6. Aerial view of Limekiln 1850 with two small chambers, L1940 and L1909,attached to its southern wall; looking north (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.7. Chamber 1940 south of Limekiln 1850; looking north.

there. Chamber 1909, 1.5 × 2 m, was also built of narrow, one-stone-wide walls. In the south and southeast, its walls rested upon retaining walls (W1254, W1164). Inside, a yellowish clay floor abutted the walls. The entrance to this chamber was through an opening located in the northeastern corner. Unlike the adjacent Chamber 1940, no charcoal was found here, but a few iron nails lay on the floor (see Chapter 20: Fig. 20.1). These two chambers were definitely an integral part of the kiln complex. To the south of them were traces of a white plaster floor (L1444), probably part of a large open space stretching southward. During Stratum IV, the surface level in this area was raised c. 0.4 m with a new plaster floor (L1790; not in plan).

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

277

The alterations that occurred in Street 1886 during Stratum IV further emphasize the radical change this area underwent in the beginning of the Early Islamic period. A number of walls (W1270, W1388, W1148) were built over the cobblestone pavement of the eastern sidewalk (L1917) of Byzantine Street 1886 (see Chapter 2: Plan 2.4), forming a continuous wall along the eastern side of the street (Plans 12.2, 12.3). The walls were built in a careless manner, featuring different widths (Fig. 12.8). In the north, W1270, one-stone wide, began near the southwestern corner of the kiln’s outer perimeter (Plan 12.2). Wall 1388, which continued the north–south orientation of W1270, was better executed than the other segments. Its northern end formed a corner with W1271 (Plan 12.2), which was built over W1158, the street’s eastern boundary in the Byzantine period. In the south, W1148, a wide curved wall, was built over the cobblestone pavement of the Byzantine street’s eastern sidewalk (L1524), and over W1158. Remains of a thin plaster floor (L1448) were detected east of the wall, and a similar floor (L1449) to the west, both c. 0.3 m above the large stone slabs of Street 1886. The walls built over the Stratum V eastern sidewalk testify to the narrowing of the street during the Umayyad period. The new street level was preserved at the two ends of Street 1886: the thin plaster floor (L1449) abutting W1148 in the south (above), and a similar plaster floor (L1808) in the north, abutting W1241 (Plan 12.4). The latter wall, built over the Byzantine street, seems to form a corner with W1242, which was poorly preserved close to the excavation’s northwestern boundary. Plaster Floor 1812, which abutted W1243 in the north and the kiln’s western W1248 in the east, was apparently also part of the street’s new surface (Plan 12.2; Fig. 12.9). The height of these three floor sections clearly attests to the southward slope of the street: over a distance of c. 24 m, the street level drops from an elevation of 700.94 m asl in the north to 699.77 Fig. 12.8. Series of walls built in Stratum IV over the m in the south, following the natural eastern sidewalk (L1917) of Byzantine Street 1886; looking topography of the hill. north (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

278

DORON BEN-AMI

99

0 700 13

1

700 20

L1886

699 93

699 51

8 W138

W3187

I

L1917

I

700 36 699 92

700 10 699 85

700 27 699 63

H

H #L1448

#L1449

699 77

148 W1

699 77

G

G

698 77

698 66

W3187

698 68

698 52

L854

F

F

698 49 698 44 0

99

0

2 m

1

Plan 12.3. Stratum IV: Umayyad walls on southern part of Byzantine Street 1886.

279

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

97

99

98

M

701 55 701 21

M

W1242 701 18

701 19

W1241

W1265

L

701 43 701 09

L1769

L

# L1808

701 25 700 01

700 94 701 01 699 96

700 59

K

K

0

97

98

2

m

99

Plan 12.4. Stratum IV: Umayyad remains on northern part of Byzantine Street 1886.

Fig. 12.9. Wall 1243 in the center and Floor 1812 on the right, built over Byzantine Street 1886; Channel 1818 of Stratum V on the left; looking east.

280

DORON BEN-AMI

Wall 1243 formed a corner with W1246 to the west, which rests on the stone slabs of the Byzantine street (Fig. 12.10). A segment of a thin, white-plaster floor (L1811) was unearthed in the corner of these two walls. The most tangible evidence for the decline in the street’s importance in the Umayyad period was exposed in the northwestern corner of the excavation, where the street was severely damaged, and some of its slabs were entirely removed (Plans 12.2, 12.4; Fig. 12.11). An enormous pile of limestone and marble chunks above the Byzantine street (L1769; Fig. 12.12, Plan 12.4) stretched from the Byzantine building in the east to W1241 in the west; and from W1243 in the south beyond the excavation border in the north, where a similar wall probably stood to delimit the pile on that side. It thus appears that during Stratum IV, the area west of Limekiln 1850 served to store the kiln’s raw material, and L1769 represents the stones that for unknown reason had not yet found their way into the kiln. In the course of its operation, stones from the previous stratum had been removed and broken into chunks for use as raw material for the kiln, causing considerable damage to the walls of Building 1821, some of which were almost entirely razed to ground level. Interestingly, the pile of stone chunks included a large amount of marble, much of it opus sectile fragments probably belonging to the same building and other Byzantine edifices that were dismantled during this time (see Chapter 24). This also explains the heavy damage noted in Street 1886, especially near the kiln.

Fig. 12.10. Corner formed by W1243 and W1246 on the bottom right, resting upon the stone slabs of Byzantine Street 1886; Limekiln 1850 in background; looking east.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.11. The severely damaged Byzantine street (above), west of Limekiln 1850 (below); looking west (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.12. Limestone and marble chunks piled above Byzantine Street 1886; looking west.

281

282

DORON BEN-AMI

In summary, the layout in the excavation area underwent a dramatic change in the transition from the Byzantine period (Stratum V) to the Umayyad period (Stratum IV). No buildings were constructed, and the entire area was converted into an industrial zone dominated by Limekiln 1850 and its associated features. Thus, the definitive break in the long continuity through the Late Roman and Byzantine periods must be viewed against the background of the political and cultural changes Jerusalem experienced in the midseventh century CE. The Early Islamic period began a new era in the history of the city, characterized by a new architectural concept that is most clearly reflected in the area of the Ḥaram esh-Sharif and its immediate vicinity, including the site of the Givati excavations (Fig. 12.13; for discussion, see Chapter 19).

Fig. 12.13. Aerial view of the location of Umayyad Limekiln 1850 south of the Ḥaram esh-Sharif; looking north (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

283

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Strata III–I: The Abbasid Period Stratum III (Figs. 12.14–12.29; Plans 12.5–12.16; Plan 2.30: Section 3-3) Sometime during the eighth century CE, the character of the area changed again. The industrial nature of the area in Stratum IV gave way to a commercial function (see below), and the limekiln (L1850) was partly dismantled and covered. The most striking feature of Stratum III is the paucity of the remains, consisting primarily of wall stubs, installations and pits scattered throughout the area (Plan 12.5).

97

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 N

3

N

M

L

L

K

K

J

J

I

I

H

H

G

G 3

M

F

F

E

E

D

D

C

C

B

B

A

A

Z

10 m

0

97

98

99

Z 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Plan 12.5. Stratum III: schematic plan (for section, see Plan 2.30).

8

9

10

284

DORON BEN-AMI

The Architectural Remains The few surviving architectural remains consist mainly of wall fragments, stone platforms and patches of beaten-earth floors. It should be stressed that this was not the result of poor preservation, but rather, the actual nature of Stratum III. These features are described here from the best preserved and most prominent, to the least. Walls 1948 and 1952 comprise the northeastern corner of a structure (Plan 12.6). No floor level abutting either wall was preserved. West of W1952, another wall stub (W1951) had the same orientation, although it is impossible to determine if it was part of that structure or belonged to a separate element. Some 20 m west of W1951 (Plan 12.7), two ṭabuns (L1357, L1426) were located close together, forming a cooking installation integrated into Floor 1450. The northern ṭabun (L1357) was partly damaged by a stone platform built over it in the subsequent stratum (L1348, Phase IIB; see Plan 12.29). Floor 1450 is the raised level of an earlier Stratum III floor (L1460) that abutted the openings of two shafts, L1339 and L1391A. As noted above (Stratum V), these two shafts lead into a water cistern (Cistern 1391) located some 8 m below the floor, originally constructed in the Late Roman period (Stratum VI) and continuing in use uninterruptedly until Stratum I. Further north, a sequence of six superimposed beaten-earth and plaster floors was revealed (Plan 12.8), unconnected to

4

5

6 L3790

L3745

L3660 701 01 699 62

699 57 699 12

700 17 698 33 697 90 697 31

I

L3819

I

L3902 L3799

698 81 698 04

L3833

699 33 697 59

L3878 697 86 697 61

698 11 697 34

L3820

#L3670 700 42

699 02 698 52

H

H

700 48 700 21

4

700 30 700 17

700 37 700 19 700 40 700 17

L3783

W1952

700 44 700 17

700 35 700 18

W1948

G

700 44 700 30

W1951

700 47 700 25

699 77 697 97

700 43 700 24

700 53 700 31 700 45 700 31

700 48 700 10

5

Plan 12.6. Stratum III: architectural remains and pits.

#L3699 700 32 0

G 2 m

6

285

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

any walls and apparently constituting part of a large open space; almost all the floors were devoid of associated finds. The earliest, Floor 1424, a beaten-earth surface, was part of the original layout of Stratum III. It was replaced by Floor 1413, c. 0.4 m above it. The level of the floor in this area was again raised c. 0.4 m with a new beaten-earth floor, L1376. Some 0.4 m above Floor 1376, a plaster floor was laid (L1489), patches of which were discerned throughout this vicinity. Floor 1489 was, in turn, replaced by a new plaster floor, L1475, founded c. 0.2 m above it, into which three ṭabuns were integrated. Ṭabuns 1500 and 1501 stood next to each other and Ṭabun 1502 was located 5 m to the northeast. The final floor in this sequence was Floor 1477/1471, a plaster floor founded only a few centimeters above Floor 1475. Due to the patchy nature of these closely overlying floors, the sequence was not evident throughout; however, this sequence of six superimposed floors, which accumulated to a height of c 1.5 m, comprises important archaeological evidence of the constant use of this area over the time span between the construction of the earliest floor and the final use of the latest floor. Further east, near the eastern border of the excavation area, two poorly preserved walls were excavated with no evidence of floors or other architectural elements related to them (Plan 12.9). The northern of the two, W1453, was built of small and medium-sized stones; the construction of a later wall above it in the subsequent stratum (W1402, Stratum II) severely damaged this wall. To the south, the stub of W1448, c. 0.8 m wide, follows the same orientation as W1453. It was built in a peculiar manner, with very large stones forming its eastern face and small stones in the western face.

0

1

3

2

701 06 693 10

#L1458

L1339 I

L1391A 698 03 697 71

699 63 698 84

L1611 L1485

L1608

698 96 696 44

L1513

698 11 697 29

L1514=L1555

L1546

699 24 698 13

#L1450

2 m

699 76

H

698 90 698 36

L1357 700 53 700 44

700 05

0

L1578

699 72 698 51

L1547

I

#L1460

H

0

698 67 697 24

701 29 693 10

698 57 697 57

G

699 83

L1549

700 45 700 32

L1537

L1426 1

699 49 697 35

2

Plan 12.7. Stratum III: Shafts 1339 and 1391A and pits.

G

3

286

DORON BEN-AMI

3

L

4

5

L1862

L1883

L2485

L1890 701 32 699 96

700 87 699 62

L1972 K

699 44 698 51

L1501 700 94 700 79

K L1502 700 90 700 85

L1500

L2473

700 96 700 71

700 33 698 38

0

2

3

m

700 82 699 05

L3767=L2515 700 65 699 59

L1503 701 05 699 51

701 01 699 62

4

J

L3790 699 57 699 12

L3660 I

L2474=L2571

700 99 700 71

L1562=L1622 J

L

700 60 700 28

701 31 701 18

#L1477 701 05 #L1475 700 97 #L1489 700 80 #L1376 700 54-700 27 #L1413 699 97 #L1424 699 53

6

L3745

L3765 700 19 699 42

I

700 17 698 33

5

6

Plan 12.8. Stratum III: floors and pits.

The Pits The dozens of pits scattered throughout the excavation area (see Plan 12.5), are the most characteristic feature of this stratum. Some appear to be clustered together, c. 0.5–1.0 m apart (e.g., the pits in Sqs H–I\0–1; Plan 12.7; and Sqs H–I\4–5; Plan 2.6), while many others were isolated (Plans 12.10–12.16). Most of the pits are rounded, with an average diameter and depth of c. 1 m (Fig. 12.14), although some are extremely deep, reaching over 2 m and cutting through the remains of several strata (e.g., Pit 1763; Fig. 12.15). In such cases, the diggers simply removed whatever stones stood in their way, for example, Pit 1952, which cut through the Late Roman–Byzantine W1158 (Fig. 12.16). Many of the pits contained charcoal chunks and burnt organic substances that resulted in the dark color of the fill; thus, in the course of the excavation, the pits’ contours were clearly distinguishable within the surrounding fill (Fig. 12.17). In many cases, a pile of fieldstones at the mouth of the pit presumably sealed it (Figs. 12.18, 12.19). In only a few cases were pits dug into one another, for example, Pit 3799 into Pit 3902 (Plan 12.6), Pit 2474 into Pit 2571 (Plan 12.11) and Pit 2574 into Pit 2534 (Plan 12.13). While the vast majority of the pits were simple and rounded (Figs. 12.20–12.22), a few were stone-lined with small and medium-sized fieldstones, for example, Pits 1479 (Figs. 12.23, 12.24, Plan 12.14), 1503 (Plan 12.8), 1827 (Fig. 12.25, Plan 12.12), 2421, 2438, 2472 (Plan 12.9), 2473 (Plan 12.8), 2568 (Plan 12.9), 6459 and 6466 (Plan 12.15).

287

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

8

9

10

N

N

701 21 699 91

L2376 701 86 701 17

L2425 L2360

M

L2379

L2462 700 40 700 13

701 73 701 33

701 65 700 65

M

701 50 701 33

W1453 701 51 701 34

L

L2417 700 99 700 40

L

L2421 700 96 700 33 700 46 700 06

L2438 L2568 700 27 699 85

K L2472

L2533 700 22 699 91

701 62 701 17

K

701 05 698 91

W1448

L2436 700 74 700 68

701 55 0

8

2 m

9

10

Plan 12.9. Stratum III: architectural remains and pits.

The reason for the stone lining of some of the pits is unclear, and analysis of the material inside them did not provide evidence of a connection between stone-lined pits and a specific content.1

In some pits, the presence of organic material was detected (see Chapter 18), for example, Pits 1479, 2472 and 2568, although others yielded no such remains; on the other hand, some simple, unlined pits also contained organic material, for example, Pits 1578, 1618, 1622, 1939 and 1951. 1

288

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.14. Aerial view of Stratum III pits dug into the Byzantine agricultural field and terrace wall; looking west (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.15. Section through Pit 1763 that penetrates earlier strata; looking west.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.16. Section through Pit 1952 that cut through the Late Roman–Byzantine W1158; looking west.

Fig. 12.17. Pit 1972 containing dark-colored fill with burnt organic substance; looking northwest.

Fig. 12.18. A pile of fieldstones in the mouth of Pit 3710, presumably to seal it; prior to excavation; looking east.

289

290

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.19. Pit 3710 after excavation, cutting through Stratum V W1954; looking west.

Fig. 12.20. Simple rounded Pit L3883 during excavation; looking east.

Fig. 12.21. Pit 3883 after excavation; looking south.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.22. Simple rounded Pit 2425; looking west.

Fig. 12.23. Stone-lined Pit 1479; looking east.

Fig. 12.24. Stone-lined Pit 1479; looking east.

Fig. 12.25. Stone-lined Pit 1827; looking south.

291

292

DORON BEN-AMI

The fills of the pits were surprisingly rich in finds, including pottery vessels of both simple and table wares (Figs. 12.26, 12.27; Chapter 13), glass vessels (Chapter 15), bone production waste (Chapter 16), large quantities of botanical material (Chapter 18), metal artifacts (Chapter 20); bone artifacts (Chapter 21), beads of various materials (Chapter 23), animal and bird bones (Chapter 26), fish bones (Chapter 27), egg shells and charcoal chunks. Some pits were rich in a particular type of find, but not all find categories appeared in every pit. The categories of finds are described below.

Fig. 12.26. Pottery vessels in Pit 3815; looking east.

Fig. 12.27. A collection of pottery vessels recovered in Stratum III pits.

7

293

9

8

L2437

J

J

700 89 699 78

700 95 700 67

L3707

L2426 700 46 699 70

L3710 I

I

700 59 698 48

L3743 700 37 699 50

L3650

L3833

H 700 56 700 26

698 99 697 47

L3746 699 83 699 12

G

0

H

L3815 699 43 698 52

2 m

7

G

8

9

Plan 12.10. Stratum III: pits. 6 L2553

7 L2462 M

699 98 699 78

M

700 40 700 13

L2541

699 98 699 35

L

L

L2474=L2571 K

K

700 82 699 05

L2559 J

0

2 m

6

J

699 97 699 42

7

Plan 12.11. Stratum III: pits.

294

DORON BEN-AMI

0

1

2

3

M

M #L1828 701 31

L1827 701 49 701 16

L1868 L

700 68 700 17

L1793

L1854 700 59 699 23

700 87 699 62

701 17 699 42 0

0

2 m

1

L

L1883 3

2

Plan 12.12. Stratum III: pits.

3

4

5

6

M

M L2553 L2534

701 41 701 35

L1893 701 16 700 84

699 98 699 78

700 13 699 93

L1891 L2574 700 15 699 75

L

L1862

L1890 701 31 701 18

701 32 699 96 0

3

L

L2485 700 60 700 28

2 m

4

5

Plan 12.13. Stratum III: pits.

6

295

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

99

0

1

K

2 K

L1951 699 64 698 27

698 95 697 48

700 93 699 80

J 700 18 699 88

L1952

L1900

L1944 I

0

701 10 697 83

L1618=L1597 698 27 697 67

L1945 699 42 698 33

2 m

99

J

L1554

L1763

L1939

699 36 698 22

699 69 699 12

699 59 698 52

0

L1479=L1620 2

1

Plan 12.14. Stratum III: pits. 6

7

8

F

F L6460 699 59

E

E

L6539 697 71

D

D

L6530 698 34 698 02

L6549 697 92 697 71

L6466 698 74 698 17

L6538

C

698 07

L6417 698 61 698 30

6

C

L6459 698 99 698 42

0

2 m

7

Plan 12.15. Stratum III: pits.

8

I

296

DORON BEN-AMI

4

5

6 E

E L6534

698 13 697 14

697 80 697 69

D

D

L6556

698 34 698 02

L6530

C

C L6417 698 61 698 30

L6558

697 66 697 63

B

0

4

B

2 m

5

6

Plan 12.16. Stratum III: pits.

Pit Contents Pottery Vessels: Some of the pits were rich in pottery, for example Pits 2360 (Plan 12.9), 1479 (Plan 12.14) and 1513 (Plan 12.7). The repertoire includes a large variety of types (Fig. 12.27; see Chapter 13), of which table wares––the glazed bowls and the jugs––are predominant. Many of the vessels found in the pits were complete or nearly complete, probably discarded due to damage such as cracks, etc. Interestingly, many of the pits contained oil lamps, sometimes several in the same pit (e.g., four complete lamps in Pit 1513). The vast majority of the lamps bear black soot on the mouth of the spout caused by repeated use. Glass Vessels: These were found in almost every pit in Stratum III. Naturally, all these fragile vessels were broken, although some were restorable (see Chapter 15). The glass assemblage from the pits is clearly dominated by small bottles, some of which were decorated, as in Pit 1554 (Plan 12.14; see Chapter 15: Fig. 15.4:1). These small bottles had a limited capacity and apparently contained precious liquids of some kind, probably medicinal.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

297

Bone Artifacts and Production Waste: Two clusters of pits: one of four pits (L2376, L2425, L2379, L2360; Plan 12.9) the other of five pits further south (L2437, L3883, L3833, L3815, L3746; Plans 12.6, 12.10), contained bone artifacts and bone production waste. Pit 3883 also yielded a bone doll typical of the period (see Chapter 21: Fig. 21.11:86). Another concentration of seven pits containing only bone artifacts, with no bone production waste, was located in the western part of the excavation (Pits 1479, 1514, 1537, 1554, 1608, 1900, 1939; Plans 12.7, 12.14). Four bone dolls were recovered in Pits 1514, 1537 and 1939 (see Chapter 21: Figs. 21.11:85, 89; 21.13:94, 95). These dolls should be considered waste of some nearby workshop(s), probably discarded due to defects in production. Beads: The largest and most diverse assemblage of beads was recovered in two adjacent pits (L3746, L3815; Plan 12.10), which yielded 14 beads of different materials (see Chapter 23). Beads were also found in a cluster of three pits in the western part of the area (Pits 1513, 1547, 1608; Plan 12.7), and in a cluster of four pits c. 20 m to the east (Pits 3745, 3783, 3799, 3878; Plan 12.6). Botanical Material: Botanical material was found in only 15 pits, but the finds are exceptionally rich and well preserved, even though they were not burnt in antiquity, but rather underwent a process of ‘chemical substitution’ (see Chapter 18). Spatial distribution seems to indicate two clusters: Pits 2376, 2379, 2417, 2425, 2472, 2533 and 2568 (Plan 12.9), and Pits 1578, 1618, 1620, 1622, 1939, 1951 and 3745 (Plans 12.7, 12.8, 12.14); Pit 1883 (Plan 12.12) may belong to the latter group. Over 37 botanical species are represented in the Stratum III archaeobotanical assemblage in varying quantities; for example, grape seeds are particularly well represented. In some cases, it is not the quantity but the actual presence of certain species that is of special significance (e.g., flax seeds). Analysis of this assemblage (see Chapter 18) provides unique testimony for the diet and economy of the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the ninth century CE. Faunal Material: The faunal assemblage originating in the pits is dominated by sheep and goat bones, and to a lesser extent by domestic cattle, providing an additional insight into the diet of the inhabitants in this period (see Chapter 26). It is noteworthy that some pits contained a specific type of bone as the only representative of cattle\sheep, for example Pit 1554 (Plan 12.14), in which cattle and sheep were represented almost solely by astragal bones, and the nearby Pit 1622 (Plan 12.8), where large numbers of sheep phalanges were found. The concentration of specific bones in these two adjacent pits is probably related to a phenomenon observed in the analysis of the zooarchaeological assemblage originating in the pits: the majority of the sheep/goat and cattle bones are not those rich in meat, but rather bones bearing minimal amounts of meat (e.g., heads, lower limbs; see Chapter 26). Chicken bones are well represented in many of the pits (e.g., L1479, L1547, L2360, L2376), and interestingly, in light of the context under discussion, swine bones were also found, although in insignificant numbers (e.g., L1479, L1513, L1537; see Chapter 26: Table 26.15). A small number of horse bones were also recorded, for example in Pits 1513 (Plan 12.7) and 1554 (Plan 12.14).

298

DORON BEN-AMI

Wild-animal bones include stone marten (two individuals in Pit 1578; Plan 12.7) and fox (e.g., Pit 1608; Plan 12.7), animals well known for their popular furs. Fish bones and fish scales (see Chapter 27) were recovered in pits in close proximity to the stone-built openings of the two cistern shafts, L1339 and L1391A: Pits 1546, 1547, 1549, 1554, 1611, 1622 (Plans 12.7, 12.8, 12.14), 2425 (Plan 12.9) and 2437 (Plan 12.10), and lesser amounts in Pits 2417 and 2472 (Plan 12.9). Two additional pits with similar contents, L1793 (Plan 12.12) and L3799 (Plan 12.6), were located further north and east respectively. Egg shells were also well preserved in several pits: Pits 1793 (Plan 12.12), 1951 (Plan 12.14), 3650, 3707, 3710 and 3745 (Plans 12.6, 12.10). In some examples it was clear that originally the whole egg had been dumped inside (Figs. 12.28, 12.29). Special Find: One of the pits also yielded a miniature vessel containing residues of a red pigment (Pit 1952; Plan 12.14), which chemical and mineralogical analyses have identified as cinnabar (see Chapter 17).

Fig. 12.28. Two complete eggs uncovered in Pit 3650; looking north.

Fig. 12.29. Egg shells collected in Pit 3650.

Stratum III: Discussion The almost total lack of building remains in Stratum III, and the dozens of pits throughout the area, testify to the special nature of this area in the early Abbasid period. Spatial analysis of the varied finds encountered in the pits and their distribution profiles strongly suggest that they represent an open marketplace that consisted mainly of wooden stands and platforms whose remains have not survived, on which merchants displayed their merchandise, with the pits functioning as refuse pits. Such open markets are well known in the archaeology and literary sources of the period (see Chapter 19). Based on analysis of the pits and their contents, the stands apparently displayed a variety of products, such as pottery vessels, mostly table wares, although it cannot be ascertained if the vessels were the actual merchandise, or served as containers for other goods. Small cracks and minor damage were often the only reason these vessels were disposed of. The popular interpretation of the medicinal contents of the small glass bottles of the period, dozens of which were found in the pits, implies that medicines were offered for sale here. Fruits and vegetables, as well as seeds, were sold in the marketplace, mainly

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

299

on the western and eastern sides of the area, and eggs and fish on the western side of the area. The presence of bone artifacts and bone production waste in the pits excavated in the northeast suggests the location of an artist workshop, whose bone dolls were a particularly popular item among the customers of this market. At least one seller sold beads in the eastern part of the area, and another offered stone-marten and fox furs. As the sheep/goat and cattle bones found in the pits are not parts with much meat, two possible interpretations can be suggested: only the remaining waste of the meaty parts was dumped into the pits, or the waste in the pits does not represent the byproduct of a food industry but is connected with a secondary usage of animal parts, e.g., skin, tendons, etc. Finally, the large number of oil lamps found in the pits, many with sooted spouts, suggests that the market also functioned during evening hours. In summary, the analysis of the rich contents of the pits, together with their spatial distribution, has enabled the reconstruction of a large open marketplace during the ninth century CE in the area south of Ḥaram esh-Sharif. Stratum II Stratum II presents a totally new layout, as the large open marketplace of Stratum III gave way to a well-planned architectural complex occupying the entire area. Leveling operations were carried out to cover all the earlier remains, including Byzantine Building 1821, whose upper walls had still been visible in Stratum III. In general, the new layout consisted of diverse structures arranged along both sides of four long east–west streets with open spaces between them (Plan 12.17). The archaeological evidence testifies that these structures served a variety of handicraft activities, and the entire area was part of a workshop quarter that operated here during the late ninth and tenth centuries CE (see Chapter 16). Two distinct phases are represented by the raising of floor levels and architectural modifications (Phases IIB, IIA). The following description of the architectural remains in each phase is presented in clockwise order, from Building 1637 along the northern edge of the site (Sqs L–M/1–4), to the plastered installations of Unit 1800 in the northwest (Sqs K/0–2). The long streets (L2250, L3580, L1375, 6171) deserve special attention and are described separately at the end. Phase IIB (Plans 12.17–12.31; for sections, see Plan 2.30; Figs. 12.30–12.78) Building 1637 consisted of several rooms arranged in a row, each with an entrance facing an open square in the south (L1863; Plan 12.18). Due to its location along the northern boundary of the excavation area, it could not be determined if the building continued further north. The westernmost room exposed in this building is Room 1636. Its walls and floor were coated with white plaster. The floor level was later raised c. 0.15 m and replaced with a new plaster floor (L1630; not in plan; for pottery assemblages from this room, see Chapter 13: Fig. 13.104). An entrance was located in the southeastern corner of the room, facing the large open square. A rounded installation (L1575), c. 1 m in diameter and built of small and medium-sized stones, was integrated into the floor. The finds unearthed in the

300 97

DORON BEN-AMI

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

N

4

N

1

L1637

3

L2278

5

M

L

L2254

6 M 7

Street 2250

6

L1800

L2435

L1863

7

L2248 L

L2224

10 K

L1931

K

L2210

10

J

Street 3580

L1377

I

I

L3604

L3590 H

J

L2271

L1366

2

H

G

2

Street 1375

L6223

3

F

9

L3669 G

F

E

L6229

E

1

D

D

Street 6171

C

5

C

L6308 B

B

9

8

A

A 10 m

0

Z 97

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Plan 12.17. Phase IIB: schematic plan (for sections, see Plan 2.30).

8

9

10

Z

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

301

Plan 12.18. Phase IIB: Building 1637, Open Square 1863 and Cistern 1532.

bottom of Installation 1575 included bones, glass fragments, pottery sherds dated to the Abbasid period, and several marble fragments (for the latter, see Chapter 24). Adjacent to Room 1636 is Room 1637 with similarly plastered walls and floors. In the course of Phase IIB, the floor level was raised c. 10 cm with a new plaster floor (L1629; see Plan 2.30: Section 4-4). The entrance to the room was located in the center of the southern wall (W1177). The southern part of the floor was cut through by a modern disturbance that damaged the room’s western wall (W1173). Further to the east, Room 1633 also had white-plastered walls and floor and its entrance (1 m wide) was located in the southern W1178. Two in-situ worked stones served as a threshold. The western wall (W1175) is far wider than the other partition walls in the building (1 m wide vs 0.5 m), suggesting a second floor above this room. The eastern wall was not preserved due to a later disturbance; however, if the entrance was located in the

302

DORON BEN-AMI

center of the southern wall, then it can be reconstructed c. 2 m east of the entrance. A small ṭabun (L1634) was unearthed in the southern part of the room, close to W1178. The easternmost room of Building 1637 (Room 1843) was only partially exposed due to its location near the northern boundary of the excavation area. Remains of a plaster floor indicate that this room was also plastered. As in Room 1633 to the west, the entrance to Room 1843 was also 1 m wide with an in-situ threshold consisting of two worked stones. The door socket was located on the eastern side of the threshold, implying that the door opened inward and to the right (Fig. 12.30). Opposite the entrance, a small ṭabun (L1871) was integrated into the floor (see Plan 2:30: Section 1-1). Fig. 12.30. The southern wall of Building 1637 with two thresholds; note Byzantine Building Although the exact nature of 1821 in background; looking west. Building 1637 is not entirely clear, its characteristics testify that it was not a residential structure. The plastered floors and walls of the rooms, and entrances opening onto the large open Square 1863 in the south with no doorways connecting between the rooms, suggest that these rooms functioned as workshops or shops arranged in a row facing the open square and Street 2250 (see Plan 12.17). This interpretation is further supported by the changes in these rooms in the following Phase IIA (see below). In Stratum II, the southeastern corner of Byzantine Building 1821 was turned into an underground water cistern (L1532; Plan 12.18). Three of this building’s original walls, W1262 in the east, W1264 in the north and W1255 in the south (see Chapter 2: Plan 2.2), were reused and became an integral part of Cistern 1532. The original wall in the west, W1283, was heavily damaged and therefore replaced by a new wall, W1267, 0.5 m to the east (see Plan 2.30: Sections 4-4, 6-6). Unlike the walls of Building 1821, which were constructed of large masonry, W1267 is easily distinguished by its poor workmanship and its small-sized fieldstones, visible in the western face (Fig. 2.9; Plan 2.30: Section 6-6). It was obviously not a free-standing wall, but constructed as part of the underground water cistern. The two narrow windows in W1255 (see Chapter 2: Plan 2.2) were now blocked, and the inner faces of the walls were coated with thick layers of gray hydraulic plaster that was adhered to the walls with large pottery sherds. The cistern was roofed with a vault constructed above the four walls, and only a small rectangular opening was visible above the surface, enabling access to the water inside (Figs. 12.31, 12.32). The cistern’s opening was integrated into a large open square (L1863; Plan 12.18) delineated by Building 1637 in the north, Building 1421 in the south, Building 2435 and

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

303

Fig. 12.31. Eastern part of Cistern 1532; threshold in W1178 in left foreground; looking south.

Fig. 12.32. Cistern 1532 with vault, during excavation; looking south.

Street 2250 in the east, and Unit 1800 with its plastered installations in the west (see Plan 2.17). Remnants of white plaster, better preserved in the northern part of this open space, testify to a plastered floor. On the northern side, close to W1178, Ṭabun 1880 was excavated. It is interesting to note that in both phases of Stratum II, ṭabuns stood in open, communal spaces (squares and streets). East of Building 1637 stretches another large open square (L2254; Plan 12.19) bounded by Building 1637 in the west, Building 2278 in the east and Street 2250 in the south. The northern part of L2254 is located beyond the limits of the excavation area. This open area was found devoid of installations of any kind. It was connected to Street 2250 in the south via an opening in W1411. In the northeasternmost corner of the excavation area stands Building 2278 (Plan 12.20), bounded in the south by Walls 1415, 1460, 1451 and 1454, which also delineated the northern side of Street 2250, while its northern part is located beyond the excavation area. The main part of this building consisted of two elongated rooms, Room 2279 in the south and Room 2278 in

5

6

7

N

N

L2296

#L2278 702 21

702 17 702 10 702 15 701 85

702 48 701 90 701 85

702 10 701 58

W1411

702 15 701 85

L2398 701 60 701 44

#L2294

701 57 701 07 700 85

W1467

702 21 701 83

702 13 701 90 701 13 700 81

L2291

702 22 701 92

702 27 701 99

#L2257 701 96

L2258 W1402 2 m

0

L 5

702 32 701 85

W1415

701 83 701 54

701 13 700 83

M

702 28 702 01

W1411

L2335

L2250

702 20 701 92

W1420

W1419

M

#L2254

702 14 701 60

W1434

702 29 701 40

6

702 27 701 87

L

7

Plan 12.19. Phase IIB: Open Square 2254 and western part of Street 2250.

7

8

702 18 701 89

702 38 702 12 702 61 701 08

L2258

702 20

702 69

W1451 701 98 701 70

702 52 702 33

702 65 702 05

701 90 701 56

#L2328 701 80

8

#L2224 702 20

0

702 46 701 89

L2371

702 01

701 92 701 73

4

W145

M

#L2357 701 95

W1460

702 53

702 18 701 82

702 54 701 82

701 18 701 13

7

702 58 702 17

701 83

702 05 701 70

2 m

9

Plan 12.20. Phase IIB: Building 2278 and eastern part of Street 2250.

#L2392 701 70

#L2248 702 23

L2331 702 43 702 02

L2397 W1456

W1412

W1417

W1402

#L2250

6

701 30 701 11

702 27 701 87 702 27 701 99

W1415

702 05 701 70

702 12 701 02

#L2358

W1430

702 24

701 98 701 91

702 20

701 89 702 55 702 37

0

701 96

L2291

702 29 702 18

#L2279

702 37 701 99

W144

W1459

L

#L2257

W1434

702 13 701 90

702 22 701 92

702 28 702 01

702 57 702 38

702 50

W145

702 21 701 83

702 25 702 05

W1420

L2265

W1403

702 20 701 92

702 56

W1422a

702 01

W1426a

W1419

M

W1420

702 31 702 16

W1427

702 60 702 40

21

L2296

702 17 702 10

702 52

701 90

W14

702 21

#L2268

#L2280

W1447

#L2278

N

701 97

#L2366 702 25

702 48 701 90

702 40 702 21

701 46 700 54

702 04 701 77

W1443

702 51 702 32

702 42 702 25

10

L2384

702 55

N

9

#L2244 702 42

10

701 69 701 53 701 95 701 74

702 43 702 16 702 43 702 02

L

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

305

the north, separated by W1420 (Fig. 12.33; see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8). This wall was wider in the west, were it met W1419, but 3 m to the east it turned into a single row of small stones, probably the foundation for a low mud-brick partition wall. Rooms 2279 and 2278 had a plaster floor; upon the northern floor, a complete basin was found in situ (Fig. 12.34; see Chapter 13: Fig. 13.109:7). At the meeting point of the wider and narrower sections of W1420 was a stone installation (L2296) built of a large flat stone surrounded by small fieldstones (Fig. 12.35). The installation was found empty, therefore its purpose remains unknown. Access between these two rooms was possible through Corridor 2265, bounded by W1421 in the west and W1426a in the east, the latter founded directly over a Byzantine wall. This corridor also led to Room 2366 in the north through a doorway in its southern W1427. Only a small portion of Room 2366 was exposed due to its location near the northern boundary of the excavation area. Patches of plaster testify that it too had a plaster floor, into which Ṭabun 2384 was integrated. On the northwestern part of the exposed floor, a complete storage jar was found in situ. Room 2366 was connected to Room 2280 in the east by a wide entrance located in W1426a. Patches of plaster were noticed on the floor and the western wall of this room, and many fragments of plaster on the floor probably originated on the surrounding walls. Unlike the rooms in Building 1637 to the west (Plan 12.18), no entrance was located in the southern wall of Building 2278, and it apparently did not have access to Street 2250. Interestingly, Building 2278 yielded a large amount of bone production waste, also discerned in this location in Stratum III and well into Phase IIA, leading to the conclusion that this building housed a bone workshop in both Strata III and II (see Chapter 16). Along the northeastern side of the excavation area, Unit 2248 (Plan 12.21) apparently housed some industrial activity, as attested by the nature of the remains here, comprising

Fig. 12.33. Building 2278; Street 2250 on the right; looking northeast.

306

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.34. Building 2278; complete large bowl found in situ; looking north.

Fig. 12.35. Building 2278; Installation 2296 abutting W1420; Street 2250 in foreground; looking south.

a concentration of installations, a drainage channel and a sewage pit, ṭabuns and a water cistern. The various components of Unit 2248 are described from north to south. The western boundary of Unit 2248 is defined by a long north–south wall (W1403/ W1430) unevenly built of variously sized stones. Its northern end (W1403), founded on a ruined Stratum V wall, was narrower and more carelessly constructed than the earlier wall. A gap between the two segments of this long wall (W1403/W1430) may represent an entrance at the eastern end of Street 2250, although it is also possible that the wall was complete in its entire length. Unit 2248 extends eastward beyond the boundary of the excavation. Unit 2248 can be divided into northern and southern parts. In the northeastern corner of the excavation area, Room 2268 was bounded by W1403 in the west and W1422a in

307

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

8

N

9

L2384

702 55

W1443

702 40 702 21

701 46 700 54

702 04 701 77

702 42 702 25

#L2280

702 52

701 90

702 50

21 W14

W1427

702 51 702 32

L2265

702 20

W1422a

702 55 702 37

702 12 701 02 702 23 701 63

701 89

#L2358 W1403

702 57 702 38

702 29 702 18

#L2279

702 01

W1426a

702 60 702 40 702 56

N #L2268 701 97

#L2366 702 25

M

10

701 83 702 01

701 98 701 70

W1451

L2371 701 92 701 73

4

W145

M

#L2357

701 95

W1460 702 52

702 33 702 05 701 70

702 65 702 05

W1402

W1447

702 37 701 95

702 16 698 76

702 27 701 96

W1408

W1458

702 28 701 85

L2229

W1407

K

702 28 701 88

L2331 702 43 702 02

701 69 701 53 W1412 701 95 701 74 702 43 702 16 702 43 702 02

#L2244 702 42

L2330

702 03 701 22

702 03 701 25

W1414 9

W1444

702 27 702 04

L2457

701 35

W147 699 39 7

K

701 45 700 70

L2316 702 13 701 75

L2354

W1413 L2248S L2251

0

701 87

L

702 35 701 97

701 97 701 76

702 09 701 88

#L2239

8

702 23

702 29 701 85

W141

701 73 701 68

#L2248N

702 03 701 48

L2252 702 22 701 82

L2320

702 46 701 89

L2397

702 37

701 81 701 43

701 48 701 34

701 68 701 47

702 20

702 18 701 82

W1417

6

L2324

W1430

701 80

701 18 701 13

#L2224

701 90 701 56

#L2328

W144

L

702 54 701 82

701 70

476

702 69

#L2392

W1

702 20

702 53

0

#L2250

702 58 702 17

W145

W1415

702 14 699 55

0

2 m 10

Plan 12.21. Phase IIB: Unit 2248, Open Square 2224 and Cistern 2229.

the south––both originally built in Stratum V. South of W1422a, the floor of Room 2358 bears white patches, suggesting it was plastered. The southern wall of Room 2358 (W1451/ W1454) is narrow, one-stone wide. Initially, the room was entered via a doorway in W1454, which was later blocked sometime in Phase IIB and the entrance probably moved eastward. South of W1454, Room 2392 had a thin plaster floor that abutted the entrance in W1454, and a small ṭabun (L2397) was integrated into it. When the doorway was blocked, a new plaster floor (L2357) was constructed 0.25 m above the preceding floor, and a new

308

DORON BEN-AMI

ṭabun (L2371) replaced the former. South of Room 2392, a thick rectangular surface of hard, compact plaster (L2244; Fig. 12.36) rested on a stone bedding and was bounded by walls constructed of rectangular blocks. Three of these walls were excavated, while the fourth lies beyond the eastern boundary of the excavation. The function of L2244 is unclear. It is not the lower part of a water cistern, as Floor 2248 abutted the lower course of its walls (below). Considering it together with the other installations in this vicinity, it should probably be interpreted as part of the same industrial activity that took place here; its size and careful execution indicate it played a principal role within Unit 2248 (below). It can be tentatively suggested that it was connected with Sewage Pit 2316 and Channel 2330, whose northern end is preserved 3 m south of L2244 (Plan 12.21). Sewage Pit 2316 is a deep (c. 2.5 m), rounded, bell-shaped pit lined with small stones, its mouth smaller in diameter (1 m) than its floor (1.5 m), which rests directly on bedrock. The channel is 0.5 m wide, 0.45 m deep, built of two parallel low walls and covered with large flat stone slabs of which only one survived in situ. No trace of plaster was found on its walls or floor, and its floor slopes from north to south toward Sewage Pit 2316. The channel was traced for a distance of 1 m, its northern end passing through a narrow gap between W1444, the southern wall in Unit 2248, and Cistern 2457. Its location and course suggest that it was originally connected to the large plastered installation (L2244) to the north, and ran southward to Sewage Pit 2316. Unfortunately, both the channel and the sewage pit were empty of finds and the soil sample sent for analysis showed no conclusive results. The narrow space (c. 1.5 m) between W1430 in the west and Installation 2244 in the east was occupied by various installations. In the north, Installation 2331 was comprised of two adjacent elements: a small rounded ṭabun and a shallow rectangular depression

Fig. 12.36. Unit 2248; thick plastered surface (L2244) close to eastern boundary of excavation area; looking southeast.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

309

in the floor coated with the same type of clay (‘ṭabun ware’). It is likely that they were connected by a channel made of the same material, although their poor state of preservation prevents a decisive conclusion. A small jug was found in situ, sunk into the floor next to the rectangular depression. Attached to the installation on the south was a fragment of a mosaic floor, perhaps part of a larger mosaic floor that did not survive. In the southwestern corner of Unit 2248, Installation 2251 is rectangular in shape with rounded corners, made of the same ṭabun ware as Installation 2331. Its peculiar shape distinguishes it from the rounded ṭabuns. Close by and attached to the southern face of Installation 2244, a small, rectangular installation (L2354) was built of small stones with white mortar. Its size is unknown, as its eastern part lies beyond the excavation area. The eastern part of Cistern 2457 is also located beyond the limit of the excavation area. It is rectangular in shape, partially hewn in bedrock, its upper part built of large rectangular stones similar to those in Installation 2244. It is well plastered and most probably should also be related to Installation 2244 and Channel 2330. Pebble Floor 2248, which abutted the eastern face of W1430 and extended between the various installations east of this wall, may be the foundation of the mosaic floor noted near Installation 2331 (above), or perhaps the mosaic floor was only limited to the area south of that installation. Unit 2248 with its many installations surely functioned as an industrial zone that probably stretched further east, whose nature can only be speculated. It is tempting to connect the activities here with the adjacent Building 2278 to its northwest, defined as a bone workshop (above). Shatil (Chapter 16) has suggested that a bone craftsman would prefer to have his workshop located as close as possible to the place where his raw material was available. As butchers sent their refuse, mainly the skin and unsuitable parts of the animal, to the tannery, this would be a convenient source of suitable bones for the bone craftsman. If so, then the possibility that Unit 2248 operated as a tannery should be considered. West of Unit 2248 is an open area (L2224; Plan 12.21) located at the eastern end of Street 2250 and connected in the west with a much larger square, L2210 (see Plan 12.23). The most prominent feature in L2224 is an underground water cistern (L2229; Figs. 12.37, 12.38; see Plan 2.30: Sections 8-8, 10-10). This cistern is rectangular in shape (2.5 × 3.0 m), its mouth integrated into the surface of the open square. The bottom part was hewn into bedrock, while the upper walls and vault were built of small and medium-sized fieldstones with grayish mortar. The interior of the cistern was thickly plastered. The square opening to the cistern was bounded in the south and east by two short walls, W1407 and W1408 respectively, and its covering stone was found upright in the opening. Attached to the southern face of W1407 was a small, rectangular, stone installation (L2252) built of one row of small fieldstones. Although found empty, its location close to the cistern mouth suggests it was designed to hold vessels with which to draw water from the cistern. North of Cistern 2229, at the easternmost end of Street 2250, opposite the installations in Unit 2248, Installation 2328 (Plan 12.21; see Plan 2.30: Sections 7-7, 8-8) consisted of a thick, white plaster floor bounded by W1446 in the west and W1447 in the east. In the north, the plaster floor abutted W1402, the southern wall of Street 2250. Both the western and eastern walls and the floor end in the south in a straight line. As no later

310

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.37. The opening to Cistern 2229 with covering stone upside down; Installation 2252 in foreground; looking north.

Fig. 12.38. Cistern 2229 after the removal of its vaulted roof; note bedrock at the bottom; looking south.

disturbance was noticed here, it seems that this line reflects the original southern boundary of Installation 2328. It was approached either through the wide opening in the south, or through a doorway located in the west, between W1446 and W1458. A small, shallow, plastered cavity (L2324) 0.5 m south of the southern end of W1447, whose purpose is unclear, provides further evidence for the southern boundary of Installation 2328. South of Cistern 2229, the remains of Building 2271 were exposed (Plan 12.22; see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8), the western side of which was severely damaged by later disturbances (Fig. 12.39). It seems to consist of an open courtyard in the north (L2239) and two rooms in the south (L2271, L2273). Patches of thin white plaster uncovered in L2239

311

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

suggest that the floor here was entirely plastered. Two rectangular pilasters in the center of the building (W1428) define the entrance into Room 2271. This wide entrance had a cobblestone threshold abutted by a thin, white-plaster floor inside Room 2271. A storage jar was found in situ, sunk into the eastern part of the floor (Figs. 12.40, 12.41). The long, narrow space (L2273) in the eastern part of the building, defined by W1424 and W1409, was entered via an entrance in its northwestern corner, bounded by the eastern pilaster and W1414. At the southern end of this room, attached to W1424 and W1423, were two large, rectangular stones with a small gap between them, located above the northern end of a drain channel (L2409; not on plan) leading to a sewage pit (L2377) located outside Building 2271, attached to its southeastern corner. Sewage Pit 2377 is c. 2 m deep, its sides walled with small and medium-sized fieldstones. No sign of plaster was noticed on the stones inside the pit. Two large, flat stone slabs covering the pit’s mouth were found in situ. Apparently, the two rectangular stones inside Room 2273 served as a toilet seat, and the sewage pit with its covering stones was dug outside Building 2271, under Street 3580 (see Plan 12.17), where it could be easily maintained. West of Building 2271, the largest open square in this stratum (L2210; Plan 12.23; see Plan 2.30: Section 10-10) extended over c. 200 sq m. It appears to have been an integral part of L2224 in the east (see Plan 12.21), thus stretching eastward to Unit 2248 (see Plan 12.17). Square 2210 was rectangular in shape, bounded in the north by Street 2250 and Structure 2345, in the south by Street 3580, in the east by W1446 + W1458 and Building 2271, and in the west by Building 1421.

8

9

K

K

701 97 701 76

701 87 701 73 701 33

702 03 701 22

0 W141

#L2239

702 03 701 25

W1414

W1428

702 03 701 61 702 15

701 78

701 64 701 30

701 59 701 90

W1423

701 76 701 49

0

#L2273

2 m 8

701 89 701 54

701 99 701 72

L3580

L2377 701 30 699 45

9

Plan 12.22. Phase IIB: Building 2271.

701 71 701 42

W1424

#L2271 701 45

9 W140

701 71 701 48

J

702 13 701 75

J

312

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.39. General view of Building 2271; looking north.

Fig. 12.40. Building 2271 with storage jar found in situ; looking south.

Fig. 12.41. The storage jar excavated in Building 2271.

The surface in Square 2210 consisted of a hard, beaten earth floor; in some places patches of a thin plaster floor were detected, mainly on the northern side. Several ṭabuns on the eastern and southern sides are the only features that break the homogeneity of this large open surface. Two adjoining ṭabuns (L2385, L2386) were located in the northeastern corner, opposite the entrance between W1446 and W1458. Ṭabun 2385 is the larger; a complete cooking pot was recovered in situ inside Ṭabun 2386. Another large ṭabun (L2320) stood c. 5 m southeast of the previous ones, close to Cistern 2229. Three ṭabuns (L2488, L2495, L3730) in the southern part of Square 2210 appear to have been located in a cooking corner (L2493), bounded by short, curving W1482 in the north and W1914 in the south, the northern wall of Street 3580. To the east of these, a plastered installation (L2454) was found devoid of finds and its function is unclear. It can be assumed that it

313

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE 6 #L2294

701 57 W1467

W1436

#L2435

L2483

700 72 700 49

L2385

701 30 701 11

701 37 701 18

700 90

L2467

700 91 700 72

L2468

701 00 700 87

701 41 701 18

702 17 701 57

W1465

L2452 701 22 701 07

K

701 68 701 47

701 20 700 94

W1162

L2386

701 48 701 34

701 19 700 83

701 12 700 77

L2459

701 18 701 02

700 79

L

701 18 701 13

W1458

700 89 700 60 701 10 700 85

W1402

702 24

6

701 01 700 76

8

W144

701 76 701 41

7

W1459

L

701 13 700 81

701 16 700 79

701 13 700 83

W1434

5 701 07 700 85

K

W1153

702 01 701 54 702 03 701 52

#L2210 701 72

702 08

W1161

W1154

W1134

J

702 04 700 19 701 90 701 40

700 64 700 48

701 82 701 51

701 71 700 88

W1482

701 69 701 53

700 77 700 69

700 73

W1918 701 74 701 09

W1919

701 79 700 69

5

701 64 700 44

701 66

701 44 700 72

701 41 700 73

J

L2495

701 43 700 85

L3730

L2454 700 67 700 61

L2488

700 69 700 41

#L2493 701 72 700 44

700 97 700 57

700 66 700 35

701 09 700 92

701 41 700 81

W1914 0

2 m

6

7

8

Plan 12.23. Phase IIB: Square 2210 and Structure 2435.

was connected with the activity conducted in the ṭabuns to its west. Another ṭabun, L2452, stood in the northwestern corner of Square 2210. In the northern part of this open square, a narrow, rectangular installation (L2459) was built of dressed, rectangular stones against W1465, the southern wall of Structure 2435 (below). It was thickly coated with white plaster and devoid of finds. Structure 2435 is a long, narrow structure in the northwestern corner of Square 2210 (Plan 12.23), measuring precisely 10 m in length and 3 m in width (Fig. 12.42). It is delineated in the north by W1467, the southern boundary of Street 2250 (see Plan 12.17), and by W1465 in the south. These two walls, 1 m wide, were built in a careless manner of two faces of large stones with small stones as filler. The large stones do not join each other meticulously, and in some places, small stones replace larger ones. The walls and floor were coated with a thick layer of white plaster, lending the entire structure a homogenous appearance. The entrance was located in the eastern W1459. Several small installations were incorporated into the floor. Installation 2467 on the western side of the hall is a shallow, rounded depression in the floor, walled with large potsherds and small

314

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.42. Structure 2435; looking west.

stones. A somewhat similar installation (L2483), was found on the opposite side of the structure, close to the main entrance, and a small ṭabun (L2468) stood close to it. At some time during Phase IIB, the floor level in this structure was raised c. 15 cm, and a new plaster floor (L2434; not in plan) was laid above Floor 2435, covering the installations integrated in the previous floor. The area south of Street 3580 was arranged in a somewhat similar plan as Square 2210, i.e., a large open area (L3590) with workshops on the east and a large structure on the west (see Plan 12.17). Room 3604 was built against W1911, the southern wall of Street 3580 (Fig. 12.43, Plan 12.24). It had a thin, white-plaster floor with Ṭabun 3649 integrated into it. Two complete cooking pots were found in situ on the floor, close to the ṭabun. The plaster floor abutted Installation 3615 in the west, rising up its eastern face. This installation comprised a rectangular platform, 1.5 × 3.0 m, 0.5 m higher than the floor level in Room 3604. It was built of a wide wall in the west (W1915) and a narrow wall in the east (W1937). The upper surface of the platform was plastered, with two ṭabuns (L3591, L3609) sunken into it (Fig. 12.44). The southern ṭabun (L3609) is relatively large, c. 0.6 m in diameter. Charcoal and burnt bone fragments were recovered from the bottoms of both ṭabuns. It is clear that L3615 served as a ‘cooking platform’ connected with Room 3604, in which Ṭabun 3649 was also located (above). The entrance to Room 3604 was via an opening between Installation 3615 and W1923. Further to the south was a round, walled pit (L3668), c. 1.5 m deep (Fig. 12.45; Plan 12.24), with large, flat covering stones still in situ. It was connected to Drainage Channel 3720, built of two rows of small and medium-sized stones, also retaining its large, flat covering stones. Channel 3720 slopes downward c. 3.5 m, under the beaten-earth floor of Square 3669, from the nearby installations, including Ṭabuns 3672 and 3667 and

315

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.43. Room 3604 with Installation 3615 in background; looking southwest.

7

8

9

L3580

W1924

L3649 700 59 700 41

L3615 W1915

L3609 700 95 700 73 701 06 700 72

700 85 700 57

#L3604 700 83

W1923

L3668

2 m

G

W1931

700 85 700 56

7

700 48 700 38

701 01 700 99 700 60 700 81 701 08 700 59

700 52 700 50 700 02

L3720

700 23 700 07

L3672 700 53 700 42

701 18

700 61 700 14

700 54 699 09

0

I

W1943

701 04 700 78 700 60

701 15 700 67

701 24

W1911

701 01 700 62

700 82 700 62 701 00 700 82

H

701 06 700 62

701 09 700 70

701 03 700 89

W1937

I

L3591

700 83 700 70

700 28 700 13

L3667

700 94

700 67 700 13

H

700 99

W1917

701 06

#L3669 700 93 700 48

L3666 700 53 700 40

700 98 700 84 700 93

G

701 01 698 40 L3587

8

9

Plan 12.24. Phase IIB: Room 3604 with Installations 3615 and 3668 and Cistern 3857.

316

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.44. Cooking Installation 3615 with two ṭabuns (small chamber in background belongs to Phase IIA); looking west.

Fig. 12.45. Sewage Pit 3668 with Channel 3720; looking southwest.

Installation 3666. The latter is a small, rounded stone installation, its floor and walls made of the same ṭabun-ware material, suggesting that the activity in Installation 3666, as in the ṭabuns next to it, was also connected with fire. In this regard, the thick ash layer found inside Pit 3668 should also be noted, which may have resulted from the activities in the adjacent installations. Pit 3668 and Channel 3720 are very reminiscent of Sewage Pit 2316 and Channel 2330 further to the north, which were connected with the industrial activity in Unit 2248 (see Plan 12.21).

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

317

The opening of underground Cistern 3587 is located to the east of these installations (Plan 12.24; see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8). It is a relatively small cavity, 1.5 × 1.8 m and 2.3 m deep, dug into earlier remains (Figs. 12.46–12.48). The cistern was walled with small and medium-sized stones and coated with several layers of gray hydraulic plaster; between the wall and the plaster was a layer of large pottery sherds––all the identifiable sherds dating to the Abbasid period. A ceramic pipe is noticeable in the upper eastern wall, close to the roof, which obviously connected to other drains coming from the roofs of buildings located further east (beyond the boundary of the excavation area). A wall stub (W1917) exposed slightly north of Cistern 3587 is apparently part of its construction.

Fig. 12.46. Opening to Cistern 3587, prior to excavation; looking west.

Fig. 12.47. Interior of Cistern 3587, with vaulted roof still intact; looking east.

Fig. 12.48. Ceramic pipe in upper eastern ► wall of Cistern 3587; looking east.

318

DORON BEN-AMI

To the south, Building 6223 comprised the southern border of Square 3669 (Plan 12.25; see Plan 2.30: Sections 8-8, 9-9). This building consisted of a large room (L6223) surrounded by smaller rooms in the north, east and south. It was bounded by W1945 in the north, W3048/3067 in the east, and W1931/3042 in the west. Two entrances located in the northern W1945 connected Building 6223 with Square 3669. The three rooms in the north were each occupied by different types of installations. The westernmost Room 6320 had a beaten-earth floor covered with a thin layer of white plaster, in which three ṭabuns (L3706, L6335, L6341) were dispersed randomly. The easternmost, Ṭabun 6341, replaced an earlier ṭabun below it (L6336, not on plan), which was also built over an earlier ṭabun (L6372, not on plan), all of Phase IIB. This concentration of ṭabuns in a single room testifies to the intense cooking activity conducted here. Two cooking pots were found in situ inside Ṭabun 3706. Wall 1939 separates Room 6320 from Room 6401. Its joint with W1945 in the north was cut by a Mamluk pit (L3625, below). The western part of Room 6401 was occupied by a shallow rectangular installation (L6188) whose pebble floor was bounded in the east by

8

L6354

W3012

700 20 699 68 699 52

699 63 699 53 700 81 699 78

W3026 700 58 700 10

700 46 700 16

#L6300 699 70

W3084

700 90

700 92

W3049

700 76 699 96

700 50 700 86 #L6279 699 99

#L6243 699 97

700 24 W 3082

700 55 700 47

#L6332 699 55

W3060 700 55 W3038

W3065

699 36 699 48 W3028

W3041

700 54

#L6287 699 62

700 80 700 69

700 52 700 61

700 06 700 07

#L6299

699 73 700 13

W3068

W3072

W3077 W3058 700 62

700 44

700 79 700 78

W3066

700 83 700 11

E

699 07

W3067

700 12

700 15 699 81

8

F

701 02

700 86

L6301

7

700 71

700 54

700 64

699 68 699 62

E

#L6349

W30 74 L6492

W3024

L6261 699 88

700 37 700 89 W3054 700 10 700 49

W3048

L6342 700 03 #L6223

#L6401

W3076

699 91

700 70

700 61

700 97

W3069

700 20 699 94

W3007 700 94

F

700 60 700 13

700 59 700 42

699 85

W3100

700 59 700 66 700 23

W3042

#L6099

L6188

L6335 700 28 700 70 L6341

700 84

G

#L6320

W1939

700 20 699 95 700 82 700 24

700 90 700 44 701 01 700 14

L3706

700 82

701 03

W3075

700 77 700 53

701 01 698 40

W1945

W1931

700 20 699 92

700 38 700 17

L3587

700 93

700 53 700 40

W3053

700 43 700 19

10

L6337

700 84

W3073

700 89 700 54

G

9

700 48 L3667 #L3669 700 48 700 38 L3666

W3037

7 700 85 700 56

L6298

W3080 700 96

700 73 699 06

0

2 m

700 01

9

Plan 12.25. Phase IIB: Building 6223 with Baking Oven 6299.

10

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

319

W3075, a row of medium-sized fieldstones placed on their narrow side. Nothing was found inside Installation 6188 to suggest its function, and it may have served as a working surface for an unknown activity. The eastern side of the room featured a thin plaster floor (L6401) with a single ṭabun (L6337) integrated into it. Further to the east, Room 6349 was only partly exposed due to its proximity to the eastern border of the excavation area. A rectangular installation was exposed in the southwestern corner of the room (L6492), defined by two stone lines (W3074, W3084). A beaten-earth floor was found inside the installation, and in the room itself. Room 6223, located south of the northern row of rooms, is the largest room in this building. Two doorways located at either end of W3024 connected it with Rooms 6320 and 6401 in the north. The floor in Room 6223 was made of thin plaster, with its eastern side (L6279) c. 0.15 m lower than its western side. This difference in elevation was overcome by a single step made of two large flat stones, located in the narrow gap between Chamber 6243 and the room’s northern wall. Three ṭabuns (L6342, L6261, L6354) stood in the western part of the room. On the eastern side, the floor level was significantly lower than that in the adjacent, northern Room 6401. Access was gained here by stairs, perfectly preserved along with the door socket, which was found in situ on the western side of the entrance, suggesting that the door would have opened into Room 6223. The socket was hewn into a basalt stone, extremely rare among the stones found in this stratum. A small, rectangular, cell-like installation (L6243) in the southeastern corner of this room, opened in the east and its floor was at the same elevation as Floor 6279. To the east, Room 6332 is a square room (3 × 3 m) with two low benches (W3082, W3076) built along its northern and western walls (Fig. 12.49). A wide doorway in the eastern wall, partly hidden beyond the eastern boundary of the excavation area, was preserved to a considerable height (1.15 m) with smoothly plastered doorposts. In the northwestern and southwestern corners of the room, two pilasters were built (W3054, W3060). Although no parallel pilasters were discovered in the opposite corners, it can be assumed that the room was roofed with a cross vault. Constructively, the doorpost in the northeastern corner could have served as a support along with the room’s southeastern corner. A thin plaster floor inside Room 6332 abutted all these elements. The rounded installation (L6299) located south of Room 6332 was undoubtedly the main focus of this building (Figs. 12.50–12.54). Installation 6299, 2.5 m in diameter, was built of medium-sized stones. Four pilasters in the four corners of the room (W3065, W3066, W3067, W3072) must have served as bases for a vault that roofed the room. The floor was a thick layer of dark orange mud-brick material resting on a thick bedding of flint stones stretching over the entire space. These flints had been carefully chosen, as flint stones are extremely rare at the site and no other type of stone was found under the installation floor. Evidently, this flint bedding was intentionally laid under the floor to preserve heat. Spots of white ash were visible on the mud-brick floor overlying the bedding, a clear indication of the fire inside. On the other hand, the building stones in the circumference of the installation show no signs of soot or cracking, indicating that the fire inside the installation was not intense, thus ruling out an interpretation as a kiln.

320

DORON BEN-AMI

In light of its characteristics, it is most plausible that Installation 6299 had a function connected with fire. This, together with its large diameter and the fact that it was surrounded by walls and roofed by a cross vault, all support its interpretation as a baking oven. This is reinforced by parallels excavated elsewhere, the most prominent of which is a baking oven at Khirbat ed-Deir (Hirschfeld 1999:74–76). Identical installations are still in use today in traditional societies, and such ethnographic observations assist in understanding the way in which the dough was attached to the rounded inner face of the wall, not set on the oven’s floor (Fig. 12.53). The narrow space between the two stones projecting from the southern face of Installation 6299 represents the place where the baker stood (Fig. 12.54), and thus Room 6298 in the south, facing Street 6171, could have been the shop (see Plan 12.17). This room was cut by Kenyon’s trench (see Foreword) and only its northern part survived. A marble pillar was found in situ (see Fig. 12.51), a short distance from the northern boundary of Kenyon’s trench (see Plan 2.30: Section 9-9). Obviously, this valuable architectural element had originated in an earlier (Byzantine?) building and was used here as spolia. Room 6287, west of Installation 6299 and Room 6298, had a wide entrance in the south between two massive pilasters (W3028, W3058; Fig. 12.55) facing onto Street 6171. The room had a thick, yellowish plaster floor, and a circular installation (L6301), one course high, was built against its western wall. Due to its proximity to Kenyon’s trench, only a small part of the eastern face of this wall has survived, its plaster coating intact.

Fig. 12.49. Room 6332 with two benches along the walls, doorway in background; looking east.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.50. Baking Oven 6299; white ash spots are visible on the mud-brick floor; looking west.

Fig. 12.51. Baking Oven 6299; four pilasters are visible in the four corners; marble pillar in background; looking south.

Fig. 12.52. Baking Oven 6299; mud-brick floor rests on a thick layer of flint stones; looking east.

321

322

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.53. Modern baking oven; note dough placed on the inner side of the oven.

Fig. 12.54. Artistic reconstruction of the baking oven (by Yakov Shmidov).

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

323

Fig. 12.55. Room 6287; pilaster W3058 on the right; rounded Installation 6301 in the foreground; looking east.

It is unknown if another room existed to the west of Room 6287 due to the disturbances and poor preservation. Fragmentary remains of a plaster floor (L6300) found here, with two complete cooking vessels still resting upon it, could be part of another room. To the west of Building 6223, W1931/W3042 and Square 3669, a large open square (3590; Plan 12.26) was bounded in the north by Street 3850, in the west by Building 1366 (below), and in the south by W3012. Like its counterpart in the north (L2210), which adjoined an open area to its east (L2224), here too, Open Square 3590 was connected in the east with Square 3669 through the gap between W1915 and W1931. The eastern and central parts of this extensive open area were devoid of installations or architectural elements of any kind. The homogeneity of the beaten-earth floor (L3590) was only disturbed by a few installations in the west, and by more prominent elements in the south. On the western side of the square (L3678) were two ṭabuns (L3693, L3713) and a rounded stone installation (L3711). In the southwest, a rectangular stone platform (L6283) stood in the corner formed by W3051 and W3070. The latter was a short wall extending only the width of the stone platform and probably built specifically for this purpose. Ṭabun 6267 was located nearby, integrated in the northern end of W3056 and apparently related to the activity conducted on the stone platform. The entrance located between W3051 and W3056 led into Room 6211. This room had another entrance located in its western wall (W3017), which led directly into the eastern end of

324

DORON BEN-AMI

5

6 #L3580

701 13 700 89

700 73

L3637 701 12 700 62

700 90 700 79

701 00 700 73

701 09 700 82

701 06 700 74

701 04 700 54

700 83 700 70

700 96 700 70

700 91 700 81

701 03 700 85

W1924

I

W1924

701 08 700 64

700 39 700 30

701 03 700 85

700 94 700 83

700 82 700 62

700 97

700 93 700 87

700 95 700 73

701 00 700 82

W1915

I

7

701 06 700 72

L3609

701 15 700 67

L3693

700 47 700 21

L3711

H

H

#L3590 700 70 700 39 700 19

L3713

#L3678 700 40

#L6167 700 19

700 67 W3051 700 18 700 63

700 64 700 23 700 30

#L6183 700 30

W3032

700 34 699 98

700 89 700 54

W1931

700 48 700 31

L6257

700 77 700 44

700 90 700 44

700 45

W3010

700 41 700 32

700 46 #L6185 700 23 700 29

#L6146 700 43

#L6099

700 93 700 59 700 49 700 66 700 43 700 23 699 83

F

W3012 700 33 700 00

700 24 700 07

700 48 699 87

L6289 699 91 699 62

m

5

G

700 77 700 53

700 80 700 37

#L6147

L6106

700 43 700 04

2

700 68 700 40 700 62 700 35

L6211

700 39 700 03 700 66

0

700 79 700 28

700 18 700 49

700 69 700 16

F

700 71 700 30

700 51 700 29

700 32

W3056

700 90 700 10

700 63 700 04

#L6271

W3017

0

W302 700 72 700 00

W3019

700 47 700 21

W3042

700 78 700 12

G

700 53 700 27 L6283

W3009

700 65 700 13

700 85 700 56

L6267

W3062

700 82 700 12

700 43 700 33

W3022

700 72 700 17

W3070

W1122

700 62 700 15

699 77 699 53

699 72 699 41

6

W3012 700 70 700 30 700 63 700 39

700 60 700 13 700 53 700 40

7

Plan 12.26. Phase IIB: open Square 3590.

Street 1375. It therefore appears that Room 6211 functioned as an entrance space connecting Square 3590 with the long east–west Street 1375 bounding it in the south (Plan 12.17). In the southern part of Square 3590 were two working areas (L6183, L6099). In the west, L6183 consisted of a rectangular space bounded by W3056 in the west and W3022 in the east. It is most likely that the flimsy W3032, constructed of small stones, was the foundation of a partition wall defining a narrow space (L6185) at the back of this area. East of L6183 in L6099, a cooking installation (L6146) was built against W3022. It is reminiscent of the cooking platform, Installation 3615, located on the northeastern side of Square 3590 (above). It was bounded in the north and the east by W3010 and W3009

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

325

respectively, and accessed through a wide opening in the east that connected it with the open area outside (L6099). Undoubtedly, the main focus here was the large ṭabun (L6106). Stone rows divided Cooking Installation 6146 into small rectangular units. The remains of another ṭabun (L6257) were unearthed nearby in L6099 (Figs. 12.56, 12.57). To the south of Kenyon’s trench, Street 6171 and other architectural remains to its south were exposed (Plan 12.27). These seem to belong to two separate buildings (L6308, L6276), although the possibility that they belong to a single large structure should not be ruled out. Due to their location near the southeastern boundary of the excavation area, they were only partly exposed, and their plan could not be defined.

Fig. 12.56. Floor 6099 in the foreground; Cooking Installation 6146 in the background; looking west.

Fig. 12.57. Cooking Installation 6146; stone rows divide the installation into small rectangular units; looking west.

B

C

0

4

2 m

699 54 698 44

699 48 698 54

699 44 698 44

5

699 46 698 52

699 36 698 39

W3078

699 61 699 20

699 38 698 74

699 09

698 67

698 95 698 58

W3103

698 79 698 71

6

698 81 698 69

698 87 698 40

699 07 698 59

699 15 698 89

698 88 698 54

698 98 698 58

699 76 699 56

699 99 699 15 699 32 699 24

699 21 699 09

699 38

#L6308

699 26 699 06

699 30 699 08

699 42 698 99

7

699 48

699 42 L6390 699 10

W306 4

699 43 699 26

699 80 699 24

699 77 699 13

8

699 91 699 30

699 78 699 25

699 89 699 38

699 82 699 50

699 57 699 25

699 73 699 25

699 53

8

699 89 699 38

700 22 699 73

#L6276

699 50 699 26

699 54 699 31

699 42 699 21

699 51 699 29

699 69

L6347

L6259

700 20 699 28

700 08 699 60

699 77 699 28

699 70 699 28

699 33 698 91

L6404

699 93 699 19

W3029

700 17 699 54

699 73 699 33

700 21 699 73

698 96 698 52

699 60 699 31

L6415

#L6240

#L6368

W3034

699 82

699 74 699 68

700 29 699 78

7

Plan 12.27. Phase IIB: Street 6171 and Buildings 6276 and 6308.

699 66 699 24

699 57

699 70

#L6171

6

W3096

5

W3088

9

D

4

3 W306

W305

B

C

D

326 DORON BEN-AMI

327

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

The northern room of Building 6276 had a thick, yellowish plaster floor. The northern wall (W3034)—probably of the entire building—was also the long southern boundary of Street 6171. The beginning of another room (L6390) was exposed in the south, indicating that the building continued southward, beyond the limit of the excavation area. The eastern side of the building, beyond W3059, was cut by Kenyon’s trench. To the west, the remains of Building 6308, comprised of two rooms (L6368, L6308) and a corridor (L6240), were partly exposed. A long hall stretched between W3063 on the east and W3088 on the west. The thin plaster floor inside this room, and the stone installation (L6404) on the western side of the room, were devoid of finds. Room 6368 was only partly exposed, bounded by W3103 in the north. Ṭabun 6415, close to the eastern wall, was integrated into the white plaster floor of this room. The narrow space (L6240) in the northern part of the building probably functioned as a corridor connecting between the western and eastern wings of the building. The southern face of its northern wall (W3034) was thickly coated with white plaster.

2

3

4

I

I

W1152

700 90 700 79

L3580

700 72 699 97

L1455 700 47 698 93

W1141

700 87 700 14

H

2 m 2

700 70 700 21

700 40 700 21

L1335 700 83 700 22

700 76 #L1342 700 04 700 58

W1103

L1375

#L1338

700 67

W1106

700 79 700 24

700 82 700 12

#L1333 700 64

700 90 700 10

700 76 700 18

3

Plan 12.28. Phase IIB: Building 1366.

700 62 700 15

W1112

700 70

W1118

700 58

700 74 700 27

4

W3020

0

#L1343

W1119

W1122

W1104

L1361

W1114 700 72 700 27

700 82 700 06

G

700 50

W1121

700 40

700 59 700 06

#L1366

W1129

#L1347

700 78 700 14

700 88 700 20

W1139

L1377

#L1302

W1125

700 88 700 17

W1138

H

G

328

DORON BEN-AMI

In the northeastern corner of the building, a deep, rounded stone installation (L6259), c. 0.8 m in diameter, was built of small stones against W3034. On the other side of W3034, opposite Installation 6259, Sewage Pit 6347 was attached to the outer face of the wall, below the surface of Street 6171. It was dug into the ground and walled with small and medium-sized fieldstones. The sewage pit was connected with Installation 6259 by means of a short drain (L6483, not on plan) below W3034. The flat stone slabs used to cover both the sewage pit and the short drain were found in situ, at the same level as the street (Fig. 12.58). Thus, it appears that Installation 6259 was a toilet, similar to two other such installations excavated further north (L2377, see Plan 12.22; L1326, see Plan 12.30). The importance of these remains uncovered south of Kenyon’s trench is twofold. Firstly, they can be correlated with those unearthed in the 2007 season in Area M1, immediately to the west (see Plan 2.17; Givati I: Chapter I), enabling a better understanding of the stratigraphy and chronology of the Early Islamic period (Strata IV–I), as it is now clear that the remains in Area M1 ascribed to Stratum IV–II (Givati I:47–52) actually belong to Stratum III–I; for example, those described as Stratum III in the previous report and those of Stratum II described here. Secondly, they provide strong evidence for the continuity of this well-planned Abbasid quarter located south of Ḥaram esh-Sharif, at least as far as the southern boundary of the Givati site. From the southeastern corner of the excavation area clockwise, Area M1 is located West of Street 6171. To the north of Area M1 and west of Open Square 3590, Building 1366 was a large square structure (10 × 10 m) between Streets 1375 and 3580 (Figs. 12.59– 12.61; Plan 12.28; see Plan 2.30: Sections 1-1, 2-2). It consisted of two almost symmetrical, southern and northern parts; the southern end of each divided by short walls or pilasters into

Fig. 12.58. Sewage Pit 6347 with flatcovering slabs in situ; W3034 of Street 6171 in background; looking southwest.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

329

Fig. 12.59. Aerial view of Building 1366 on the left; note Shafts 1339 and 1391A in Open Square 1377 in lower right corner; looking southwest (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.60. Aerial view of Building 1366; looking west (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

open cells. In the south, W1122, W1119, W1118 and W1106 abutted the southern wall of Building 1366 (W1103). In the southwestern corner of the building, W1122 was integrated into the western wall of the building (W1121), and a similar pilaster was integrated into W1121 to the north as well. It is possible that similar pilasters were integrated in the eastern wall of the building (W1112), which are not preserved. The location and characteristics of these short, relatively wide walls, c. 1 m in length and 0.7 m in width, suggest their function

330

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.61. Southern part of Building 1366; four pilasters attached to W1103; looking west.

as pilasters of some kind. They consisted of fieldstone foundations with superstructures of large rectangular limestone blocks, and they did not stand at equal distance from each other: W1122 and W1119 were 2 m apart, W1119 and W1118 were 2.5 m apart, while the distance between W1118 and W1106 was only 1 m. A similar layout in the northern part of this building comprised a set of four pilasters, W1139, W1129, W1138 and W1125, abutting a long partition wall (W1114) running parallel to the building’s southern wall (W1103). The westernmost pilaster (W1139) was integrated into the western wall of the building (W1121), similar to W1122 in the southern set of pilasters. Only the foundations of Pilasters 1138 and 1125 were preserved, and they lack the superstructure of rectangular limestone blocks typical of the other pilasters. No closure wall was found in the northern part of Building 1366, only a short wall, 1 m in length (W1152), in the northwestern corner of the building, most probably flanked by a similar short wall in the northeastern corner that is not preserved. Thus, Building 1366 was apparently open in the north facing onto Street 3580. The thin, white-plaster floor (L1333, L1366) in the building descended slightly from east to west. A round stone installation (L1335) south of and close to W1114 (Fig. 12.62) contained a large, barrel-shaped iron container inside. As the sides of the barrel touch the installation walls on all sides, the walls were probably built around the metal container. Remains of burnt organic material, mainly charcoal Fig. 12.62. Stone Installation 1335 with and grains, were found inside the iron container inside; looking west.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

331

installation, and a complete cooking vessel rested in situ at its foot (see Chapter 13: Fig. 13.43:6). A large ṭabun (L1361) stood in the eastern part of the building. In the northwestern corner of the building, the narrow opening of Sewage Pit 1455 was integrated into the plaster floor. The upper part of the pit was lined with medium-sized stones. The lower part was not stone walled, and close to its bottom, at a depth of 1.5 m, the pit reached its maximum diameter of 1.2 m. No traces of plaster were discerned. The well-designed square plan of the building, the wide opening to the street in the north, and the absence of rooms inside the large space, suggest that Building 1366 had a public function. The pilasters may have supported a roof stretching over the southern part of the building, while the large space in the north may have been open. The sewage pit in the northwestern corner was probably surrounded by a wooden screen and served as a toilet. However, the precise nature of Building 1366 remains unknown. West of Building 1366 stretches the spacious Open Square 1377 (Plan 12.29; see Plan 2.30: Sections 2-2, 3-3, 5-5), bounded by the long W1104 in the south, W1121 of Building 1366 in the east, and the plastered installations of Unit 1800 in the north (below), while its western side extends beyond the excavation area. Square 1377 was almost completely devoid of architectural remains; the most prominent element here was undoubtedly the adjacent openings of two water-cistern shafts, L1339 and L1391A (Fig. 12.63) in the center of the open square. Remains of plaster were still attached to their upper walls (Fig. 12.64). Street 3580 (see Plan 12.17) led directly to open Square 1377, its western end facing the openings of the two shafts. The shafts led into a plastered underground water cistern consisting of two rooms arranged in an L-shape. This cistern was originally constructed in the Late Roman period (Stratum VI) and remained in use uninterruptedly until Stratum I. In the course of these periods, the shafts were raised to adjust their openings to each new surface level of the various occupations, resulting in a total depth of 8 m for both shafts by the Early Islamic period. The remains of a plastered channel (L1365) were exposed c. 2 m south of Shaft 1339, and probably directed rainwater into the cistern. To the south, near W1104, a square stone platform (L1348) was constructed of small and medium-sized fieldstones, probably to serve as a work platform for some activity here. A short distance east of Platform 1348, a complete storage jar (Fig. 12.65) was found resting on Floor 1347 in the southeastern corner of the open area. To the northeast of Open Square 1377, Building 1421 (Plan 12.30; see Plan 2.30: Sections 1-1, 4-4, 10-10) was located on the northern side of Street 3580, opposite Building 1366 in the south. It was bounded in the north by Open Square 1863 (Fig. 12.66). Building 1421 is almost square (8.5 × 9.0 m), similar in dimensions to Building 1366 in the south, but differing in nature. Its external walls were not of similar width, the corners were not 90-degree angles, and furthermore, the northern (W1128/W1145), eastern (W1153/W1154) and southern (W1136) walls were not straight lines, and it appears they were originally built as two separate walls that were joined together. An unusual feature in Building 1421 is the integration of eight, perhaps nine, square pilasters as constructional elements. They were built of rectangular dressed blocks and apparently set in three rows of three pilasters each attached to the circumference walls of

332

DORON BEN-AMI

0

1

2

701 06 693 10

I

L1339

L1391A

I

700 72 699 97

701 29 693 10

L1455

W1152

700 47 698 93

L1365

H

700 87 700 14

W1141

700 67 699 72

L1377

H

W1139

700 88 700 17

#L1347

L1348

700 40

L1366

0

2 m 0

#L1375 700 25 699 02

699 77

699 59 699 26

#L1343 700 58

W1119

700 82 700 06

W1122

699 76

W1104

W1168

#L1522

G

W1166

700 59 700 06

W1121

700 53

700 54 699 40

1

2

Plan 12.29. Phase IIB: Open Square 1377.

Fig. 12.63. Shafts 1391A (left) and 1339 (right) in Open Square 1377; looking southeast.

Fig. 12.64. Close-up of Shaft 1339; note remains of plaster on the shaft’s eastern wall; looking east.

G

333

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.65. A complete storage jar excavated in Square 1377; looking north.

2

3

4

L2467

L1863 702 30 701 32

701 63 701 34

702 36 701 20

#L1370

W1147

701 54 701 29

L1414

W1137 #L1421 701 51

701 96 701 16

W114

#L1474

L1377

701 17 700 85

W1163

701 16 700 72

700 93

W1159 L1496

701 98 700 74

I

2

701 47 701 93 701 32 700 70

701 43 #L1407 700 71 701 22

701 34 700 73

L1326

702 08

L1467 701 36 701 14

W1161

701 94 701 28

#L1440 702 16 701 05

701 16

W1160

W1136 701 23 700 15

L3580 0

700 83

3

Plan 12.30. Phase IIB: Building 1421.

701 74 701 09

702 04 700 19 701 90 701 40 701 82 701 51

J

701 71 700 88

W1919

I

#L1325

701 51 698 37

W1134

W1156 701 73 701 00

K 702 01 701 54 702 03 701 52

702 28 702 16

701 42 701 15

W1126

701 33 700 73

W1130

701 27

W1143

J

W1127

701 74 700 57

W1149

W1131

W1155

702 17 701 57

701 20

#L1468 L1466

4

701 62 701 48

701 68 701 35

W1133

2

701 48 701 07

701 36 701 10

701 42

701 22 701 07

702 00 W1145

W1153

701 25

W113

K

W1162 L2452

W1144

W1128 701 47 #L1398

W1167

701 29

700 89 700 60

W1154

#L1800

W1436

701 76 701 41

4

2

m

334

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.66. Building 1366 in the foreground; Building 1421 in the center; Open Square 1377 in the background; looking northwest (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

the building, except for W1149 that stood in the center of the building. Only one pilaster was free-standing (W1131). Thus, four were placed in the corners of the building (W1130, W1160, W1162, the northwestern-corner pilaster is missing), four were placed in the center of the circumference walls (W1131, W1156, W1161, W1167), and the ninth (W1149) stood in the center of the building. In the course of their construction, the pilasters disturbed Stratum III remains, as is clearly evident in the case of Pilaster 1160, with its base inserted into Stratum III Pit 1503. The earliest floors abutting the pilasters are those of Phase IIB, which also relate to the buildings’ walls, thus ruling out the possibility that the pilasters had an earlier phase in which they stood free of connecting walls (an option that was carefully examined in the field). This constructional feature, most probably for roofing purposes, is paralleled only in Building 1366 (above), although the pilasters there were not as finely executed as in Building 1421. The internal plan of Building 1421 consisted of a central room (L1421) surrounded by five rooms of varying sizes (Figs. 12.67, 12.68). The entrance to the building was located in the western W1132, which led into the L-shaped Room 1398. After several turns, one reached the central room (L1421). The only access to the three large rooms in the east and south was via this room, through the wide entrance (1.2 m) in its eastern wall (W1144). This entrance led into a large room (L1468) from which one could enter the two rooms in the south (L1440, L1407) through openings in W1134 and W1149. Room 1474 on the southwestern side of the building was open to the spacious Square 1377 in the west, and connected with Room 1421 in the east by a very narrow corridor. The small chamber in the southwestern corner of

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Fig. 12.67. Building 1421; looking south (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

Fig. 12.68. Building 1421; looking west (Photograph by Sky View Photography Ltd).

335

336

DORON BEN-AMI

the building (L1496) can be interpreted as a toilet, based on its location, small dimensions, and the presence of Sewage Pit 1326, 0.7 m to its south, which was a bell-shaped, stone-lined pit, c. 2 m deep, largely located below Street 3580 (Fig. 12.69). It appears that Sewage Pit 1326 was connected with Chamber 1496 by a stone-lined channel. All the floors in Building 1421 were plastered, some with several thin, smoothed layers of white plaster. A thick layer of white Fig. 12.69. Sewage Pit 1326; looking southwest. plaster was also evident on the building’s walls and pilasters, best preserved in the eastern part of the building, especially in Rooms 1468 and 1440 (Figs. 12.70, 12.71). Interestingly, fragments of dark red and white fresco

Fig. 12.70. Thick plaster on the eastern wall (W1153) of Building 1421; the wall close to the meter stick belongs to Phase IIA; looking southeast.

Fig. 12.71. Thick plaster on W1153/W1154 and pilasters W1162 (left) and W1161 (right) of Building 1421; looking southeast.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

337

were still attached, in situ, on some of the walls, and other small fragments were resting on the floors (Fig. 12.72). According to Naama Sharabi,2 who analyzed the frescoes from the Givati excavations, the red-painted fresco ranges in thickness from 0.5 to 1.0 cm and was mixed with stone and pottery grits. It consists of several layers of plaster, the lowest of a soft gray material containing varying amounts of stone grits and charcoal, and some larger pieces of pottery and plaster. Some of the red fragments have inner and outer corners, indicating that they were applied on doorposts. The collected fragments cover a total of 0.7 × 1.4 m. Furthermore, the western face of W1144 was decorated with stepped, rectangular panels formed of stucco (Fig. 12.73). The plaster, fresco and stucco applied to the walls lent the building’s interior a distinctive and somewhat luxurious appearance. Apart from two small ṭabuns (L1466, L1467) in the southwestern corner of Room 1468, and a third (L1414) in southwestern corner of Room 1398, no other installations were found in this building. This, together with its overall plan and architectural features, makes it highly probable that Building 1421 was a residence of middle- or upper-class occupants (therefore nicknamed by us ‘Villa Abbasa’), who were closely related to, or perhaps in charge of, the commercial and industrial activities in this part of the city (see also pottery assemblages from Building 1421, Chapter 13: Figs. 13.106, 13.107). A cluster of plastered installations was unearthed in Unit 1800, including a thick plastered surface extending to the east (L1370; Plan 12.31; see Plan 2.30: Section 3-3), north of Open Square 1377 and northwest of Building 1421. They were largely damaged by later disturbances. The installations (L1822, L1830, L1831, L1832) are semi-elliptical in shape (resembling a horseshoe), built of small fieldstones and coated with a thick layer of white plaster. Four large storage jars were found in situ close to these installations (Fig. 12.74). To the west, Installation 1777 was built of small fieldstones and penetrated deeply

0

8

Fig. 12.72. Fragments of dark red and white fresco from Building 1421.

I would like to thank Naama Sharabi for this valuable information. The fresco fragments from the Givati excavations––mainly of the Late Roman period––are currently being processed, and will be published by Silvia Rozenberg and Naama Sharabi in a forthcoming volume of the IAA Reports. 2

338

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.73. Stucco decoration on W1144 of Building 1421 forming stepped rectangular panels; looking east.

0

1

2

3

W117

L1827

W116

M

M

5

703 20 702 52

703 10 701 54

7 W117

702 92 697 67

L1532 # L1767

L

L

701 59

L1831 701 27 700 90

# L1370 701 29

L1830

K

701 40 699 23

L1777

L1832 # L1800

L1822 701 35 700 84

701 29 699 23

0

0

701 28 700 84

2 m

1

7

W114

701 27-700 90

701 48 701 07

2

Plan 12.31. Phase IIB: plaster surface and installations in Unit 1800.

K

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

339

Fig. 12.74. Unit 1800; four storage jars found in situ; looking northeast.

into the earlier remains, cutting through W1245 of Stratum IV Limekiln 1850. Unlike the adjacent installations in the east, this installation was not plastered. Despite its different character and isolated location, Installation 1777 was likely an integral part of Unit 1800. All these installations were devoid of finds, as were the large storage jars. The lack of enclosure walls testifies that the activities took place here in the open, although their nature is unknown. The Streets and the General Layout of Phase IIB (see Plan 12.17) The wide-scale exposure and the relatively well-preserved architectural remains of Phase IIB enable an assessment of the general layout and planning of this part of Abbasid Jerusalem. In Phase IIB, four long streets ran east–west (described from north to south): Street 2250 (Sqs L–M/5–8), Street 3580 (Sqs I–J/3–9), Street 1375 (Sqs F–G/0–4) and Street 6171 (Sqs D/5–7; Figs. 12.75–12.78). The streets were bounded by long parallel walls, sometimes excavated for over 20 m (e.g., Street 3850); in many cases, these were the outer walls of buildings aligned along both sides of the streets (e.g., Buildings 2278, 2435, 1421, 1366, 6276, 6308). The entrances to the public squares were also fixed in the streets’ boundary walls. The southern boundary wall of Street 1375 is missing; it was probably excavated in 2003 by Reich and Shukron (see Givati I:1). The width of the streets ranges between 2 and 2.5 m; the surfaces were mostly of beaten earth, sloping gently from east to west, following the natural topography of the hill. In general, the streets were empty of any structural elements, and only in a few cases were installations incorporated into their surfaces, as, for example, Ṭabuns 2291, 2258 and 2398 and Installation 2335 in Street 2250 (see Plans 12.19, 12.20), Installation 3637 in Street 3580 (Plan 12.26) and Pilaster 1166 and W1168 in Street 1375 (see Plan 12.29). Segments of plaster floors were found at the western end of Street 2250 (L2294; Plan 12.19), abutting the southern face of W1104 in Street 1375 (e.g., L1522, L1375; Plan 12.29) and in Street 6171 (Plan 12.27), which implies that at least parts of these streets were plastered.

340

DORON BEN-AMI

Judging by the presence of a wall stub (W1168) below the surface of Street 1375, it appears that the western part of the street was stepped as it descended toward the valley bed (Plan 12.29). In three cases, sewage pits were constructed intentionally below the street level: L2377 (see Plan 12.22) and L1326 (see Plan 12.28) at the eastern and western ends of Street 3580, and L6347 in Street 6171 (see Plan 12.27), and only the covering stones of the openings were incorporated into the street surface. No evidence for north–south streets was uncovered in the excavation, although such longitudinal streets must have run between the east–west streets. It is not farfetched to propose the highest point of the hill, a few meters beyond the eastern boundary of the excavation area, as a likely candidate for the course of such a street; or perhaps to the west, where a main street existed in earlier periods (Street 1886, Stratum V). In summary, this southeastern hill of the city in the initial phase of Stratum II (Phase IIB) was a well-planned and well-organized quarter occupied by workshops and commercial activities, which were grouped by their specializations. Hence, crafts and industries were allocated the eastern part of the area (from Building 2278 south to Building 6223; Plans 12.20–12.22, 12.24, 12.25), while shops were located on the northern side (Building 1637; Plan 12.18). Long, straight streets crossed the area, passing by the principal buildings and the large open squares probably devoted to public activities. Water cisterns were located in the open: two in the east and two in the west, aligned approximately along the same north– south axis, with a roughly similar distance between Cisterns 2229 and 3587 in the east and Cisterns 1532 and l391 (Shafts 1339, 1391A) in the west (see Plan 12.17).

Fig. 12.75. Street 2250; looking east.

Fig. 12.76. Street 3580; looking west.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

341

Fig. 12.78. Remains of plaster in Street 1375, looking northeast.

◄ Fig. 12.77. Street 3580; looking east.

Building 1421 clearly stands out in this layout (Plan 12.30), and it is tentatively suggested that this was the residence of the authority over the commercial and industrial activities conducted in this part of the city. In light of the site’s reconstruction in this period as a well-organized commercial quarter, the small number of coin finds is noteworthy. This phenomenon, already noted in Stratum III and continuing in Phase IIA, must be viewed against the backdrop of the extremely restricted number of low-denomination coins in circulation during the Abbasid period. As noted by Ariel (see Chapter 14), “one can only surmise that many more of the transactions conducted in the Abbasid marketplaces in Jerusalem were conducted through barter exchange ”. Phase IIA (Plans 12.32–12.44; for sections, see Plan 2.30; Figs. 12.79–12.99) In general, the layout of Phase IIB continued in Phase IIA with the raising of floor levels and some minor architectural modifications such as the construction of new walls and installations and the cancellation of others, which justify the distinction between these two phases. In such cases, new locus numbers were assigned, otherwise the Phase IIB designations were retained (Plan 12.32). This short description focuses on the changes that took place in this phase, following the same clockwise presentation as in Phase IIB. In Building 1569, new plaster floors were laid c. 0.15–0.20 m above those of the previous phase (Plan 12.33), and a low platform was apparently constructed inside each room. The westernmost Room 1573 had a thick plaster coating on the floor (Fig. 12.79) and walls. On the northern side of the room, a wide platform was built, almost 0.2 m in height and 1.3 m in width, which was covered entirely with plaster. The Phase IIB Installation 1575 continued in use, the upper part adjusted to the new floor level, and its sides were thickly

342 98

99

1

0

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

97

DORON BEN-AMI

N

4

N 3

5

M

1

L1569

L2278

L2254

6 M 7

Street 2250

L 6

L1855

L2248

7

L2135

L2220 10

L1421

K

K

L2230

L1741 10

J

H

J

L2271 Street 3559

L1377

I

I

L3578 L3574

L3643

L1366

2

L

H

L3646 9

G Street 1375

F

3

F

G

2

L6112 E

L6229

E

1

D

D

Street 6175

C

5

C

L6304

B

L6229

B

8

9

L6276

A

A 10 m

0

Z 97

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Plan 12.32. Phase IIA: schematic plan (for sections, see Plan 2.30).

coated with plaster. A rectangular, dressed stone resting on the floor and attached to the northern face of W1177 was probably connected with Installation 1575. A small, rounded, smoothly plastered recess (0.12 × 0.15 m) was found in W1165, close to the northwestern corner of the room, a few centimeters above the platform’s surface (Fig. 12.80). Similar modifications were noted in the adjacent Room 1569. Here too, a platform was constructed at the back of the room, 0.25 m in height and 0.90 m in width (Figs. 12.81, 12.82). The floor, walls and platform were coated with plaster. In Room 1577 to the east, a raised platform was built on the eastern side of the room. Due to the proximity of the boundary of the excavation area, only the westernmost part of the platform was unearthed.

Z

2

3

4

N

N 703 63 702 07

703 69 702 79

W1174

703 94 702 78

5 W116

L1787

#L1569

701 92

M

702 77

L1575

702 02

W1178 703 10 701 54

7

W117

701 69 701 32

702 01 701 74

#L1843

5 W117

#L1573

703 20 703 00 702 52

3 W117

M

L1871

#L1577 701 88

72 W11

703 94 702 75

702 20

703 10 701 54

L1532 702 92 697 67

34

12

W

L L1855 701 92 701 32

702 16 701 92

W1247 702 30 701 32

702 70 701 30

702 17 701 57

702 36 701 20

W1145

0

701 42

2 m

2

W1137

4

701 63 # L1398 701 34

W114

22

W12

W1128 701 63 701 43

L2301

W1162

# L1409 701 55

3

Plan 12.33. Phase IIA: Building 1569, Open Square 1855 and Cistern 1532.

Fig. 12.79. Building 1569; Rooms 1573 and 1569 with thickly plastered floors, walls and platforms; looking northeast.

4

W1153

W1223

W1167 W1157

L

703 45 702 87

344

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.80. Building 1569; small rounded recess in W1165; looking west.

Fig. 12.81. Building 1569; Room 1569 with rectangular platform in the north; a later pit cuts through the floor; looking northwest.

Fig. 12.82. Close-up of the plastered platform in Room 1569; looking north.

345

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

No changes were detected in the easternmost room (L1843), which retained its layout from the previous phase. The function of these plastered platforms is uncertain. Based on ethnographic parallels from modern Arab villages, it can be tentatively suggested that they served as storage shelves (see, for example, Hirschfeld 1995:199, Fig. 149). This is not to say that the building changed its function in Phase IIA, as its overall characteristics within the general layout of the area are still indicative of a commercial rather than residential nature. The brick-shaped metal weight bearing a stamped decoration and an Arabic inscription in Kufic script found in Room 1577 (see Chapter 20) is in line with this interpretation. Sometime later, but still within Phase IIA, the building witnessed another stage of floor renovation. Prior to the construction of new plaster floors in all the rooms (not in plan), fill material was brought in to overcome the difference in heights caused by the platforms, and the building returned to its original concept, without raised platforms inside the rooms. Plaster Floor 1545 covered the floor and platform in Room 1573 and Installation 1575, and Floors 1544 and 1548 covered the floors and plastered platforms in adjacent Rooms 1569 and 1577 respectively (see Plan 2.30: Section 4-4). Cistern 1532 (Plan 12.33; see Plan 2.30: Sections 4-4, 6-6) continued in use from Phase IIB, as did the large open square south of Building 1569 (L1855), which was raised, covering over Ṭabun 1880 from the previous phase. East of Building 1569, Open Square L2254 (Plan 12.34) retained its layout, opening onto Street 2250 in the south through the large opening in W1411. The only change detected 5

6

7

N

N

#L2278

702 29 701 40

702 10 701 58

W1411

L2336

#L2247 #L2285

701 80 701 07 700 85

701 95 701 74

L

W1467 0

2

L2250

701 88

W1429

702 08 701 88

701 85

701 13 700 83

702 15 701 85

5

W1415

W1411

701 13 700 81

m

6

702 25 702 05

702 20 701 92

702 21 701 98 702 24 701 83 W1437 701 82 702 04 702 09 702 04 W1438 #L2267 702 13 702 06 L2270 701 90

701 01 700 76

L2296

W1420

702 34 702 18

702 22 701 92

#L2257

W1434

M

#L2254

702 14 701 60

702 17 702 10

W1419

L2302

702 21

702 48 701 90

701 96 701 71

701 96

702 28 702 01

M

702 32

L2291 701 85 L2258 702 27 701 99

702 18 701 89

W1400 702 27 701 87

7

Plan 12.34. Phase IIA: Open Square 2254, Platform 2302 and Street 2250.

702 68 702 34

L

346

DORON BEN-AMI

in this phase is hemispherical Platform 2302 built against the northern face of W1411. It consisted of one layer of small fieldstones set into the beaten-earth floor of the open square. Although circular in shape, this element recalls rectangular Platform 1348 in the previous phase (see Plan 12.29). The purpose of both these features is unknown. Further to the east, Building 2278 (Plan 12.35) witnessed only minor changes, mostly in the north. Corridor 2265 now led to Room 2323 in the north through the original doorway in W1427. This room was divided into two by a thin partition wall (W1441) that ran directly over Phase IIB Ṭabun 2384 (see Plan 12.20). On the western side of W1441, a thin plaster floor (L2282) covered the complete storage jar found on Phase IIB Floor 2366. On the east, W1441 was abutted by plastered Floor 2323 (see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8). Ṭabun 2370 was integrated into this floor (for the Phase IIA pottery assemblage from Building 2278, see Chapter 13: Figs. 13.108–110). To the south of Square 2254 and Building 2278, Street 2250 was partly occupied with installations (Plan 12.34). In the western part of Street 2250, Floor 2247 was constructed over the floor of the previous phase and new installations were built, including some stone rows consisting of 3–6 medium-sized fieldstones (W1437, W1438, W1429), a ṭabun (L2270) and a rounded stone platform (L2336). A complete storage jar was found buried in the ground next to stone platform L2336 with only its upper part integrated into Floor 2247.

7

8

L2291

702 27 701 87 702 27 701 99

#L2257

W1434

701 96

702 13 701 90

701 98 701 91

702 18 701 89

702 38 702 12

#L2250 702 20

702 61

702 54 701 82

701 13 700 81

7

00

W14

L2258 702 68 702 34

702 65 702 10

5 W140

#L2220

702 46 701 89

702 40

0

8

702 15

M

2 m

9

Plan 12.35. Phase IIA: Building 2278 and eastern part of Street 2250.

#L2248

702 51 702 17

702 43 702 16

702 23

L2331 702 43 702 02

W1412

W1417

702 34 702 18

702 69

702 28 702 18

#L2337

702 52 702 33

702 65 702 05

L2334

702 25 702 00

W1460

W1430

L

702 17

702 23 701 63

702 12 701 02

702 53 W1415 702 58

W1402 02 2

702 57 702 38

702 29 702 18

702 55 702 37

702 55 701 91

701 89

W1431

702 22 701 92

702 01

L2265

W1420

702 20

702 50

03a

L2262

702 37 701 99

W1422a

701 90

702 72 702 37

W14

702 28 702 01

702 60 702 40

#L2279

701 97

702 52

#L2280

L2370

W1427

N

#L2268

W1403

702 25 702 05

702 46

W1426a

702 21 701 83

W1420

702 31 702 16

702 44

21

W1419

702 20 701 92

L2296

702 17 702 10

#L2323

#L2282

702 40 702 21

701 46 700 54

W14

702 21

702 48 701 90

702 42 702 25

W1441

#L2278

W1443

702 51 702 32

10

702 31 702 01

702 52 702 40

702 55

N

M

9

#L2244 702 42

10

702 43 702 02

L

347

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Interestingly, a miniature pottery vessel was found on the floor next to the storage jar and several other miniature vessels were found inside the storage jar. Unit 2248 in the northeastern corner of the excavation area (Plan 12.36) witnessed significant changes, which are mostly reflected in the northern and southern parts of the unit. In the north, plastered Floor 2337 covered floors and walls of the previous phase (see Plan 12.21) and W1403a was attached to W1403, probably functioning as a retaining wall for the latter (see Plan 2.30: Section 6-6). It is clearly connected with a new ṭabun,

8

N

702 55

9

702 31 702 01

702 52 702 40

#L2282

702 55 702 37 702 01

702 23 701 63

03a

W1412

702 23

L2331 702 43 702 02

702 46 701 89

W1417

W1430

W1446

#L2220

1

W143

#L2248N

702 54 701 82

702 40

M

702 15

702 52 702 33

W1402

L

#L2337

702 25 702 00

W1460

702 58 702 53 702 38 702 17 702 12 702 65 #L2250 702 05 702 20 702 69

701 89 702 28 702 18

W14

702 12 701 02

702 50

L2334

702 55 702 37

W1403

702 20

W1426a

21

L2265

702 57 702 38 702 29 702 18 W1415

#L2279

W1422a

701 90

W1427 702 60 702 40

702 52

#L2280

L2370

W1420 M

#L2268 701 97

W14

702 51 702 32

702 44

W1441

W1443 702 42 702 25

702 40 702 21

701 46 700 54

#L2323 702 46

10

#L2244 702 42

702 37 702 37 701 95

702 20 701 81 L2231

K

702 14 701 39

W1408

W1433

L2229 702 19 698 76

W1407

W1444

701 97 701 76

2

8

m

702 03 701 22

W1414 9

L2316

0

702 03 701 25

K

L2330 W141

702 08 701 74 0

L2256 702 35 702 27

702 03 701 48

702 22 701 82

L2233

L2248S L2251

702 29 701 85

702 28 701 88

L

702 35 701 97

W1413

702 28 701 85

702 27 701 96

702 43 702 16 702 43 702 02

702 14 699 55

702 13 701 75

10

Plan 12.36. Phase IIA: Unit 2248, Open Square 2220 and Cistern 2229.

348

DORON BEN-AMI

L2334, as can be deduced from the depression in the eastern face of W1403a into which the ṭabun was fitted. Wall 1431 was constructed in this phase to the north of L2244, above Room 2392 of the previous phase. It probably defined the western boundary of a new room located beyond the limits of the excavation area. The set of installations from Phase IIB bounded by W1430 in the west and L2244 in the east continued in use. In the southern part of Unit 2248, two ṭabuns (L2251, L2256) were functioning: Ṭabun 2256 was newly constructed directly over Phase IIB Installation 2354 (see Plan 12.21), while Ṭabun 2251, located in the southwestern corner of Unit 2248, continued in use from the previous phase. In the open area west of Unit 2248, the floor level was raised (Square 2220; Plan 12.36), covering installations and walls of the previous phase (see Plan 12.21), including Installation 2252 south of Cistern 2229. The cistern continued in use and the covering stone of the cistern’s shaft was found in situ, standing upright in the opening to the shaft (see below, Stratum I). Building 2271 retained its layout from the previous phase with no changes (see Plan 12.22). Maintenance measures were carried out south of Street 2250 (Plan 12.37), including the removal of Structure 2435, and the construction of retaining W1400 attached to W1402, the southern boundary of Street 2250 (see Plan 2.30: Section 7-7). Wall 1402 was much wider at its eastern end (0.8 m) than its southern end (0.5 m), and this weak point was further emphasized by the cooking activities that took place on the street side of this wall (Ṭabuns L2291, L2258). Retaining W1400, consisting of large and medium-sized stones, continued eastward to the end of W1402, where it became far less massive (W1405; see Plan 12.35). The floor level in the large open square south of Street 2250 was raised (Square 2230; Plan 12.37). The new floor merged with that in L2220 in the east (Plan 12.36), forming one large open area stretching between Street 2250 in the north and Street 3559 in the south (see Plan 12.32). The cooking corner on the southern side of Square 2230 continued to function in Phase IIA with some changes. A new floor level (L3573) south of W1482 sealed beneath it the three ṭabuns and Installation 2454 of Phase IIB (see Plan 12.23); a single ṭabun (L2463) was built in Phase IIA to replace the former ones. Similarly, the three Phase IIB ṭabuns in the east were sealed by Floor 2230, and replaced by new ṭabuns (L2231, L2233) built close to each other, c. 1 m west of Cistern 2229. A work platform, W1433, was attached to the western side of the larger Ṭabun 2231. In the northwestern corner of Square 2230, against the northeastern corner of Building 1421, a stone installation (L2301) consisted of two rectangular limestone blocks. Due to the absence of soot remains inside or on the stones, and the total lack of finds inside the installation, it is difficult to ascertain its function. Adjacent to the southern face of W1918, the southern wall of Square 2230, Installation 3568 is rectangular in shape, its southern side built of four medium-sized stones parallel to the street’s wall. The narrow space inside the installation was plastered. No finds were unearthed; thus, its function is unknown. The area south of Street 3559 (Street 3580 of Phase IIB, see Plan 12.24) witnessed some modifications (Plan 12.38). Installation 3615 was extended slightly to the south with

349

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

L2250

L

6 #L2267

701 07 700 85

702 06

W1467

701 13 700 83

L2270

701 01 700 76

702 09 702 04

701 13 700 81

7

W1434

5

8

L2258 W1402

L

W1400

702 68 702 34

702 34 702 18

702 20 701 81

L2301

702 17 701 57

L2231

W1433

702 16 701 92

#L2230 K

702 14 701 39

702 14

W1162

W1153

K

L2233

702 01 701 54

702 08 701 74

702 03 701 52

702 08

W1161 702 16 701 05

J W1160

W1154

W1134

702 04 700 19 701 90 701 40

700 69 700 48

701 82 701 51

701 71 700 88

701 79 700 63

701 72 700 44

W1482

#L3573 L2463 700 93

700 80 700 70

701 66

701 74 701 09

701 76 701 36

701 56 701 24

5

L3568

J 701 09 700 92

701 43 700 85

701 69 701 53

W1918 W1919

700 97 700 57

701 44 700 72

701 41 700 73

W1914

701 41 700 81

L3559

6

0

2

m

7

Plan 12.37. Phase IIA: Square 2230.

additions to W1915 and W1937. A plastered surface (L3630) was laid between these two walls, merging with the plastered surface of Installation 3615 in the north (Figs. 12.83, 12.84). To the east, Room 3578 was divided by W1913, with Floor 3578 on the west and Floor 3562 on the east, connected via the opening between W1913 and W1911. Ṭabun 3605 was built on Floor 3578, directly above Phase IIB Ṭabun 3649, and a complete cooking vessel was found inside the ṭabun. The area south of Room 3578 underwent some significant changes in this phase. Wall 1931 was extended northward (W1916). This long wall defined a large area in the east (L3646, L3645). The large entryway between W1915 and W1916 opened onto Square 3574 in the west. The thin, plastered Floor 3646 completely covered Installation 3668 and Drainage Channel 3720 of Phase IIB, and a complete storage jar and a cooking pot were found resting on it. On the north, Floor 3646 abutted Installation 3596, a square stone platform surrounded by a plaster floor (L3610), defined by W1923 in the north, W1913

8

350

DORON BEN-AMI

7

8

700 96 700 70 700 83 700 70

701 02 700 87

#L3574 700 91

H

701 02 700 91

L3577

701 06 700 72 700 98 700 55

W1916

700 96 700 56

701 89 700 59

G 0

2

7

W1931

700 85 700 56

m

W1937

W1926

L3615 L3630#

W1911

L3605

701 01 700 62

701 00 700 82

700 75 700 61

W1940 700 76 700 54 700 61 700 52

I

701 01 701 18 700 60 701 06 700 75

700 88 700 46

701 04 #L3578 700 78 700 95

#L3562

W1923

700 60

700 66

700 73 700 63

701 27

701 24

W1913

700 90 700 79

(L3595)

W1915

W1925

700 98 700 76

701 74

701 06 700 62

701 09 700 70

701 03 700 89

W1924

I

L3559

L3591

700 04 700 77

9 #L2272

700 97 700 99 700 81

701 08 700 59

#L3610 L3596 700 68

700 76 700 56 700 81 700 64

701 07 700 67

700 61 #L3646 700 30 700 60

700 89 700 54

700 94

H 700 99

W1917

701 06 700 93 700 98 700 84

#L3645 700 60

700 93

W1945 8

701 01 698 40

L3587

G

9

Plan 12.38. Phase IIA: Installation 3615, Room 3578 and Cistern 3587.

Fig. 12.83. Installation 3615 (right) and Installation 3596 (left); looking southeast.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

351

Fig. 12.84. Installation 3615 (left) with the narrow extension of W1937 (right); looking north.

in the east and a row of small stones in the south (see Figs. 12.83–12.85). It is likely that Installation 3596 functioned as a work platform connected with the nearby cooking platform (Installation 3615, above), and the adjacent Room 3578. Floor 3646 continued southward through a wide opening between W1940 in the west and Cistern 3587 in the east (Figs. 12.86, 12.87) and abutted Building 6112’s northern wall (W1945), covering over Ṭabun 3667 and Installation 3666 of Phase IIB (see Plan 12.25). In the course of Phase IIA, Floor 3646 was raised on either side of W1940 and replaced by Plaster Floors 3570 and 3528 (not in plan). A complete cooking pot was found on Floor 3528, leaning against W1945. To the south, Building 6112 shows several modifications (Plan 12.39), mainly the raising of floor levels in all the rooms. A noticeable characteristic is the almost total absence of installations as compared to Phase IIB (cf. Phase IIB Building 6223; Plan 12.25). In the northwestern room of the building a new floor (L6256) covered the ṭabuns from the previous phase, and a square stone installation (L3636) was built in the southwestern corner of the room, blocking the entrance in W3007. The installation’s walls are comprised of one row of medium-sized stones, with a beaten-earth floor inside, and it recalls Installation 6492 that was located in the northeastern room of the building in Phase IIB. It thus appears that for some reason the activity conducted in Installation 6492 was now moved to the northwestern corner of the building. In the adjacent Room 6305, a new plaster floor covered Phase IIB Installation 6188 (see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8), and the raising of the floor level in Room 6288 covered Phase IIB Installation 6492 (see Plan 2.30: Section 9-9).

352

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.85. Installation 3596 in the foreground; Installation 3615 and entrance in W1916 in the background; looking west.

Fig. 12.86. Floors 3645 and 3646 with Cistern L3587 on the right; stonefilled Mamluk pit (L3625) in lower right; looking north.

Fig. 12.87. Floor 3645 and Installation 3636; Square 3574 in the background; looking northwest.

353

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

8

#L6256 700 33

700 93

700 62 700 23

700 50

W3026 700 46 700 16

#L6300 699 70

700 81 699 78

700 58

700 50

700 42

700 64

W3041

7

700 54

#L6107

#L6264 700 60 700 35

W3060 700 73 W3038

701 02 700 86

700 71 700 06

700 65 700 62

700 79 700 78

700 31

700 68 699 99 700 02

700 71 700 68 699 96

F

700 73 700 99

#L6238

700 68 700 71

W3008

8

700 48

700 80

700 61 700 52 700 15 699 81 W3028 W3058

700 77 699 91

W3054 700 75

#L6265

700 55

699 68 699 62

E

700 90 701 08

700 53

7

700 60 700 13

W3100

L6186

700 67

700 92

700 63 700 10 700 52 700 77 700 47 700 52 700 54

#L6184

#L6288 W3049

700 86

#L6112 700 28

700 84

700 64 700 51 700 89 700 54 700 10

W3048

700 94 700 71 699 91 699 79 700 66

700 54 700 17

G

W306

700 47

700 82

#L6305 700 49

W3031

W3042

W3012

#L6151

W3024

W3033

F

700 88 700 27

W3007

700 56 700 15

700 70 699 85

W1939

701 01 700 82 700 14 700 21

700 82 700 29 700 59 700 66 700 23

701 96

700 97

L3636

700 90 700 44

701 03

W3037

700 61 700 21

#L6099

L3587

700 68

W1945

700 77 700 53

W3044

G

700 60

701 01 698 40

W3069

W1931

#L3645

10

W3053

700 61 700 52

9

W3046

7 700 85 700 56

W3080 #L6194 700 58

700 83

E

699 07 700 73 699 06 0

2 m

700 01

9

10

Plan 12.39. Phase IIA: Building 6112.

The long hall in the center of the building (L6112) underwent significant changes. In the center of the room, a stone installation (L6184) was built over Installation 6243. It was comprised of two parallel walls with a narrow space between them; W3031 on the east is one stone wide, while W3033 on the west is two stones wide. Segments of a white mosaic floor were detected at the northern end of the installation, which probably covered the entire space between the two walls. The western W3033 did not extend the entire length of the room, and the gap defined between it and the room’s southern W3026 enabled access to the installation from the western side of the room. Another stone installation (L6151) was built at the western end of Room 6112, comprising a row of medium-sized fieldstones (W3044), with a beaten-earth floor between it and the western W3042. On the western and eastern sides of the room, a thin plaster floor was laid (L6112, L6265; see Plan 2.30: Section 8-8), which abutted the two installations. In Room 6264 to the east, a thin plaster floor covered the two bench-like elements built in the previous phase along the room’s western and northern walls. The most prominent change in Building 6122 in Phase IIA was undoubtedly the removal of the baking oven (L6299; see Plan 12.25). A thick layer of fill debris was

354

DORON BEN-AMI

laid inside the installation. A new plaster floor (L6238) was constructed above it, which extended south (L6194) until cut by Kenyon’s trench. Two new walls, W3067 and W3046, were attached to the western and eastern walls of Room 6238 respectively (see Plan 2.30: Section 9-9), which must have functioned as retaining walls. Thus, the area previously occupied by Baking Oven 6299 and Room 6298 to the south of it (see Plan 12.25) were turned into a single, elongated hall (L6238). In Room 6107 to the west of Room 6238 (see Plan 2.30: Section 9-9), the prominent entrance in the southern wall was blocked by W3008, which was built over the two massive pilasters of Phase IIB, and the room’s walls were coated with a layer of dark gray plaster. Floor 6107, comprising a thick layer of yellowish plaster, covered the rounded installation from the previous phase (L6301), and upon it several layers of dark ash had accumulated. No remains of any installations were encountered in Room 6107; thus, the reason for the thick ash layers could not be determined. Significant changes took place to the west of Building 6112 (Plan 12.40). The large open square that existed here in the previous phase was minimized in Phase IIA (see Plan 12.26), with Square 3574 occupying only the eastern part and now bordered in the west by Building 3643. At the northern end of this open square, a small cell-like structure (L3595) built against W1924 in the north (Fig. 12.88) was created by two short walls, W1925 and W1926. The entrance to this structure was via an opening in its southeastern corner. Unfortunately, no finds were unearthed inside to suggest its function. At the southern end of Square 3574, only minor changes were detected. A thin plaster floor (L6165) covered Phase IIB Ṭabun 6257 and the thin partition W3032, directly above which a new ṭabun (L6179) was built. On the other hand, Cooking Installation 6146 continued in use. A retaining wall (W3014, W3015) was built along the southern face of W3012 and near a rounded stone installation (L6186) standing against the southeastern corner of Square 3574. To the west, Building 3643 was a large structure extending between the southern wall (W1927) of Street 3559 (Fig. 12.89) and the northern wall (W3019) of Street 1375; in the west it was bounded by W1112. The inner plan of the building consisted of three rooms (L3643, L3662, L6211). The largest, Room 3643, had a thin plaster floor and was divided by partition W1941. The smaller, eastern space (L3618) was connected with L3643 via a large opening between W1941 in the south and W1927 in the north. A large, flat, stone slab lay at the northern end of W1941, which possibly served as a pillar base for a wooden beam that supported the roof. Sometime during Phase IIA, a new floor (L3611; not in plan) was laid over the partition W1941, turning the entire area inside the room into a single unified space. The large stone slab likely continued to support a roof over the eastern side of the room (Fig. 12.90). Room 3662 in the center of the building was connected with Room 3643 via an entrance in W1932. A thin, white-plaster floor covered the two ṭabuns and stone platform located here in the previous phase (see Plan 12.26), and a small new ṭabun (L3665) was constructed on the western side of the room. Among the finds resting on the floor, worth noting is a complete cooking vessel with its lid. As in adjacent Room 3643 to the north,

355

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

6

7

#L3559 701 43

700 59 700 48

700 68

700 65 700 50

700 89 700 23

#L3662

700 89 700 50 700 64 700 23

700 71

W1112

700 65 700 13

700 82 700 12 700 78 700 12

G

700 72 700 17 700 67 700 18

W1940

700 61 700 52 700 71 700 30 700 79 700 38

#L6165

700 47 700 62 700 79 700 35 700 28

700 77 700 44 700 80 700 37

700 77 700 53 700 90 700 44 700 82 700 29

700 70 700 30 W3010

L6106 700 87 700 31

G

#L6099

700 59 #L6146 700 93 700 66 700 43 700 49 700 43 700 23 W3012 699 83

F

W3012

700 33 700 00

5

W3015 700 26 699 73

700 48 699 70

700 48 699 87 700 24 700 07

H

700 75 700 61 700 85 700 56

700 92 700 56

700 47 699 98

701 02 700 91

700 89 700 59

700 90 700 46

700 91

L6179

W3016

700 98 700 55

#L3574

W3022

L6211 700 60 700 19

700 35 700 04 700 43 700 04 700 34 699 98

2 m

W3021

700 16

L1375

0

W3106

W3017

F

#L6167 700 69 700 19

700 61 700 23

701 06 700 72

700 96 700 56

700 76 700 58

700 83 700 67

700 68 700 40

700 49 700 30

700 63 700 04 700 65 700 17

701 04 700 77

701 01 700 55

700 95 700 53

W3027

0

W302 700 90 700 10

700 63 700 18

701 00 700 82

701 02 700 87

700 95 700 33

W1928

700 88 700 64

700 51 700 29

W3051

W3019

700 72 700 00

700 97 700 67

700 90 700 79

L3577 L3595 W1926

701 04 700 43

700 82 700 50

W1936

700 62 700 15

701 00

700 94 700 31

700 88 700 42

700 79

700 97 700 33

W1932

700 85 700 09

L3665

700 82 700 29

#L3618

W1949

700 75 700 68

700 88 700 45

700 63 700 49 700 80 700 66

W1941

700 99 700 58

700 93 700 87

701 03 700 85

W1921

#L3643

H

700 94 700 83

701 08 700 64

701 04 700 54

I

W1927

W1915

701 00 700 73

W1924

W1931

700 90 700 79

701 09 700 82

701 06 700 74

W1925

701 12 700 62

700 83 700 70

700 96 700 70

701 03 700 87

W3009

I

700 91 700 81

701 03 700 85

W3042

5

700 63 700 39

700 35 700 16 700 63 700 16

700 38 700 09

6

Plan 12.40. Phase IIA: Square 3574 and Building 3643.

W3014 700 43 700 21

700 43 699 97

7

700 60 700 23

L6186

356

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.88. Square 3574 with cell-like Structure 3595 in the north; looking north.

Fig. 12.89. Building 3643 with Street 3559 in the background; looking north.

Fig. 12.90. Room 3643 with flat stone slab for a roof support; Street 3559 on the left; looking east.

357

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

here too the floor level was raised sometime during Phase IIA, the doorway in W1932 was blocked, and a new plaster floor (L3632; not on plan) covered Floor 3662 and Ṭabun 3665. A new entrance in the western part of W1932 may have replaced the earlier one, although the wall did not survive on this side. Room 3662 was connected to Room 6211 in the south through an entrance in W3051. Unlike the previous phase in which Room 6211 enabled access to Street 1375 (see Plan 12.26), the entrance was now blocked and the room became an integral part of Building 3643. Interestingly, two retaining walls (W3106, W3021) were built along the inner faces of W3017 and W3027 respectively. The area south of Kenyon’s trench showed little change (Plan 12.41). Unearthed along the northern face of Street 6175 were segments of a plaster floor (L6215, L6174), an installation (L6216), a wall stub (W3045), and a rectangular stone platform or pavement

5

6

E

700 08 699 61

W3045

#L6226 699 93

699 44 698 44

700 08 699 83

L6216

W3078

699 36 698 39

L6175#

700 01 699 88

699 88 699 48 698 54

699 54 698 44

700 15 W3028 699 81 700 71 E 700 06 W3008 700 77 699 91

#L6174 699 99 699 70

L6215#

699 46 698 52

699 57

#L6198

699 95 700 29 699 78

700 84 699 84

D

8

699 96

700 01 699 60 699 38 698 74

7

700 17 699 67

W3043

4

699 74 699 68

700 01

700 17 699 54

700 21 699 78 699 73 699 33

699 82

D

W3029

699 93 699 19

L6230 700 05 699 83

699 76 699 56

700 08 699 60

699 70 699 28

L6347

700 20 699 28

699 69 699 48

#L6304

C

699 38

0 4

698 88 698 54

2 m 5

698 98 698 58

699 50 699 26

#L6326

699 99 699 15

699 35

699 42 698 99 699 30 699 08 699 26 699 06

6

Plan 12.41. Phase IIA: Street 6175 and Buildings 6276 and 6304.

7

699 53

699 89 699 38 699 73 699 25

699 42 699 21 699 43 699 26

W306

4

699 42 699 10

61

699 99 699 62

#L6276

699 51 699 29

700 22 699 73

9

699 32 699 24

699 07 698 59

W3088 B

699 51

L6259

699 21 699 09

698 96 698 52

698 81 698 69

699 54 699 31

W305

699 92 698 82

699 77 699 28

W30

L6400

3

699 60 699 31

W306

W3034

W3096

699 66 699 24

699 61 699 20

699 82 699 50

L6390

699 91 699 30 699 89 699 38

699 77 699 13

699 80 699 24

C

699 78 699 25

699 57 699 25

8

B

358

DORON BEN-AMI

(L6198) constructed of large flat stones and marble slabs (see Chapter 24). Apparently, all these features were located in another large open square located between Street 1375 in the north and Street 6175 in the south (see Plan 12.32), which was largely cut by Kenyon’s trench. To the south of Street 6175, Building 6276 (Plan 12.41) retained its previous plan, except for a short wall segment (W3061) built against the western inner face of W3059. Only two large stones were preserved of this wall, which probably functioned as a technical support for the northeastern corner of Room 6276. More significant changes were detected in the adjacent Building 6304 to the west, where a new plaster floor covered Installation 6404 and Corridor 6240 from the previous phase (see Plan 12.27). In the northeastern corner of the building, a stone pavement (L6326) was added around the stone installation that served as a toilet (L6259), and another stone installation, made of large rectangular stone blocks (L6400), was built against W3034. Like most of the stone installations excavated in Phase IIA, this installation was devoid of finds and thus its purpose remains unknown. On the western side of the excavation, north of Area M1, no changes were noted in Building 1366 (see Plans 12.28, 12.29), or in the large Square 1377 in the west (see Plan 2.30: Sections 1-1, 2-2). To the north, in Building 1421, some modifications were carried out (Fig. 12.91; Plan 12.42; see Plan 2.30: Sections 1-1, 4-4, 10-10). In central Room 1421, the northern entrance was blocked by the construction of a wide wall (W1157) built partly of large stones and attached to W1144. Along with the blocking of the northern entrance to Room 1421, the eastern entrance in W1144 was also blocked; therefore, the only way into the central room was via the entrance in the south.

Fig. 12.91. Interior of Building 1421; narrow Room 1451 in the center; looking west.

359

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

Significant re-organization was noted in the eastern part of Building 1421. The large room in the northeast from Phase IIB (see Plan 12.30) was now divided into two unequal parts by the construction of W1151, L1409 in the north and L1451 in the south (Plan 12.42). The two rooms featured a thick, white-plaster floor and were connected through a wide entrance between the eastern end of W1151 and W1153. The western end of W1151 abutted the blockage in W1144. A large, rectangular dressed stone abutting the northern face of W1151 in Room 1409 functioned as a base for the arch supporting the room’s ceiling (Fig. 12.92); its counterpart in the opposite wall (W1145) did not survive. Worth noting among the finds are an almost-complete metal pendant from Room 1451 (below Floor 1464; see Chapter 20: Fig. 20.6:23) and a complete bone spindle whorl from Room 1409 (Chapter 22: Fig. 22.2:6; Table 22.1:3; for pottery assemblages from these two rooms, see Chapter 13: Figs. 13.106, 13.107). The construction of W1151 created the long, narrow Room 1451, and the Phase IIB entrance in W1134 was blocked to allow only one entry into this room, located in its southwestern corner. Room 1451 most probably functioned as a storeroom for the three adjacent rooms, Rooms 1409, 1412 and 1396. In Phase IIB, cooking activities were concentrated in the northeastern room of Building 1421 (see Plan 12.30), while in Phase IIA this activity was moved into the

2

3

4

W1247

W1157

W1144

701 55

701 33 700 73

701 94 701 28

702 16 701 05

701 73 701 00

701 23 700 15

0

701 51 698 37

Plan 12.42. Phase IIA: Building 1421.

701 74 701 09

702 04 700 19 701 90 701 40

4

701 82 701 51

J

701 71 700 88

W1919

I

L3559

700 83

3

701 51 701 29

L1418 #L1412 701 49 W1160

#L1325

L1326

2

W1153

W1134

W1127

W1136

W1161

701 48

W1143

701 34 W1156 700 73

701 98 700 74

702 01 701 54 702 03 701 52

702 28 702 16 702 08

W1151 #L1451

701 43 #L1396 700 71 701 36

W1162 K

#L1409

701 47 701 93 701 32 700 70

L1453 W1130

I

702 00W1145 702 17 701 20 701 57

26 W11

701 16 700 72

702 16 701 92

W1154

701 35 701 27 701 74 #L1408 700 57 701 36

L1377

701 51 701 96 701 16

W1131

L2301

702 36 701 20

701 94 701 25

W1149

W1155

L1435

37 W11 #L1421 4

2

W113

701 62 701 48

702 70 701 30

W1133

701 54 701 29

701 68 701 37

J

701 42

W114

W1146

701 42

W1128 #L1398

702 30 701 32

W1167

701 47 701 25

#L1320 K

701 36 701 10

701 63 701 34

701 92 701 32

2 m

360

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.92. Building 1421; Room 1409 with stone pilaster base next to its southern wall; looking west.

southeastern room of the building, Room 1412, where a large ṭabun (L1418) was unearthed. Its location in the center of the floor and its relatively large dimensions (0.5 m in diameter) suggest that this room was used for cooking. With the blocking of the doorway in W1134 noted above, the room was entered only via the doorway in its northwestern corner, leading from Room 1396. The latter room retained its Phase IIB layout, with only the raising of the floor level with a thick, new plaster floor. The small chamber (L1496) located in the previous phase in the southwestern corner of Building 1421 was cancelled in Phase IIA and a thick, new plaster floor (L1408) stretched over the area located west of W1127, merging with that of Open Square 1377 (above). West of and parallel to W1127, Drainage Channel 1453 ran southward to Sewage Pit 1326. Its large, stone covering slabs were c. 0.2 m above Floor 1408. Pieces of charcoal were found in both the drain and the sewage pit. The nature of the activity in this part of the building cannot be determined, but it was open to the large Square 1377. West of Building 1421, fragments of a mosaic floor (L1320; Plan 12.42) represent a much larger floor that was severely damaged. The mosaic was industrial in nature, poorly executed with no substantial foundation, and consisted of uneven, relatively large stones. Interestingly, 16 marble fragments were integrated into the mosaic, roughly broken to be reused as tesserae, clearly originating in an earlier context (see Chapter 24). The northern fragment of Floor 1320 abuts two large rectangular stones belonging to a wall (W1146) that did not survive. The similarity of W1146 with W1247, some 3 m to the north, which lies above the Phase IIB plaster floor in this area (L1370; Plan 12.31), suggests that it was the northern boundary of this mosaic floor in Phase IIA. To the northwest of Building 1421, the cluster of plastered installations in Phase IIB (see Plan 12.31) was replaced by a somewhat different set of installations, now designated Unit 1741 (Plan 12.43). The floor level was raised with a new plaster floor (L1741), and wall fragments, ṭabuns and stone installations were scattered throughout the area. On the westernmost side of Unit 1741, the stone Installation 1777 from the previous phase continued into this phase. A short distance to the east, two ṭabuns (L1803, L1799) were

361

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

0

1

2 703 00

M

5 W116

L1787 701 69 701 32

L1575

3 W117

#L1573

#L1569 702 77

M 7 W117

703 10 701 54

703 20 702 52

702 92 697 67

701 87 701 40

L1532

234

W1

L

L1803

701 83 701 47

W1247 W1223

W12

701 39 701 09

701 30 701 13 701 42

701 49

# L1320

L1777 701 29 699 23

0

0

K

701 68 701 37

2 m

1

W1146

# L1741

701 92 701 32

22

L1799

K

L

2

Plan 12.43. Phase IIA: Unit 1741 with installations and mosaic Floor 1320.

located in a corner formed by W1222 in the east and W1223 in the north. It would appear that the walls and the installations of this unit in both Phases IIB and IIA reflect some activity in an open area, rather than part of a poorly preserved structure. A similar corner is probably represented by a wall stub (W1234) and a rounded stone installation (L1787) located some 3 m to the north, close to each other and certainly connected somehow. They are the sole remains found west of Building 1569, but do not seem to be oriented with the building. The installation was devoid of finds and thus its function remains uncertain. The fragmentary preservation of the elements in Unit 1741 does not allow any conclusion regarding the nature of the activities here. It can only be suggested that Unit 1741 continued to fulfill a similar role in activities held in the open, as in the previous phase. The Streets and the General Layout of Phase IIA The layout of Phase IIA testifies that the industrial and commercial nature and the spatial division of this quarter established in Phase IIB was retained, and Phase IIA was characterized mainly by measures taken to repair and maintain the principal features. The four long, east–west streets continued in this phase, but nevertheless, some changes were noted. The most prominent example is the construction of a wide retaining wall (W1400) against the southern wall of Street 2250 (W1402; see Plan 12.35).

362

DORON BEN-AMI

In various places, limited repairs were made in the streets’ surfaces. For example, in the western part of Street 2250, west of W1434, Floor 2247 was constructed over Floor 2294 from the previous phase (Plans 12.34 and 12.19 respectively). While Street 2250 was partly occupied with installations, Street 3559 was almost completely empty of any constructions, apart from Installation 3568 attached to the northern wall of the street (Plans 12.37, 12.40). In Phase IIA, the floor level was raised along the entire length of the street, covering the floor and an installation of the previous phase. Street 1375 retained its previous Phase IIB layout. In summary, the architectural changes that took place over the span of Stratum II maintained the concept defined at the beginning of this stratum, with minor alterations; thus, two phases were defined, rather than independent strata. Stratum I (Plans 12.44–12.50; 2.30: Sections 1-1–3-3, 5-5, 6-6; Figs. 12.93–12.97) Stratum I represents a completely new concept of layout, and except for the two cistern shafts in the west (L1339, L1391A) and Building 1366, whose walls were partly reused, the buildings and installations of the well-planned Stratum II settlement were entirely abandoned and covered over. A clear decrease in building activity and planning is evident in Stratum I, and the remains are characterized by scattered wall stubs and installations concentrated mainly in the western part of the excavation area, around the cistern that continued in use (Plans 12.44, 12.45). This paucity of remains is reflected not only in the limited extent of the finds, but also in their nature, as the most common feature of this stratum is the numerous ṭabuns. Five ṭabuns on the western side of the excavation area (L1358, L1359, L1383, L1733, L1922; Plan 12.45; see Plan 2.30: Section 2-2) were integrated into a thin, whiteplaster floor of an open square (L1314) stretching between W1220 in the west and W1102 in the east. The foundation of W1220 was built directly above the course of the Byzantine Street 1886 (see Plan 2.4), c. 1 m higher than the Stratum V street level, as also attested by the construction of W1224 further north (see Plan 12.50). A charcoal and ash layer was found inside Ṭabun 1358, and a complete storage jar and a cooking pot stood next to it (Fig. 12.93). To the northwest, Ṭabun 1383 was well preserved, its walls still standing c. 0.4 m high. An opening was located in the lower eastern wall of the ṭabun for air intake (Fig. 12.94). This concentration of five ṭabuns indicates that some fairly intense household activity took place here in the open, as attested by the repeated renewals of the floor level in this area (L1314/1738, L1732, L1731, L1724/1915; see Plan 2.30: Section 2-2). With the construction of the later floor (L1915; not on plan), the five ṭabuns went out of use and were covered over. Further north, the thin plaster floor of Square 1314 continued in L1735. Here too, the floor level was raised c. 0.5 m (L1723/L1728) above the former. As noted above, the two shafts leading into the large water cistern some c. 8 m below the Stratum I surface (see Plan 2.30: Section 5-5) remained in use. The plastered channel (L1365) now led directly into Shaft 1339, probably directing run-off into the cistern.

363

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

97

98

99

1

0

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 N

N

L

5

3

1

M

6 M 7 7

6

L

K

K

J

J L3601/L3624

I

I

L1314 H

L1345

2

H L1306

G

G

2

3

L1336 F

F

E

E

1

D

5

D

C

C

B

A

B 0

10 m

A

Z

Z 97

98

99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Plan 12.44. Stratum I: schematic plan (for sections, see Plan 2.30).

Fig. 12.93. Square 1314 with Ṭabun 1358; note storage jar and cooking pot next to it; looking southwest.

Fig. 12.94. Square 1314 with Ṭabuns 1359 (left) and 1383 (right); note opening in Ṭabun 1383’s wall; looking southwest.

364

DORON BEN-AMI

99

0

1

2

W1110

W1140

W1113 #L1735 700 64

701 15 700 67

I

701 06 693 10

L1339

L1391A 701 29 693 10

700 73 700 37

L1442 700 69 700 42

700 67 699 72

L1733 700 83 700 52

#L1314

700 75-700 69

W1102

W1220 H

I

700 94 700 79

L1365

701 09 700 82

701 18 700 64

701 10 701 03

W1117

L1337

L1922 L1383 700 84 700 44

L1358 700 79 700 33

700 81 700 49

701 17 701 05

#L1345

W1105

700 94

L1392

H

700 74 700 63

#L1327 W1100

L1359

W1101

700 93 700 44

700 87 700 55

700 82 700 54

#L1336

G

700 61

0 99

0

1

2 m 2

Plan 12.45. Stratum I: Open Square 1314 with ṭabuns and Shafts 1339 and 1391A.

Channel 1365 consisted of several layers of plaster and was covered with stone slabs, as attested by a single slab found in situ. No parallel channel was found connected with the adjacent Shaft L1391A. The two shafts were bounded in the north by W1110, the northern delimitation of Open Square 1314 (Fig. 12.95). Close to Shaft 1339, a large ṭabun (L1337) nestled in the corner formed by W1102 and W1105 (Fig. 12.96). A stone-ware (cooking?) vessel was found inside the ṭabun (see Chapter 13: Fig. 13.25:2). East of W1102 lies a large open area, Square 1345, bounded by W1100\W1101 and Structure 1306 (Plans 12.45, 12.46) in the south; apparently there were no delimiting elements in the north or east. Wall 1105 separated the southwestern part of this open area from Shafts 1339 and 1391A. On the floor between W1105 and W1100 (L1327; see Plan 2.30: Section 5-5), three cooking vessels and a miniature oil lamp were discovered (see Chapter 13: Figs. 13.43:7; 13.44:1, 2; 13.89:4). A small ṭabun (L1392) was found close to the northern face of W1100\W1101. Further east, another ṭabun (L1382) stood close to a rectangular stone platform (W1111; Plan 12.46), which integrated Pilaster 1129 of the

G

365

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

2

3

4

#L1378 701 81

L1397 701 90 701 86

J

J

L1403 701 92 701 86

W1140

W1113

701 17 701 05

#L1317

701 10 701 03

701 86

701 32 701 12

I

W1935

I W1117 700 94 700 79

L3626

L1442

701 17 701 05

700 69 700 42

#L1345 700 94

L1392

L1382 700 44 700 34

700 90 700 50

H 700 88 700 20

W1111 W1129

700 74 700 63

W1101

W1142

700 70 700 40

0

2 m

2

700 69 700 49

W1120

700 76 700 04

700 62 700 49

700 79 700 24

W1103

700 48 700 25

W1112

700 68

W1106

700 61

#L1306

W1118

G

700 72 700 27

W1119

#L1336

W1115

700 81 700 54

700 82 700 54

W1107

H

G

700 76 700 18

3

4

Plan 12.46. Stratum I: Open Square 1345 and Structure 1306.

earlier Phases IIB–IIA (see Plan 12.28). Ṭabun 1442, c. 3 m to the north, was probably associated with this platform as well. Two adjacent ṭabuns (L1397, L1403) on the northern side of Square 1345 were constructed in a plaster floor (L1317) that stretches further north to merge with Floor 1378. This thin and fairly damaged plaster floor lies at a somewhat higher level than that of Open Square 1345 in the south, as it covered over Building 1421 of Stratum II (see Plan 12.42). A number of short wall stubs on the northern (W1117, W1113, W1140; Plan 12.46) and eastern sides of this square (W1934, W1930, W1938; Plan 12.47) were all built of one row

366

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.95. The two cistern shafts bounded by W1110, the northern wall of Square 1314; looking southwest.

Fig. 12.96. Ṭabun L1337 in the corner formed by W1102 and W1105; W1100 in the south (far left); looking east.

of small or medium-sized fieldstones; the longest wall (W1113) reaches a length of 2 m. These poorly constructed walls were not connected with any other elements and therefore not part of any architectural unit. Beaten-earth Floor 3601/3624 (Plan 12.47) comprised a physical connection between the set of wall stubs in the east and W1920 in the west. Based on their characteristics and layout, it can be tentatively suggested that these flimsy walls were merely the foundations of installations of unknown nature. South of Square 1345, Structure 1306 (Plan 12.46) is a reuse of the southern wing of Stratum II Building 1366 (see Plan 12.29) with some modifications, including the construction of new walls and the raising of the floor level. Most of the new walls were attached to the still-existing Stratum II walls, probably to strengthen them. Thus, W1107 was attached to Pilaster 1119, W1115 to Pilaster 1118, and W1120 was attached to W1103. It appears that Building 1366 of Stratum II was so severely damaged that only its southern wing was functional in Stratum I, with the addition of these retaining walls. A

367

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

4

5

6

L1397 J

J

701 90 701 86

L1403 701 92 701 86

701 32 701 12

I

#L3624

W1935

L3627

701 12 700 82

W1920

701 17 701 05

701 07 701 03

701 13 700 85

#L3601 700 89

701 15 700 90

0

700 90

W1934

H

0

2

4

I

700 84 700 61

W1938

L3626

700 91 700 64

701 13

W193

701 43 700 80

700 92 700 73

H

700 88 700 75

m

5

6

Plan 12.47. Stratum I: Floor L3601/L3624 with wall stubs and installations.

thin plaster floor (L1306) was now constructed in the small spaces defined by these walls, which continued north to abut the stone platform W1111 and W1142, the latter a onestone-wide wall that bounds Structure 1306 in the north. Worth noting among the finds is a bone spindle whorl found in the make-up of Floor 1306 (see Chapter 22: Fig. 22.2:9; Table 22.1:1). West of Structure 1306, a large open area, Square L1336 (Plans 12.45, 12.46), featuring a thin, white-plaster floor, was bounded in the north by W1100/W1101. In the course of Stratum I, the floor level was raised several times (L1329/L1331; not on plan), as was also noted in the adjacent square (L1314) to the west. A connection between Square 1336 and Square 1345 in the north was via a doorway between the western end of W1100/ W1101 and W1102 (Fig. 12.97; for the pottery assemblage originating in L1336 and other Stratum I loci, see Chapter 13: Fig 13.112). A rectangular stone platform (W1935) with Ṭabuns 3626 and 3627 near its southern face (Plan 12.47), was bounded in the east by a short wall (W1920). This arrangement is very reminiscent of the platform, W1111, located a short distance to the east (Plan 12.46). Unfortunately, no finds were unearthed on either of the stone platforms, nor in any of the ṭabuns associated with them.

368

DORON BEN-AMI

Fig. 12.97. Entrance between the western end of W1100/W1101 and W1102; Ṭabun 1337 in the north (upper left); looking northeast.

Isolated remains on the northeastern side of the excavation area (Plan 12.48) include a few scattered wall segments. Due to its close proximity to the eastern edge of the excavation, only the western face of W1418 was exposed. The attribution of this wall to Stratum I is based on stratigraphic considerations: the lower course of its foundation rested above Floor 2337 of Phase IIA (see Plan 12.36; see Plan 2.30: Section 6-6). No floor associated with this wall was detected. To the south, W1404 and W1401 were built parallel to each other, close to Stratum II Cistern 2229, the opening of which had been sealed by a large rectangular stone. This intentional sealing of the cistern must have happened at the end of Stratum II, as the pottery vessels inside the cistern date to that stratum; thus, the cistern was not functioning in Stratum I. These two walls curve slightly and the narrow space between them was disturbed by a later Mamluk pit (L2234; see Plan 12.51). Wall 1404 was built of one row of small and medium-sized fieldstones, while W1401 was wider, built of two rows of mostly large stones. Here too, no floor was associated with the two walls and their characteristics suggest that they functioned as terrace walls. Further west, W1406 (Plan 12.49) is an isolated wall segment of unknown width, as its northern face is hidden beyond the northern boundary of the excavation area. It rests c. 0.2 m higher than Stratum II Floor 2254 (see Plan 12.34) and was not associated with any other remains. In the northwestern corner of the excavation area, a narrow wall built of one row of stones (W1224; Plan 12.50) rests c. 1 m above the Byzantine Street 1886, attesting to the total cancellation of the street in this stratum. No floors or other remains were associated with this poorly constructed wall. In summary, compared with the dense, well-planned layout of Stratum II, Stratum I reflects a sharp decline in the role of this area at the end of the Abbasid period. The meager architectural remains are not the result of later disturbances but merely a reflection of its poor nature. The concentration of activity around the two shafts might have been the reason for the denser buildup in that specific location.

369

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

8

9

10

N

N

702 54 702 31

W1418

M

M

702 60 702 32 702 56 702 32

702 47 702 15

L

401

W1

702 48 702 10

L

702 51 702 10

W1404

702 45 702 12

702 48

702 36 702 07

K

K 702 25 701 95 0

8

9

2 m

10

Plan 12.48. Stratum I: wall segments W1418, W1401 and W1404.

The degeneration of the Abbasid settlement during Stratum I is also well attested by the complete abandonment of the Byzantine street, a tendency that began in Stratum IV and continued throughout Strata III and II. There is no evidence for destruction at the end of Stratum II, although some catastrophe clearly brought an end to the dense Abbasid occupation in this area. The Stratum II structures were covered by a thick layer of fill, implying a chronological gap, the length of which is difficult to estimate. However, the affinity in the material culture of both strata, principally the ceramic assemblages, suggests a hiatus of short duration. The analysis of the pottery assemblages reveals that while Phase IIA should be attributed to the end of the ninth–mid-tenth centuries, Stratum I dates

370

DORON BEN-AMI

around the end of the tenth–beginning of the eleventh centuries (see Chapter 13). Thus, whatever event was responsible for the abrupt and total abandonment of Stratum II, it was the beginning of the end of the Abbasid occupation in this area, reflected in the meager remains of Stratum I. 6

7

8

N

N

702 20

702 35 702 16

W1406 702 24 702 03

M

M

0

2 m

6

7

8

Plan 12.49. Stratum I: wall segment W1406.

97

L

98

99

L

W1224 702 38 702 12

K

K

0

97

2 m

98

Plan 12.50. Stratum I: wall segment W1224.

99

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

371

Mamluk Pits (Plan 12.51; Figs. 12.98, 12.99) Sometime after the final Abbasid occupation of Stratum I ceased to exist, a number of pits were dug randomly throughout the area, completely disassociated with the Abbasid remains. As these poor remains, which can be dated to the Mamluk period, hardly represent an archaeological stratum, they were simply designated as ‘Mamluk pits’ (see Chapter 1: Table 1.1). Eleven such pits were excavated in the present excavations, from west to east: L1373, L1429, L1356, L3598, L2283, L3657, L3625, 2378, L2234, L2329 and L2391. They join the three pits previously uncovered in the first season of excavation (2007) in Area M1 (Givati I:53). No architectural remains were associated with these pits.

Plan 12.51. Mamluk-period pits.

372

DORON BEN-AMI

Although they vary in size, the pits share common characteristics and stratigraphic setting. They are rounded or oval in shape, dug to a depth of 0.5–1.0 m, and were entirely filled with large quantities of small and medium-sized fieldstones. Bones, charcoal and pottery sherds were also found inside the pits. Based on preliminary analysis of the pottery sherds from one of the three pits excavated in Area M1 (L625), the pits were initially associated with Stratum I, dated to the Abbasid period (Givati I:53; Figs. 2.72, 2.73). However, analysis of the stratigraphy and pottery of the 11 pits excavated in the following seasons enabled a reassessment of this phenomenon and its date. The stratigraphic setting of these pits clearly shows that they cut through the fills that had accumulated above the Stratum I remains. Furthermore, Pit 2234 damaged Stratum I W1401, and Pit 3625 cut deeply into the corner formed by Stratum II W1945 and W1939 (Figs. 12.98, 12.99). Study of the pottery from the 11 pits revealed that while some of the pits yielded Fatimid and Ayyubid sherds (e.g., Pits 1373, 3625), the Mamluk pottery sherds retrieved in Pit 2234 were the latest finds and clarified the chronological setting of the phenomenon under discussion. In summary, Stratum I represents the latest occupation of the Abbasid period, after which the area turned into an open space lacking any building activity until the Mamluk period, when a few pits were dug here.

Fig. 12.98. Pit 3625 upon exposure; looking west.

Fig. 12.99. Pit 3625 cutting through a corner of Stratum II Building 3700; looking west.

CHAPTER 12: STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE

373

R eferences Hirschfeld Y. 1995. The Palestinian Dwelling in the Roman-Byzantine Period (SBF Collectio Minor 34). Jerusalem. Hirschfeld Y. 1999. The Early Byzantine Monastery at Khirbet ed-Deir in the Judean Desert: The Excavations in 1981–1987 (Qedem 38). Jerusalem. Hirschfeld Y. 2000. Ramat Hanadiv Excavations; Final Report of the 1984–1998 Seasons. Jerusalem.

D. Ben-Ami, Y. Tchekhanovets, 2020, Jerusalem: Givati Parking Lot II (IAA Reports 66)

Chapter 13

The Early Islamic Pottery Peretz R euven

Introduction This chapter presents the large body of Early Islamic pottery retrieved during the 2008– 2014 excavation seasons at the Givati Parking Lot site in a well-stratified sequence of strata: Stratum IV (Umayyad period; early seventh–mid-eighth centuries CE); Stratum III (Abbasid period; mid-eighth–ninth centuries CE); Stratum II, Phases IIB, IIA (Abbasid period; ninth– tenth centuries CE); and Stratum I (Abbasid; late tenth–early eleventh centuries CE). These stratified assemblages, covering some 400 years, provide a unique opportunity to present a typological catalogue and refine and more accurately date the chronological development of specific types throughout this period of time. This study also aimed at clarifying the relationship between local and imported wares. Such a comprehensive study of the Early Islamic period in Jerusalem has not been possible until now. The main aim of this study is the creation of frequency profiles for the various types over time. For this purpose, an area of c. 1000 sq m (originally Area M2, see Chapter 1) was chosen for sampling the quantitative distribution of the pottery within the Early Islamic strata, and the ceramic assemblages from this area are presented here and statistically analyzed. Only sherds from stratigraphically secure loci were included in the quantitative study. Detailed descriptions of each type are accompanied by illustrations of the most representative examples of each type (Figs. 13.1–13.94) and tables of the quantitative breakdowns of the types in each stratum (Tables 13.1–13.11). Complementary vessels of special interest from other areas of the excavation or mixed loci were added to complete the repertoire (but excluded from the statistics: Figs. 13.16, 13.25, 13.38, 13.54, 13.76, 13.92; individual vessels are noted in the text). The typology is followed by the presentation of selected representative loci originating in secure archaeological contexts from the excavations (Figs. 13.95–13.112). The finds from the first season of excavation (2007) in Area M1 have been published (Cytryn-Silverman 2013) and are not included in the present analysis. However, vessels from well-dated contexts in Area M1 are referred to in the typological discussion.

Typology The following typology comprises 1166 diagnostic sherds from the defined study area (Area M2), representing 10 vessel categories (Tables 13.1–3.11) and 94 types and subtypes. The typological discussion is arranged from open to closed forms and from undecorated to decorated vessels. In general, the tendency is to present the types from early to late, and from local to imported.

376

PERETZ REUVEN

Table 13.1. The Ceramic Categories Stratum

IV (% of total pottery in stratum)

III (% of total pottery in stratum)

IIB (% of total pottery in stratum)

IIA (% of total pottery in stratum)

I (% of total pottery in stratum)

Total (% of all strata)

Unglazed bowls

39 (37%)

80 (10%)

23 (14%)

6 (6%)

10 (27%)

158 (14%)

13.1–13.15

Basins

39 (36%)

Category

Glazed bowls

Figs.

85 (11%)

21 (13%)

24 (26%)

6 (16%)

175 (15%)

13.17–13.24

223 (29%)

30 (18%)

11 (12%)

5 (14%)

269 (23%)

13.26–13.37, 13.39

Cooking ware

10 (9%)

73 (10%)

14 (8%)

10 (12%)

3 (8%)

110 (9%)

13.40–13.49

Jars

11 (10%)

53 (7%)

25 (15%)

21 (24%)

3 (8%)

113 (10%)

13.50– 13.53, 13.55–13.57

1 (1%)

150 (20%)

24 (14%)

9 (10%)

6 (16%)

190 (16%)

13.58–13.68

9 (1%)

1 (1%)

2 (2%)

1 (3%)

13 (1%)

13.70–13.71

Unglazed jugs Glazed jugs Small containers

1 (1%)

56 (7%)

12 (7%)

5 (5%)

1 (3%)

75 (7%)

13.72–13.80

Oil lamps

4 (4%)

29 (4%)

13 (7%)

2 (2%)

1 (5%)

49 (4%)

13.81–13.89

14 (1%)

13.90–13.94

36 (3%)

1166 (100%)

Varia Total (% of assemblage)

2 (2%) 107 (9%)

7 (1%)

4 (2%)

1 (1%)

765 (66%)

167 (14%)

91 (8%)

The terminology employed in this work is based mainly on previous ceramic studies such as Magness’ corpus of Jerusalem ceramics (1993) and Cytryn-Silverman’s work on the Islamic-period pottery from Givati Area M1 (2013). However, as new types were revealed and other types can be subdivided differently based on the present findings, it was decided to apply a new terminology for this assemblage. In most cases, each type is designated by an acronym of its main characteristics, while in other cases, when such a designation would be too long, a number was assigned instead. Parallels are cited mainly from contemporaneous sites in Jerusalem and its vicinity, then other sites in Israel such as Tiberias, Caesarea and Ramla, in geographical order from north to south. When required, parallels are noted from sites outside of Israel, in particular Amman in Jordan, Kellia and Fustat in Egypt, and Susa and Nishapur in modern-day Iran. Unglazed Bowls (Table 13.2; Figs. 13.1–13.15) Most of the bowls in this category are of Fine Byzantine Ware (FBW; Fig. 13.1) and its continuation into the Early Islamic period, Fine Burnished Ware Subtypes A–E (FBWBA–E; Figs. 13.2–13.6; see Cytryn-Silverman 2013:168), which together comprise 57% of the unglazed bowls. Fine Byzantine Ware vessels in general (bowls, jars, jugs, juglets) are distinguished from the Fine Burnished Ware vessels (mainly cups, bowls, goblets) by their fabric and surface treatment (see below). Unglazed bowls that resemble the Fine Burnished Ware bowls in fabric and surface treatment include the slightly carinated bowls (SCB; Fig. 13.7) and a rouletted and combed bowl (RCB; Fig. 13.8). Bowls made of less-fine ware are the grooved bowl (GB; Fig. 13.9), flat-based bowls with handles (FBHB; Fig. 13.10),

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

377

a rounded bowl with handles (RHB; Fig. 13.11), a plain bowl with handles (PHB; Fig. 13.12), a cut-ware (kerbschnitt) bowl (CWB; Fig. 13.13), simple bowls of light red ware (SLRWB; Fig. 13.14), and a coarse-ware goblet (CoWG; Fig. 13.16). Some imported Late Roman C Ware and African Red Slip Ware bowls (LRCB, ARSB; Fig. 13.15) are also included in the category of unglazed bowls. Fine Byzantine Ware Bowls (Fig. 13.1) In general, Fine Byzantine Ware bowls usually have a plain rim (slightly in- or out-turned), rounded walls (in some types, not represented at Givati, the walls are straight or sloping) and a disc or ring base. They are characterized by their fine, well-levigated, well-fired clay in shades of reddish yellow, light red on the surface and often with a gray core. They are thin walled and the outer and inner surfaces are very smooth, often with concentric, knifepared burnished bands following the wheel marks. Some small bowls are decorated with one or two incised wavy lines on the exterior (see also Chapter 3). This ware is well recorded throughout Israel, where Fine Byzantine Ware bowls began to appear in the late Byzantine period and continued into the Early Islamic period. In her study of the pottery from Jerusalem, Magness used the same term, Fine Byzantine Ware, for its continuation in the Early Islamic period (here termed Fine Burnished Ware), and separated the bowls into several groups: Form 1, Variants A–F, and Form 2, Variants A–D. She suggested specific datings for each of these variants within the Byzantine or Early Islamic periods (Magness 1993:193–201). At Givati, Fine Byzantine Ware bowls first appeared in Byzantine Stratum V (sixth– seventh centuries; see Chapter 3) and continued into the Early Islamic strata. Fifteen Fine Byzantine Ware bowls (FBWB) were recovered from the Early Islamic Strata IV–I in moreor-less declining frequency (see Table 13.2), and include mainly small, rounded bowls with slightly in- or out-turned rims (Magness’ FBW Form 1, Variants A and B, mid-sixth–early eighth centuries; Magness 1993:193–195). Thus, at Givati, the Fine Byzantine Ware bowls continued in use in the Early Islamic period alongside the new forms of this period. Parallels: These bowls were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum V (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:168, Figs. 7.4:1; 7.9:4), and in the City of David in Jerusalem (Phases 3B, 3C; sixth– seventh centuries; Magness 1992a: Fig. 8:11). Among the many other sites that yielded

1

2 0

10

Fig. 13.1. Fine Byzantine Ware bowls. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1812

23477/37

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR6/6 clay; horizontal burnished bands and incised wavy line on exterior

2

1812

23477/28

IV

Reddish yellow 7.5YR6/6 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

378

PERETZ REUVEN

close parallels for the Givati Fine Byzantine Ware bowls is Caesarea, where ‘Fine Ware’ first appeared in the late Byzantine period (Stratum IX), but only reached large numbers in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:36; 2008b:99). They also appeared in the Umayyad Palace of Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944:68, Ware 10) and at Naḥal Mitnan, an Early Islamic farm in the Negev (Haiman 1995: Fig. 8:1, 2), where they were dated to the mid-sixth–eighth centuries. Based on the finds from ‘En Boqeq, Gichon dated the introduction of this ware in Israel to the fifth century and noted its presence until the late seventh century (Gichon 1974:137–138). Fine Burnished Ware Bowls (Figs. 13.2–13.6) The continuation of the Fine Byzantine Ware into the Early Islamic period can be distinguished from the earlier ware by fabric and surface treatment, while some shapes disappear and new shapes appear. The fabric, like that of the Fine Byzantine Ware, is well levigated, reddish-yellow clay, light red on the surface, often with a gray or light gray core; however, it is less metallic and the bowls are not as thin walled and smooth. The application of a light-colored wash directly below the rim replaces the darker, burnished bands applied over the body of the earlier bowls; concentric pare-burnished bands are now concentrated on the lower exterior (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:168). Some of these bowls are decorated with one or two incised wavy lines on the exterior. Two bowls from Givati have painted designs (Fig. 13.3:6, 7). In her study of the Early Islamic pottery from Area M1 at Givati, Cytryn-Silverman uses the term Fine Burnished Ware for the Early Islamic version of this ware, which we have adopted here, and she correctly notes that despite a number of shared forms, the Fine Burnished Ware developed a distinct repertoire of vessels (Cytrin-Silverman 2013:168). A different term for this Early Islamic continuation of Fine Byzantine Ware, ‘Marble Ware’, is used by Arnon for the ware at Caesarea Maritima. According to Arnon, the earlier Fine (Byzantine) Ware bowls and the later Marble Ware bowls are similar in fabric, but differ in form and sometimes also in surface treatment (Arnon 2008a:30, 33; 2008b:91). Unlike the Fine Byzantine Ware that includes a variety of forms, Fine Burnished Ware consists mainly of cups and bowls, although at Givati some of the plain-ware jugs (Fig. 13.58:10) are treated in a similar fashion. The various bowl and rim forms from Givati are here divided into five subtypes of deep and shallow bowls (A–E). Fine Burnished Ware Bowls Subtype A: Deep Bowls with a Plain, Incurved Rim and Rounded Walls (FBWB-A; Fig. 13.2) Subtype A bowls are characterized by a plain incurved rim, rounded walls and a rounded or flat disc base. Many of these bowls bear spiral or concentric grooves on the bottom of the base, and the lower exterior walls tend to show pronounced pare-burnished bands. This subtype was not found at Givati earlier than Stratum IV. Nine such bowls appeared in the Early Islamic strata, beginning in the Umayyad period, most common in the early Abbasid stratum (Stratum III), and disappearing in the later phases of that period (see Table 13.2).

379

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

3 2

1

0

10

Fig. 13.2. Fine Burnished Ware bowls Subtype A (FBWB-A). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

16060/3

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/8 clay; yellowish slip on interior and upper exterior; pare burnishing on lower exterior

2

1514

16018/14

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; pare burnishing mainly on lower exterior

3

1342

12458/20

IIB–A

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits

Parallels: Subtype A corresponds to Magness’ Fine Byzantine Ware Bowls Form 1D (late seventh–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:194, 196). Such bowls were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.2:1, 2). Close parallels were recovered in Area X-4 of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem (late seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Magness 1993: Fig. 4.15); at Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem (ninth–tenth centuries; de Vaux and Stève 1950: Pls. B:2, B:3); and at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh– mid-eighth centuries; Arnon 2008a:59, Type 311b). Fine Burnished Ware Bowls Subtype B: Deep Hemispherical Bowls (FBWB-B; Fig. 13.3) Subtype B bowls are distinguished by their deep hemispherical form and flat or rounded base. The exterior walls tend to be pare burnished, and one bears a white-painted design (Fig. 13.3:6), another a red-painted design on a white slip (Fig. 13.3:7). Four bowls of Subtype B were found in the studied assemblage, three in Stratum III and one in Phase IIB (see Table 13.2); thus, it seems that at Givati they appeared only in the earlier part of the Abbasid period. Parallels: Subtype B generally corresponds to Magness’ Fine Byzantine Ware bowls Form 1E (eighth–ninth centuries; Magness 1993:194, 196), although the example in Fig. 13.3:3 has a carinated wall and corresponds to some of Magness’ Form 1F (seventh–eighth centuries or later; Magness 1993:194, 197; No. 4). This subtype was found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.5:1). Close parallels were recovered at Yoqne‘am, in contexts of the Byzantine to Abbasid periods (Avissar 1996:118, Fig. XIII.65, Type 2); at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Arnon 2008a:,64, Type 311a); at Ramla in Strata V (Umayyad, first half of the eighth century) and IV (Abbasid, second half of eighth–late tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.5:10); at Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944: Fig. 7:2–5, 8, Ware 10); and in the Early Islamic farm at Naḥal Mitnan (mid-sixth–eighth centuries; Haiman 1995: Fig. 8:1–7).

380

PERETZ REUVEN

3 2

1

5

4

0

6 0

10

7

2

Fig. 13.3. Fine Burnished Ware bowls Subtype B (FBWB-B). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1611

18645/5 18645/5

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; white paint on upper exterior; pare burnishing on lower exterior

2

1514

16020/1

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; pare burnishing on lower exterior

3

2360

35365

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; pare burnishing

4

1608

18314/22

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; hard-fired

5

1608

18314/15

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; pare burnishing

6

3785

58588

V

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white-painted designs on rim and walls

7

1537

16764/24/27 16713/3

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; pare burnishing; redpainted designs on walls

Fine Burnished Ware Bowls Subtype C: Deep Bowls with a Sharp Ridge on the Exterior (FBWB-C; Fig. 13.4) Subtype C includes relatively small deep bowls with an angled, incurved rim that forms a sharp ridge on the exterior. The exterior walls tend to be pare burnished. Thirteen Subtype C bowls were found at Givati, characteristic mainly of the early part of the Abbasid period (Strata III–IIB). Parallels: Subtype C corresponds to Magness’ Fine Byzantine Ware Bowls Form 2A (midseventh–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:198–199). It was found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.7:3). Close parallels were recovered at Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem (ninth–tenth centuries; Vaux and Stève 1950: Pl. B:10); at Yoqne‘am (Early Islamic period; Avissar 1996:11, Fig. XIII.66, Type 3); at Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:84, Type 121g, Marble Ware); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944: Figs. 7:6, 9; 8:24, Ware 10).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

381

1 0

10

2

Fig. 13.4. Fine Burnished Ware bowls Subtype C (FBWB-C). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25617/2

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; hard-fired; exterior burnished

2

2417

36707

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; hard-fired; exterior burnished; repair holes near rim

Fine Burnished Ware Bowls Subtype D: Shallow Bowls with an Incurved Rim (FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5) Subtype D comprises shallow bowls with an incurved rim and a flat or rounded base. The exterior walls tend to be pare burnished. Thirty-one Subtype D bowls were found in the Early Islamic strata (see Table 13.2). They first occurred at the end of the Byzantine period (Phase VA; sixth–seventh centuries; see Chapter 3: Fig. 3.21:3), continued into the Umayyad period (Stratum IV) and were common in the Abbasid period. Parallels: Subtype D corresponds to some of Magness’ Fine Byzantine Ware Bowls Form 2B, characterized by an incurved rim (Fig. 13.5:1, 2), sometimes folded (Fig. 13.5:3), dated to the mid-seventh–tenth centuries (Magness 1993:199, FBW Bowls Form 2B, No. 6). A bowl of this subtype was unearthed in Givati Area M1, in a Stratum IV fill (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.2:1). Close parallels were found at Abu Ghosh (ninth–tenth centuries; Vaux and Stève 1950: Pl. B:13); at Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–midninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:88, Type 122a, b); in the Marcus Street excavations at Ramla (e.g., Type 1.1a: hemispherical bowl, Iron Age II style, dated according to most of the parallels given there to the ninth century; and Type 1.1b: incurved fine ware bowl that could be considered its subtype; Arnon 2007: Fig. 1:1, 2); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944: Figs. 8:23; 8:28, Ware 10).

1

2

3 0

10

Fig. 13.5. Fine Burnished Ware bowls Subtype D (FBWB-D). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

16000/6

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; small white grits; burnished bands under rim

2

1485

15736/7

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; small white grits; burnished bands under rim

3

1812

23477/21

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits

382

PERETZ REUVEN

Fine Burnished Ware Bowls Subtype E: Shallow Bowls with a Down-Tilted (E1) or Horizontal Ledge Rim (E2) (FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6) Subtype E comprises a series of large, relatively shallow bowls with either an offset rim that tilts downward (Variant E1, Fig. 13.6:1, 3) or a horizontal ledge rim (Variant E2, Fig. 13.6:2). They have straight or rounded walls and a simple rounded or flat disc base. The exterior walls tend to be pare-burnished. Nineteen Subtype E bowls were recovered at Givati. They are typical mainly of the Umayyad period, decreasing sharply in popularity during the Abbasid period (see Table 13.2). Parallels: Variants E1 and E2 correspond to Magness’ Types 2C and 2D (mid-seventh–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:198, 200–201). Parallels to Variant E1 were found in Area X-6 of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem (late seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Magness 1993:149, Fig. 4:25), and in Area G of the City of David (late sixth–seventh centuries; Magness 1992b: Fig. 13:5); at Abu Ghosh (ninth–tenth centuries; Vaux and Stève 1950: Pl. B:4); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944: Fig. 8:14, Ware 10). One parallel to Variant E2 was recovered from Area X-4 of the Jewish Quarter (late seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Magness 1993: Fig. 4:16).

1 2

3 0

10

Fig. 13.6. Fine Burnished Ware bowls Subtype E (FBWB-E). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1769

23067/16

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

2

1812

23477/13

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits; pare burnished bands on exterior

3

1812

23477/6

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits

Slightly Carinated Bowls (SCB; Fig. 13.7) This type includes small bowls with a simple, slightly outcurved rim and a carination in the middle of the wall. These bowls are similar in surface treatment to the Fine Burnished Ware bowls, with bands of pare burnishing on the exterior that follow the wheel marks, and sometimes the lower body is covered with a white wash. Twenty-eight bowls of this type were found in the Early Islamic strata. They first appeared in the Umayyad period, became common in the early Abbasid period (Stratum III), and declined sharply in the tenth century.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

383

Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ FBW Form 2B (mid-seventh–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:200). These bowls are parallel to unglazed bowls at Yoqne‘am (Early Islamic; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.67, Type 4, Plain Bowls IV), and according to Avissar, they can be associated with Types 2 and 3 of Ware 10 at Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 8:1–13, 17, 23). A similar bowl was found at Tiberias (late eighth or early ninth century; Stacey 2004:96, Fig. 5.9:1), and according to Stacy, it resembles the Fine Byzantine Ware at Yoqne‘am (such as Type 4). At Caesarea, these bowls are assigned by Arnon to the Marble Ware in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:83; Type 121c). A parallel was also found in the Marble Ware from the Marcus Street excavations at Ramla (mid-eighth–early ninth centuries; Arnon 2007:39, Fig. 1:7), and further parallels are also seen in the Herzl Street excavations at Ramla (Phase 2, eighth–ninth centuries; Phase 1, end of the ninth–early eleventh centuries; ‘Azab 2011: Figs. 12:7; 15:4).

1

2

3

4

0

10

Fig. 13.7. Slightly carinated bowls (SCB). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25541/6

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay, almost pink

2

1608

18283/7

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay, almost pink

3

1513

15962/12 15962/13

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay, almost pink; reddish yellow 7.5YR6/8 slip on interior

4

1513

16060/12

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay, almost pink; reddish yellow 7.5YR6/8 slip on interior

Rouletted and Combed Bowls (RCB; Fig. 13.8) These relatively deep bowls are related to the Fine Burnished Ware in ware and general shape: they are thin walled and well fired to a metallic fabric, but differ in the rouletted and combed decoration. They are decorated in the upper half of the body, above a ridge, with two bands of rouletting and two bands of delicately combed wavy lines, different from the cruder lines that are common on the Fine Byzantine Ware bowls; they are pare-burnished on the lower exterior. One bowl of this type recovered at Givati in Stratum III, and one in Stratum I. No parallels were found.

384

PERETZ REUVEN

5

0

Fig. 13.8. Rouletted and combed bowl (RCB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1900

24848/6/7

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; pare burnishing on lower exterior

Grooved Bowls (GB; Fig. 13.9) These bowls have a rounded and slightly incurved rim, a gentle carination in the lower wall above which the wall is upright, and a disc base. They are made of crude brown clay. The outer surface bears sets of rough grooves, one or two below the rim, others in the center or near the base. The six grooved bowls from Givati all originated in Stratum III; thus, it appears that they were in use only at the beginning of the Abbasid period. Parallels: Examples of this type were found in Jerusalem, on the northern side of the Damascus gate (Early Islamic period; Hamilton 1940: Fig. 9.2). Close parallels were also recovered from Yoqne‘am (Early Islamic period; Avissar 1996:117, Fig. XIII.64:2: a plain bowl of Type 1) and Caesarea Strata VI–V (mid-ninth–mid-eleventh centuries; Arnon 2008a:168, 226, Types 131g, 141g respectively).

0

5

Fig. 13.9. Grooved bowl (GB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1554

17717/12/20

III

Brown 7.5YR 5/4 clay; brown-black on exterior

Flat-Based Bowls with Handles (FBHB; Fig. 13.10) These flat-based bowls equipped with two handles are sometimes termed ‘chamber pots’ (Arnon 2008a:233, Type 241j). They have an out-turned rim, thin, vertical, slightly rounded walls, a flat base and oval handles. They are usually made of reddish yellow clay with white grits, well fired to a metallic fabric, and covered with pink slip. Sometimes, the exterior of

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

385

the vessel and the inner rim are covered with a thin white slip. As the lower exterior of all these bowls bears pare-burnished bands typical of Fine Burnished Ware bowls, they should be dated to the eighth–tenth centuries. Eleven examples of these bowls were found, mostly in Stratum III (see Table 13.2); thus, at Givati they first appeared and were most common at the beginning of the Abbasid period, and significantly decreased until the late tenth century. This type is similar in shape to the small rounded containers with a sharply everted, rounded rim and a flat base (SC1; see Fig. 13.72), but is larger and the wide, out-turned rim is almost ledge like, rather than sharply everted. Although these bowls have been defined as chamber pots due to their peculiar shape, it seems that this was not their function, as the ledge rim makes it difficult to pour liquids and they are glazed inside and out. It is more likely that they were some kind of kitchen vessel (Vincenz 2008:143). Parallels: Two unglazed bowls of similar shape at Khirbat Abu Suwwana, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, originated in an Abbasid context (second phase, late eighth–ninth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997: Fig. 2:15, 18). Glazed vessels of similar shape made of Buff Ware (see below) are found at many Abbasid sites (see GLFBB; Fig. 13.37, for further parallels).

2 1

3

4 0

10

Fig. 13.10. Flat-Based bowls with handles (FBHB). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1514

15947/2 15947/6 15947/17

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; pink 5YR 7/4 slip with yellowish paint on upper exterior; pare burnishing on lower exterior; hard-fired

2

1513

15962/16 15923/8

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; pink 5YR 7/4 slip with yellowish paint on upper exterior; pare burnishing on lower exterior; hard-fired

3

1513

15962/20–22

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; pink 5YR 7/4 slip with yellowish paint on upper exterior; pare burnishing on lower exterior; hard-fired

4

1549

16926/20 16926/14

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; pink 5YR 7/4 slip on exterior; hard-fired

386

PERETZ REUVEN

Rounded Bowl with Handles (RHB; Fig. 13.11) This type is very similar to the deep, flat-based bowls above (FBHB), differing only in the rounder, less vertical profile and perhaps a slightly rounded base, based on complete parallels (see below). Therefore, a date in the mid-eighth–ninth centuries for the single bowl of this type found in Stratum III is proposed. Parallels: A similar bowl was recovered from Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.2:3) and classified there as a Fine Burnished Ware ansate mug. A close parallel, with handles attached to the wall rather than to the rim, was found at Tiberias in Stratum II (980–1033 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.9).

0

5

Fig. 13.11. Rounded bowl with handles (RWHB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1513

16077/16

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; well levigated; brown-pink slip on exterior–– may be self slip; white paint on exterior; hard-fired

Plain Ware Bowl with Handles (PHB; Fig. 13.12) This bowl has an outward-slanting rim, thick, vertical walls and a convex base with five deep concentric grooves; two oval loop handles are attached to the upper wall. The upper part of the bowl is decorated with combed wavy lines. The clay is coarse, light red with white grits. The single example of this type originated in Stratum I. As its shape closely resembles the flat-based bowls (see FBHB, Fig. 13.10), a date in the late eighth–tenth centuries is proposed here. No parallels are known. Cut-Ware (Kerbschnitt) Bowl (CWB; Fig. 13.13) Such bowls are characterized by a ‘cut’ decoration resembling a basket pattern, usually on the exterior of the vessel. Bowls with kerbschnitt decoration are known from many Early Islamic deposits in the Near East, both Umayyad and Abbasid, and often serve as a fossile directeur of the period. Handmade specimens date to the beginning of the eighth century, while glazed and wheel-made bowls are probably later (Arnon 2008a:34).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

387

A single example of a handmade bowl, finely levigated and well fired, was found in Stratum III Pit 1793. A single sherd of a glazed mold-made kerbschnitt bowl was recovered in another Stratum III pit (see Fig. 13.38). Parallels: An unglazed bowl with kerbschnitt decoration was found at Kursi (post-Umayyad occupation, probably no later than 800 CE; Tzaferis 1983: Fig. 5:1); at Tiberias in Stratum III (880–980 CE; although they first appeared in the late eighth century; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.6); at Yoqne‘am (Umayyad–Abbasid; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.74:1–4); at Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:100–102, Types 127a–127e); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944:69, Figs. 4.7; 9:20, 21, Pl. XXI:7, 9, Ware 11). This decorative technique appears as far as Susa in Persia (Period 2, eighth–ninth centuries; Rosen-Ayalon 1974: Figs. 360–365).

0

5

Fig. 13.12. Plain bowl with handles (PHB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1317

15235

I

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; coarse with white grits; rough-combed wavy lines; five concentric grooves on base

0

2

Fig. 13.13. Cut-ware (kerbschnitt) bowl (CWB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1793

23413/7

III

Reddish brown 5YR 5/4 clay; very small white grits

388

PERETZ REUVEN

Simple Bowls of Light Red Ware (SLRWB; Fig. 13.14) Such bowls have a slightly everted rim, a deep, rounded profile and a small, flat, string-cut base. They are characterized by their coarse, poorly fired, light red ware. Four bowls of this type originate in Stratum I (tenth–eleventh centuries), which accords with the dating of the parallels. Parallels: Such bowls were found at Caesarea in Stratum V (mid-tenth–early eleventh centuries; Arnon 2008a:224, Type 141a), and in Marcus Street at Ramla in a surface locus that contained pottery of the eighth–eleventh-centuries (Arnon 2007: Fig. 1:4).

1

2

3

0

10

Fig. 13.14. Simple bowls of light red ware (SLRWB). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1331

12285/1

I

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

2

1341

12287/1

I

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

3

1341

12287/2

I

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

Bowls of Late Roman C Ware (LRCB) and African Red Slip Ware (ARSB; Fig. 13.15) Thirteen sherds of the latest types of Late Roman C and African Red Slip Wares were recovered at Givati, eleven in Umayyad contexts (Stratum IV) and two in Abbasid contexts (Stratum III). All were identified as types dated by Hayes to the sixth–seventh centuries. The nine LRC Ware bowls from Stratum IV correspond to Hayes Form 3 Type F (Fig. 13.15:1), Form 3 Type H (Fig. 13.15:3) and Form 10 Type B (Fig. 13.15:2; Hayes 1972: Figs. 69:17–26, 28–40; 71:4). The two ARS Ware bowls from Stratum IV (Fig. 13.15:4) are classified by Hayes as Form 99 Type C and dated to the sixth–early seventh centuries (Hayes 1972: Fig. 28:22, 23). The two LRC Ware bowls from Stratum III correspond to Hayes Form 3 Type H (Hayes 1972: Figs. 71:4). While it is possible that all these examples are residual, based on similar late examples at other sites (see below), we have chosen to define those from Stratum IV as in situ, constituting evidence of a later dating for the final use of these bowls. Parallels: Similar bowls have been found at several sites in Israel in contexts dated later than the dates suggested by Hayes, as, for example, at Bet She’an in the Umayyad period (Bar-Nathan 2011:290, Fig. 11.39:2, 3, LRC Form 3 Type F), and at Ramla in an Umayyad

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

389

2

3

4 0

10

Fig. 13.15. Bowls of Late Roman C Ware (LRCB; 1–3); African Red Slip Ware (ARSB; 4). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1444

14866/3

IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay; dark red slip; brown line painted on rim

2

1463

15818/10

IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay

3

1812

23610/10

IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

4

1444

14866/10

IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay; red slip; hard-fired

context (early eighth century; Haddad 2011: Fig. 4:1, LRC bowl base) and among Umayyad and Abbasid pottery (eighth–tenth centuries; Haddad 2010: Fig. 18:2, LRC bowl). Coarse-Ware Goblet (CoWG; Fig. 13.16) The single, almost-complete example from Givati has an out-turned rim, incurved walls and a tall, solid foot with a flat, string-cut base widening at the edge. It is crudely made of coarsely levigated, reddish yellow clay. Although this vessel originated in a disturbed Mamluk context, a date in the Umayyad period, probably mid- or late seventh–early eighth centuries, is suggested based on the parallels. Parallels: A single example was found at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh–mideighth centuries; Arnon 2008a:65, Type 312a). A comparable goblet was recorded at Jerash, in Jordan, dated to the Umayyad period (Abu Dalu 1993:30, Pl. 10), and similar goblets, although decorated, were found at Kellia in Egypt (mid-seventh century; Egloff 1977:156– 160, Types 302, 305, Pl. 84:2, 9; Arnon 2008a:30).

0

5

Fig. 13.16. Coarse-ware goblet (CoWG). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1395

14046/5

Mamluk

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; white grits

390

PERETZ REUVEN

Unglazed Bowls: Summary A total of 158 sherds of unglazed bowls comprise 15 types and subtypes (LRCB and ARSB are included as one type; Table 13.2). In general, this category of vessels at Givati continued from the Byzantine period (see Chapter 3). Late Roman C and African Red Slip bowls (LRCB, ARSB) continued from the Byzantine period into Stratum IV and constituted over 10% of all unglazed bowls. Another 10% of the unglazed bowls are identified as Fine Byzantine Ware types (FBW), a continuation of the Byzantine tradition into the Early Islamic period that decreased in frequency toward the end of the period. The Fine Burnished Ware bowl subtypes (FBWB-A–E) form the largest group (48% of all unglazed bowls in Strata IV–I). They apparently appeared no earlier than the Early Islamic period, and became the typical unglazed bowls of that period. In Stratum IV, Subtype E was the most popular. This large, fine, relatively shallow bowl with a ledge rim that apparently served as an eating or serving dish, was probably replaced in the Abbasid period by glazed bowls of similar shape and function (especially Types GLB1 and GLB2; Figs. 13.26–13.30). In Stratum III, Fine Burnished Ware bowls of Subtype D and the slightly carinated bowls (SCB) were the predominant unglazed bowl types. The slightly carinated bowls then decreased dramatically, and thus this bowl could be an indicator of the early Abbasid period in Jerusalem (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries). Fine Burnished Ware Subtypes B and C occurred for the first time in Stratum III; Subtype C continued throughout the Abbasid period and should be considered an Abbasid type. In Stratum II, Subtypes C and D were the predominant types. Stratum I saw the first appearance of simple bowls of light red ware (SLRWB). Table 13.2. Unglazed Bowls Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Total (% of unglazed bowls

Figs.

15 (9%)

13.1

FBW

6 (15%)

3 (4%)

4 (18%)

FBWB-A

1 (3%)

7 (9%)

1 (4%)

9 (6%)

13.2

3 (4%)

1 (4%)

4 (3%)

13.3

FBWB-B FBWB-C

1 (17%)

1 (10%)

5 (6%)

6 (26%)

1 (17%)

1 (10%)

13 (8%)

13.4

FBWB-D

3 (8%)

18 (22%)

6 (26%)

2 (32%)

2 (20%)

31 (19%)

13.5

FBWB-E

16 (41%)

1 (1%)

2 (9%)

19 (12%)

13.6

2 (5%)

23 (29%)

2 (9%)

28 (18%)

13.7

2 (1%)

13.8

6 (4%)

13.9

11 (7%)

13.10

SCB RCB

1 (1%)

GB

6 (8%)

FBHB

9 (11%)

RHB

1 (1%)

1 (17%) 1 (10%)

1 (4%)

1 (17%)

PHB

1 (10%)

CWB

1 (1%)

SLRWB

4 (40%)

LRCB, ARSB

11 (28%)

2 (3%)

Total (% of total category)

39 (25%)

80 (50%)

23 (15%)

6 (4%)

10 (6%)

1 (0.6%)

13.11

1 (0.6%)

13.12

1 (0.6%)

13.13

4 (3%)

13.14

13 (8%)

13.15

158 (100%)

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

391

Unglazed Basins (Table 13.3; Figs. 13.17–13.25) The only basin type in the Early Islamic assemblage at Givati that continued from the late Byzantine period into the Islamic period is the arched-rim basin (ARB; Fig. 13.17); all the others first appeared during the Early Islamic period. Stone-ware basins are included in this discussion (Fig. 13.25), as they represent the prototypes for the black-ware basins (Fig. 13.24). Arched-Rim Basins (ARB; Fig. 13.17) These are large, deep basins with a wide, arched rim, straight or slightly rounded walls and rounded or flat bases. They are wheel made, well fired, reddish yellow or light red on the surface and usually have a gray core. Such vessels sometimes have a very pale brown or pink slip (Magness 1993:204–205). Three forms were distinguished by Magness on the basis of morphology, surface treatment and chronology. Form 1, which lacks the combed or incised decoration, is dated by her to the late third/early fourth–sixth centuries (Magness 1993:204–206). Form 2, which resembles Form 1 but is decorated with bands of combing on the exterior and sometimes on the rim, is dated by Magness to the sixth–early eighth centuries (Magness 1993:206–208). Form 2 was further divided by Magness into Variant A, with a typical arched rim (Fig. 13.17:1), and Variant B, with a ‘pinched’ rim formed by finger impressions along the edge (Fig. 13.17:2). Form 3 has a short, knob-like rim–– rounded, pointed or square in profile––with a ridge at the joint with the body, a flat base and two vertical or horizontal handles (Fig. 13.17:3–5). These Form 3 bowls are usually decorated on the exterior with bands of combed or incised wavy lines (Magness 1993:209) and, like Form 2, are dated to the sixth–early eighth centuries. At Givati, arched-rim basins of Magness’ Form 1 appeared as early as Byzantine Phase VC, dated to the fourth–fifth centuries (see Chapter 3: Fig. 3.1.10). Twenty-two bowls from the Early Islamic strata correspond to Form 1 (ARB1). Arched-rim basins identified as Magness’ Form 2, decorated only with horizontal combed bands, appeared at Givati in Byzantine Phase VA (see Chapter 3: Fig. 3.1:9, 11); in the Early Islamic strata there are 23 basins of Form 2 Variant A (ARB2A; Fig. 13.17:1) and three of Variant B (ARB2B; Fig. 13.17:2). One small fragment of an arched-rim basin identified as Magness’ Form 3 is reported from Byzantine Phase VA, dated to the sixth–seventh centuries (see Chapter 3: Fig. 3.17:7). In the Early Islamic assemblage, two sherds were recovered, one in Stratum IV (Fig. 13.17:3), the other in Stratum III (Fig. 13.17:4). An additional sherd is published, which originated in an insecure fill of Stratum I (Fig. 13.17:5). Parallels: Arched-rim basins of Form 2A were found in Jerusalem in the City of David, Area K, Phase 3A (seventh century; Magness 1992b:177, Figs. 8.6; 8.17) and of Form 2B in Area G (late sixth–seventh centuries; Magness 1992a: Fig. 13.8). Arched-rim basins were recorded near Jerusalem at Ras Abu Ma‘aruf (Byzantine–Umayyad) and classified as Magness’ Forms 2A and 2B (Rapuano 1999:177, Fig. 5:69–77), and at Khirbat Abu Suwwana in Phase 1, where parallels to Forms 2B and 3 were noted (mid-seventh–mideighth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997:21*, Fig. 1:6, 8). Arched-rim basins parallel to Magness’ Form 3 were found at Yoqne‘am (Abbasid period; Avissar 1996:127, Types 27, 28), although they show a tendency toward a less pronounced arched rim. An arched-rim

392

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

4 3

5 0

10

Fig. 13.17. Arched-rim basins (ARB). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1769

22825/6

IV

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light brown core; small white grits; bands of combing on exterior

2

1939

25545/15

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; incised wavy lines on exterior

3

1459

16858/7

IV

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; incised wavy lines on exterior

4

1578

18064/1

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; incised wavy lines on exterior

5

1599

18563/1

I

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core

basin similar in shape to Form 2A is seen at Ramla, Stratum V (first half of eighth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.15:3), although according to Cytryn-Silverman (2010:100), this vessel is of different ware. Basin with an Out-Turned, Flattened Rim and Thumb-Impressed Decoration (TDB; Fig. 13.18) This large, wheel-made basin has rounded walls with a sharp carination below the upper third of the vessel wall and is decorated with a thumb-impressed band around the outer edge of the rim. The single bowl of this type originated in Stratum III. Parallels: Similar basins, though made of gray clay, are seen at Tiberias in Strata V–IV (Umayyad–early Abbasid periods; Stacey 2004:91, Fig. 5.4:1, 5), where the earlier examples are handmade, while the later ones are wheel made. Other vessels with similar rims, but decorated with combed lines on the rim or body, were found in Strata IV–III (750–980 CE;

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

0

393

5

Fig. 13.18. Basin with out-turned, flattened rim and thumb-impressed decoration (TDB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1578

17928

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay

Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.15:1, 3) and one made of Buff Ware in Stratum III (Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.14:3). Close parallels in shape but also of gray ware, were found at Bet She’an, dated to the Umayyad period (Bar-Nathan 2011:281, Fig. 11.34:1, 2). Basins with an Incurved Rim Subtype A (IRB-A; Fig. 13.19) These large basins, characterized by a thickened incurved rim, are made of reddish yellow or light reddish brown clay with a gray core. Many have bands of combing on the exterior and sometimes a band of combing or deep imprints on the rim. This type, equivalent to Magness’ ‘Incurved-Rim Basins’, is considered a postByzantine type (eighth–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:210–211). As other variations of incurved-rim basins that are not included in Magness’ analysis appear at Givati, this form is termed here Subtype A. It has two rim variants: one turns sharply inward at a right angle (Fig. 13.19:1–7), the other turns inward at a wider angle and has a rounder profile (Fig. 13.19:8–11). Sixty-four examples of Subtype A (IRB-A) were recovered at Givati (see Table 13.3). They appear in small numbers in the Umayyad period and became the dominant basin type throughout the Abbasid period. Parallels: In Area M1 at Givati, such basins originated in fills dated to the late Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, and were termed ‘Comb-Decorated Basins’ (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:169, Figs. 7.2:4; 7.9:1). Among the parallels from Jerusalem are basins from Area A in the Jewish Quarter (eighth–tenth centuries; Magness 2003: Pls. 18.1:14; 18.2:23). At Khirbat Abu Suwwana near Jerusalem, close parallels were recorded in Phase 1 (mid-seventh–mideighth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997:21*, Fig. 1:7). Parallels were found at numerous other sites dated to the Early Islamic period, including Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:127, Fig. XIII.79:3, Type 26); Caesarea Stratum VII, classified as ‘Light Red Ware with or without

394

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

4

6

5

7

8

9 10

11 0

10

Fig. 13.19. Basins with incurved-rim Subtype A (IRB-A).

Decoration’ (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:128, Types 425c, 425d); and Ramla Strata V–IV (L62.1039, first half of eighth–tenth centuries) and Stratum IV (L62.1032, second half of eighth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:151, Pl. 9.3:2–5). Basins with an Incurved Rim Subtype B (IRB-B; Fig. 13.20) These large, shallow basins were not included in Magness’ typology. They are less massive than Subtype A (above), characterized by their simple, rounded, incurved rim and hemispherical shape; some have a flat disc base (Fig. 13.20:3). Although these basins display pare burnishing on their lower exterior, like the Fine Burnished Ware bowls, they

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

395

◄ Fig. 13.19 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1317

15236

I

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; few small white grits

2

1939

25617/11

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay

3

1951

25812/18

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core

4

1513

15998/12

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; deep imprints on rim

5

1464

15263/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light brown-gray core; combed decoration under rim

6

1464

15583/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light brown-gray core; combed decoration on rim

7

1464

15336/6

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light brown-gray core; combed decoration on rim

8

1608

18355/21

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; combed diagonal lines on rim

9

1544

16989/5

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; white grits; deep imprints on rim and combed decoration under it

10

1513

16060/6

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; deep imprints on rim

11

1326

15080

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core

2

1

4

3

5 0

10

6

Fig. 13.20. Basins with incurved-rim Subtype B (IRB-B). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25544/3

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits, pare burnishing on lower exterior

2

1611

18679/12

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits, pare burnishing on lower exterior

3

1513

16077/12

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits, pare burnishing on lower exterior

4

1513

15962/6

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits, pare burnishing on lower exterior

5

1409

14955/6

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits pare burnishing on lower exterior

6

2229

35155/3

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very few white grits, pare burnishing on lower exterior

396

PERETZ REUVEN

are not included in that type as they are larger and thicker and made of coarser, less metallic fabric. The basin in Fig. 13.20:6 was distorted during firing. Twenty-five examples of Subtype B were recovered (see Table 13.3). They first appeared in the Umayyad period and continued in the early part of the Abbasid period (Stratum III), after which they declined in frequency. Thus, they are dated to the eighth– tenth centuries. Parallels: A similar large basin made of light red clay was found at Khirbat Abu-Sawwana near Jerusalem, in Phase 1 (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997: Fig. 2:3). In Caesarea Stratum VII, these bowls were made of pale brown or pink clay (mideighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:87–88, Type 122a, termed ‘Hemispheric Shaped Bowl Iron Age Style’). Close parallels in Buff Ware were found in Ramla Strata V–IV (eighth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:155, Pl. 9.5:1, 2). Basins with an Incurved Rim Subtype C (IRB-C; Fig. 13.21) Incurved-rim basins of Subtype C are similar in dimensions to Subtype B. They have a triangular, incurved rim and are made of well-levigated, well-fired, reddish yellow or light red clay. The lower exterior of the vessel is sometimes pare burnished.

2

1

3 4

5 0

10

Fig. 13.21. Basins with incurved-rim Subtype C (IRB-C). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1409

14955/5

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray-brown core; white grits

2

1939

25617/10

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay

3

1939

25541/9/19/38

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; gray core

4

1827

23696/1/2

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; few white grits

5

1409

14956/20

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray brown core; white grits

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

397

Twenty-nine Subtype C basins originated in the Abbasid strata (III–I). At Givati, they have two rim variants: 19 examples (Fig. 13.21:1) have a round, incurved rim, but unlike Subtype B, it is triangular in section and the upper part is folded out and attached to the vessel exterior; 10 examples (Fig. 13.21:2–5) have a sharply incurved rim with a triangular section. Subtype C first appeared in the early phase of the Abbasid period and it was popular throughout the Abbasid period. Parallels: Close parallels for the first rim variant were recorded, among others, in Area A of the Jewish Quarter, where it was categorized as an arched-rim basin of Form 2A (Magness 2003: Pl. 18.1:14), and at Khirbat Abu Suwwana, in Phase 1 (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997:22*, Fig. 2:8). A parallel for the second rim variant appears in Area M1 of Givati, in a context dated to the ninth–tenth centuries, and is referred to as a large, Fine Burnished Ware bowl (Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.7:4); another is noted at Khirbat Abu Suwwana in Phase 1 (Cohen-Finkelstein 1997:22*, Fig. 2:6). Basins with an Incurved Rim Made of Buff Ware Subtype D (IRB-D; Fig. 13.22) These vessels resemble those of Subtype B (see Fig. 13.20), differing only in the pale yellow Buff Ware (see below: Glazed Bowls). Four examples originated in the early part of the Abbasid period (Stratum III) alongside some glazed bowls of the same clay and shape, but smaller (see Figs. 13.27:7; 13.28:1). Parallels: Buff Ware basins with an incurved rim were recorded in Ramla Strata V–IV, dated to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods (eighth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:155, Pl. 9.5:1, 2).

2 1

3

4 0

10

Fig. 13.22. Basins with incurved-rim made of Buff Ware Subtype D (IRB-D). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

16077/6

III

Pale yellow 5Y8/2 clay; gritty

2

1513

16077/1

III

Pale yellow 5Y8/2 clay; gritty

3

1513

16060/8

III

Pale yellow 5Y8/2 clay; gritty

4

1513

16060/9

III

Pale yellow 5Y8/2 clay; gritty

398

PERETZ REUVEN

Basin with a Folded-Out Rim (FORB; Fig. 13.23) This basin, with a folded-out rim attached to the outer wall of the vessel and made of coarse clay, originated in Stratum I. Parallel: A parallel was found in Caesarea Stratum V (mid-tenth–eleventh centuries; Arnon 2008a:225, Type 141d).

0

5

Fig. 13.23. Basin with folded-out rim (FORB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1341

12368/6

I

Dark brown 7.5YR 5/6 clay; many white grits; coarse: hard-fired

Black-Ware Basin (BWB; Fig. 13.24) The vessel in Fig. 13.24 is cylindrical with almost-vertical walls, a simple rim, a flat base and long horizontal ledge handles near the middle of the vessel’s wall. It is wheel made of dark gray clay. Vertical burnishing above the handles and horizontal burnishing below lend the vessel a lustrous black glean, probably imitating the black-gray stone-ware vessels (see Fig. 13.25). It was found in Stratum III. Other such vessels were noted among the finds in mixed loci Parallels: A handmade parallel was found in Tiberias Stratum IV/III (750–980 CE; Stacey 2004:101, 104, Fig. 5.16:1), next to a ṭabun, and it bears pronounced signs of burning inside. Stacey suggests that this vessel was used as a fire-tray to cover hot coals for future use. Another parallel of this type was found at Tiberias in the House of the Bronzes, in a Stratum

0

5

Fig. 13.24. Black-ware basin (BWB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1485

15697/13/15 15660/14 15534/36

III

Dark gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits; exterior burnished to black

399

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

II installation (tenth–eleventh centuries; Vincenz 2008:151, Pl. 4.36:1). A parallel is seen at Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:123, Fig. XIII.75:5). Close parallels with incised decoration filled with white material were found in Caesarea Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries), where they are called ‘Black Slipped and Burnished Bowls’ (Arnon 2008a:102–104, Types 128a, 128b). Other parallels to these vessels display, in addition to the burnishing and the white-filled incised decoration, patterns of incised striped bands, triangles and lozenges filled with net designs; these were not found at Givati, but are seen at Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:123, Fig. XIII.75:1–3) and at Marcus Street in Ramla (Arnon 2007: Fig. 1:11). Stone-Ware Basins (SWB; Fig. 13.25) These vessels are discussed here because they were the prototypes for the burnished blackware basins (see Fig. 13.24). Most of them are cylindrical with vertical walls, a simple rim and a flat base (Fig. 13.25:2, 3). Some examples are more elaborate, equipped with feet (Fig. 13.25:1), spouts, or low-relief carving (Fig. 13.25:4, 5), and some have a large ledge handle encircling the lower part of the vessel. They were carved from soft gray stone (steatite, serpentine or chlorite schist) and considered precious luxury items. They were produced in the northwestern Hijaz in the Arabian Peninsula during the eighth–tenth centuries and imported to Aqaba between 750 and 1100 CE, where they reach their highest frequency

1

2

3 0

5

0

4

5

5

0

4

Fig. 13.25. Stone-ware basins (SWB). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1309

12024

Medieval

Gray steatite; many mica grits; incised decoration

2

1337

15226

I

Gray steatite; many mica grits; vertical incised lines

3

1338

15441/1–3

IIB–A

Gray steatite; many mica grits; vertical incised lines

4

1391

28604

VI–I

Gray stone; many mica grits; incised decoration

5

1870

24212

IV–III

Very light gray stone; many mica grits; incised decoration

400

PERETZ REUVEN

between 800–1000 CE (Stacey 2004:94). They are well recorded in Umayyad occupation levels at ‘Akko, Tiberias, Ramla and in the Negev, as well as in Egypt (Arnon 2008a:29). Traces of soot on some vessels indicate that they may have served as cooking vessels. Parallels: Close parallels (especially to Fig. 13.25:1–3) were found at Tiberias in Stratum IV (750–880 CE; Stacey 2004:94, Fig. 5.7:1–3), and a chlorite basin covered with soot–– probably due to its use as a cooking vessel––originated in Stratum II (980–1033 CE). Its occurrence in this context is considered late, and the vertical tooling marks are indicative of its later date (Stacey 2004:94, Fig. 5.7:4). Carved steatite bowls were recovered from Caesarea Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries), some of them plain with a ledge handle, similar to Fig. 13.25:2, 3, and some with carved decoration (Arnon 2008a:62, Type 116a–b). Also found at Caesarea was a carved steatite shovel with an incised handle resembling in shape and carving the foot in Fig. 13.25:1 (Arnon 2008a:63, Type 116f). At Naḥal Mitnan in the Negev, parallels to the fragments in Fig. 13.25:2, 3 were dated to the Umayyad period (Haiman 1995:7, Fig. 8:23). Basins: Summary A total of 175 basins in Strata IV–I comprise eight types (Table 13.3). The dominant type throughout the Abbasid period was the incurved-rim basin of Subtype A (IRB-A), which reached its peak in Stratum II. Second highest in frequency is the arched-rim basin (ARB), a type that continued from the Byzantine period and was found in large numbers in Stratum IV (68% of the basins in that stratum), declined in frequency in Stratum III and disappeared toward the end of the Abbasid period. It is interesting to note that the undecorated ARB basins (Form 1) were predominant in Stratum IV, then were overtaken by the combed basins (Form 2) in Stratum III.

Table 13.3. Basins Stratum Type ARB - ARB1 - ARB2A - ARB2B - ARB3

IV (% of type in category)

III (% of type in category)

27 (69%) 15 (38%) 11 (28%)

21 (25%) 5 (6%) 12 (14%) 3 (4%) 1 (1%)

1 (3%)

TDB

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

2 (10%) 2 (10%)

1 (1%)

IRB-A

5 (13%)

29 (34%)

IRB-B

7 (18%)

15 (18%)

IRB-C

14 (16%)

IRB-D

4 (5%)

14 (66%) 5 (24%)

BWB

85 (49%)

21 (12%)

Figs.

50 (28%)

13.17

1 (1%)

13.18

3 (49%)

64 (36%)

13.19

2 (8%)

1 (17%)

25 (14%)

13.20

9 (38%)

1 (17%)

29 (17%)

13.21

4 (2%)

13.22

1 (17%)

1 (1%)

13.23

1 (1%)

13.24

6 (3%)

175 (100%)

1 39 (22%)

Total (% of basins)

13 (54%)

FORB Total (% of total category)

I (% of type in category)

24 (14%)

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

401

Lead-Glazed Bowls (Table 13.4; Figs.13.26–13.39) The category of glazed bowls is here divided into several families and types according to shape, ware, glaze and decoration, following in general the classification of CytrynSilverman in Givati Area M1 (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:174–177). Most of the glazed bowls are made of Buff Ware, which is a general designation used here for a fine, light colored ware. It was locally produced throughout the Islamic world, although it seems to have first developed in the eastern Islamic lands in the seventh century. It is now generally accepted that in Greater Syria and Egypt, Buff Ware appeared after the Umayyad period in the second half of the eight century and become one of the most common glazed wares (Arnon 2008a:37; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:172). All of these bowls are lead-glazed, and three types of imported bowls are characterized by their opaque white background that was produced from tin flux mixed with lead (GLB6– 8). The common lead-glazed bowls include monochrome (GLB1; Fig. 13.26) and underglazed painted bowls (GLB2a–d; Figs. 13.27–13.30). In general, these types correspond to Avissar’s ‘Common Glazed Bowls’ and ‘Monochrome Ware Bowls’ (Avissar 1996:75– 78, 82, Types 2–5, 8), and Arnon’s ‘Polychrome Under-Glazed Slip Painted Bowls’ and ‘Monochrome Glazed Bowls’ (Arnon 2008a:39–42, Types 231, 232, 241, 242). The yellow and mottled-green glazed bowls (GLB3; Fig. 13.31) were probably imported. The fine glazed bowls (GLB4–8) include splash-glazed bowls (GLB4; Fig. 13.32) and splashglazed bowls with sgraffito (GLB5; Fig. 13.33), white tin-glazed bowls, both plain (GLB6; Fig. 13.34) and decorated bowls (GLB7; Fig. 13.35), and a polychrome luster-painted bowl (GLB8; Fig. 13.36). To complete the glazed-bowl repertoire, three other types are also discussed: monochrome- and polychrome-glazed, flat-based bowls (GLFBB; Fig. 13.37), a glazed cut-ware (kerbschnitt) bowl (GLCWB; Fig. 13.38), and a glazed multi-cup dish (GLMCD; Fig. 13.39). Common Lead-Glazed Bowls (GLB1, 2; Figs. 13.26–13.30) The common lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls are often characterized by a simple incurved or flaring rim, thick, slightly curved walls and a flat or slightly concave disc base; some are small cylindrical bowls with flat bases. The exteriors are often partly incised with a sharp tool. The vessels are usually slipped before the glazing. The monochrome specimens (GLB1; Fig. 13.26) bear a mainly dark green, turquoise or black glaze, while the polychrome examples (GLB2a–d; Figs. 13.27–13.30) are painted in green, yellow and/ or manganese purple paint under a thin, transparent greenish yellow glaze. On many bowls, the glaze appears only on the inside, and sometimes there are glaze drops over the rim. Some examples are decorated with daubs of colored glaze on the outer walls. Lead-Glazed Monochrome Bowls (GLB1; Fig. 13.26) Seventy-three examples of these bowls were found, their frequency profile indicating that they first appeared in the early phase of the Abbasid period (Stratum III) and continued in use until the end of the period (see Table 13.4).

402

PERETZ REUVEN

Parallels: A bowl with this type of glaze was found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:177, Fig. 7.5:17). Parallels are seen at Yoqne‘am in Stratum IV (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Figs. XIII.5:1, Type 5; XIII.8, Type 8); at Caesarea in Stratum VI–VI (mid-eighth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a: Types 222a–222d, 231a–231i); and at Ramla, where the earliest example is a small round bowl, similar in shape to that in Fig. 13.26:6, dated to the late eighth–early ninth centuries (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:165, Pl. 9.10:9).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

0

10

Fig. 13.26. Lead-glazed Buff Ware monochrome bowls (GLB1). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

15921/10

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; transparent, dark green glaze on interior

2

1538

25543/13

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; transparent turquoise glaze on interior

3

1578

18064/2

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; transparent, dark green glaze on interior

4

1513

16077/9

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; transparent turquoise glaze on interior

5

1485

15697/16

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; dark green glaze on interior; pale green glaze on exterior

6

1513

15962/8

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; black glaze on interior; transparent black-yellow glaze and gritty on exterior

7

1485

15736/23/24

III

Pale yellow clay 5Y 8/3; dark green glaze on interior and exterior

8

1549

16841

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; dark green glaze on interior; green glaze over the rim and on exterior

403

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Lead-Glazed Bowls Decorated with Green Stripes and Dark Brown Daubs (GLB2a; Fig. 13.27) These bowls are decorated with an asymmetrical design of green stripes and dark brown daubs under a glazed slip that covers the entire inside of the bowl. The bowl in Fig. 13.27:10 is unique in its fine glazing on both the interior and exterior. One hundred and six examples were recovered, and the frequency profile indicates that this decoration is a chronological indicator of the Abbasid period (Strata III–II) and disappears by Stratum I (see Table 13.4).

1

2

3

5

4

8

7 6

9

11

10 0

10

Fig. 13.27. Lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls decorated with green stripes and dark brown daubs (GLB2a).

404

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.27 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25723/6

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

2

1547

18469/13

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

3

1549

16040/55

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish background

4

1608

18463/15

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

5

1608

18357/12

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

6

1939

25541/7 25541/4

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

7

1939

25541/3 25541/4

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

8

1608

18283/31

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

9

1798

23266/1

IIB

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; glaze on the interior and exterior; interior decorated with green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish background; exterior decorated with green and reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 daubs on very light greenish background

10

1577

18018/3

IIA

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; sandy; glaze on interior and exterior; interior decorated with green radial stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish background; exterior decorated with green radial stripes on light greenish background

11

1513

16077/11

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green stripes and brown daubs on very light greenish background

Parallels: Bowls decorated with green stripes and dark brown daubs are very common in this period, and are known from many sites in Israel. They were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:177, Fig. 7.5:18, 19). Other parallels from the Early Islamic period are seen at Tiberius in Strata IV (750–880 CE) and III (880–980 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.19:5, 14, Group D of the ‘Later Matt Glazed Ware’); at Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.2:1–7. Type 2); at Caesarea in Stratum VI (midninth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:232b); at Ramla (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:163, Pl. 9.9:15); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Pl. XVI:4, 5). Lead-Glazed Bowls Decorated with Geometric or Vegetal Patterns (GLB2b; Fig. 13.28) This decoration appears on the bowl interior, comprising stylized geometric or vegetal patterns. A contour line was painted in dark brown or black around the motifs and then filled with shades of green and ocher. These motifs sometimes served as dividing lines for differently colored areas. The artwork is more delicate than that of the GLB2a bowls (see Fig. 13.27) and the glaze is finer and shinier. In most cases, the glaze covers the upper part of both the interior and exterior of the vessel. Twenty-three examples of these lead-glazed bowls were found. The frequency profile of this type (see Table 13.4), like the previous type, indicates its presence in Abbasid Strata III–II.

405

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 0

10

0

2

Fig. 13.28. Lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls decorated with geometric or vegetal patterns. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25543/2/4/5/7/14/15

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

2

1554

17639/16

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

3

1554

17637/21

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green and reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8

4

1554

17639/8/10/12

III

Light pinkish 7.5YR 8/2 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

5

1554

17722/1

III

Pale yellow clay 5Y 8/3, gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

6

1409

14957/9

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green arranged in circles

7

1629

18892/2

IIB

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with green and dark yellow painted patches; on exterior patches of green

406

PERETZ REUVEN

Parallels: Bowls with this decoration were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum II (CytrynSilverman 2013:177, Fig. 7.10:3, 4). Close parallels were found at Yoqne‘am (Early Islamic period; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.3:1–5, Type 3). Similar, but not identical motifs are seen in Tiberias Strata IV–II (750–1033 CE) among Group C of the ‘Later Matt-Glazed Ware’ (Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.19:7, 13); Lead-Glazed Bowls Decorated with Green, Brush-Painted Blobs (GLB2c; Fig. 13.29) These bowls are decorated on the interior with a brush-painted pattern of blobs in shades of green and ocher or dark brown (Fig. 13.29:2), sometimes with dark lines separating the blobs. They are distinguished by the fine glaze that appears on both the interior and exterior. Four examples originated in Stratum III, and this type is apparently limited to the early phase of the Abbasid period (Stratum III).

1

2

3

4

0

10

Fig. 13.29. Lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls decorated with green, brush-painted blobs (GLB2c). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

16000/9

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

2

1485

15696/18/31

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green

3

1549

16749/23

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior with design of small, green, brush-painted blobs

4

1513

16078/7

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light greenish transparent glaze on interior and exterior with dark brown painted design and patches of dark green; on exterior patches of dark green and reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

407

Parallels: A parallel was found in the Citadel of Jerusalem (Geva 1983: Pl. 7:A). Close parallels to the patterns, and one to the shape of Fig. 13.29:4, were recovered from Yoqne‘am Stratum IV (Early Islamic period, late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.4:1, Type 4). Bowls with this type of decoration are also reported from farther afield, at Fustat, Antioch and Susa (Avissar 1996:78). Lead-Glazed Bowls Decorated with Wide Green Bands Bordered by Black Lines (GLB2d; Fig. 13.30) Two bowls with this decorative pattern originated in Phase IIA, one of Buff Ware, the other of light red ware. They are both decorated with a unique pattern of wide, dark green bands bordered by black lines. One has a double ring base (Fig. 13.30:1), the other a flat disc base (Fig. 13.30:2). Parallels: No close parallels were found. Similar in technique and colors, but not in pattern, is Group C of the ‘Later Matt-Glazed Ware’ in Tiberias Strata IV–III (750–980 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.19:2).

1

2 0

10

Fig. 13.30. Lead-glazed bowls decorated with wide green bands bordered by black lines (GLB2d). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1409

14956/28

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very small white grits; pale yellow 5Y 8/3 slip on interior and exterior with yellowish transparent glaze and wide green bands bordered by black lines

2

1409

14956/19

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; very small white grits, ; pale yellow 5Y 8/3 slip on interior and exterior with yellowish transparent yellow glaze and wide green bands bordered by black lines

Yellow and Mottled-Green Glazed Ware (GLB3; Fig. 13.31) These are rounded bowls, some with an incurved rim (Fig. 13.31:1–3), others with an everted rim (Fig. 13.31:4). A few have a white or pink slip. They are decorated with green radial lines or a series of dots, which tended to run during firing, creating a shiny, mottledgreen glaze on a background of shiny lemon-yellow glaze; a few examples are glazed only with yellow glaze (Fig.13.31:5), but are included in this type as they share the same fabric and shiny yellow glaze. Eight bowls originated in Stratum III.

408

PERETZ REUVEN

Parallels: This type of ware was found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV–III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:175–176, Figs. 7.3:13, 14; 7.6:9, 10). No parallels were found at other sites. It is unclear if this type is related to the ‘Opaque Yellow Ware’ from Nishapur, dated by Wilkinson to the ninth–tenth centuries, which bears clusters of small dots and a duller glaze. As noted by Wilkinson, opaque yellow-glazed vessels first appeared in Iraq, then Arabia and Syria (Wilkinson 1973:205). As suggested by Cytryn-Silverman, it is possible that the vessels from Jerusalem were imported from one of those regions, or from a closer production center (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:176).

1

2

4

3

5 0

10

Fig. 13.31. Yellow and Mottled-Green Glazed Ware (GLB3). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1611

18679/17

III

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; pink slip on interior; yellow glaze on interior and exterior; green streaks on upper interior; green-glaze streaks on upper exterior

2

1611

18646/4/18

III

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; yellow glaze on interior and exterior; green radial streaks on interior

3

1537

16764/13

III

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; yellow glaze on interior; green radial streaks; patches of yellow glaze on exterior

4

1611

18645/6

III

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; small white grits; white slip on interior and upper exterior; yellow glaze on interior with green streaks; thin yellow glaze on upper exterior

5

1608

18355/22

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; yellow glaze on interior; thin yellow glaze on exterior

Fine Glazed Bowls (GLB4-8; Figs. 13.32–13.36) These bowls usually have thin walls, a flaring rim and a low ring base. They are made of well-levigated clay that varies in color from pale yellow to pinkish white. Their classification as fine glazed bowls follows Avissar’s terminology (Avissar 1996:78–82, Types 6–9), with the addition of the tin-glazed bowls (GLB6, 7; Figs. 13.34, 13.35) and the polychrome luster-painted bowls (GLB8; Fig. 13.36).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

409

Splash-Glazed Bowls (GLB4; Fig. 13.32) These bowls at Givati have an out-turned rim (although some in-turned rims are found at other sites) and a ring base. They are made of fine, pale yellow (Buff Ware) or light red clay and are covered with a light yellow or white slip that is in turn covered with a transparent, yellowish or light green lead glaze over a design of yellow, green, amber and sometimes dark brown. The colors in this type tended to diffuse under the lead glaze during firing, causing a ‘splashed’ effect (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:111; 2013:176). On the interior, the colors appear to be unplanned splashing (Fig. 13:32:1–4); however, the decoration is, in fact, well-planned, usually comprising a series of bands, lines, dots or some combination thereof (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:111). The exterior surface usually has fewer colors and simpler designs, such as broad bands or segments of various colors. One example has

2

1

3

4

0

10

Fig. 13.32. Splash-Glazed Bowls (GLB4). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1410

14507/6

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; light yellow slip on interior and exterior; interior with light green glaze splashed and mottled with streaks of dark green and black

2

1827

23732/18/23

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; light yellow slip on interior and exterior; interior with light yellow glaze splashed and mottled with dark green and black; light yellow glaze on exterior with green and dark yellow stripes

3

1863

24160/30

IIB

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; light yellow slip on interior and exterior; interior with light yellow glaze splashed and mottled with dark green and black; light yellow glaze on exterior with dark brown and dark yellow stripes

4

1554

17722/11

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; white slip on interior and exterior; dark green glaze on interior splashed and mottled with dark green and black; thin, light yellow glaze on exterior with green lines and splashes on the rim

410

PERETZ REUVEN

green and dark yellow stripes on the exterior (Fig. 13.32:2), one has dark brown and dark yellow radial stripes (Fig. 13.32:3), and another has green lines and splashes on the rim (Fig.13.32:4). While it appears that these decorative patterns were a direct response to imported Chinese prototypes of the T’ang period (Avissar 1996:78–79; Arnon 2008a:35), we cannot rule out the possibility that they evolved independently in Islamic lands (CytrynSilverman 2010:111). Splash-glazed decoration occurs on 10 examples from Strata III–II. Parallels: Such bowls were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; CytrynSilverman 2013: Fig. 7.5:16). Close parallels were also found at Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem (ninth–tenth centuries; Vaux and Stève 1950:122, Pls. A:8, 9; XV, 1’ceramique jaspée). At Tiberias, the parallels in Strata III–I are termed ‘Local Polychrome Splash-Ware’ bowls and dated to the ninth–eleventh centuries (Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.25:1); bowls and closed vessels of splash-glazed ware were also recovered in the kiln site south of Tiberias (Stacey 2004:117). At Yoqne‘am, they are known as ‘Polychrome Splash and Mottled Ware’ (Early Islamic period; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.6:1–6, Type 6). At Caesarea, these bowls first appeared in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:115, Type 223c), and continued in Stratum VI (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries) together with sgraffito bowls (Arnon 2008a:187–193, Type 233); in Stratum V (mid-tenth–early eleventh centuries) they were still present, but with a colored radial-stripe pattern called ‘Fayyumi Style’ (Arnon 2008a:234, Type 243). At Ramla, the earliest assemblages in which this ware appeared are associated with the second ceramic phase of the Early Islamic period (second half of eighth–late tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pls. 9.8:22; 9.9:7). Splash-glazed vessels are well known throughout the Islamic world from the ninth century, and are abundant at many Early Islamic sites, such as Susa, Nishapur and Siraf in Iran (Avissar 1996:81; Arnon 2008a:35). At Fustat in Egypt. this ware, with or without sgraffito (see below), both imported and local imitations, has been identified in contexts of the ninth–tenth centuries (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:111). It is unknown if the bowls from Jerusalem were produced in Israel (in the kilns near Tiberias or elsewhere) or imported (see Cytryn-Silverman 2013:176). Splash-Glazed Bowls with Sgraffito (GLB5; Fig. 13.33) These bowls are similar in clay, shape and technique to splash-glazed bowls (Fig. 13.32), with an out-turned rim (Fig. 13.33:2) and a ring base (Fig. 13.33:1), but with added sgraffito (incised) decoration. While the inspiration for the splash-glazed technique was probably Chinese (see above), the sgraffito decoration is of Islamic origin (Wilkinson 1973:56). The incised patterns are simple, radial arrangements of triangles filled with simple strokes, a ‘corkscrew’ design (Fig. 13.33:1), or wavy bands (Fig. 13.33:2). Nine examples of this type originated in Stratum III (mid-eighth–ninth centuries CE), although it is commonly assigned to the ninth–eleventh centuries (see below). Parallels: At Tiberias, the earliest examples of this ware, with an out-turned rim, first appeared toward the end of Stratum IV (750–880 CE), while in Stratum III (880–980 CE), a later form with an s-shaped profile (cyma recta) appeared and increased in popularity in the following strata. Unfortunately, the published examples from Tiberias are only those from Strata II–I (tenth–eleventh centuries; Stacey 2004:117, Fig. 5.25:8, 9). At the kiln site

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

411

2

0

10

Fig. 13.33. Splash-glazed bowls with sgraffito (GLB5). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1562

17165/8

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; pinkish slip on interior and exterior; pale yellow glaze on interior splashed and mottled in yellow, dark green and brown colors; pale yellow glaze on exterior with brown streaks; incised sgraffito design on interior

2

1562

17161/5

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; reddish yellow 7.5YR6/8 slip on interior and exterior; dark yellow glaze on interior splashed and mottled with dark green and brown in a radial design; pale yellow glaze on exterior with brown streaks in radial design, incised sgraffito design on interior

south of Tiberias, splash-glazed bowls with sgraffito of the form that appeared earlier with an out-turned rim, were recovered (Stacey 2004: 111). Close parallels are seen at Yoqne‘am from the Early Islamic period (Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.7:1–6, Type 7). At Caesarea, such bowls with elaborate sgraffito designs first appeared in Stratum VI (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:194–196, Types 233m–p); at Ramla, the earliest assemblage of splash-glazed bowls with sgraffito decoration appeared in the second ceramic phase (second half of eighth–late tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:111). The splashglazed ware with sgraffito was widespread throughout the Islamic world from the ninth to the eleventh centuries, and was found at al-Mina in Syria, Antioch in Turkey, Samara in Iraq and Nishapur, Susa and Siraf in Iran (Avissar 1996:82). White Tin-Glazed Bowls (GLB6, GLB7; Figs. 13.34, 13.35) Plain (GLB6) and decorated (GLB7), white tin-glazed bowls usually resemble in form the splash-glazed bowls with an out-turned or in-turned rim and a ring base. At Givati, most are made of fine Buff Ware covered inside and out with an opaque white glaze that was obtained by the addition of tin to the lead in the glazing process. Some examples are over-

412

PERETZ REUVEN

2 1

3

4

5 0

10

Fig. 13.34. White tin-glazed bowls (GLB6). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1951

25836/7/8/9/12/25/48

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

2

1513

16060/21

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

3

1513

16078/10

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

4

1513

16060/20

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

5

1485

15719/4

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

painted with streaks and splashes of turquoise and manganese dark purple, usually in a radial arrangement This ware was produced at production centers in Egypt, Iraq and Iran. In Iraq, it developed between the late eighth and early ninth centuries, and the center of production was apparently in Basra (Fehérvári 2000:32). Production of this ware was also attested at Nishapur, Afrasiyab and Rayy in Iran (Wilkinson 1973:180–181), although it was not as fine in quality as its Iraqi counterpart. In Egypt, this ware was associated with ‘Fayyumi Ware’, probably produced in Fustat and usually characterized by a decoration of radial lines and/or paint dripping in a combination of turquoise and purple (Cytryn-Silverman 2010:112). Despite the fact that the use of tin as a flux in the glazing process was unfamiliar in China, scholars are of the opinion that the white tin-glazed technique displays a strong Chinese influence (see Arnon 2008a:36). Five examples of the plain white, tin-glazed bowls (GLB6) and six examples of decorated bowls (GLB7) originated in Strata III–II. Thus, this ware was apparently already imported into Jerusalem in the early Abbasid period (Stratum III), perhaps increasing in Stratum IIB (see Table 13.4). Parallels: A close parallel to Type GLB7 was found in Givati Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century), probably of Egyptian origin (Cytryn-Silverman 2013:177, Fig. 7.5:20). Imported white tin-glazed bowls were encountered in various excavations in Israel, as at Yoqne‘am in Stratum IV (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.12:1–3, Type 12, ‘Tin Glazed Bowls’; Fig. XIII.13:1, 2, Type 13 ‘Green on White Ware’); Caesarea, in

413

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4 0

10

5 0

2

Fig. 13.35. White tin-glazed bowls (GLB7). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1608

18357/15

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; opaque greenish white glaze on interior and exterior; tin glaze on exterior; turquoise streaks on interior

2

1513

15927/4

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; opaque greenish white glaze on interior and exterior; tin glaze on exterior; turquoise streaks on interior

3

1513

16060/1

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; opaque greenish white glaze on interior and exterior; tin glaze on exterior; turquoise streaks on interior

4

1554

17717/9

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; opaque greenish white glaze on interior and exterior; tin glaze on exterior; turquoise streaks on interior and on rim exterior

5

1939

25543/19

III

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque greenish white glaze on interior and exterior; tin glaze on exterior; turquoise streaks on interior

relatively small numbers in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:35– 36, Pl. XII.1, Type 225); and Ramla, in the early phase of Stratum III (end of eighth–early ninth centuries; Reuven 2018:2, Fig. 1:7).

414

PERETZ REUVEN

Polychrome Luster-Painted Bowl (GLB8; Fig. 13.36) Bowls of this type are characterized by their opaque white background obtained by the addition of tin to the lead (see Types GLB6, 7). Over this, lustrous painted motifs were applied (geometric, floral, zoomorphic, even inscriptions). The lustrous effect was achieved by adding silver and copper to the pigments and then firing the vessel a second time in a reduced atmosphere (Arnon 2008a:40). The polychrome luster-painted bowls were produced in Iraq (Ettinghausen and Grabar 1994:114–115; Stacey 2004:113). They were considered luxury ware and attempts to imitate them are known (Arnon 2008a:40). The single bowl of this type at Givati, from Phase IIB, bears floral designs painted in dark brown, gold and green, and can be attributed to the earlier, simpler style of this ware, which, according to Ettinghausen and Grabar (1994:114–115), was in use prior to 875 CE. Thus, this bowl from Givati is of chronological significance, as it suggests that Stratum II began no later than 875 CE. Parallels: We did not find any parallels for this bowl in Israel. A monochrome luster fragment was found at Tiberias in Stratum IV (800–850 CE) and, according to Stacey, it could have been imported from Basra, where the production of such bowls ceased around 900 CE (Stacey 2004:113, Fig. 5.24:1). Another Mesopotamian monochrome sherd found at Tiberias, decorated in a very pale brown lustrous color, probably dates to 850–900 CE (Stacey 2004:113). Polychrome luster ware bowls found at Aqaba were probably produced in Iraq in the late ninth–early tenth centuries (Whitcomb 1988:212, Fig. 8:e, g). A bowl from Iraq, on display in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and dated to the ninth century (Ettinghausen and Grabar 1994:114, Ill. 93), is similar to the bowl from Givati.

0

2

Fig. 13.36. Polychrome luster-painted bowl (GLB8). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1474

15380/10

IIB

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior, including the base; dark brown, gold-brown and green luster decoration on interior

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

415

Glazed Flat-Based Bowls (GLFBB; Fig. 13.37) These deep bowls with one or two elliptical handles, also known as ‘chamber pots’ (Arnon 2008a:233, Type 241j), have a ledge rim, thin vertical walls and a flat base. Their shape, and sometimes also the metallic fabric, resemble the unglazed, flat-based bowls of Type FBHB (see Fig. 13.10), indicating that these vessels were probably of local production. They are decorated in various techniques, such as monochrome green glaze similar to the GLB1 bowls (Fig. 13.37:1, 2), green stripes and dark brown daubs similar to the GLB2a bowls (Fig. 13.37:3), or splash glazing similar to the GLB4 bowls (Fig. 13.37:4–6).

1

2

3

4

5

6 0

10

Fig. 13.37. Glazed flat-based bowls (GLFBB).

416

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.37 No

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

15999/1/5/7

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; green turquoise glaze on interior; patches of green turquoise glaze on rim, handle and exterior

2

1513

16078/1/2/3/5/9/11/12/13/15

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; green turquoise glaze on interior; patches of green turquoise glaze on rim, handle and exterior

3

1244

25628/3

III

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; white slip on interior and exterior; white slip on interior and exterior; pale glaze on interior with green and dark brown daubs; no glaze on exterior

4

1513

16066

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; pale green glaze on interior with splashes of dark green and black; line of green-glaze patches on exterior

5

1554

17763

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; light yellow slip on interior and exterior; pale green glaze on interior; splashed and mottled in dark green and brown; glazed in green on the rim

6

2436

38208/3

III

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; white slip on interior and exterior; pale glaze on interior and exterior with patches of green and black

Twenty-one examples of these glazed bowls were recovered in Strata III–II, suggesting that they were in use during the earlier part of the Abbasid period. Parallels: Similar green-glazed bowls were found at Caesarea in Stratum VI (mid-ninth– mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:178, Types 231 233, 241j) and at Tiberias in Stratum II (Fatimid period; Vincenz 2008:143, Pl. 4.27:1); at Gane Ḥammat Tiberias, a green-glazed bowl with wavy incised decoration was dated to the ninth century (Oren 1971:276), and at Ramla, an example was published from Stratum VI (late ninth–mid-tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.4:20). Such bowls were found in Egypt and Iran, in contexts dated to the tenth–eleventh centuries (Arnon 2008a:39). Glazed Cut-Ware (Kerbschnitt) Bowl (GLCWB; Fig. 13.38) A single vessel of this type was found at Givati. It is a deep bowl with vertical walls and a short ledge rim; as the base is largely missing, it could not be determined if it was a bowl or a goblet. The outer wall is decorated in kerbschnitt style, with small triangles arranged in columns, and it was glazed on both the interior and exterior with a monochrome, light green glaze. It was broken and fixed in antiquity with bronze wires. The single example from Givati was found in a Stratum III pit (see Chapter 12), which is in accordance with the early Abbasid dating assigned to these bowls at Caesarea. As the pit is not within the sampled area (Area M2), this bowl is not included in the frequency table. Parallels: In Caesarea Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries) two parallels are seen: one is an unglazed bowl that closely resembles the cut-ware decoration of the glazed bowl from Givati (Arnon 2008a:100, Type 127a, ‘Kerbschnitt Decorated Bowl’) and the other is a green-glazed sherd with cut-ware decoration (Arnon 2008a:119, Type 226a, ‘Glazed Kerbschnitt Style Ware’).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

0

417

5

Fig. 13.38. Glazed cut-ware (kerbschnitt) bowl (GLCWB). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

2534

40075

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; mold made, decorated in kerbschnitt style; light green glaze on interior and exterior; ancient repairs with bronze wires

Glazed Multi-Cup Dish (GLMCD; Fig. 13.39) This single example of a wheel-made dish consists of at least three cups joined together. The upright walls of the cups end in a flattened rim, and the bases are flat. They are glazed in shiny, monochrome, dark green glaze. At other sites, such multi-cup dishes appear in all glazing styles and techniques, such as monochrome and polychrome lead glazed (including the splashed style), and even luster painted, and the number of cups varies from two to eight. Parallels: Close parallels from Israel are seen at Caesarea in Stratum IV (mid-tenth– eleventh centuries; Arnon 2008a:276, Type 254a) and at Ramla (eighth–early ninthcenturies; Rosen-Ayalon and Eitan 1969: Fig. 2, glazed pottery). Two fine, completely preserved, monochrome-glazed examples were uncovered at Nishapur, Iran (ninth-century deposits; Wilkinson 1973:237–238, 248, Nos. 38, 39).

0

5

Fig. 13.39. Glazed multi-cup dish (GLMCD). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1412

14269/1

IIA

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/3 clay; dark green glaze on interior and exterior

418

PERETZ REUVEN

Glazed Bowls: Summary A total of 269 glazed bowls were counted in the assemblage, comprising two main families: common lead glazed and fine glazed, and 13 types. No glazed bowls were found in Stratum IV; the bulk of this category originated in Stratum III (Table 13.4). The most common type of lead-glazed bowl was that decorated with green stripes and dark brown daubs (GLB2a), comprising 46% of the glazed bowls in Stratum III. Its popularity declined sharply in the subsequent strata. Second in popularity was the leadglazed monochrome bowl (GLB1), which comprised 25–30% in Strata III–II, and was the only type in Stratum I. Third in popularity was the bowl decorated with geometric or vegetal patterns (GLB2b), which increased from 6% of the glazed bowls in Stratum III to 27% in Phase IIB, then declined and was absent in Stratum I. The glazed flat-based bowl (GLFBB) has a similar frequency profile. The yellow and green-mottled glazed bowls (GLB3) and the splash-glazed bowls with sgraffito (GLB5) are of chronological value as they were found exclusively in Stratum III, and the single specimen of a polychrome lusterpainted bowl (GLB8) from Phase IIB attests to a date for the beginning of Stratum II no later than 875 CE.

Table 13.4. Glazed Bowls Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Figs.

73 (27%)

13.26

GLB1

55 (25%)

10 (33%)

3 (27%)

GLB2a

102 (46%)

1 (3%)

3(27%)

106 (39%)

13.27

GLB2b

14 (6%)

8 (27%)

1(9%)

23 (9%)

13.28

GLB2c

4 (2%)

GLB2d

5 (100%)

Total (% of glazed bowls

2 (18%)

4 (1.5%)

13.29

2 (0.7%)

13.30

8 (3%)

13.31

10 (4%)

13.32

9 (3%)

13.33

GLB3

8 (4%)

GLB4

8 (4%)

GLB5

9 (4%)

GLB6

3 (1%)

2 (7%)

5 (2%)

13.34

GLB7

5 (2%)

1 (3%)

6 (2%)

13.35

1 (3%)

1 (0.4%)

13.36

GLB8 GLFBB

15 (7%)

1 (3%)

6 (20%)

GLMCB Total (% of total category)

1 (9%)

21 (8%) 1 (9%)

223 (83%)

30 (11%)

11 (4%)

1 (0.4%) 5 (2%)

269 (100%)

13.37 13.39

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

419

Cooking Ware (Table 13.5; Figs. 13.40–13.49) The cooking ware in the present assemblage consists mainly of casseroles and casserole lids. The casseroles are divided into five types: CA1–CA3 (Figs. 13.40–13.43) corresponding to Magness’ Forms 1–3, and CA4 and CA5 (Figs. 13.44, 13.45), less common forms that were not classified by Magness. The number of casserole lids (CAL) corresponds roughly to the number of casseroles (see Table 13.5). Other cooking vessels that appear in small numbers include globular cooking pots (CP1; Fig. 13.47), glazed casseroles (GLCA; Fig. 13.48) and one ṭabun-ware bowl (TW; Fig. 13.49). Casserole Type 1 (CA1; Fig. 13.40) These casseroles are characterized by thin, rounded walls, a flat or beveled rim, a rounded base, and two horizontal handles attached to the rim or slightly below it. They are made of hard-fired, gritty cooking ware and often have thin, narrowly spaced ribs on the exterior. At Givati, most of these casseroles are shallow with rounded walls (Fig. 13.40:1, 2), although there is one example of a deeper casserole (Fig. 13.40:3) with almost straight walls and a plain rim (from a mixed locus). It is difficult to distinguish morphological development over time within this type.

2

1

3 0

10

Fig. 13.40. Casserole CA1. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1444

15126/26

IV

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

2

1554

17286/4

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

3

1469

16552/13

V–IV

Red 2.5YR 5/8 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

420

PERETZ REUVEN

Casseroles of Type 1 appeared at Givati in Byzantine Stratum V (see Chapter 3: Figs. 3.4:1; 3.7:10–12; 3.14:8), was the most common casserole type in the Umayyad period, then continued into the Abbasid period in lesser numbers (see Table 13.5). Parallels: This casserole corresponds to Magness’ Casserole Form 1 (sixth–eighth centuries; Magness 1993:211–213), and was apparently among the forerunners of the straight-walled casserole of Type CA3 (Magness’ Form 3). A similar casserole was found in Stratum IV at Tiberias (750–880 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.32:8) and a close parallel is seen at Naḥal Shaḥaq in the ‘Arava, dated to the Umayyad or the beginning of the Abbasid period (Israel, Nahlieli and Ben Michael 1995: Fig. 6:12). Casserole Type 2 (CA2; Fig. 13.41) This type resembles Type CA1 in clay and form, but is distinguished by its simple wishbone handle (or ‘pan handle’). Examples were found in Byzantine Phase VA (see Chapter 3: Figs. 3.4:2; 3.13:1), with a single specimen in Stratum IV. Parallels: This vessel corresponds to Magness’ Casserole Form 2 (sixth–first half of the eighth centuries) and close parallels were found in Jerusalem (Magness 1993:213–214).

0

5

Fig. 13.41. Casserole CA2. Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1769

22709/6

IV

Red 10R 5/6 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

Casserole Type 3 (CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43) This deep, hemispherical casserole has either an incurved (Figs. 13.42:7; 13.43:2) or slightly flaring (Fig. 13.43:3, 5) rim, and the walls usually narrow close to the handle and then flare out toward the rim (Figs. 13.42:1–6; 13.43:6–9), or are simply flaring (Figs. 13.42:8; 13.43:4); there are two horizontal handles. Unlike the reddish brown clay of the two previous casserole types, these are made of reddish gray or a gritty, darker gray clay. They are also distinguished from the previous (Byzantine) ones by a deeper body with a plain or lightly ribbed wall, and are characterized by combed decoration (Figs. 13.42:6; 13.43:4; see Cytryn-Silverman 2013:178). Thirty-eight vessels of this type were found in the Givati assemblage, the majority in Stratum III. Parallels: This casserole corresponds to Magness’ Casserole Form 3 (seventh/early eighth– ninth/tenth centuries; Magness 1993:214). It was also found in Givati Area M1, Stratum III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Figs. 7.6:11; 7.8:5) and at Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem (tenth–eleventh centuries; Vaux and Stève 1950: Pl. XVI:18, 19). Close

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

421

parallels were found at Tiberias in Stratum IV (750–880 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.32:7, 8); at Caesarea in Strata VII–VI (mid-eighth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:152, 217, Types 721e, 731a); and at Ramla in Strata V–IV (eighth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.6:10, 11).

1 2

3

4

6 5

8

7 0

10

Fig. 13.42. Casserole CA3. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1446

15093/10

IV

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

2

Balk

14653

3

1951

25842/7

III

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

4

1537

16764/12

III

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

5

1793

23150/26

III

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; gritty

6

1608

18355/12

III

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay; combed decoration

7

1537

16764/19

III

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 3/1 clay

8

1440

15265/7

IIB

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; gritty

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

422

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

10

Fig. 13.43. Casserole CA3. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1486

15338/18

IIB

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; gritty

2

1630

19069/1

IIB

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits

3

1636

19134/2

IIB

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits

4

1409

14775/3

IIA

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits; comb decoration

5

1409

14953/23

IIA

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits

6

1335

12929/1

IIB–A

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

7

1327

12343

I

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

8

2258

33735

IIB

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

9

2434

37696

IIB

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

423

Casserole Type 4 (CA4; Fig. 13.44) Two examples of this casserole with small horizontal ledge handles were recovered from Stratum I. The walls are thick and vertical, and burnish marks are visible on the exterior. No rims or bases were found, and no parallels are known.

2 1 0

10

Fig. 13.44. Casserole CA4. No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1327

12128/31

I

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay on exterior; reddish brown 2.5YR 5/3 clay on interior; coarse

2

1327

12128/29

I

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay on exterior; reddish brown 2.5YR5/3 clay on interior; coarse

Casserole Type 5 (CA5; Fig. 13.45) This single sherd from Phase IIA has walls that slant inward and end in a slightly out-turned rim. It is defined as a casserole because it is rounded with a wide mouth and no neck. The fine clay and the deep hemispherical body resemble some types of glazed cooking pots (see parallels). Parallels: No exact parallel was found, but possibilities include cooking pots of Type 1 at Yoqneʻam (Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.88:1), and glazed ‘neck-less pots’ with a simple out-turned rim at Tiberias in Stratum II (980–1033; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.32:16, 17). These examples have two vertical strap handles and two horizontal, thumb-impressed ledge handles. Another possible parallel from Caesarea Stratum VI (late ninth–first half of tenth centuries) is a cooking pot with a small ledge handle and dark brown glaze on its inner base (Arnon 1999:236, Fig. 5g).

0

5

Fig. 13.45. Casserole CA5. Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1409

14525/6

IIA

Reddish brown 2.5YR 4/4 clay; white grits

424

PERETZ REUVEN

Casserole Lids (CAL; Fig. 13.46) The casserole lids are made of the same cooking ware as Casserole Types CA1–CA3. They have a raised knob handle, either flat (Fig. 13.46:3) or beveled (Fig. 13.46:12), which is sometimes pierced to create a steam hole (Fig. 13.46:3, 7, 8). The edge of the rim is flat or beveled to fit on the casserole. Two sherds with thicker walls could belong to lids of glazed casseroles (Fig. 13.46:13, 14). Forty-nine lids originate in Strata IV–I, only one of which originated in Stratum IV. According to Magness, no morphological developments can be detected in the casserole lids from the late third through the tenth centuries (Magness 1993:215). However, at Givati it appears that the Stratum III lids are higher and the rim is often beveled and curves sharply outward (Fig. 13.46:3, 4), while those of Stratum II are squatter and the rim does not curve outward, some even turn inward (Fig. 13.46:8–12). The example from Stratum IV (Fig. 13.46:1) is straight, and also differs from the other lids in its red clay, typical of the earlier (Byzantine) cooking ware.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14 0

10

Fig. 13.46. Unglazed (1–12) and glazed (13, 14) casserole lids (CAL).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

425

◄ Fig.13.46 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1449

15243/4

IV

Red 2.5YR 5/6 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

2

1939

25541/12

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; ribbed

3

1793

23261/3/9/23

III

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; gritty; steam hole

4

1793

23205/12

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR5/4 clay; gritty

5

1939

26542/20

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; ribbed

6

1485

15711/1

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay

7

1554

17535/1

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay

8

1486

15718/15

IIB

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; gritty

9

2261

33550/2

IIB–A

Dark brown 7.5YR3/3 clay; gritty

10

2261

33753/17

IIB–A

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; gritty

11

2261

33753/23

IIB–A

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; gritty

12

1464

15285/12

IIA

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; black core

13

1409

15287/20

IIA

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; coarse; white grits

14

1464

15263/14

IIA

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; coarse; white grits

Parallels: Close parallels were found at many Islamic sites, including Ras Abu Ma‘aruf, near Jerusalem (Rapuano 1999:178, Fig. 6:91–94); Ramla, in an assemblage dated to the mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries (Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.6:3–7); and Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 13:14–17, 21). A possible parallel for the lids of glazed casseroles in Fig. 13.46:13, 14 is seen at Caesarea in Stratum IV (first half of eleventh century; Arnon 2008a:304, Type 754). Globular Cooking Pots (CP1; Fig. 13.47) These cooking pots are globular in shape with a thick, out-turned rim, a tall, upright (Fig. 13.47:1) or funnel-shaped (Fig. 13.47:2) neck, a ridge or carination between the neck and shoulders and two wide loop handles extending from the rim to the shoulders. One vessel has a band of combed decoration on the exterior (Fig. 13.47:1). The stylistic origin of this type of cooking pot is well rooted in the Byzantine tradition (Arnon 2008a:38). The two examples from Givati were found in Stratum III. Parallels: This type is closely related to Magness’ Cooking Pots Form 4A (fifth/sixth– late seventh/early eighth centuries; Magness 1993:219), and is identified as transitional Byzantine–Umayyad or Umayyad at many sites (e.g., Arnon 2008a:31). Globular, necked cooking pots similar to those at Givati were found at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIA (midseventh–mid-eighth centuries; Arnon 2008a:31, Type 711), but were totally absent in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:31). On the other hand, a close parallel (especially to Fig. 13.47:2) was found at Ramla in an assemblage dated to the mideighth–mid-ninth centuries (Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.6:1). The example from Givati and the parallel from Ramla suggest that this type continued later than the date proposed by Magness.

426

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2 0

10

Fig. 13.47. Globular cooking pots (CP1). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1793

23413/12

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/3 clay; black-gray core; gritty; combing decoration on exterior

2

1388

14039/1

III

Black 5YR 2.5/1 clay; few small white and brown grits

Glazed Casseroles (GLCA; Fig. 13.48) These vessels were probably used as frying pans. They have an out-folded, triangular rim and two horizontal handles (Fig. 13.48:3), and at Givati they have a dark purple-brown glaze on the interior. This vessel was rare at Givati (see Table 13.5).

2 1

3 0

10

Fig. 13.48. Glazed casseroles (GLCA). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1900

24848/12

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; gritty; hard-fired; thick, dark purplebrown glaze on inner bottom

2

1440

15265/3

IIB

Dark reddish brown 5YR 3/2 clay; white grits

3

2229

36544/6

IIA

Reddish gray 5YR 5/2 clay; thick, dark purple-brown glaze on interior

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

427

Parallels: A parallel to this type is a ‘glazed frying pan’ reported from Givati Area M1, Stratum III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:178, Fig. 7.6:14). It is difficult to determine when this type of vessel first appeared in our region. It does not exist at Abu Ghosh or Khirbat al-Mafjar, and according to Avissar (based on finds at Yoqne‘am) it probably appeared during the second half of the ninth century (Avissar 1996:139). At Yoqne‘am, it is found in Strata IVa and IVb (late-ninth-early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.100, Type 13); at Tiberias it is dated from the end of the ninth century (Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.32:14); and at Caesarea it appears in Stratum V (mid-tenth–earlyeleventh centuries; Arnon 2008a:226, Type 742), disappearing in Stratum IV (first half of the eleventh century; Arnon 2008a:302–304, Type 753). However, at Capernaum this vessel is dated to the Umayyad period (Berman 1989: Fig. 71.3). At Fustat in Egypt, it is dated to the tenth century (Scanlon 1981: Pl. 14:g). Based on the parallels, and the fact that one sherd appeared in Stratum III at Givati, it may have already appeared at the end of the ninth century. Ṭabun-Ware Bowl (TW; Fig. 13.49) A single example of this vessel originated in Stratum III. It is a closed shape compared to the glazed casseroles, but handmade, characterized by thick walls, shallow proportions, an out-turned rim and two or more small ledge handles attached to the rim. The clay is coarse and crumbly, resembling the material from which ṭabuns were made, and it seems that the vessel was only partially fired. Its exterior has a polished, reddish brown slip. It was probably used for baking. No parallels were found.

0

5

Fig. 13.49. Ṭabun-ware bowl (TW). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1537

16713/12

III

Very dark gray 5YR 3/1 clay; coarse; many large white grits; reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 slip on exterior; polished, handmade; fire blackened

428

PERETZ REUVEN

Cooking Ware: Summary A total of 110 cooking vessels were counted in the assemblage, of which 50% are casseroles and 45% are casserole lids (Table 13.5). Type CA1, which was a continuation from the previous, Byzantine period, was predominant in Stratum IV (70% of all cooking vessels in the stratum) and continued to appear throughout the Abbasid period. In Stratum III, Type CA3 became predominant (41% of all the cooking vessels). Glazed casseroles were uncommon at Givati, first appearing in Stratum III. Table 13.5. Cooking Ware Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category))

CA1

7 (70%)

CA2

1 (10%)

CA3

1 (10%)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

2 (3%)

1 (7%)

3 (30%)

30 (41%)

4 (3%)

2 (20%)

CA4 CA5 CAL

1 (10%)

37 (51%)

CP1

2 (3%)

GLCA

1 (1%)

TW Total (% of total category)

8 (57%) 1 (7%)

I (% of type in category)

73 (66%)

14 (13%)

Figs.

13 (12%)

13.40

1 (1%)

13.41

1 (33%)

38 (35%)

13.42, 13.43

2 (67%)

2 (2%

13.44

1 (10%)

1 (1%)

13.45

3 (30%)

49 (44%)

13.46

2 (2%)

13.47

3 (3%)

13.48

1 (1%)

13.49

1 (10%)

1 (1%) 10 (9%)

Total (% of cooking ware)

10 (9%)

3 (3%)

110 (100%)

Jars (Table 13.6; Figs. 13.50–13.57) Among the storage jars from Strata IV–I, two types continued from the Byzantine period into the Early Islamic period: the Gaza storage jar (GSJ) and the ‘bag-shaped’ storage jar (SNCSJ); the large collared-neck storage jar (LCNSJ), made its first appearance in the Umayyad period and continued into the Abbasid period, while others appeared in Givati only in the Abbasid strata: the storage jar with a swollen neck (SNSJ), the storage jar with a straight neck and an inward-beveled rim (SNBSJ) and the storage jar with a short, ridged neck (RSNSJ) (see Table 13.6). A few holemouth jars (HoSJ) continued from the Byzantine through the Early Islamic periods. Gaza Storage Jars (GSJ; Fig. 13.50) Gaza storage jars are generally characterized by a thick, out-turned, rounded rim sloping toward the shoulders, a neckless, cylindrical ‘cigar’-shaped body ending in a flat, rounded or pointed base, and two handles. Chunks of fired clay adhere to the outer surface below the rim. The jars are heavily ribbed, especially on the shoulders, between the handles and near

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

429

3

2 0

10

Fig. 13.50. Gaza storage jars (GSJ). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1463

15780/15

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; medium to small white grits; hard-fired

2

1463

15818/7

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; gray core; small white grits; hard-fired

3

1444

15058/11

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; medium to small white grits; hard-fired

the base. The rims of the earlier Byzantine examples differ in shape from those in the later Byzantine and Early Islamic periods (see Riley 1975:27–31; Adan-Bayewitz 1986:97–99, Amphora Type 2; Majcherek 1995:168–169; Arnon 2008a:32; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:170). Gaza storage jars appeared at Givati in the Byzantine Stratum V, and according to Vincenz, Majcherek’s Form 3 (Chapter 3: Fig. 3.1.17, 18; 3.4:15; 3.8:9; 3.9:16, 17; 3.15:6, 7) and the later Form 4 (Chapter 3: Figs. 3.1:19; 3.8:8, 10) were present as early as Phase VC (fourth– fifth centuries CE). In Stratum IV, four are of Majcherek’s Form 3, dated by him to the fifth–sixth centuries CE, and one is attributed to Majcherek’s Form 4 (Fig. 13.50:1), dated by him to the sixth–seventh centuries CE (Majcherek 1995:169), but at Caesarea continues into the eighth century (Arnon 2008a:32). Parallels: Parallels to Fig. 13.50:1 were found at Ras Abu Ma‘aruf near Jerusalem, dated to the Byzantine–Early Islamic periods (Rapuano 1999:180, Fig. 7:108); in Islamic contexts at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Arnon 2008a:32, 80, Type 813); and in the Marcus Street excavations at Ramla (eighth century CE; Arnon 2007: Figs. 12:5; 25:7). Storage Jars with a Short Neck and a Collar at the Base of the Neck (SNCSJ; Fig. 13.51) These ribbed, ‘bag-shaped’ jars are characterized by a thick or in-folded rim, a short neck that narrows slightly at the top, and a ridge or collar at the base of the neck; the vessel is sometimes covered with very pale brown slip. This type already appeared at Givati in Byzantine Phases VB–VA (sixth–seventh centuries; see Chapter 3: Storage Vessels), and continued into the beginning of the Early Islamic period, mainly in Stratum IV then decreasing drastically in Strata III–II. Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ Storage Jars Form 4 Variant C (late sixth– seventh centuries; Magness 1993:223–226), and close parallels from Jerusalem were found in the City of David Area G (late sixth–seventh centuries CE; Magness 1992b: Fig. 13.13), and at Ras Abu Ma‘aruf near Jerusalem (Byzantine–Early Islamic periods; Rapuano 1999:180, Fig. 7:99–102).

430

PERETZ REUVEN

2

3

1 0

10

Fig. 13.51. Storage jars with short neck and collar at the base of the neck (SNCSJ). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1444

15008/13

IV

Very pale brown 10YR 8/3 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

2

1459

16088/5

IV

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

3

1407

14947/6

IIB

Very pale brown 10YR 8/3 clay; light gray core; small white and black grits; very pale brown slip on exterior

Large, Collared-Neck Storage Jars (Zir) (LCNSJ; Fig. 13.52) These jars (Arabic Zir) are very large and were probably intended to be static and immoveable. They have a plain rim and a tall, upright or conical neck with a well-defined ridge resembling a collar at the base of the neck. They are characterized by the welllevigated clay and the high quality of the production––well-fired at high temperatures to a very dense texture resembling that of stone. The jars are sometimes decorated with bands of combed decoration (Fig. 13.52:1). Eleven of these large storage jars were found in the sampled assemblage, beginning in the Umayyad period (one example) and becoming more numerous in the Abbasid period (see Table 13.6). This frequency profile corresponds with the evidence from the parallels. Six handles of such jars bearing stamped impressions were found outside the sampled area, and are illustrated here (Figs. 13.52:8–13). Parallels: This type is related to Magness’ Storage Jars Form 6 (late sixth/seventh–eighth centuries CE; Magness 1993:227–230). It was found at Givati in Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:171, Fig. 7.2:7). At Ramat Raḥel, near Jerusalem, such vessels were dated to the sixth–seventh centuries, although this date is apparently too early, probably due to the lack of parallels at the time of publication (Aharoni 1964: Fig. 24:1). Similar jars were found at Yoqne‘am (Byzantine–Umayyad periods; Avissar 1996:148, Type 1); at Caesarea in Strata VII–VI (mid-eighth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:39, 42, Types 921, 931); at Mevo Modi‘in (ninth–tenth centuries; Eisenberg and Ovadia 1998: Fig. 16.10); and at Ramla in Strata V–IV (Umayyad–Abbasid periods; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:102, Pls. 9.1:10; 9.2:1, Ware V). Stamped Impressions on Large, Collared-Neck (Zir) Storage Jars:1 Six jar handles bear a rounded stamp impression containing a potter’s mark or workshop trademark (Fig. 13.52:8–13). Two of them are rosette-like motifs, one with six petals (Fig. 13.52:8), the

1

I would like to thank Nitzan Amitai-Preiss for her useful advice and assistance in this section.

431

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

2 1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

2

10

0

11

12 0

0

2

0

2

2

13

2

2

0

0

10

Fig. 13.52. Large, collared-neck storage jar (LCNSJ).

432

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.52 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

15998/9

III

Pink 5YR 7/3 clay; well levigated; hard-fired; combed decoration

2

1514

10000/1

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated; hard-fired

3

1769

23090/1

IV

Pink 7.5YR7/4 clay

4

1485

15696/14

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired

5

1577

18254

IIA

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hardfired

6

1513

16060/24

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated; hard-fired

7

1485

15712/3

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired

8

3784

58380

IIB

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated; hard-fired; stamp of a six-petal rosette on handle

9

W1446

36371

IIB

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated, hard-fired; stamp of an eight-petal rosette on handle

10

3783

59211

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated; hard-fired; stamped inscription on handle

11

2271

35989/1

IIB–-A

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired; stamped inscription on handle

12

2271

33838

IIB–A

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired; stamped inscription on handle

13

2250

33923

IIB–A

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired; stamped inscription on handle

other a larger, more elaborate rosette with eight petals and a dot in the center (Fig. 13.52:9). A rounded stamp impression with a six-petaled rosette (‘Solomon seal’) from Caesarea Stratum VI (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:224, Type 931f) and another from Nebi Samwil near Jerusalem (Early Islamic period; Magen 2008: Pl. 3:1–3) are similar to the stamped handle in Fig. 13.52:8. A rounded stamp impression with an eight-petaled rosette was also recovered at Nebi Samwil from the same period (Magen 2008: Pl. 3:5). Four handles were stamped with an inscription (Fig. 13.52:10–13). The handle in Fig. 13.52:10 bears the damaged impression of an angular Kufic inscription that could be read as Allāa Aḥad… (‘Allah is One’), while the other indistinct marks could read min Dayr Samwīl (‘from Dayr Samwil’). A seal from Ramla Strata V–IV bears the stamped inscription ‘Allah is One’ (Umayyad and Abbasid periods; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:102), and a similar example was found at Caesarea in Stratum VII (late eight–early ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a: Type 921b). The inscription ‘from Dayr Samwil’ is common at many sites, such

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

433

as Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–early ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a: Type 921b), and large number of handles stamped min Dayr Samwīl were found at Nebi Samwil, where several large kilns were exposed, suggesting that this was the production center for this type of jar (Umayyad period; Magen and Dadon 2003:129, Fig. 10; Magen 2008: Pl. 1:1; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:102). The impression in Fig. 13.52:11, bearing three rows of rounded Kufic script, is identical to an impression from Stratum VII at Caesarea (‫ ;من بنك ءملي‬mid-eighth–midninth centuries CE), which was read by Arnon as min bunk ʻamalī (‘from my first work’; Arnon 2008a:164, Type 921b). It was originally translated by Sharon (CIAP II:292) as ‘from my best work’, a declaration of originality and excellence of the product. Sharon noted an identical stamp impression from Jerusalem, published by Hamilton (1940), that had been read incorrectly, and suggested that both were the products of the kilns of Nebi Samwil (CIAP II:292). Thus, it is suggested here that the stamp impression from Givati may be a product of the same kilns. As the script on the stamp is identical to the script on the stamps from Nebi Samwil and Caesarea (CIAP II:122–134), it is here dated on paleographic grounds to the late Umayyad or early Abbasid period (eighth century). The impression in Fig. 13.52:12 is identical to the previous one, perhaps even from the same jar, but is far less clear. The stamp impression in Fig. 13.52:13 has a three-row Kufic inscription (٥ ‫)بيت عنم‬ within a double circle. I propose reading it as bait ‘anim and the number 5 (or –٥ ‫ بيت علم‬, bait ‘alm and the number 5), both of which could be place names. The ending of the letter mim (‫ )م‬is unclear, but resembles a Fatimid form that would suggest a later date for this sherd; however, it could be simply a defect in the stamping. No parallel was found for this reading. Swollen-Neck Jars (SNSJ; Fig. 13.53) This type is characterized by a beveled rim, a tall, swollen neck and sloping shoulders, and lacks a ridge at the base of the neck. The example in Fig.13.53:3 has a ridge, but was included here due to its close similarity in other features. The 65 examples in the Givati assemblage clearly postdate Stratum IV of the Umayyad period, and comprised a high percentage of the jar assemblage throughout the Abbasid period. Toward the end of the period, it may have lost its exclusivity in favor of equality with the ridged-neck storage jar (RSNSJ; see Figs. 13.55, 13.56). Parallels: This type is related to Magness’ Storage Jars Form 7 (late seventh–ninth/tenth centuries; Magness 1993:230–231, especially No. 7, which is from Abu Ghosh and dates to the ninth–tenth centuries). It could also be related to the Nebi Samwil variant from Givati Area M1, Stratum IV, labeled by Cytryn-Silverman as ‘Storage Jar with Tall Cylindrical Neck’ (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:171, Fig. 7.2:8). Another parallel is a jar from Cistern Z in the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem (Umayyad; Tushingham 1985: Fig. 33:1–3).

434

PERETZ REUVEN

3

1

2

4

5 0

10

Fig. 13.53. Swollen-neck jars (SNSJ). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1608

18355/28

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

2

1618

18509/2

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

3

1513

15921/3/4/19

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits

4

1549

16840/50

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits

5

1459

16912/2

IV

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

Straight-Neck Jars with Inward-Beveled Rim (SNBSJ; Fig. 13.54) This type is characterized by a beveled rim and a straight, slightly flaring neck. As no ridge was noted at the base of the neck, these jars do not correspond to Magness’ Form 3 Variant A (Magness 1993:224). On the other hand, there is some resemblance in the shape of the neck to that of the swollen-neck jars (see Fig. 13.53), and may be considered a variant of Magness’ Form 7 (Magness 1993:231). Three examples were found in Stratum II Building 2278 in Area M3 and not included in the frequencies. No parallels were found.

2

1 0

10

Fig. 13.54. Straight-neck jars with inward-beveled rim (SNBSJ). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

2366

35623/8

IIB

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; light brown on exterior

2

2278

34381/12

IIB–A

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; light brown on exterior

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

435

Storage Jars with a Short, Ridged Neck (RSNSJ; Figs. 13.55, 13.56) This type is characterized by a short neck with a ridge at the base of the neck and a ridge on the neck, and was produced of fine, well-fired clay. It has two variants: Variant A has a short vertical neck with two thin ridges at the center and the base of the neck (Fig. 13.55); and some bear combed decoration (Fig. 13.55:4); Variant B has a short, incurved, s-shaped neck with a thickened ridge in the middle and a thin ridge at the base (Fig. 13.56), and some bear combed decoration (Fig. 13.56:8, 9). Based on the shape of the neck, this type is related to Magness’ Form 7, although Form 7 lacks the ridge at the base of the neck (Magness 1993:230–231). It could also be connected with the large collared-neck storage jar (see Fig. 13.52), but it tends to be less massive. Twenty-two storage jars with a short, ridged neck were found in the Abbasid strata. This type appeared in Stratum III and increased in popularity in Phase IIA, a tendency that perhaps continued in Stratum I (see Table 13.6). Parallels: Parallels to Variant A were found at Jerusalem in the Armenian Garden, tentatively dated as Umayyad (Tushingham 1985: Fig. 26:26); in Phase I at Khirbat Abu Suwwana near Jerusalem (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997: Fig. 5:9–11); and at Marcus Street in Ramla (‘zir-shaped jars’; Arnon 2007:64–65, Fig. 12:13, 14). Parallels to Variant B were found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV and II (ninth– tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:171, Figs. 7.2:9; 7.9:5; termed ‘Storage Jar with Thickened Rim and Swollen Neck’).

1

2

3

4 0

10

Fig. 13.55. Storage jars with short, ridged neck Variant A (RSNSJ-A). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1562

17161/12

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

2

1636

18895/6

IIB

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits

3

1409

14955/9

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits

4

2245

34485/11/29

Mamluk

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits; combed decoration on lower body

436

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

4

3

5

6

7 0

10

9

8 0

20

Fig. 13.56. Storage jars with short, ridged neck, Variant B (RSNSJ-B). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25544/11

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

2

1636

18894/12

IIB

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits

3

1451

15014/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR /6 clay; white grits

4

1544

16989/6

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

5

1544

16989/1/3

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

6

1464

15336/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; yellow-light brown slip

7

2261

33902/17

IIB–A

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

8

2439

37862

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; white grits; combed decoration

9

2229

36874

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; combed decoration

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

437

Holemouth Jars (HoSJ; Fig. 13.57) Three examples of these wide-mouthed, neckless jars with a double- or triple-rolled rim (Fig. 13.57:1, 2), hard fired with bands of combing on the shoulders and base, were found in Stratum IV. Parallels: The jars in Fig. 13.57:1, 2 correspond to Magness’ Holemouth Jars Form 2 (sixth–late seventh/early eighth centuries; Magness 1993:233–235), and close parallels were found at Ras Abu Ma‘aruf, near Jerusalem (Byzantine–Umayyad periods), where they were classified as Magness’ Form 2A (Rapuano 1999:180, Fig. 7:109, 110). We found no parallels for Fig. 13.57:3.

2

1 0

20

3 0

10

Fig. 13.57. Holemouth jars (HoSJ). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1459

15945/15

IV

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; combed decoration

2

1769

23785/7

IV

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; combed decoration

3

1459

35163

IV

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; combed decoration

438

PERETZ REUVEN

Jars: Summary In Stratum IV, the Gaza jar dominated the jar assemblage (Table 13.6). In the Abbasid period, the dominant type was the jar with a swollen neck (SNSJ), and by Phase IIA, the storage jar with the short, ridged-neck (RSNSJ), was equally popular.

Table 13.6. Jars Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Total (% of total jars)

Figs.

GSJ

5 (46%)

1 (2%)

1 (4%)

7 (6%)

13.50

SNCSJ

2 (18%)

2 (4%)

1 (4%)

5 (4%)

13.51

LCNSJ

1 (9%)

6 (11%)

2 (8%)

1 (5%)

1 (33%)

11 (10%)

13.52

37 (70%)

17 (68%)

10 (47%)

1 (33%)

65 (58%)

13.53

7 (13%)

4 (16%)

10 (47%)

1 (33%)

22 (19%)

13.55, 13.56

3 (3%)

13.57

53 (47%)

25 (22%)

21 (18%)

3 (3%)

113 (100%)

SNSJ RSNSJ HoSJ Total (% of total category)

3 (27%) 11 (10%)

Unglazed Jugs and Juglets (Table 13.7; Figs. 13.58–13.69) The unglazed jugs and juglets are classified according to their ware into three groups: plain ware, Fine Byzantine Ware and Buff Ware jugs, the latter comprising c. 90% of the jug assemblage. Plain Ware Jugs A small number of jugs and juglets were made of light brown or light reddish brown clay, and they resemble in shape the Buff Ware examples. Plain Ware Jugs with a Rounded Body (RBJu; Fig. 13.58) All the rounded-body jugs at Givati have a tall, upright neck, and most have a simple, slightly everted rim (Fig. 13.58:1, 3–8), some a simple rim (Fig. 13.58:10) and others a thickened rim (Fig. 13.58:12). The body is either globular (Fig. 13.58:1) or rounded in the upper part and elongated in the lower (Fig. 13.58:2, 7–13), the base is either flat (Fig. 13.58:2, 8), slightly concave (Fig. 13.58:7, 9–11) or a ring base (Fig. 13.58:12, 13), and the handle is drawn from rim to shoulder. Some spouted jugs were also found (Fig. 13.58:11–15). These jugs are well levigated and highly fired, with thin walls and sometimes shallow ridging. Some are slipped (Fig. 13.58:1, 5, 11), others are pare burnished on the body (Fig. 13.58:10), and a few examples bear combed decoration (Fig. 13.58:7). The jug in Fig. 13.58:13 has an unusual painted design of white dots and a white wavy line over

439

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

3

1

2

4

6

5

8

7

10

13

9

11

12

14 0

15 10

Fig. 13.58. Jugs with rounded body (RBJu).

440

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.58 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1879

24246/1 24246/11

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; few small white and black grits; light brown slip on exterior; hard-fired

2

1485

15697/26

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; hard-fired

3

1554

16974/15

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; few white grits; hard-fired

4

1513

15927/1/6 15921/5

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/6 clay; few small white grits

5

1485

15697/21

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; few small white and black grits; light brown slip on exterior; hard-fired

6

1513

16060/19

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; gray core; few white grits

7

1532

25139

IIB–A

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4; few small white grits; combed decoration

8

1412

14276/1

IIA

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; hard-fired

9

2229

36899

IIA

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

10

2229

36767

IIA

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; pare burnished

11

1479

16534

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits; light brown slip on exterior

12

2229

36802

IIA

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; well levigated

13

2692

43747

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; well levigated; white dots painted on shoulder and white wavy line painted on wall over yellow 5Y 7/6 wash/slip

14

1554

17638/2

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay

15

1611

18679/3

III

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay

a yellow slip. Thirteen rounded-body jugs with a tall, upright neck were recovered from Strata III–II; several well-preserved examples were discovered outside the sampled area (Fig. 13.58:9, 10, 12, 13). Parallels: Examples of this type were found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV–III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:172, Figs. 7.2:12; 7.6:3; referred to as ‘Fine Burnished Ware Jugs’), and another is seen at Khirbat Abu Suwwana, near Jerusalem (Phase 2; late eighth–early ninth centuries; Cohen-Finkelstein 1997:25*, Fig. 4:10). Parallels appear at Caesarea in Stratum VI (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:213–214, Types 533a–533c, ‘Coarse Light Red Ware’) and examples are reported from Amman (750–1175 CE; Olávarri-Goicoechea 1985: Fig. 22:7, 11, 17, 19). Plain Ware Jugs with a Cylindrical Body and a Carinated Shoulder (CBJu; Fig. 13.59) These jugs are similar in shape to the Buff Ware jugs with a cylindrical body and a carination at the shoulder (see Fig. 13.62), but differ in ware. One example (Fig. 13.59:2) has two repair holes drilled in the shoulder, perhaps to replace the broken handle. Two jugs of this type were found, one in Stratum III, the other in Phase IIA. No parallels were found.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

441

1

0

10

2

Fig. 13.59. Jugs with cylindrical body and carinated shoulder (CBJu). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

15927/12

III

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; few small white grits

2

2229

36771 36766

IIA

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; small white and gray grits; two holes drilled in shoulder

Fine Byzantine Ware Jugs and Juglet (FBWJu; Fig. 13.60) These jugs are related to the FBW bowls (see Fig. 13.1), as they are made of the same fine, hard-fired, often burnished fabric. Some are decorated with incised gashes or nicks on the shoulder rather than the incised wavy lines of the FBW bowls. According to Magness, they apparently did not continue beyond the first half of the eighth century CE (Magness 1993:236). At Givati, three examples originate in Strata IV and III. Parallels: The jugs in Fig. 13.60:1, 2 correspond to Magness’ Fine Byzantine Ware Jars, Jugs and Juglets Form 1, Variants B and C (mid-sixth–early eighth centuries; Magness 1993:237–239). The example in Fig. 13.60:3 is a juglet that corresponds to Magness’ Form 2 Variant A (mid-sixth–early eighth centuries; Magness 1993:240–241). Parallels to Fig. 13.60:1 were found in Jerusalem in Area X-4 of the Jewish Quarter (late seventh–mideighth centuries CE; Magness 1993:149, Fig. 4:22); in Area III in the excavations south of the southern wall of the Temple Mount (end of the Byzantine period; Mazar 2003:233, Pl. III.5:14); and at Bethany (second half of sixth–seventh centuries CE; Saller 1957: Fig. 59.2705). Parallels to Fig 13.60:2 were found in Area III of the excavations south of the

442

PERETZ REUVEN

3

1

2 0

10

Fig. 13.60. Fine Byzantine Ware jugs (FBWJu). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1769

22949/14

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR6/6 clay; incised gashes

2

1900

24805/8

III

Reddish brown 5YR 5/3 clay; hard-fired; incised gashes

3

1945

25615/2

III

Reddish yellow 5YR6/6 clay; very pale brown 10YR 8/4 slip; incised gashes

southern wall of the Temple Mount (Mazar 2003:232, Pl. III.5:4) and at Ramat Raḥel in the Byzantine farmhouse (Stratum IIA; Aharoni 1964: Fig. 23.9, 10). Parallels to Fig. 13.60:3 were found in Area G of the City of David (late sixth–seventh centuries; Magness 1992b: Fig. 13.15), in Area XVI of the excavations south of the southern wall of the Temple Mount (end of the Byzantine period; Peleg and Adler 2007:29, Fig. 2.3:9, 10); in Cistern 45 and the adjoining caves at Bethany (Saller 1957: Fig. 58.3500); and at Ramat Raḥel in the Byzantine farmhouse (Stratum IIA; Aharoni 1964: Fig. 23.7). Buff Ware Jugs and Juglets (Figs. 13.61–13.69) Buff Ware was used for a wide range of fine vessels made in various techniques and styles, which all share a similar clay. The category Buff Ware includes closed vessels such as jugs and jars, as well as open vessels such as bowls and small basins (see above, Lead-Glazed Bowls). The Buff Ware jugs and juglets in the Givati assemblage are characterized mainly by the clay, which is finely levigated and well fired, and ranges in color from white, pale yellow, pinkish white to light gray. Some examples included in this category are made of plain ware but are covered with a buff-colored slip. The Buff Ware vessels are thin walled and vary in shape, mainly with globular or cylindrical bodies, funnel or upright necks, a flat or shallow ring base (Arnon 2008a:37), and sometimes with a strainer. The vessels can be undecorated, combed, imprinted with a roller, incised, molded, or decorated with plastic appliqué (barbotine). In this work, Buff Ware jugs are classified according to the two main shapes, globular and cylindrical, and the various styles of decoration and strainers. Globular Buff Ware Jugs (BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61) These jugs have a globular body, a funnel-shaped neck (Fig. 13.61:1, 3–6, 12), a simple upright (Fig. 13.61:7–11) or a swollen neck (Fig. 13.61:2, 13) that is often ridged, and a disc (Fig. 13.61:4) or low ring base (Fig. 13.61:2, 6, 9). One loop handle is usually drawn from the rim to the body. Some of the jugs have a combed decoration.

443

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1 2

3

5 4

6

8 7

9

11

10

12

13 0

10

Fig. 13.61. Globular Buff Ware jugs (BW1Ju).

444

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.61 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1554

17638/6

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

2

1939

25539

III

Pale red 10R 6/4 clay; 5Y 8/1 slip on interior and exterior

3

1951

26325/19

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

4

1485

15697/27

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay

5

1549

16771/19

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

6

1549

16771/20

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay

7

1951

25812/1

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

8

1939

25543/12

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay

9

2488

39544

IIB

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay; sandy

10

2436

38208

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; gray grits

11

1636

18895/13/14 18894/8

IIB

White 5Y 8/1 clay

12

1341

12368/11

I

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay

13

1317

14027/1

I

White 5Y 8/1 clay

Two main variants of globular jugs can be discerned. One is smaller, almost biconical in shape, with a funnel-shaped neck and a handle attached at mid-body (Fig. 13.61:1–5), while the other is larger with a squatter body and an upright neck (Fig. 13.61:7–11), the handle attached immediately below the neck. Some of the larger examples have a delicately pierced strainer attached to the upper neck (Fig. 13.61:8–11). The small juglet in Fig. 13.61:12 has a different, stepped neck. The 20 jugs of this type originate mainly in Stratum III. The larger variant appeared in Stratum III and Phase IIB, while the smaller variant appeared in Stratum III and was still in use in Stratum I. The small juglets with differently shaped necks in Fig. 13.61:12, 13 appeared only in Stratum 1 and are considered later variants. Parallels: Parallels to the smaller variant were found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV–III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Figs. 7.3:2; 7.6:5); a parallel to the larger variant appeared in Stratum IV (ninth century; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.5:6). At Tiberias, parallels were found among the jars and jugs of ‘Pale Cream Ware’ (Stacey 2004:130, Fig. 5.41:1–9). Stacey suggested that some early vessels are angular in shape and probably imitate metal work (cf. Fig. 13.61:2, 3; Stacey 2004:130–132, Fig. 5.41:1–4), while in the tenth–eleventh centuries a more rounded variant was common (cf. Fig. 13.61:13; Stacey 2004:130, Fig. 5.41:5–9). In the House of the Bronzes at Tiberias, in

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

445

Stratum II, small, globular, ‘buff ware water jugs’ appeared at the end of the Umayyad period, became common during the Abbasid period and continued into the Fatimid period (Vincenz 2008:126–127, Pl. 4.13:1, 2). Also in Stratum II, large, globular, ‘buff ware pitchers’ seem to have been a typical Early Islamic vessel (Vincenz 2008:126–128, Pl. 4.14:3–6). At Ramla, a parallel to the smaller variant was found in Stratum IV (Abbasid period; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.11:1–4), and in Stratum III, a parallel to Fig. 13.61:13 (Fatimid period; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.8:11). Cylindrical Buff Ware Jugs with a Carinated Shoulder (BW2Ju; Fig. 13.62) This type of jug is characterized by a tall, funnel neck, an elongated, cylindrical body with a carination at the shoulder, and a flat base (Fig. 13.62:1–8). In some cases, the base of the neck is marked with ridges or combing (Fig. 13.62:1–5, 8, 10, 11). Most of these jugs have one long loop handle drawn from the rim to the shoulder. The example in Fig. 13.62:9 has four small loop handles. The 102 jugs of this type originated mainly in Stratum III and were the dominant type throughout the Abbasid period (see Table 13.7). Parallels: Jugs of this type were found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV–III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Figs. 7.3:1; 7.6:4), and at Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem (Vaux and Stève 1950: Pl. C:22–24). Parallels appear at Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:157, Type 3, Fig. XIII.129:3, 6, ‘Jars and Jugs of Fine Buff Ware Type 3’); at Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries CE; Arnon 2008a:129, Type 521c); and at Ramla in Strata V–III (Umayyad–Fatimid periods; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pls. 9.4:9; 9.11:6; 9.17:11).

Fig. 13.62 ► No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1894

24698/1

III

Pinkish white 5YR 8/2 clay; gritty; band with four horizontal combed lines

2

1514

16019/2

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; two grooves at base of neck

3

1514

16019/1

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; two grooves at base of neck

4

1578

18065

III

Pink 5YR 8/3 clay; white 5Y 8/1 slip on interior and exterior

5

2417

36708

III

Pinkish white 5YR 8/2 clay

6

2229

36816

IIA

Pinkish white 5YR 8/2 clay; white and gray grits

7

2229

36590/3

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; white and black grits

8

1412

14275/1

IIA

Pink 5YR 8/3 clay; white 5Y 8/1 slip on interior and exterior; bands of combing on rim and neck

9

1608

18463/10

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; eggshell ware; four handles

10

1636

18894/3

IIB

White 5Y 8/1 clay; combed decoration on neck

11

1474

15381/12

IIB

Pink 5YR 8/2 clay; gritty; combed decoration on shoulders

446

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

4

3

5

6

7

8

11

9 10

0

10

Fig. 13.62. Cylindrical Buff Ware jugs with carinated shoulder (BW2Ju).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

447

Incised Buff Ware Jugs (BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63) These Buff Ware jugs have a globular body, except for the example in Fig. 13.63:13 with a tall, narrow neck, which is included here due to its decoration. This type of Buff Ware jug is characterized by incised nicks (Fig. 13.63:1–5), bands of incised motifs (Fig. 13.63:7–10), or both (Fig. 13.63:6) on the neck; some bear incised, pseudo calligraphy (Fig. 13.63:11– 13). A few examples have a strainer in the upper neck (Fig. 13.63:6, 7) like those of BW1Ju. The 32 specimens in the assemblage originated in Strata III–II (see Table 13.7). The variant decorated with pseudo calligraphy increased from two examples in Stratum III to four in Phase IIB, and it seems that the earliest occurrence of this type in Jerusalem is slightly earlier than at Caesarea (see below), although at both sites it reached its peak at about the same time. Parallels: Jugs of this type were found in Givati Area M1, including three from Stratum III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013:173, Fig. 7.7:9, 10, 12). The incised decoration is typical of ninth–tenth-century sites, as at Tiberias (Stacey 2004:130–133, Figs 5.41:6–8; 5.60:1–6; that in Fig. 5.41:8 with incised pseudo-calligraphic decoration dates to 1033–1100 CE); Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:158, Fig. XIII.131:1–4); Caesarea Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:141, Type 521q) and Stratum VI with incised pseudo-calligraphic decoration (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries; Arnon 2008a:209, Type 531i); and Ramla, where a close parallel to Fig. 13.63:13 was recovered in a pit (Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.24:3).

Fig. 13.63 ► No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1333

12930/2

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

2

1485

15711/15

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

3

1537

16641/8/15/52

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; incised decoration

4

1951

25812/6

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

5

1409

14425/4/12

IIA

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

6

1554

17639/2/15

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

7

1939

25544/4

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

8

1485

15736/2

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

9

1939

25545/19

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

10

1513

15921/21

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay, incised decoration

11

1793

23216

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration and pseudo calligraphy

12

1636

18895/2/3/7/13/ 17/19

IIB

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration and pseudo calligraphy

13

2403

40506

IIB

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration and pseudo calligraphy

448

PERETZ REUVEN

2 3

1

4 5 6

9

8 7

0

10

2

11

0

2

12

0

13 0

10

Fig. 13.63. Incised Buff Ware jugs (BW3Ju).

2

449

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Molded Buff Ware Jugs (BW4Ju; Fig. 13.64) This type has a globular body and is characterized by molded decoration. The patterns are mainly geometric, while the example in Fig. 13.64:1 also bears a stylized vegetal decoration, and that in Fig. 13.64:4 has an inscription in rounded Kufic script: min ‘amal a… (‘made by A…’). Molded jugs of this type were made with a set of three molds: for the neck, the shoulders and the lower body; the handle was prepared separately. The four pieces were then joined together with the application of clay, traces of which are visible in the seam lines. This type probably began to appear at the end of the eighth century and continued to occur until the tenth–early eleventh centuries. Five mold-decorated body sherds of jugs were found in the Abbasid strata, including a fragment of a strainer (Fig. 13.64:1). Parallels: Two jugs of this type were found in Givati Area M1, Strata IV–III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Figs. 7.3:7; 7.6:4). Parallels were found at Tiberias, one from Strata IV/III (750–950 CE), the other from Stratum II (980–1033 CE; Stacey 2004:137, Fig. 5.49:4, 5); at Yoqne‘am (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.132, Type 6:2); and at Caesarea in Stratum VII, one with a similar design and inscription as that in Fig. 13.64:4 (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 133–139, Type 521k). A mold for this jug type was revealed in Ramla Strata IV–III (Abbasid–Fatimid; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.12:6), which would indicate a local production at the site. Molded Buff Ware vessels were characteristic of the Sasanian artistic world, appearing at Susa in the seventh–beginning of the eighth centuries (Rosen-Ayalon 1974:193); however, they did not appear in the Middle East until the second half of the eighth century CE (Baramki 1944:74; Avissar 1996:158, Type 6; Arnon 1999:225–226). No exact parallel for the inscription was found.

1

2 0

2

0

3

2

4 2

0

0 0

10

Fig. 13.64. Molded Buff Ware jugs (BW4Ju). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1514

16080/1

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; molded decoration

2

1611

18646/6

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; molded decoration

3

1345

12932/1/3

I

White 5Y 8/1 clay; molded decoration

4

2431

38997

I

White 5Y 8/1 clay; molded decoration with Kufic inscription

2

450

PERETZ REUVEN

Stamped and Appliquéd Buff Ware Jug (BW5Ju; Fig. 13.65) A single sherd of this type originated in Stratum III bearing small stamped circles forming a rosette pattern, and some plastic (barbotine) decoration. Parallels: Such vessels were found at Givati in Area M1, Stratum IV (ninth century; CytrynSilverman 2013: Figs. 7.3:8; 7.5:7). Parallels are known at Tiberias, in early Abbasid contexts (Stacey 2004:137, Fig. 5.48:3; Vincenz 2008: Pl. 4.18:10); at Yoqne‘am (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.133, Type 7); at Caesarea in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:165, Type 922a), and with a slightly different decoration in Stratum VI (mid-ninth–mid-tenth centuries CE; Arnon 2008a:224, Type 932); and at Ramla in Strata V–IV (Umayyad–Abbasid; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.4:16. At Susa, such vessels appeared in the second half of the seventh century (RosenAyalon 1974:87, Group 6, Pls. XX; XXI:e) and remained in use until the beginning of the ninth century. This elaborate decoration was probably abandoned in favor of the molded design (BW4Ju), whose production was much easier and quicker (Avissar 1996:159). According to Stacey, the manufacture of these jugs overlapped the molded jugs, but the latter may have continued until 950 CE (Stacey 2004:137).

0

5

Fig. 13.65. Stamped and Appliquéd Buff Ware jug (BW5Ju). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1597

18077/3

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

Buff-Slipped Jug with Elaborate Combed Decoration (BW6Ju; Fig. 13.66) A single vessel of this type originated in Stratum III. It resembles the Buff Ware vessels in shape and decorative style but is made of light red clay with a buff-colored slip. It belongs to a large closed vessel, probably a jug with an elliptical body, and has a flaring neck with ridges at its base and a double loop handle. The elaborate combed decoration consists of vertical and diagonal bands with wavy lines in between. No exact parallels were found.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

0

451

2

Fig. 13.66. Buff-slipped jug with elaborate combed decoration (BW6Ju). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1608

18314/11 18357/14 18355/3/13

III

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; pale yellow 5Y 8/3 slip; small white grits

Buff Ware or Buff-Slipped, Coarsely Perforated Jug Strainers (BW7Ju; Fig. 13.67) These jug strainers, located at the base of a funnel neck, are large and relatively coarse. They are flat with a raised center, and perforated with three to twelve large holes arranged in a circle around the circumference, made by inserting a stick down from the mouth. Three coarse strainers originated in Stratum III, one of Buff Ware, the other two of light red clay with a buff-colored slip. Parallels: Close parallels to this type of jug with a coarsely perforated strainer were found at many sites, such as Caesarea, in Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:131–132, Type 521i) and Ramla in Strata V–IV (Umayyad–Abbasid; CytrynSilverman 2010: Pls. 9.2:17; 9.4:17; 9.9:15; 9.11:8)

452

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3 0

10

Fig. 13.67. Buff Ware or buff-slipped, coarsely perforated jug strainers (BW7Ju). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1537

16641/10

III

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; small white grits; white 5Y 8/1 slip

2

1513

15921/6

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay; few gray grits

3

1549

16906/4

III

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; small white grits; white 5Y 8/1 slip

Buff Ware Delicately Perforated Jug Strainers (BW8Ju; Fig. 13.68) This type of jug strainer was attached to the upper neck and perforated with very small holes, probably made with a needle, arranged in elaborate patterns. Eight strainers of this type originated in Stratum III. A later type of jug strainer, usually dated to the late tenth– eleventh centuries, has a decorative strainer attached to the base of the neck with floral and zoomorphic patterns, but none of these were found at Givati.

1

2

3

4 0

2

Fig. 13.68. Buff Ware delicately perforated jug strainers (BW8Ju). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1951

26325/8

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

2

1554

17637/27

III

White 5Y 8/3 clay

3

1554

16974/11

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

4

1537

16478/4

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

453

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Parallels: Strainers of this type were found in Givati Area M1, Stratum III (ninth–tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2013: Fig. 7.7:13, 14). At Tiberias, jug strainers of this type were found in somewhat later contexts (Strata II–I, end of tenth–end of eleventh centuries; Stacey 2004:132, Fig. 5.42), but no exact parallels were found. A close parallel was found in Ramla Stratum IV (second half of eight–late tenth centuries; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: 107, Pl. 9.1:8), although Cytryn-Silverman compares it to Scanlon’s Type A-II, dated to the eighth–ninth centuries (see Scanlon 1986:4–5, Fig. 7), which is in accordance with the dating of Givati Stratum III. Plain and Decorated Buff Ware Jug Handles (BWHaJu; Fig. 13.69) A wide variety of jug handles was recovered in the Abbasid strata, including plain, double (Fig. 13.69:1, 2) and triple (Fig. 13.69:3, 4) handles. Many of them bear various forms of molded knobs that served as thumb rests, often with a stamped decoration (Fig. 13.69:1, 3, 4). Twenty-eight Buff Ware handles originated in Strata III–II, and it is uncertain to what type of Buff Ware jugs they belonged. Parallels: Similar handles were found at many Early Islamic sites, such as Abu Ghosh (Vaux and Stève 1950: Pls. C:4, 13; D:11–13); Yoqne‘am (Avissar 1996:162, Fig. XIII.138:1–7); and Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 16:1–3, 8). At Susa, handles with plastic decoration appeared in Umayyad levels (Rosen-Ayalon 1974: Figs. 162–164, Pl. XVI:e), while at Fustat they are found in late eighth–ninth centuries and even later (Scanlon 1974:68, Fig. 6, Pl. 15:9). Unglazed Jugs: Summary A total of 190 unglazed jugs (179 jugs and 11 strainers) were counted in the assemblage (Table 13.7), along with 28 miscellaneous jug handles. The predominant type is the Buff

4

2

1

3 0

10

Fig. 13.69. Plain and decorated Buff Ware jug handles (BWHaJu). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1485

15697/11

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; double handle; molded knob

2

1547

17146/9

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; double handle; plastic decoration on handle

3

1513

15961/8/10

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; triple handle; molded knob

4

1537

16478/3

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; triple handle; molded knob

454

PERETZ REUVEN

Ware jug with a cylindrical body and carination at the shoulder (BW2Ju; 54% of all the unglazed jugs), which was predominant throughout the Abbasid period. The plain Buff Ware jugs with a globular body (BW1Ju) and the Buff Ware jugs with incised decoration (BW3Ju) were also popular in the Abbasid period.

Table 13.7. Unglazed Jugs Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

RBJu

10 (7%)

CBJu FBWJu

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category) 1(4%)

1 (0.66%) 1 (100%)

IIA (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Total (% of unglazed jugs)

Figs.

2 (22%)

13 (7%)

13.58

1 (11%)

2 (1%)

13.59

3 (1.5%)

13.60

2 (33.3%)

20 (10%)

13.61

2 (33.3%)

102 (54%)

13.62

32 (17%)

13.63

5 (3%)

13.64

2 (1%)

BW1Ju

15 (10%)

3 (13%)

BW2Ju

82 (55%)

14 (58%)

4 (45%)

BW3Ju

25 (17%)

6 (25%)

1 (11%)

BW4Ju

2 (1%)

BW5Ju

1 (0.66%)

1 (0,5%)

13.65

BW6Ju

1 (0.66%)

1 (0.5%)

13.66

BW7Ju

3 (2%)

3 (1.5%)

13.67

BW8Ju

8 (5%)

8 (4%)

13.68

Total (% of total category)

1 (0.5%)

150 (79%)

1 (11%)

24 (12.5%)

9 (5%)

2 (33.3%)

6 (3%)

190 (100%)

Lead-Glazed Buff Ware Jugs (Table 13.8; Figs. 13.70, 13.71) The glazed jugs from Strata IV–I correspond in glazing technique to the glazed bowl types, such as the locally produced monochrome-glazed and splash-glazed jugs (Fig. 13.70), as well as the white tin-glazed jugs (Fig. 13.71) that were probably imported. Local Lead-Glazed Jugs (GLJu1; Fig. 13.70) These glazed jugs are globular (Fig. 13.70:1–5, 7) or cylindrical with a carination at the shoulder (Fig. 13.70:6). They have either a straight upright (Fig. 13.70:1) or flaring (Fig. 13.70:5) neck and the base is a plain disc (Fig. 13.70:2–4) or a grooved (stepped) ring base (Fig. 13.70:7). These jugs are characterized by a lead glazing on the exterior, usually monochrome (Fig. 13.70:1, 4, 6, 7), identical to that on bowls of Type GLB1 (see Fig. 13.26), or a polychrome splash glaze (Fig. 13.70:5, probably also Fig 13.70:2, 3), identical to that on the splashed bowls of Type GLB4 (Fig. 13.32). The 11 lead-glazed jugs originated mainly in Stratum III, with a few from later strata. Parallels: At Tiberias, parallels are seen in both monochrome glaze and polychrome splash glaze (Fatimid; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.31:1–6); at Yoqne‘am in monochrome glaze (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; Avissar 1996: Fig. XIII.144:1–2, Type 18, ‘Small Glazed Jars’); and at Caesarea, Stratum VI, in monochrome and polychrome splash glaze (midninth–mid-tenth centuries Arnon 2008a:215–217, Types 631, 631b–c).

455

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4

5

7

6 0

10

Fig. 13.70. Local lead-glazed Buff Ware jugs (GLJu1). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1513

15923/1

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; green glaze on exterior

2

1554

17637/6/8/20

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; yellowish slip on exterior with patches of turquoisegreen glaze

3

1554

17717/18

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; yellowish slip on exterior with patches of turquoisegreen glaze

4

1890

24607/1

III

Pinkish white 2.5YR 8/2 clay; dark green glaze on exterior; light green glaze on interior

5

1863

24302/5

IIB

Pink 2.5YR 8/4 clay; white 2.5YR 8/1 slip on interior and exterior; transparent yellowish glaze on exterior with green and brown splashes; transparent yellowish glaze on interior

6

1409

14955/7

IIA

Pink 2.5YR 8/4 clay; dark green glaze on exterior; pale green to gray glaze on interior

7

1544

16729/4

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; dark green glaze on exterior; patches of green glaze on interior

White Tin-Glazed Jugs (GLJu6; Fig. 13.71) This type is characterized by a plain, opaque white glaze, identical in technique to the white tin-glazed bowls (GLB6; see Fig. 13.34). No decorations over the glaze were detected, as seen in the bowls. As noted above, this ware developed in Mesopotamia between the late eighth and early ninth centuries (Arnon 2008a:36). Two examples of jugs with this type of glaze originated in Stratum III. The small jug in Fig. 13.71:1 has a globular body and probably four small, horizontal ledge handles. The example in Fig. 13.71:2 is a large, tubelike vessel with a smooth exterior and groves on the interior, probably the neck of a large jug or part of some other large vessel. Parallels: A close parallel to Fig. 13.71:1, with three small lugs handles, is seen at Nishapur, dated to the ninth century and probably imported from Iraq (Wilkinson 1973:187, 198). According to Wilkinson, opaque white tin-glazed jars with such lugs and blue and green decoration were found at Susa and Samarra, dated to the ninth century (Wilkinson 1973:187–188, No. 26).

456

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

2

0 0

10

Fig. 13.71. White tin-glazed jugs (GLJu6). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1554

17722/7

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

2

1554

17722/9/12

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

Glazed Jugs: Summary The 13 glazed jugs were recovered mainly from Stratum III (Table 13.8). Table 13.8. Glazed Jugs Stratum

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

IIA (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Total Figs. (% of glazed jugs)

GLJu1

7 (78%)

1 (100%)

2 (100%)

1 (100%)

11 (85%)

13.70

GLJu6

2 (22%)

2 (15%)

13.71

Total (% of total category)

9 (69%)

Type

IV (% of type in category)

1 (8%)

2 (15%)

1(8%)

13 (100%)

Small Containers (Table 13.9; Figs. 13.72–13.80) This group comprises small containers for liquids divided into four types (SC1–4; Figs. 13.72–13.75). Also included here are two types of flasks: one of plain ware (PWFL; Fig. 13.76), the other of Buff Ware (BWFL; Fig. 13.77), zoomorphic vessels (ZoV; Figs. 13.78; 13.79) and miniature vessels (MinV; Fig. 13.80). Small Containers with a Sharply Everted, Rounded Rim and a Flat Base (SC1; Fig. 13.72) These containers are squat, globular or piriform in shape, with one or two handles on the shoulders. The 47 examples of this type comprise the majority of the small containers at Givati (61%), first appearing in Stratum III and remaining the most popular type throughout the Abbasid period (see Table 13.9). Parallels: This type was found in Givati Area M1 and is referred to as ansata mugs (CytrynSilverman 2013: Figs. 7.2:3; 7.7:6). They correspond to the flat-based jars at Tiberias, Stratum IV (early Abbasid; Stacey 2004:139, Fig. 5.53:1).

457

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

2

1

3

4

5

6

8

9

7

11

13

10

12 0

10

Fig. 13.72. Small containers with sharply everted, rounded rim and flat base (SC1). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1939

25549/15

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; hard-fired

2

1951

25836/4/21/32

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; hard-fired

3

1513

16060/5/11

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; pale yellow exterior; hard-fired

4

1513

16078/18/20

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; light yellow exterior; hard-fired

5

1827

23732/19

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; hard-fired

6

1485

15711/3/4

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; hard-fired

7

2541

41197

III

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; few white grits; hard-fired

8

1486

15718/14

IIB

Light brown clay 7.5YR 6/3; white grits; hard-fired

9

1440

15265/17

IIB

Brown 7.5YR 5/3 clay; light brown exterior; white grits; hard-fired

10

2248

34662

IIB

Light brown 7.5YR 6/3 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

11

1544

17389/3

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; hard-fired

12

1451

14910

IIA

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; hard-fired

13

1327

12128/28

I

Light brown 7.5YR 6/3 clay; hard-fired

Small Buff Ware Containers with Everted Rim and Ribbing (SC2; Fig. 13.73) These two vessels with an everted rim and no handles have thick, ribbed walls. One example was perforated after firing. They both originated in Stratum III, suggesting that this type should be dated to the early Abbasid period.

458

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1 0

10

Fig. 13.73. Small Buff Ware containers with everted rim and ribbing (SC2). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1608

18314/12/20

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; gritty

2

1547

17550/19

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay; gritty

Parallels: Close parallels in ware and shape, with perforations, were found at Tiberias in Strata IV–III (750–980 CE) and are included among the ‘Cream-Ware Jars and Small Containers’ (Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.45:2, 4); however, the holes were perforated before firing. Another close parallel is a small container from Ramla, without a perforation, attributed to the Early Islamic period (Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.24:11, Photo 9.5, called a bowl). Small Biconical Container (SC3; Fig. 13.74) This small biconical container made of coarse clay has a plain rim, a flat, uneven disc base and thick walls. Two small handles, perhaps basket handles, were originally attached below the neck. This single example originated in Stratum III. Parallels: No exact parallels were found. The biconical shape bears some similarity to saqiye jugs from Marcus Street (eighth–eleventh centuries; Arnon 2007:81, Fig. 18:9) and Herzl Street in Ramla (end of ninth/beginning of tenth–beginning of eleventh centuries; ‘Azab 2011: Fig. 14:9). However, these two jugs from Ramla have no handles, there

0

5

Fig. 13.74. Small Biconical Container (SC3). Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1375

14934

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; coarse

459

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

is a narrow area below the rim for a rope, and the only base that has survived (from Herzl Street) is pointed. Small Containers with a Pointed Base (‘Grenades’) (SC4; Fig. 13.75) These small rounded containers have a thick, everted, ‘mushroom-like’ rim, triangular in section, a short narrow neck, thick walls and a pointed base. They are made of fine, welllevigated and well-fired ware. Their use is unknown, and opinions range from fire-bombs, containers for mercury, beer gourds to hash pipes (Stacey 2004:138). The four examples originated in Stratum III. Parallels: Similar vessels were found at Tiberias in Stratum III (880–980 CE; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.52). At Bet She’an they are called bottles and have slightly different bases; one was found complete and contained mercury (Umayyad; Bar-Nathan 2011: Fig. 11.42:16–22). Other parallels are seen at Caesarea in Stratum VIIIa (mid-seventh–mid-eighth centuries (Arnon 2008a:72, Type 516a, ‘Sphero-Conical Containers’); at Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 5:1); and at Ramla (Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.13:6).

1

2 3 0

10

Fig. 13.75. Small containers with pointed base (‘grenades’) (SC4). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1514

16020/2

III

Light gray 2.5YR 7/1 clay

2

1944

25628/31

III

Reddish brown 2.5YR 4/4 clay

3

1951

26116

III

Light gray 2.5YR 7/1 clay

Plain Ware Flasks (PWFL; Fig. 13.76) Two flasks made of plain ware were recovered in the excavations, outside the sampled area. They have a spherical, asymmetrical body, one side flattened and the other rounded and protruding, the neck inserted into the joint between the two parts, and a pair of loop handles on the shoulders. Parallels: Flasks made of plain ware were common in the Umayyad period, and parallels are seen at Bet She’an (Bar-Nathan 2011: Figs. 11.28:1–6; 11.29:1–4; some painted: Fig. 11.30:1, 2); at Pella (Watson 1992:243; Bar-Nathan 2011:272); and at Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 5:13, 14, Pl. XXI:4, one painted).

460

PERETZ REUVEN

Buff Ware Flasks (BWFL; Fig. 13.77) These large flasks made of Buff Ware are sometimes called ‘pilgrim flasks’ (Arnon 2008a:38; Cytryn-Silverman 2010:188, Pl. 9.24:7–10). They have a tall, almost vertical neck pinched at the joint with the shoulders, a spherical body and a pair of loop handles on the shoulders (Fig. 13.77:5). Two variants of neck shape were distinguished: a plain neck (Fig. 13.77:1) and a neck with pronounced ridges (Fig. 13.77:5). Four such flasks in the assemblage originated in Stratum III, and a complete example from Area M3 Phase IIB is also illustrated (Fig. 13.77:5). Parallels: Both variants were present in Tiberias Strata II–I (980–1100; Stacey 2004: Fig. 5.46:1, 3) and Ramla (Early Islamic; Cytryn-Silverman 2010: Pl. 9.24:8–10). Parallels for the second variant were found at Yoqne‘am (Early Islamic; Avissar 1996:165, Fig. XII.145, ‘Small Containers Type 19’); Caesarea Stratum VII (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:150–151, Types 528a–b); and Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 5:10).

1

3

2

4

5 0

10

Fig. 13.77. Buff Ware flasks (BWFL). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1951

25812/5

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay

2

1513

16077/15/27

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay

3

1951

25836/37

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

4

1537

16764/3

III

White 5Y 8/1 clay

5

2559

40607

IIB

White 5Y 8/1 clay

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

461

Zoomorphic Vessels (ZoV; Figs. 13.78, 13.79) Zoomorphic vessels are a common vessel in Islamic contexts. They are hollow and cylindrical in shape, the mouth of the animal is the spout and the body is the container for the liquid. The filling hole is located behind the neck. All the zoomorphic vessels from Givati are similar in shape and differ only in size and decoration. The animal’s face is round and the neck is long and narrow. Sometimes a horn is depicted grooved down the center to represent two horns; in other cases, closely spaced conical horns appear. Broad ears protrude from either side of the horns. The cylindrical body has four short legs, a short tail (Fig. 13.79:2–4) and a loop handle behind the neck (Fig. 13.78). These vessels are

1

2

3

4 0

2

Fig. 13.78. Zoomorphic vessels (ZoV).

462

5

6

7

8 0

2

Fig. 13.78 (cont.). Zoomorphic vessels (ZoV). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1377

15495

II

Yellowish red 5YR 5/8 clay; few small white grits; white paste on surface, black-painted lines; hardfired; head of an animal

2

1385

14083

II

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits, yellowish red 5YR 5/8 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; head of an animal

3

1554

17838/12

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; light reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; head of an animal

4

Balk

24532

5

1400

14240

II

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; hard-fired; head of an animal

6

1320

12565

IIA

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; head of an animal

7

1537

16598

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; hard-fired; head of an animal

8

2328

35810

IIB

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; light reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 slip on surface; hard-fired; head of an animal

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; yellowish red 5YR 5/8 slip on surface; hard-fired; head of an animal

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

463

1

2

3

4

5

0

2

Fig. 13.79. Zoomorphic vessels (ZoV). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1402

14396

IIA

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; surface covered with white paste; black-painted lines; hard-fired; rear of an animal

2

1480

15888

V

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; front of an animal

3

1611

18901

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; rear of an animal

4

1547

18321

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; small white grits; light brown 7.5YR 5/4 slip; surface covered with white paste; hard-fired; rear of an animal

5

2403

36931

IIB–A

Light brown 7.5YR 6.4 clay; few small white grits; rear of an animal

464

PERETZ REUVEN

sometimes slipped and covered with a white paste; some examples are painted with black lines (Fig. 13.79:1). While a large number of zoomorphic vessels were found in Strata IV–II at Givati, only five were among the sampled assemblage (Figs. 13.78:3, 7; 13.79:3, 4; see Table 13.9). As they are usually found in Umayyad contexts at other sites, the later examples in the present assemblage were perhaps produced in Stratum IV and were residual, or heirlooms. A collection of the zoomorphic vessels is illustrated in Figs. 13.78 and 13.79. Parallels: Parallels from Jerusalem include examples from the Umayyad Building in the Old City (Mazar 1969: Pl. 49:3) and the Armenian Garden (Umayyad–Abbasid; Tushingham 1985: Fig. 32:23). At Tiberias, this type was found in the later Strata II–I (880– 1100 CE), and according to Stacey there were too many of them in this later context to be considered residual (Stacey 2004:141, Fig. 5.56:1, 2). Parallels were also revealed in the House of the Bronzes at Tiberias, one in topsoil, the other in a Fatimid context (Stratum 1I; Vincenz 2008:161, Pl. 4.39:1, 2). Other parallels were found at Bet She’an (Umayyad; BarNathan 2011: Fig. 11.56:1–3); Yoqne‘am in Stratum II (late ninth–early eleventh centuries; according to Avissar these should be assigned to the Umayyad, possibly continuing into later Early Islamic contexts; Avissar 1996:172, Fig. XII.158:4, 5); Caesarea (eighth–early tenth centuries; Brosh 1986:75, Fig. 2:1–3); Ramla (Rosen-Ayalon and Eitan 1969: Fig. 2); and Khirbat al-Mafjar (eighth century; Baramki 1944: Fig. 16:10–12, 14, 18–20, Pls. XVII:2; XVIII:4). Miniature Vessels (MinV; Fig. 13.80) The miniature vessels originating in the Early Islamic strata are usually similar in shape to their larger counterparts and comprise open forms (Fig. 13.80:1–7, 26), small containers (Fig. 13.80:8–16), jugs (Fig. 13.80:17–25) and jars (Fig. 13.80:27, 28). They were probably toys. The open forms include miniature bowls (Fig. 13.80:1, 2) that resemble Fine Burnished Ware bowls of Subtype B (see Fig. 13.3:1–3); the vessel in Fig. 13.80:3 has no exact parallel among larger vessels, but could resemble one of the small containers of Type SC1; that in Fig. 13.80:4 is a miniature version of an arched-rim basin (ARB), and those in Fig. 13.80:5–7 of incurved-rim basins (IRB-B); Fig 13.80:6 has two ledge handles and is green monochrome glazed. The vessels in Fig. 13.80:8–16 are miniature versions of small containers (SC1; see Fig. 13.72). They have parallels at Nishapur, categorized under ‘jars’ although very small in size (Wilkinson 1973:354, Nos. 131, 132). The two miniature biconical jugs in Fig. 13.80:17, 18 have no exact parallels among the larger forms at Givati, but the shape is familiar elsewhere, as at Caesarea in Stratum VI (mid-eighth–mid-ninth centuries; Arnon 2008a:149, Type 525f), where a small jug is similar to Fig. 13.80:17, and at Nishapur, called cups (tenth century; Wilkinson 1973:344, No. 37). The miniature jugs in Fig. 13.80:19–22 resemble the jugs with a globular body (BW1Ju; see Fig. 13.61) and also have parallels at Nishapur, called toy pitchers (ninth century; Wilkinson 1973:354, Nos. 124, 128, 134– 136). The miniature jug in Fig. 13.80:23 corresponds in shape and ware to plain Buff Ware jugs of Type BW2Ju (see Fig. 13.62). The miniature vessels with a basket handle in Fig.

3 2 4

1

5

6

7

9

10

11

8

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

24

23

25

26

27 0

28 2

Fig. 13.80. Miniature vessels (MinV).

466

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.80 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1951

25836/4/10/15

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/8 clay; small white grits

2

1513

15961/26

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; small white grits

3

2247

35169

IIA

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; well levigated

4

1547

18292/4

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; well levigated; white paste on exterior

5

1640

19329

IIB

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; well levigated

6

2303

36822

II

Pale yellow 5Y8/3 clay; traces of dark green glaze on interior and exterior

7

2247

35171/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay

8

1630

19069/11

IIB

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; well levigated

9

1582

17276/7

III

Light red 7.5R 6/6 clay; small white grits

10

1554

17001

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay

11

1464

15286

IIA

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

12

2201

33584

Modern

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; small white grits

13

1425

15225

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay

14

2360

35364

III

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay; gritty

15

3710

61211

III

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; well levigated

16

2247

35172

IIA

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

17

2229

36550

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay; few white and black grits

18

2229

36645/5

IIA

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; small white grits

19

1459

16086

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white grits

20

2278

33706

IIB–A

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; well levigated

21

3883

61418

III

Very pale brown 10YR 7/3 clay; well levigated

22

2299

39015

V

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; small white grits

23

2229

36542

IIA

Pale yellow 5Y 8/2 clay; gritty

24

2229

36801/1

IIA

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay

25

1554

16974/1

IV

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; small white grits

26

3883

61393

III

Light red 10R 7/6 clay; small white grits

27

1537

16641/16

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; small white grits

28

2187

81297

IIB–IIA

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; small white grits

13.80:24–26 have no parallels among the larger forms at Givati. The miniature jar with two long vertical handles in Fig. 13.80:27 has no larger parallels at Givati, but a parallel is seen at Nishapur among the toy pitchers (Wilkinson 1973:354, No. 123). The miniature jar with two handles and a narrow neck in Fig. 13.80:28 has no parallels at Givati. Twelve miniature vessels originated in the studied assemblage, eight of which are illustrated here (Fig. 13.80:1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 25, 27); the remainder were collected throughout the excavation. Small Containers: Summary The small containers with a sharply everted rim and a flat base (SC1) comprised the most popular type in the Abbasid period; the others were found mainly in Stratum III (Table 13.9).

467

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Table 13.9. Small Containers Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

I (% of type in category)

Total (% of small containers)

Figs.

3 (60%)

1 (100%)

SC1

34 (59.5%)

47 (61%)

13.72

SC2

2 (3.5%)

2 (3%)

13.73

SC3

1 (2%)

1 (1%)

13.74

SC4

4 (7%)

4 (5%)

13.75

BWFL

4 (7%)

4 (5%)

13.77

ZoV

4 (7%)

5 (6%)

13.78, 13.79

12 (16%)

13.80

MinV

1 (100%)

Total (% of total category)

1 (1%)

9 (75%)

IIA (% of type in category)

1 (8%)

7 (12%)

2 (17%)

2 (40%)

56 (75%)

12 (16%)

5 (7%)

1 (1%)

75 (100%)

Oil Lamps (Table 13.10; Figs. 13.81–13.90) Several types of oil lamps were found in the Early Islamic strata. Candlestick lamps are the earliest, continuing from the Byzantine period (CaLa; Fig. 13.81); channel-nozzle lamps began in Stratum III (CNLa; Figs. 13.82–13.88), and a glazed variant of the latter was also found. Miniature oil lamps (MinLa; Fig. 13.89) correspond in shape mainly to the channelnozzle lamps, although their decoration is simpler. A number of lanterns are included in this category (Lan, Fig. 13.90). Candlestick Lamps (CaLa; Fig. 13.81) Small Candlestick Lamp A single example of a small candlestick lamp (also known as ‘small slipper lamps’, ‘small radiated lamps’ or ‘‘Ain Yabrud lamps’; Magness 1993:250) was recovered in a mixed fill of Strata V–IV (Fig. 13.81:1). It is oval in shape, with a low, circular ring base and the filling hole is bounded by a raised ring. It is decorated in a relief pattern of radiating lines around the filling hole and bears a cross on the nozzle. Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ Oil Lamps Form 2 (second half of the fourth– mid-sixth centuries; Magness 1993:250–251) and is common in Byzantine contexts. Large Candlestick Lamps These lamps (also known as ‘large slipper lamps’; Magness 1993:251) are similar in shape and decoration to the small ones, but are considerably larger and the nozzle is more elongated (Fig. 13.81:2–5). The filling hole is bounded by two ridges; the inner ridge is rounded while the outer extends to the nozzle in a straight line (Fig. 13.81:2). The raised

468

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5 0

2

Fig. 13.81. Candlestick lamps (CaLa). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1805

23324

V–IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; radiating lines around filling hole; cross on nozzle

2

1895

25026/1

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; radiating lines around filling hole; cross on nozzle

3

1769

23090/2

IV

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

4

1769

22904/2

IV

Light red 2.5YR7/6 clay; Greek inscription

5

1479

16405

III

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; round handle with molded geometric design

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

469

lines on either side of the ridge on the nozzle resemble a palm branch or a ‘palm-menorah’ (Magness 1993:251). Decorative patterns around the filling hole include radial lines and Greek inscriptions (Fig. 13.81:4). In general, the large candlestick lamps lack a handle, although in some cases a raised handle of various shapes supported by a ring underneath is seen. The upper surface of the handle is decorated with a relief or an impressed design (Fig. 13.81:5). Nine of these lamps were recovered in Strata IV–III. Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ Oil Lamps Form 3 (mid sixth–late seventh/ early eighth centuries; Magness 2003:251–255), and has been found at many Byzantine and Early Islamic sites, such as Bet She’an (late Byzantine and Umayyad contexts; Hadad 2002:65–68, Type 28, Nos. 287–298) and Caesarea in Stratum VIII (mid-seventh–mideighth centuries; Arnon 2008b:96, Fig. 6:7). In Arnon’s catalogue of oil lamps from Caesarea, it corresponds to ‘Transitional Type C’ (640–700 CE; Arnon 2008c:216, 233, Fig. 7:22). Channel-Nozzle Lamps (CNLa; Figs. 13.82–13.88) A large collection of these lamps was recovered from the Abbasid strata in the Givati excavations, 32 of which originated in the selected loci from the studied Area M2 (see Table 13.10); Figs. 13.82–13.88 illustrate a variety of these lamps from the excavation. This mold-made lamp is ovoid with a pointed nozzle, and is characterized by an almond-shaped base, often containing an inner almond defined by a raised ridge. It has a raised conical tongue handle, triangular in section, sometimes decorated on the inner side with three ridges (e.g., Fig. 13.84:2). The large filling hole is surrounded by two ridges, the outer extending onto the nozzle creating a channel between the filling hole and the nozzle. Glazed examples are rare (Fig. 13.88:1, 2). All the lamps (except Fig. 13.88:2) are decorated on the shoulders with a variety of motifs: stylized vegetal or vine scrolls (Figs. 13.82–13.85), zoomorphic (Figs. 13.84, 13.85) and geometric (Figs. 13.86, 13.87). Two

Fig. 13.82 ► No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1895

24645

III

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

2

1513

16093

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

3

1513

15924

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

4

1513

15925

III

Very dark grayish brown 10YR 3/2 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

5

1547

18294

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with bunches of grapes arranged one opposite the other; palm branch on channel

470

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5 0

2

Fig. 13.82. Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4

5

0

2

Fig. 13.83. Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa).

471

472

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.83 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

2419

39322

V–III

Pale brown 2.5Y 7/4 clay; shoulder decorated with stylized scrolls and grapes; on either side of handle is a scroll and two leaves

2

2417

36761

III

Brown 7.5YR 5/2 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

3

1863

24465/1

IIB

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; shoulder decorated with large triangles containing bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel

4

2435

38611

IIB

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; shoulder decorated with large triangles containing bunches of grapes; three lines on base; four interlacing circles on channel

5

2401

36657

Medieval

Pale brown 2.5Y 7/4 clay; shoulder decorated with stylized scrolls and bunches of grapes; on either side of handle is a scroll with two leaves

lamps decorated with stylized vegetal or vine scrolls and zoomorphic motifs have a Kufic inscription on the nozzle (Fig. 13:85), and one has a Kufic inscription on the shoulder (Fig. 13.88:3). A few lamps are pentagonal in shape, and their base is also pentagonal shaped; they are decorated as the almond-shaped lamps (Fig. 13.87). Three lamps have decorated bases (Fig. 13.83:4; 13.85:1, 2). Two lamps with a lozenge decoration (Fig. 13.86:3) were found in Stratum I and may be a later variant of the channel-nozzle lamps. Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ Oil Lamps Form 5 (eighth–tenth centuries; Magness 1993:258–259). At Tiberias it is called Form 2 (800–1000 CE; Stacey 2004:153) and is further divided into several subgroups (Forms 2A–C) based on decoration. The vine-scrolls motif (Form 2A) is considered an early decorative motif (800–959 CE; Stacey 2004:155–156, Figs. 6.8, 6.9), which later developed into circles with branches of grapes, or a ‘sun-burst’ motif (Stacey 2004:156, Fig. 6.9). This later decorative motif, probably no earlier than the tenth century, was not found at Givati. Form 2B, with geometric motifs (800–900 CE; Stacey 2004:157, Fig. 6.10), also includes pentagonal lamps decorated with lozenges with central dots (Stacey 2004:158, Fig. 6.11), similar in shape and decoration to the lamp in Fig. 13.87:1. Form 2C includes monochrome glazed lamps with minimal relief decoration (900–1000 CE; Stacey 2004:159, Fig. 6.12) and may be compared to the lamps in Fig. 13.88:1, 2. At Bet She’an, channel-nozzle lamps are labeled Type 37, which began to appear around the end of the eighth–beginning of the ninth centuries and continued in use until at least the eleventh century (Hadad 2002:95–106, Nos. 420–463). Worth noting among the Type 37 lamps at Bet She’an are the monochrome green- or turquoise-glazed examples (Hadad 2002:103, Nos. 462, 463), which can be compared to Fig. 13.88:1, 2. At Yoqne‘am, this type corresponds to Type 2 (Avissar 1996:191–194, Figs. XV.17–XV.27) and, according to Avissar, they first appeared in the Abbasid period and were common until the tenth–eleventh centuries CE. At Caesarea, this type corresponds to ‘Medieval Type C’ (Strata VII–VI; c. 750–960 CE; Arnon 2008c:219–220, Figs. 17:72–76; 19:77–85). The pentagonal lamp in Fig. 13.87:1, 2 corresponds to ‘Medieval Type E’ (c. 750–960 CE; Arnon 2008c:223, 239, Fig. 26:141–144).

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3 0

2

Fig. 13.84. Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa).

473

474

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.84 No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1562

17278

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and leaves bordered by two dotted bands (pearl pattern); palm branch on channel

2

1479

15733

III

Very pale brown 10YR 8/4 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; birds on either side of nozzle; palm branch on channel

3

2360

35362

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls, leaves, bunches of grapes and pomegranates; birds on either side of nozzle; three lines on channel

Glazed oil lamps are not a common find in Early Islamic contexts, and in addition to Bet She’an and Tiberias (above), examples were also uncovered in the Tyropoeon Valley, Jerusalem (Crowfoot and Fitzgerald 1929:92, Pl. XVII:37); at Caesarea (Brosh 1986:71, Pl. VII:6b); Aqaba (Abbasid) and Fustat (late eighth–ninth centuries CE; Hadad 2002:104). Inscriptions on Channel-Nozzle Lamps Two identical lamps (Fig. 13.85) are decorated on the shoulder with scrolls adorned with leaves, grapes and birds, and an Arabic inscription appears on their channel. Although the lamp in Fig. 13.85:1 originates in Stratum V, it can be attributed to the Abbasid period based on the type and its close similarity to Fig. 13.85:2. It has a broken nozzle and only the two first letters have survived; in the second lamp, the nozzle is intact and three words in rounded Kufic letters are visible. The first two words read (‫ )من عمل‬min ‘amal … (‘made by…’), while the third word is less clear, and suggested readings include a name, perhaps ‘Jabar’ (‫)جبر‬, or Khayr (‫‘( )خير‬good quality’); therefore, the reading could be ‘made by Jabar’ or ‘work of good quality’. Based on stratigraphic and paleographic considerations (see parallels below), this lamp can be dated to the late eighth–eleventh centuries. The pointed shape and decorative motifs of these two lamps closely resemble those of a lamp from Caesarea catalogued as ‘Medieval Type C’ (c. 750–960 CE; Arnon 2008c: Fig. 26:137), without an inscription. No parallels to the inscription were found on lamps. However, at Bet She’an two lamps are decorated with stylized branches and leaves on the shoulder and the word Allāh is inscribed on the channel (Hadad 2002:102, No. 456), and four lamps are decorated with arabesques on the shoulder and the word barakah (‘blessing’) on the nozzle (Hadad 2002:102–103, Nos. 457–460). All these inscriptions have thicker and squarer letters than the examples in Fig. 13:85, except for No. 457, in which the letters are more rounded. These lamps are dated to the mid-eight–eleventh centuries (Hadad 2002:105). The lamp in Fig. 13.88:3, broken in two pieces, bears part of an inscription in relief on the shoulder, in large, square, linear and vertical Kufic letters. A few of the letters end with small triangles. The inscription appears on the left side of the handle and is mirrored in reverse on the right side the handle. To the right of the handle, the first letter, written in reverse, is alif (‫)ا‬, probably followed by sin (‫ )س‬and dal (‫)د‬, and no reading is suggested.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

475

1

2

0

2

Fig. 13.85. Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

2507

39988

V

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/3 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls, leaves and bunches of grapes; birds on either side of nozzle and handles; Kufic inscription on channel; stylized decoration on base

2

1554

17764

III

Very pale brown 10YR 8/4 clay; shoulder decorated with scrolls, leaves and bunches of grapes; birds on either side of nozzle; Kufic inscription on channel; stylized decoration on base

476

PERETZ REUVEN

On the other hand, it could possibly be read as alla, with the first letter alif (‫ )ا‬and the two vertical lines connected to it a double lam (‫)ل‬. The word to the left of the handle is comprised of an alif (‫)ا‬, lam (‫)ل‬, ta (‫ )ط‬and alif maksura (‫)ئ‬, and if this reading is correct, it is the name of a tribe, Alta. Based on paleographic considerations (see parallels below), this lamp can be dated to the ninth century, or even the tenth century.

1

2

4

3

0

2

Fig. 13.86. Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

2269

33789

II

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with circles made up of ten small adjoining circles; geometric design on channel

2

2228

33288

I

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with stylized geometric pattern; four V shapes between two vertical lines on channel

3

1317

14010

I

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; shoulder decorated with lozenge pattern

4

3680

57346

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; shoulder decorated with stylized niches with stylized objects inside them; geometric design on channel

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

477

Parallels: Similar channel-nozzle lamps decorated with the same-shaped letters were found at Bet She’an (Hadad 2002:102, Nos. 454–456; Type 37). Here too, one side of the inscription was written in the regular manner, right to left, while the opposite side was written in mirror writing, from left to right. As noted above, these lamps (Type 37 at Bet She’an) appeared at the end of the eighth–beginning of the ninth centuries and were in use until at least the eleventh century (Hadad 2002:105). At Caesarea, an oil lamp of this type (Medieval Type C; c. 750–960 CE) has an inscription written in the same script (Arnon 2008c:249, Fig. 24:129).

1

2

0

2

Fig. 13.87. Pentagonal channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1549

16752

III

Yellow 10YR 7/6 clay; filling hole surrounded by ridge and a square; shoulder decorated with small rhomboids inside large rhomboids; palm branch on channel; pentagonal base

2

2333

35215

II

Yellow 10YR 7/6 clay; filling hole surrounded by ridge and a square; shoulder decorated with small rhomboids inside large rhomboids; tree of life(?) on channel; pentagonal base

478

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3 0

2

Fig. 13.88 Channel-nozzle lamps (CNLa). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

3670

67918

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 8/6 clay; well levigated; simple scroll decoration under green glaze on exterior; faint traces of green glaze on interior

2

2376

36432

III

Light gray 10YR 7/2 clay; well levigated; green glaze on exterior, faint traces of green glaze on interior; no visible decoration

3

2379

37930

III

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; white and black grits; inscription in large Kufic letters on the shoulder

Miniature Lamps (MinLa; Fig. 13.89) Five miniature lamps were collected in the Abbasid strata during the Givati excavations, four of them in the sampled Area M2. These miniature lamps are similar in shape to channel-nozzle lamps, but the decoration is simpler, probably due to the restricted surface. Some are undecorated (Fig. 13.89:1), some are decorated only on the channel nozzle with a palm branch (Fig. 13.89:2), while others are decorated with simple geometric designs all over the body (not always identical on both sides of the lamp), consisting mainly of circles with a central dot (Fig. 13.89:3–5).

479

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

5

4 0

2

Fig. 13.89. Miniature oil lamps (MinLa). No

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1633

19302

IIB

Light red 2.5 YR 6/6 clay; no decoration

2

1537

16472

III

Light red 2.5 YR 6/6 clay; palm branch on channel

3

1547

18556

III

Light red 2.5 YR 6/6 clay; shoulder decorated with asymmetrical pattern of circles with a central dot; on one side is a line above them starting in a circle

4

1327

12450

I

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; shoulder decorated with asymmetrical pattern of circles with a central dot; on one side is a line above them starting in a circle

5

3570

56251

IIA

Light red 2.5 YR 6/6 clay; shoulder decorated with a vegetal, scroll-like pattern on both sides; stylized tree of life on channel

Parallels: One miniature oil lamp was found at Tiberias (Vincenz 2008:159, Fig. 4.5). Close parallels were found at Bet She’an among the Type 37 lamps (Hadad 2002: Nos. 465–467) and two at Caesarea––one dated to 640–1200, the other to the Umayyad–Abbasid periods (Hadad 2002:105). Lanterns (Lan; Fig. 13.90) In general, the typical Early Islamic lantern is a closed vessel with a dome-shaped body and a handle at the top. The body walls are perforated by small holes or cut in lattice patterns of triangles or rhombuses (Fig. 13.90:1, 2). On one side, just above the base, is a large opening for inserting an oil lamp or candle. One unusual sherd (Fig. 13.90:3) has a zigzag finish along the upper perimeter of the opening and is flared in its upper part. Burnished bands appear on two lanterns (Fig. 13.90:2, 3). The small sherd in Fig. 13.90:4 has pierced holes and is probably from a lantern, but it could also be a strainer. Parallels: Parallels to Fig. 13.90:1, 2 are seen at Ramla (eighth century; Rosen-Ayalon and Eitan 1968:140; Rosen-Ayalon 1992:1269), and at Nishapur in Iran, one made of Buff Ware (Wilkinson 1973:307: Nos. 52, 53). At Bet She’an, there is a parallel to the flared

480

PERETZ REUVEN

1 2 0

2

0

2

3 4

0

10

Fig. 13.90. Lanterns (Lan). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1440

15013

IIB

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray-brown core; burnished; lattice pattern

2

1468

15338/17

IIB

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray-brown core; burnished; lattice pattern

3

1951

26325

III

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; gray core; small white grits; combing; burnished

4

1440

15102/5

IIB

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; small white and black grits; orange-brown slip; large round holes in walls made before firing

upper part of Fig. 13.90:3 (Umayyad period; Bar-Nathan 2011: Fig. 11.55:5) and to Fig. 13.90:4 (Umayyad period; Hadad 2002:144–145, Nos. 529, 531; Bar-Nathan 2011: Fig. 11.55:1, 6, 7). Oil Lamps: Summary Large candlestick lamps (Type CaLa) were found in the Umayyad Stratum IV and early Abbasid Stratum III. Channel-nozzle lamps (Type CNLa) dominated the lamp assemblage throughout the Abbasid period (Table 13.10). Table 13.10. Oil Lamps Stratum Type

IV (% of type in category)

CaLa

4 (100%)

III (% of type in category)

IIB (% of type in category)

21 (72%)

9 (69%)

MiLa

2 (7%)

1 (8%)

Lan

1 (4%)

3 (23%)

29 (59%)

13 (27%)

4 (8%)

I (% of type in category)

5 (17%)

CNLa

Total (% of total category)

IIA (% of type in category) 2 (100%)

1 (100%) 2 (4%)

1 (2%)

Total (% of oil lamps)

Figs.

9 (18%)

13.81

32 (66%)

13.82– 13.88

4 (8%)

13.89

4 (8%)

13.90

49 (100%)

481

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

Miscellaneous Objects (Table 13.11, Figs. 13.91–13.94) Lids with a High Central Knob Handle (KHL; Fig. 13.91) These are shallow bowl-shaped lids with a high, central knob handle and a thick, flat base (Fig. 13.91:1, 3, 4), a disc base or a slightly concave base (Fig. 13.91:2). Eleven lids of this type were found, three in Stratum IV made of red-colored ware, and eight in Strata III–II made of Buff Ware. Thus, it is suggested that these lids continued in use until the early ninth century, somewhat later than the date proposed by Magness (below). Parallels: This type corresponds to Magness’ Lids and Stoppers Form 2 (sixth–eighth centuries; Magness 1993:248). Similar lids were found in Jerusalem in the City of David (late sixth–seventh centuries; Magness 1992b: Fig. 13.17) and in the Armenian Garden (Byzantine Phases ID, II; Tushingham 1985: Figs. 28.32; 30.9); examples are also known from Khirbat al-Mafjar (Baramki 1944: Fig. 13:27, 28).

1

2

3

4

0

10

Fig. 13.91. Lids with high central knob handle (KHL). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1805

23306/2

V–IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay; white grits

2

1769

23208/17

IV

Red 10R 5/8 clay; white grits

3

1459

16999/2

IV

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty

4

1398

14250/8

IIB

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty

Zoomorphic Figurine (Fi; Fig. 13.92) One zoomorphic figurine head was found in an Early Islamic context in the Givati excavation, in a Stratum II fill outside the sampled area. It is schematic, the head is flattened, narrowing toward the pointed nose, with two small ears or horns. Zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines were common in the Umayyad period, some of which apparently served as toys.

0

2

Fig. 13.92. Figurine (Fi) head of an animal. Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

2225

33814

II

Yellowish red 5YR 5/8 clay; very few small white grits; hard-fired; head of an animal

482

PERETZ REUVEN

Parallels: No identical parallels were found, but such figurines are known from Bet She’an (Bar-Nathan 2011:325, Figs. 11.59–11.63) and Ramla (Rosen-Ayalon and Eitan 1969), and examples are published from Nishapur in Iran, some of them identified as toys (Wilkinson 1973:354, Nos. 119, 126, 130). Drain Pipes (Pi; Fig. 13.93) Two drain pipes from Abbasid Strata III–II have a tall, cylindrical body (the largest is c. 25 cm and the smaller is c. 15 cm in height) with pronounced ribs both inside and out, a short neck, a ridged and carinated shoulder designed to fit precisely into the adjacent pipe, and a slightly flared bottom edge. Parallels: Parallels were found at Bet She’an (Umayyad period; Bar-Nathan 2011: Fig. 11.66:1–4, Pipes Group 1).

1

2 0

10

Fig. 13.93. Drain Pipes (Pi). No.

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Description

1

1537

16764/21/23

III

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; large white grits

2

2229

36799/20

IIA

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; large white grits

Crucibles (Cru; Fig. 13.94) The crucibles are small, deep, crudely made bowls with a simple pinched rim, upright, rounded walls and a round base, and they still contain bronze residue. Two originate in Stratum III (Fig. 13.94:2, 3), and a similar example was found in Byzantine Stratum V (Fig. 13.94:1). Parallels: Parallels were found at Tiberias in Stratum I (1033–1100 CE; Stacey 2004:104, Fig. 5.16:6) and at Aqaba in the Fatimid Residence (Whitcomb 1988: Fig. 5i).

483

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

2

1

3

2

0

Fig. 13.94. Crucibles (Cru). No.

Locus

Basket. No

Stratum

Description

1

1949

26252

V

Dark gray 7.5YR 4/1 clay, crude, sandy; quartz grits

2

1972

26350

III

Dark gray 7.5YR 4/1 clay, crude, sandy; quartz grits

3

1972

26350/2

III

Dark gray 7.5YR 4/1 clay, crude, sandy; quartz grits

Table 13.11. Varia Type KHL

Stratum

IV 2 (plain ware)

III 4 (Buff Ware)

Pi

1

Cru

2

Total

2

7

IIB

IIA

4 (Buff Ware) 1 4

1

I

Total

Figs.

10

13.91

2

13.93

2

13.94

14

Assemblages from R epresentative Loci This section presents a number of representative loci from each stratum that originate in stratigraphically secure contexts, mainly floors and sealed pits. Our purpose is to illustrate typical ceramic assemblages of each period, and to this end, we have chosen to illustrate examples of the latest-dated types in each locus that were common to the period, and which also establish a terminus post quem for the locus. Earlier, residual types are, for the most part, not illustrated. In the accompanying figure tables, reference is made to the type of each vessel, and the relevant pottery figure in the preceding typology.

484

PERETZ REUVEN

Stratum IV: The Umayyad Period (Early Seventh–Mid-Eighth Centuries CE) Floors 1446, 1447, 1448 and 1449 (Fig. 13.95) These loci comprise two plaster floors above the Byzantine street, on either side of W1148, and probably represent an Umayyad-period house (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.3). The ceramic assemblage originating in this context is diverse, and includes a few early wares, such as Iron Age and Late Roman–Byzantine sherds (not illustrated), while the bulk of the ceramic finds dates typologically to the end of the Byzantine–Umayyad periods. The types include Fine Byzantine Ware bowls (FBW), one of which corresponds to Magness’ FBW Form 1A, a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype A (FBWB-A), which first appeared in the Umayyad period, and a single slightly carinated bowl (SCB), a type that apparently began to appear at the end of the Umayyad period. The other vessels chosen for illustration include arched-rim basins (ARB), two of which (Nos. 4, 6) are decorated with combed bands and correspond to Magness’ Form 2A, a casserole of Type CA3 and a casserole lid (CAL), a jar that seems to be an early version of the jars with a swollen neck (SNSJ), a base of a Fine Byzantine Ware jug (FBWJu) and a candlestick lamp (CaLa). Based on the above types, this assemblage represents an Umayyad-period repertoire. Most of the types date to the late sixth–early eighth centuries; some are types that first appeared in the Umayyad period, and types characteristic of the Abbasid period are absent, suggesting a date no later than the mid-eighth century.

Fig. 13.95 ► No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBW Form 1A; Fig. 13.1

1446

15145/14

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; hard-fired; incised wavy line on exterior

2

Bowl

FBWB-A; Fig. 13.2

1447

15460/12

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; hardfired; pare burnishing on exterior

3

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

1447

15452/5

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; hardfired

4

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1446

15145/5

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; gray core; hard-fired; combing decoration

5

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1449

15240/5

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; gray core

6

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1449

15249/5

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; gray core; combing on body and rim

7

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42

1446

15093/10

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

8

Casserole lid

CAL; Fig. 13.46

1449

15243/4

Red 2.5YR 5/6 clay; small white grits; hardfired

9

Storage Jar

SNSJ; Fig. 13.53

1446

15145/21

Light brown 7.5YR 7/6 clay; small white grits

10

Juglet

FBWJu; Fig. 13.60:3

1448

14993/2

Light reddish brown 5YR6/4 clay; gray core; small white grits; hard-fired

11

Oil lamp

CaLa; Fig. 13.81:2–5

1447

15484/1

Light reddish brown 5YR6/4 clay; gray core; few small white grits; hard-fired

485

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4

5

6 7

8

9

10

0

10

11

Fig. 13.95. Stratum IV: Floors 1446, 1447, 1448, 1449.

Floors 1444 and 1463 (Fig. 13.96) These loci comprise two superimposed Stratum IV plaster floors in an open space south of Limekiln 1850 (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.2). Apart from a few vessels dated to the Late Roman and Byzantine periods, found mainly in L1444 (ARS, LRC, rouletted bowls; not illustrated), most of the vessels in these two loci can be attributed to the late Byzantine– Umayyad periods. They include a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype D (FBWB-D), a slightly carinated bowl (SCB) and several arched-rim basins (ARB). A casserole of Type CA1 with a thick, straight, horizontal handle (seventh century CE) was recovered from the make-up of Floor 1444, and provides the earliest possible dating for the floor. Three Gaza storage jars (GSJ) are a type typical of the Byzantine period that continued into the beginning of the Early Islamic period. The other jars in this assemblage include four examples of a storage jar with a short neck and a collar at the base of the neck (SNCSJ), and a holemouth jar dated prior to 750 CE at Bet She’an (see Bar-Nathan 2011:231–233, Fig. 11.3). In summary, the vessels on these two floors date no later than the seventh–early eighth centuries CE, and support the stratigraphic attribution of these two floors to the Umayyad period.

486

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

11 9 10

0

10

Fig. 13.96. Stratum IV: Floors 1444, 1463. No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

1444

15126/33

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

2

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

1444

15024/13

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; gray core; few small white grits; hard-fired

3

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1444

15058/2

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; pinkish gray 5YR 7/2 core; small white and gray grits; combing on rim

4

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1444

15024/12

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; pinkish gray 5YR 7/2 core; few small white grits; combed decoration; hardfired

5

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1444

15126/30

Very pale brown 10YR 8/4 clay; light gray 10YR 7/2 core; small white and gray grits

6

Casserole

CA1; Fig. 13.40

1444

15126/26

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay, small white grits, hardfired

7

Jar

GSJ; Fig. 13.50

1463

15780/15

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; medium to small white grits; hard-fired

8

Jar

GSJ; Fig. 13.50

1463

15818/7

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; medium to small white grits; hard-fired

9

Jar

GSJ; Fig. 13.50

1444

15058/11

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; medium to small white grits; hard-fired

10

Jar

SNCSJ; Fig. 13.51

1444

15008/13

Very pale brown 10YR 8/3 clay; small white grits; hardfired

11

Jar

HoSJ; Fig. 13.57:1, 2

1444

15058/6

Light Reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

487

Floor 1812 (Fig. 13.97) This is a plaster floor west of Limekiln 1850 (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.2). One of the imported Byzantine bowls in this assemblage is a Late Roman C Ware bowl (LRCB). Other open forms include a number of Fine Byzantine Ware bowls and Fine Burnished Ware bowls of Subtype D (FBWB-D) and Subtype E (FBWB-E), and several arched-rim basins (ARB). The storage jars comprise a Gaza storage jar (GSJ) and a Type SNCSJ; two lids with a high central knob handle were also found on the floor (KHL). This assemblage testifies that Floor 1812 dates no earlier than the mid-seventh century and no later than the mid-eighth century.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11 12

13 0

10

Fig. 13.97. Stratum IV: Floor 1812.

488

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.97 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

LRCB; Fig. 13.15:3

1812

23610/10

Red 10R 5/8 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

2

Bowl

Fine Byzantine Ware; Fig. 13.1

1812

23477/28

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/6 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

3

Bowl

Fine Byzantine Ware; Fig. 13.1

1812

23477/37

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; horizontal burnished bands and incised wavy line on exterior

4

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

1812

23477/21

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits

5

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1812

23322/9

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; horizontal pareburnished bands on exterior

6

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1812

23568/22

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; gray core; small white grits; horizontal pare-burnished bands on exterior

7

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1812

23477/6

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits

8

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1812

23477/13

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits; horizontal pare-burnished bands on exterior

9

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1812

23322/3

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; pinkish gray 5YR 7/2 core; small white and gray grits

10

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1812

23610/1

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; pinkish gray 5YR 7/2 core; small white grits; combing on rim

11

Jar

GSJ; Fig. 13.50

1812

23477/23

Reddish brown 5YR 5/4 clay; small white grits

12

Jar

SNCSJ; Fig. 13.51

1812

24597/3

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

13

Lid

KHL; Fig. 13.91

1812

23477/36

Reddish gray 5YR 5/2 clay; small white grits

Fill 1769 (Fig. 13.98) Locus 1769 is a fill consisting mainly of pieces of limestone and marble that were piled west of Limekiln 1850 and served as raw material for the operation of the kiln during the Umayyad period (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.4). The pottery comprises vessels from the late Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods. The latest types originating in this locus include Fine Burnished Ware bowls of Subtype E (FBWB-E), arched-rim basins (ARB), casseroles of Type CA2 with a wishbone handle, large, collared-neck storage jars (LCNSJ), a holemouth jar (HoSJ), Fine Byzantine Ware jugs (FBWJu), a lid with a high central knob handle (KHL) and two large candlestick lamps (CaLa), one bearing a Greek inscription in relief. Many of the vessel types in this fill did not appear later than the early eighth century, and only a few continued into the subsequent Abbasid period. Thus, Fill 1769 was accumulated no later than the early eighth century.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

489

1 2

5 4

3

6

7

0

8

10

0

9

2

Fig. 13.98. Stratum IV: Fill 1769. No.

Vessel

Type/Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1769

23067/16

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

2

Basin

ARB; Fig. 13.17

1769

22825/6

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light-brown core; small white grits; combing on exterior

3

Casserole

CA2; Fig. 13.41

1769

22709/6

Red 10R 5/6 clay; small white grits; hard-fired

4

Jar

LCNSJ; Fig. 13.52

1769

23090/1

Pink 7.5YR 7/4 clay

5

Jar

HoSJ; Fig. 13.57:1, 2

1769

23785/7

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; combed decoration

6

Jug

FBWJu; Fig. 13.60

1769

22949/14

Reddish yellow 5YR6/6 clay; incised gashes

7

Lid

KHL; Fig. 13.91

1769

23208/27

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; small white grits; hardfired

8

Oil lamp

CaLa; Fig. 13.81

1769

23090/2

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

9

Oil lamp

CaLa; Fig. 13.81

1769

22904/2

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; Greek inscription in relief

490

PERETZ REUVEN

Stratum III: The Abbasid Period (Mid-Eighth–Ninth Centuries CE) Among the dozens of sealed pits excavated in Stratum III, representing the remains of an open-air marketplace, several were rich in ceramic material, including Pits 1793 and 1479 (see Chapter 12: Plans 12.12, 12.14). Pit 1793 (Fig. 13.99) The ceramic assemblage from Pit 1793 includes Fine Byzantine Ware bowls (FBWB Form 1 Variants A and B), a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype E (FBWB-E), a body sherd of a kerbschnitt bowl––a type that only appears after the Umayyad period (CWB), and incurved-rim basins of Types IRB-A–C. Cooking ware includes casserole fragments, all of Type CA3, several casserole lids (CAL) and a globular cooking pot (CP1). Among the jugs are a globular jug without decoration (BW1Ju) and a jug with incised decoration (BW3Ju), as well as a monochrome turquoise-glazed jug with a flat base (GLJu1).

Fig. 13.99 ► No

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

Fine Byzantine Ware; Fig. 13.1

1793

23413/9

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; burnished bands on exterior

2

Bowl

Fine Byzantine Ware; Fig. 13.1

1793

23150/20

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; burnished bands on exterior

3

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6:1

1793

23205/40

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

4

Cut-ware (kerbschnitt) bowl

CWB; Fig. 13.13

1793

23413/7

Red brown 10YR 5/6 clay; very small white grits

5

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1793

23149/20

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; horizontal combing on exterior

6

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1793

23150/8

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; wavy combing on rim and exterior wall

7

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 13.21

1793

23413/21

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; thick gray core; fired to light red 2.5YR 6/8 on surface

8

Basin

IRB-B; Fig. 13.20

1793

23149/13

Olive-yellow 2.5Y 6/6 clay; burnishing marks on exterior

9

Casserole

CA3; Figs 13.42, 13.43

1793

23150/26

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; gritty

10

Cooking pot

CP1; Fig. 13.47

1793

23413/12

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/3 clay; black and gray core; gritty; combing on exterior

11

Casserole lid

CAL; Fig. 13.46

1793

23261/3/9/23

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; gritty; steamhole

12

Casserole lid

CAL; Fig. 13.46

1793

23205/40

Dark grayish brown 10YR 4/2 clay; gritty

13

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1793

23149/15

White 5Y 8/1 clay

14

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1793

23149/16

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

15

Glazed jug

GLJu1; Fig. 13.70

1793

23149/8

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; white grits; white slip under turquoise glaze on interior and exterior

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

3 2

1

5

4 2

0

6 7

8

10

9

12

11

13

14

15 0

10

Fig. 13.99. Stratum III: Pit 1793.

491

492

PERETZ REUVEN

Pit 1479 (Figs. 13.100, 13.101) This pit contained a rich assemblage of open-form vessels. These include a slightly carinated bowl (SCB), incurved-rim basins of Type A (IRB-A) and Type C (IRB-C), and lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls of Types GLB2b and GLB2c. Also in this pit were casseroles of Type CA3, a plain-ware jug with a rounded body (RBJu), an incised Buff Ware jug (BW3Ju), a small container (SC1), a miniature vessel MiV) and a channel-nozzle lamp (CNLa), which is not found prior to the mid-eighth century at Givati. The vessels found in Pit 1479 are dated almost exclusively to the Abbasid period. All the types began to appear in the mid- to late eighth century, except for the casseroles of Type CA3, which could be of somewhat earlier date. In summary, these Stratum III pits contained a large amount of domestic pottery, mainly tableware and storage vessels. Among them are pottery types that already existed in the previous Umayyad stratum, such as Fine Byzantine Ware bowls and Fine Burnished bowls, alongside new types that make their first appearance in Stratum III, such as lead-glazed bowls (GLB2). Buff Ware makes its earliest appearance in the Givati assemblages in Stratum III, represented by bowls (the ware of most of the glazed bowls) and jugs (BW1Ju; BW3Ju).

Fig. 13.100 ► No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Basket

Locus

Description

1

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

16407/2

1479

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay

2

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

16534

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; combed decoration

3

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

16558

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; deep imprints in the form of rhombuses on outer rim

4

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

16467/1

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; crude combing

5

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

16340/11

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay; combed decoration

6

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 13.21

16383/1

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay

7

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 13.21

16383/2

1479

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay

8

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.27

16526

1479

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glazed on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background on interior; no glaze on exterior

9

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.27

16326

1479

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glazed on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background on interior and exterior

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 0

10

Fig. 13.100. Stratum III: Pit 1479.

493

494

PERETZ REUVEN

2 1

3

5

4

6

7

8 0

0

2

10

Fig. 13.101. Stratum III: Pit 1479. No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Glazed bowl

GLB2c; Fig. 13.28

1479

14653

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; transparent, light greenish glaze on interior with dark brown-painted design and patches of dark green; patches of transparent light green on exterior near rim

2

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1479

16179/7

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay;

3

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1479

16179/4

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay

4

Jug

RBJu; Fig. 13.58

1479

16534

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits

5

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1479

16435/2

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

6

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

1479

16495/1

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; hard-fired,

7

Miniature vessel

MiV; Fig. 13.80

1479

16534/1

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits; well levigated; dark red slip on exterior

8

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

1479

16495/1

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; mold made; rim decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes; palm branch on channel; almond-shaped base

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

495

Stratum II: The Abbasid Period (Ninth–Tenth Centuries CE) Phase IIB (Figs. 13.102–13.105) The representative assemblages originating in this phase comprise pottery retrieved from the well-stratified floors of Buildings 1421, 1637 and 2278 (see Chapter 12). Building 1421: Floors 1398, 1407, 1440, 1468, 1474 and 1486 (Figs. 13.102, 13.103) This assemblage was recovered on the plaster floors of Building 1421 (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.30) and comprises mainly tableware, alongside cooking ware and storage vessels. The open-form vessels include Fine Burnished Ware bowls of Subtypes A–E (FBWB-A–E), a slightly carinated bowl (SCB), incurved-rim basins of Types A–C (IRB-A–C), a lead-glazed Fig. 13.102 ► No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-A; Fig. 13.2

1468

15338/4

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/8 clay; small white grits; orangebrown slip

2

Bowl

FBWB-B; Fig. 13.3

1468

15338/7

Reddish yellow 5YR 7/6 clay

3

Bowl

FBWB-C; Fig. 13.4

1440

15265/11

Reddish yellow 5YR6/6 clay; hard-fired; exterior burnished

4

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

1474

15381/3

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/3 clay; burnished interior and exterior

5

Bowl

FBWB-E; Fig. 13.6

1474

15381/6

Light red 2.5YR6/8 clay; exterior rim surface light brown

6

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

1474

15380/11

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; few white grits; blackened probably from fire

7

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1398

15165/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; white grits; combing on rim and wall

8

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1398

15165/1

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; many white grits; light brown slip on interior and exterior; combing under the rim

9

Basin

IRB-B; Fig. 13.20

1407

14947/1

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 core; small white grits; pare burnishing on exterior

10

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 1.21

1440

15371/7

Very pale brown 10YR7/3 clay; self slip

11

Glazed bowl

GLB1; Fig. 13.26

1440

15605/4

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; monochrome green glaze on interior; pale green glaze on exterior

12

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

1468

15338/5

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; small white grits; light brown slip; yellow-light green glaze on interior

13

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

1468

15338/3

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; few small white grits; yellow slip on interior; glazed on interior

14

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

1486

15718/6

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; transparent, light greenish glaze on interior and exterior; green and dark yellow painted patches

15

Glazed bowl

GLB2c; Fig. 13.29

1440

15265/13

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; pale yellow glaze on interior; green dots and black stripes on exterior; yellow glaze and green dots on rim

16

Glazed bowl

GLB6; Fig. 13.34

1440

15371/9

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; opaque white glaze on interior and exterior

17

Glazed bowl

GLB8; Fig. 13.36

1474

15380/10

White 7.5YR 8/1 clay; white slip on interior and exterior; polychrome: dark brown, brown, green and gold luster glaze on interior; white slip and transparent glaze on exterior

496

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

5

4

6 7

8

9

10

11

13

14

12

15 0

16

17 0

10

Fig. 13.102. Phase IIB: Building 1421: Floors 1398, 1407, 1440, 1468, 1474, 1486.

2

497

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

1

2

4

3

6

5

7

10 8

9

2

0

12

11 0

13

2

14

15 0

0

10

Fig. 13.103. Phase IIB: Building 1421: Floors 1398, 1407, 1440, 1468, 1474.

2

498

PERETZ REUVEN

◄ Fig. 13.103 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1440

15265/7

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; gritty

2

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1468

15338/18

Reddish brown 5YR 5/3 clay; gritty

3

Casserole lid

CAL; Fig. 13.46

1440

15333/18

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; gritty

4

Glazed Casserole

GLCA; Fig. 13.48

1440

15265/3

Dark reddish brown 5YR 3/2 clay; coarse; white grits

5

Jar

SNSJ; Fig. 13.53

1440

15371/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay

6

Jar

SNSJ; Fig. 13.53

1474

15380/9

Pink brown 5YR 8/4 clay; white grits; light brown slip

7

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1440

15371/5

White 5Y 8/1 clay

8

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1407

14263/3

White 5Y 8/1 clay; gritty

9

Jug

Bw1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1468

15338/16

White 5Y 8/1 clay

10

Jug

BW2Ju; Fig. 13.62

1474

15381/12

Pinkish white 5YR 8/2 clay; gritty; combing on shoulder

11

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1407

14263/8

White 5Y 8/1 clay; gritty; delicate incised geometric design

12

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

1440

15265/17

Brown 7.5YR 5/3 clay; light brown slip on exterior

13

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

1440

15265/18

Brown 7.5YR 5/3 clay; light brown slip on exterior

14

Lantern

Lan; Fig. 13.90

1440

15013

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; gray-brown core; pare burnishing; cut in a delicate lattice pattern in the upper part

15

Lantern

Lan; Fig. 13.90

1440

15102/5

Light red 10R 6/6 clay; small white and black grits; orange-brown slip; large round holes in walls made before firing

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

499

monochrome Buff Ware bowl (GLB1), lead-glazed, decorated Buff Ware bowl (GLB2a–c), a white, tin-glazed bowl (GLB6), and a polychrome, luster-painted bowl (GLB8). Cooking ware includes casseroles of Type CA3, a casserole lid (CAL) and a glazed casserole (GLCA). Other vessels illustrated here are jars with a swollen neck (SNSJ), fine Buff Ware jugs with a globular body (BW1Ju), a Buff Ware jug with a cylindrical body (BW2Ju), an incised Buff Ware jug (BW3Ju), small containers (SC1) and two lanterns (Lan). In summary, the ceramic assemblage from Building 1421 of Phase IIB is domestic in nature, and most of the types can be dated to the mid/end of the eighth to the tenth centuries. Based on the appearance of types such as the slightly carinated bowl (SCB), which disappears in the tenth century, and the luster-painted glazed bowl imported from Mesopotamia (GLB8), which should probably be dated to the third quarter of the ninth century, a date in the mid–late ninth century is suggested for the beginning of Phase IIB. Building 1637: Room 1636: Floors 1636 and 1630 (Fig. 13.104) Building 1637 consisted of several rooms arranged in a row facing an open square and Street 2250 (see Chapter 12: Plans 12.17, 12.18), which probably functioned as workshops or shops. The assemblage was uncovered in the westernmost room (Room 1636) on two superimposed plaster floors. It includes a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype A (FBWB-A) and another of Subtype B (FBWB-B), three incurved-rim basins of Type A (IRB-A), two casseroles of Type CA3, and two short, ridged-neck storage jars (RSNSJ). Several Buff Ware vessels include a jug with a globular body (BW1Ju) and a jug with a cylindrical body (BW2Ju), two incised jugs, one with incised pseudo calligraphy (BWJu), and two jug handles (HaJu). Also illustrated is a miniature vessel (MiV) and a channelnozzle oil lamp (CNLa). Although the exact nature of Building 1637 is not entirely clear, the assemblage consists of a variety of domestic pottery, including tableware (some of them finely decorated), cooking casseroles and storage vessels, a repertoire dating to the early ninth– tenth centuries.

500

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

4

5

7

6

9

8

10

11

2

0

13

14

12

16

15 0

10

Fig. 13.104. Phase IIB: Building 1637: Room 1636: Floors 1636, 1630.

17

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

501

Fig. 13.104 ► No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-A; Fig. 13.2

1636

18894/11

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; burnishing marks on lower wall

2

Bowl

FBWB-B; Fig. 13.3

1630

19069/4

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; burnishing marks under the rim

3

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1636

18894/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; deep imprints on rim

4

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1636

19134/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; deep imprints on rim

5

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1630

19069/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core

6

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1630

19069/1

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits

7

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1636

19134/2

Dark reddish gray 2.5YR 4/1 clay; white grits

8

Jar

RSNSJ Variant A; Fig. 13.55

1636

18895/6

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits; ridge on the neck

9

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

1636

18894/12

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; light gray core; small white grits

10

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1636

18895/13/14 18894/8

White 5Y 8/1 clay; remnants of strainer on neck

11

Jug

BW2Ju; Fig. 13.62

1636

18894/3

White 5Y 8/1 clay; combing below neck

12

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1636

18885/4 18895/2/3/7 18894/13/17/19

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration and pseudo calligraphy; incised and stamped handle

13

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1630

19069/16

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

14

Jug handle

HaJu; Fig. 13.69

1636

18895/5

White 5Y 8/1 clay; handle with plastic decoration

15

Jug handle

HaJu, Fig. 13.69

1636

19134/10

White 5Y 8/1 clay; handle with plastic decoration

16

Miniature vessel

MiV; Fig. 13.80

1630

19069/11

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/8 clay; well levigated

17

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 1.82

1630

19069/13

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; white grits; mold made; rim decorated with scrolls and bunches of grapes

Building 2278: Room 2366: Floor 2366 and Ṭabun 2384 (Fig. 13.105). This building, located in Area M3 and not included in the sampled area, consists of several rooms and installations and probably housed a bone workshop (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.20; see also Chapter 16). In Room 2366 was a well-stratified plaster floor (L2366) with a ṭabun incorporated into it (L2384). The make-up of Floor 2366 yielded a small number of Byzantine sherds (not illustrated) together with Abbasid pottery, while the pottery on the floor itself and in Ṭabun 2384 dated exclusively to the Abbasid period. The representative

502

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

5

4

7 6

8

9 0

10

Fig. 13.105. Phase IIB: Building 2278: Room 2366: Floor 2366, Ṭabun 2384. No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-C; Fig. 13.4

2384

35971/4

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; hard-fired

2

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

2384

35971/1

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; few white grits

3

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2366

35622/5

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; comb decoration

4

Basin

IRB-B; Fig. 13.20

2384

35971/7

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; few white grits; burnished bands on exterior

5

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

2366

35622/7

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; many white and gray grits; white slip on interior and exterior rim; green and black on a very light yellow background glaze on interior

6

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

2384

35971/2

Pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2 clay; gritty; white slip; transparent, light greenish glaze on interior and exterior, dark brown- and dark green-painted design

7

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

2366

35571/4/5

Reddish gray 2.5YR 5/1 clay; few small white grits

8

Jar

SNBSJ; Fig. 13.54

2366

35623/8

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; light brown slip

9

Jug handle

HaJu; Fig. 13.69

2366

35623

White 5Y 8/1 clay

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

503

assemblage presented here, from the floor and ṭabun, comprises mainly tableware, with a cooking casserole and a jar. The open-form vessels include a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype C (FBWB-C), a slightly carinated bowl (SCB), incurved-rim basins of Type A (IRB-A) and Type B (IRB-B), and lead-glazed, decorated Buff Ware bowls (GLB2b). Also illustrated here is a casserole of Type CA3, a straight-neck jar with a beveled rim (SNBSJ), and a handle that may have belonged to a Buff Ware jug (HaJu). In summary, Building 2278 is characterized by a domestic pottery assemblage dated to the early ninth–tenth centuries. Phase IIA This phase is represented by assemblages from the upper floors in Buildings 1421 and 2278, overlying those of Phase IIB (see above). Comparison of these two assemblages attests to only minor differences. For example, no slightly carinated bowls (SCB) or polychrome luster-painted bowls (GLB8) are recorded in Phase IIA, while lead-glazed bowls of both Buff Ware and light red ware, decorated with wide green bands and bordered by black lines (GLB2d), appear only in Phase IIA. Building 1421: Floors 1409, 1451 and 1464 (Figs. 13.106, 13.107) In Phase IIA, it is suggested by the excavator that Building 1421 was the residence of the overseer of the industrial area (see Chapter 12). In this phase, the representative assemblage was recovered from three plaster floors, one in Room 1409, and two superimposed floors (L1451, L1464) in Room 1464 in the northeastern unit (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.42). The open-form vessels include a Fine Burnished Ware bowl of Subtype D (FBWB-D), a flatbased bowl with handles (FBHB), incurved-rim basins of Type A (IRB-A), and Type C (IRB-C), and local, lead-glazed, decorated Buff Ware bowls (GLB2a, b, d). The cooking vessels include a casserole of Type CA3, a casserole of Type CA5 and two casserole lids (CAL). Also illustrated are short, ridged-neck storage jars (RSNSJ), a jug with a rounded body (RBJu), incised Buff Ware jugs (BW3Ju), two small containers (SC1), two channelnozzle lamps (CNLa), and a miniature globular jar (MiV). In summary, the vessels from the floors of this phase of Building 1421 were mainly tableware and storage vessels: many basins, glazed bowls and Buff Ware jugs, as well as jars, with relatively few cooking wares. In general, the assemblage dates to the Abbasid period, with some vessel types more common in later contexts of the period, e.g., casserole Type CA5, and short, ridged-neck storage jars (RSNSJ-B). Building 2278 This building underwent few changes in Phase IIA, probably retaining its function as a workshop. The ceramic assemblage from Building 2278 in Phase IIA originated in three rooms: Rooms 2323, 2278 and 2262 (see Chapter 12: Plan 12.35).

504

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

9

10 11

13

12

15

14 0

10

Fig. 13.106. Phase IIA: Building 1421: Loci 1409, 1451, 1464.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

505

◄ Fig. 13.106 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

1409

15064/4

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; few white grits; burnished near the rim

2

Bowl

FBHB; Fig. 13.10

1409

14955/10

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 clay; few white grits; gray core

3

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1409

14955/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; few white and black grits; combed decoration

4

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 13.21

1409

14954/4

Reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) clay; light gray core; few white grits

5

Basin

IRB-C; Fig. 13.21

1409

14955/5

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; light brown slip on exterior; gray core; few white and black grits

6

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

1409

147491/1

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; white slip on interior and exterior; light green glaze on the interior over green and brown pattern; short brown lines on interior; patches of transparent glaze on exterior

7

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

1409

14955/14

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light green glaze on the interior over green and brown pattern; short brown lines on interior; patches of transparent glaze on exterior

8

Glazed bowl

GLB2d; Fig. 13.30

1409

14956/3

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; light green glaze on interior with dark green lines; patches of light greenish glaze on exterior

9

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

1409

14957/9

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; transparent, light green glaze on interior with dark brown lines and dark green patches; transparent, light green glaze on exterior with green circles

10

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

1409

15287/1

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; white grits; transparent, light greenish glaze on interior decorated with brown blots

11

Glazed bowl

GLB2d; Fig. 13.30

1409

14956/28

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; very small white grits; light yellow slip on interior and exterior; transparent yellow glaze on interior with green bands bordered by wide black lines

12

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

1409

14775/3

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/2 clay; black on exterior; white grits; combed decoration

13

Casserole

CA5; Fig. 13.45

1409

14525/6

Reddish brown 2.5YR 4/4 clay; white grits

14

Casserole lid

CA; Fig. 13.46

1409

15287/20

Dark brown 7.5YR 3/3 clay; white grits

15

Casserole lid

CAL; Fig. 13.46

1464

15285/12

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; white grits; black core

506

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

5

4

6

8

7

9 0

10

11

10

0

2

12

Fig. 13.107. Phase IIA: Building 1421: Loci 1409, 1451, 1464.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

507

◄ Fig. 13.107 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

1409

14953/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; small white grits; yellowish light brown slip on interior and exterior

2

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

1464

15336/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; small white grits; yellowish light brown slip on interior and exterior

3

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

1464

15285/11

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; small white grits; yellowish light brown slip on interior and exterior

4

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

1451

15014/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits

5

Jug

RBJu; Fig. 13.58

1409

15287/14

Reddish yellow 7.5YR7/6 clay; white grits; hard-fired

6

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1409

14425/4/12

White 5Y 8/1 clay; decorated with incised nicks

7

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

1409

15263/4

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

8

Small container

SC1; Fig 13.72

1409

14425/6

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; well levigated

9

Small container

SC1; Fig 13.72

1464

15263/10

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; well levigated

10

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

1464

15263

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; mold made; three registers: one narrow with zigzag pattern, one wide with scrolls, one narrow with rope pattern; palm branch on channel

11

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

1409

15287/9

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; mold made; stylized scrolls and bunches of grapes on shoulder; palm branch on channel

12

Miniature vessel

MiV; Fig. 13.80

1464

15286

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; few white grits

Room 2323: Floors 2282, 2323 and Ṭabun 2370 (Fig. 13.108): The pottery retrieved in this room originates on Plaster Floors 2282 and 2323, and in Ṭabun 2370 incorporated into Floor 2323. It includes two incurved-rim basins of Type A (IRB-A), two local lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls (GLB2a), a large, collared-neck storage jar (LCNS), a jug with a rounded body (RBJu), a fine Buff Ware jug with a globular body (BW1Ju), a small container (SC1), and two channel-nozzle oil lamps (CNLa). The repertoire from Room 2323 represents a typical domestic pottery assemblage of the early ninth–tenth centuries.

508

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

4

3

5

6

8

7 0

10

9

10

0

2

Fig. 13.108. Phase IIA: Building 2278: Room 2323: Floors 2282, 2323, 2370.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

509

◄ Fig. 13.108 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2370

35672/4

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; indented rim

2

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2282

34091/12

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 cay; light gray core; thumbindented decoration on rim

3

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2282

34091/5/11

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

4

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2282

35887/6

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

5

Jar

LCNSJ; Fig. 13.52

2282

35887/10

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; well levigated; hard-fired

6

Jug

RBJu; Fig. 13.58

2282

34091/7/13

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; white grits; hard-fired

7

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

2282

35887/9

White 5Y 8/1 clay; comb decoration

8

Small container

SC1; Fig 13.72

2282

34671

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; few white grits

9

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

2370

35672/3

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; mold made; unique vegetal decoration on shoulder

10

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

2323

34670/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; mold made; vine scrolls with grapes on shoulder; palm branch on channel

Room 2278: Upper Floor (Fig. 13.109): The illustrated assemblage from this floor includes three Fine Burnished Ware bowls: two of Subtype B (FBWB-B), the other of Subtype D (FBWB-D), lead-glazed Buff Ware bowls (GLB2a), incurved-rim basins, mainly Type A (IRB-A), one of Type B (IRB-B), a jar with a swollen neck (SNSJ), a straight-neck jar with a beveled rim (SNBSJ), an apparent variant of a holemouth jar (HoSJ), small containers (SC1), and a miniature vessel (MiV). The repertoire recovered on Floor 2278 includes mainly bowls, some glazed, basins, jars and small containers. No cooking vessels were present. This assemblage can be dated to the second half of the ninth–tenth centuries.

510

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

5

4

6

7 0

10

8

9

10

13 12

11

14

16

15

4

0

17 0

10

Fig. 13.109. Phase IIA: Building 2278: Room 2278: upper floor.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

511

◄ Fig. 13.109 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-B; Fig. 13.3

2278

34357/8

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; dark burnishing marks

2

Bowl

FBWB-B; Fig. 13.3

2278

33697/4

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; burnishing marks

3

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

2278

33697/6

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; light brown core; small white grits

4

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2278

33655/7

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; traces of glaze on interior and on rim exterior

5

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2278

34081/7

Pink 7.5YR 8/3 clay; pale yellow 5Y 8/3 slip; glaze on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

6

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2278

34357/5

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; black patch on light yellow background

7

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2278

33796/17

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; small white and black grits; combed decoration on rim

8

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2278

33655/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; well levigated; combed decoration

9

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2278

33655/16

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; well levigated; combed decoration

10

Basin

IRB-B; Fig.13.20

2278

34081/2

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; light gray core; white grits

11

Jar

SNSJ; Fig. 13.53

2278

34357/16

Light red 2.5YR 7/6 clay; few white grits

12

Jar

SNBSJ; Fig. 13.54

2278

34357/20

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; light brown on surface

13

Jar

HoSJ; Fig. 13.57

2278

34081/14

Light brown 7.5YR 6/4 clay; black and white grits; combed decoration under rim; no parallels

14

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

2278

33697/3

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; well levigated

15

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

2278

33697/2

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; yellow-gray core; few white grits

16

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

2278

33655/8

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; yellow-gray core; few white grits

17

Miniature vessel

MiV; Fig. 13.80

2278

33706

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; well levigated

Room 2262: Upper Floor (Fig. 13.110): From this room, the selected repertoire includes one incurved-rim basin of Type A (IRB-A), two unglazed Buff Ware bowls that are identical in shape to the lead-glazed, Buff Ware monochrome bowls (GLB1), as well as three decorated, lead-glazed, Buff Ware bowls (GLB2a, b). Also illustrated are a casserole of Type CA3, two short ridged-neck storage jars (RSNSJ), two fine Buff Ware jugs with a globular body (BW1Ju), two incised Buff Ware jugs (BW3Ju), one bearing pseudo calligraphy (Fig. 13.110:13), two small containers (SC1), a Buff Ware flask (BWFl) and a channel-nozzle lamp (CNLa). The repertoire from Room 2262 comprises mainly tableware, along with a few cooking and storage vessels. All the vessels were common during the late eighth–midtenth centuries, while the jug in Fig. 13.110:13, with incised pseudo-calligraphy, is typical of the ninth–tenth centuries. Thus, this assemblage is no earlier than the ninth century, and no later than the tenth century.

512

PERETZ REUVEN

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

9 8

11 10

12

13

15

14

16

17 0 0

10

Fig. 13.110. Phase IIA: Building 2278: Room 2262: upper floor.

2

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

513

◄ Fig. 13.110 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

2262

33750/27

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8 clay; gray core; small white grits; deep imprints in the form of rhombuses on outer rim

2

Bowl

Similar in shape to GLB1; Fig. 13.26

2262

33750/38

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/4 clay; well levigated; no glaze; no parallels

3

Bowl

Similar in shape to GLB1; Fig. 13.26

2262

33750/37

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; no glaze; no parallels

4

Glazed bowl

GLb2a; Fig. 13.27

2262

33588/7

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; glaze on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

5

Glazed bowl

GLB2b; Fig. 13.28

2262

33588/15

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; gritty; transparent, light greenish glaze on interior and exterior; dark brown-painted design

6

Glazed bowl

GLB2a; Fig. 13.27

2262

33750/32

Pale yellow 5Y 8/3 clay; glaze on interior; green bands and brown daubs on very light greenish yellow background

7

Casserole

CA3; Figs. 13.42, 13.43

2262

33750/16

Reddish brown 2.5YR 5/4 clay; few small white grits

8

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

2262

33588/1

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/6 clay; few small gray and white grits

9

Jar

RSNSJ Variant B; Fig. 13.56

2262

33750/21

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; light brown clay; few small gray and white grits

10

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

2262

33750/4

White 5Y 8/1 clay

11

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

2262

33588/17

White 5Y 8/1 clay

12

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

2262

33750/12

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised decoration

13

Jug

BW3Ju; Fig. 13.63

2262

33750/2

White 5Y 8/1 clay; incised nicks; pseudo calligraphy

14

Small container

SC1; Fig. 13.72

2262

33750/9

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; yellow-gray core; few white grits

15

Small container

SC1; Fig 13.72

2262

33588/9

Brown 7.5YR 5/3 clay; few white grits

16

Flask

BWFL; Fig. 13.77

2262

33588/5

White 5Y 8/1 clay

17

Oil lamp

CNLa; Fig. 13.82

2262

33588/6

Light reddish brown 5YR 6/3 clay; mold made; scrolls and bunches of grapes on rim; palm branch on channel

514

PERETZ REUVEN

Stratum I: The Abbasid Period (Late Tenth–Early Eleventh Centuries CE) The representative assemblages from Stratum I originate on several segments of plaster surfaces (L1327, L1329, L1331, L1336, L1341, 1345) located in open areas on the western side of the excavation area (see Chapter 12: Plans 12.45, 12.46). Floor 1327 (Fig. 13.111) In the floor make-up, a few Buff Ware vessels were found, including a fine Buff Ware jug with a globular body (BW1Ju) and several local, lead-glazed bowls (GLB2a; not illustrated). The vessels upon the floor include two bowls of Fine Burnished Ware Type C (FBWB-C), and one of Type D (FBWB-D), two casseroles with small ledge handles (CA4), a small container (SC1), and a miniature, channel-nozzle oil lamp (MinLa). This assemblage closely resembles in character those of the previous stratum with the exception of the new type of casserole with small ledge handles, which first appeared in this stratum (CA4).

2 1

3

4

5

6

7

8 0 0

10

Fig. 13.111. Stratum I: Floor 1327.

2

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

515

◄ Fig. 13.111 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

FBWB-C; Fig. 13.4

1327

12431/9

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay

2

Bowl

FBWB-C; Fig. 13.4

1327

12220/5

Light red 2.5YR 6/6 clay; white slip on exterior and interior rim

3

Bowl

FBWB-D; Fig. 13.5

1327

12128/22

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 7/4 clay; light brown core; small white grits; burnish on exterior under rim

4

Casserole

CA4; Fig. 13.44

1327

12128/31

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay on exterior; reddish brown 2.5YR 5/3 clay on interior; coarse

5

Casserole

CA4; Fig. 13.44

1327

12128/29

Very dark gray 5Y 3/1 clay on exterior; reddish brown 2.5YR 5/3 clay on interior; coarse

6

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1327

12322/5

White 5Y 8/1 clay

7

Small container

SC1; Fig 13.72

1327

12128/28

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; yellow-gray core; few white grits

8

Miniature oil lamp

MinLa; Fig. 13.89

1327

12450

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; mold made; asymmetrical pattern of round circles with a central dot; line above them on one side starting in a circle

Floors 1329, 1331, 1336, 1341 and 1345 (Fig. 13.112) These five floors are adjacent (L1336, L1345) and superimposed (L1329/L1331/L1341). The assemblage comprises a small, shallow bowl similar in material to the slightly carinated bowls (SCB), three simple bowls of light red ware (SLRWB), two incurved-rim basins of Type IRB-A and one of Type IRB-B, a basin with a folded-out rim (FORB), a large, collared-neck storage jar (LCNSJ), a storage jar with a short, ridged neck (RSNSJ), a fine Buff Ware jug with a globular body of the smaller, conical variant (BW1Ju), and a molded Buff Ware jug (BW4Ju). This repertoire contains types that were present in the previous strata, together with several new types that probably date to the late tenth century (Fig. 13.112:2, 3, 8).

516

PERETZ REUVEN

2

1

3

5 4

6

7

8

10

9

11 0

10

12 0

2

Fig. 13.112. Stratum I: Floors 1329, 1331, 1336, 1341, 1345.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

517

◄ Fig. 13.112 No.

Vessel

Type; Fig.

Locus

Basket

Description

1

Bowl

SCB; Fig. 13.7

1341

12368/4

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; well levigated; hard-fired

2

Bowl

SLRWB; Fig. 13.14

1331

12285/1

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

3

Bowl

SLRWB; Fig. 13.14

1341

12287/1

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

4

Bowl

SLRWB; Fig. 13.14

1341

12287/2

Light red 2.5YR 6/8 clay; small white and black grits

5

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1336

12332/1

Reddish yellow 5YR 6/6 clay; gray core; white grits

6

Basin

IRB-A; Fig. 13.19

1329

12234/8

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; light gray core; combed decoration

7

Basin

IRB-B; Fig. 13.20

1329

12234/4

Pink 5YR 7/4 clay; gray core; white grits

8

Basin

FORB; Fig. 13.23

1341

12368/6

Dark brown 7.5YR 5/6 clay; many white grits; coarse; hardfired

9

Jar

LCNSJ; Fig. 13.52

1329

12234/7

Light reddish brown 2.5YR 6/4 clay; fired to pink 5YR 7/3 on surface; hard-fired

10

Jar

RSNSJ Variant A; Fig. 13.55

1331

12285/5

Reddish yellow 7.5YR 7/6 clay; gray core; small white grits

11

Jug

BW1Ju; Fig. 13.61

1341

12368/11

White 5Y 8/1 clay

12

Jug

BW4Ju; Fig. 13.64

1345

12932/1/3

White 5Y 8/1 clay; molded decoration

518

PERETZ REUVEN

R eferences Abu Dalu R. 1993. Final Report of the Excavations in the Area of the Pottery Kilns––Jarash 1991. ADAJ 37:23–34 (Arabic). Adan-Bayewitz D. 1986. The Pottery from the Late Byzantine Building (Stratum 4) and Its Implications. In L.I. Levine and E. Netzer. Excavations at Caesarea Maritima, 1975, 1976, 1979––Final Report (Qedem 21). Jerusalem. Pp. 90–121. Aharoni Y. 1964. Excavations at Ramat Raḥel II: Seasons 1961 and 1922 (Centro di studi semitici, serie archeologica 6). Rome. Amitai-Preiss N. Forthcoming. An Arabic Inscription on a Lamp. In N. Fieg Excavations in Akko (IAA Reports). Jerusalem. Arnon Y.D. 1999. Islamic and Crusader Pottery (Area I, 1993–94). In K.G. Holum, A. Raban and J. Patrich eds. Caesarea Papers 2. Herod’s Temple, the Provincial Governor’s Praetorium and Granaries, the Later Harbor, A Gold Coin Hoard, and Other Studies (JRA Suppl. S. 35). Portsmouth, R.I. Pp. 225–251. Arnon Y. 2007. Excavation in Marcus Street, Ramla: Pottery, Oil Lamps and Carved Stone Vessels. Contract Archaeology Reports 2:38–99. Arnon Y.D. 2008a. Caesarea Maritima: The Late Periods (700–1291 CE) (BAR Int. S. 1771). Oxford. Arnon Y.D. 2008b. Ceramic Assemblages from the Byzantine/Early Islamic Bath. In K.G. Holum, J.A. Stabler and E.G. Reihnardt eds. Caesarea Reports and Studies: Excavations 1995–2007 within the Old City and the Ancient Harbor (BAR Int. S. 1784). Oxford. Pp. 85–103. Arnon Y.D. 2008c. The Ceramic Oil Lamps of the Transitional and Medieval Periods (640–1300): A Chronological and Typological Study. In K.G. Holum, J.A. Stabler and E.G. Reihnardt eds. Caesarea Reports and Studies: Excavations 1995–2007 within the Old City and the Ancient Harbor (BAR Int. S. 1784). Oxford. Pp. 213–264. Avissar M. 1996. The Medieval Pottery. In A. Ben-Tor, M. Avissar and Y. Portugali. Yoqne’am I: The Late Periods (Qedem Reports 3). Jerusalem. Pp. 75–172. ‘Azab A. 2011. Ramla. HA–ESI 123 (September 14) http://www hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_ Eng.aspx?id=1810&mag_id=118 (accessed June 2, 2020) Bar-Nathan R. 2011. The Pottery Corpus. In R. Bar-Nathan and W. Atrash. Bet She’an II: Baysān. The Theater Pottery Workshop (IAA Reports 48). Jerusalem. Pp. 229–343. Baramki D.C. 1944. The Pottery from Kh. el Mefjer. QDAP 10:65–103. Berman E.K. 1989. Glazed Pottery. In V. Tzaferis. Excavations at Capernaum I, 1978–1989. Winona Lake. Pp. 114–130. Brosh N. 1986. Ceramic Remains: Pottery of the 8th–13th Centuries C.E. (Strata 1–3). In L.I. Levine and E. Netzer. Excavations at Caesarea Maritima 1975, 1976, 1979—Final Report (Qedem 21). Jerusalem. Pp. 66–89. CIAP II: M. Sharon. Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae II: B–C (Handbook of Oriental Studies 1; The Near and Middle East 30). Leiden–Boston–Cologne 1999. Cohen-Finkelstein J.C. 1997. The Islamic Pottery from Khirbat Abu Suwwana. ‘Atiqot 32:19*–34*. Crowfoot J.W and FitzGerald G.M. 1929. Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley, Jerusalem, 1927 (PEFA V). London.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

519

Cytryn-Silverman K. 2010. The Ceramic Evidence. In O. Gutfeld. Ramla: Final Report on the Excavations North of the White Mosque (Qedem 51). Jerusalem. Pp. 97–211. Cytryn-Silverman K. 2013. The Islamic Period Pottery. In D. Ben-Ami. Jerusalem, Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Giv‘ati Parking Lot) (IAA Reports 52). Jerusalem. Pp. 167–204. Egloff M. 1977. Kellia, la poterie copte: Quatre siècles d’artisanat et d’échanges en Basse Égypte (Recherches suisses d’archéologie copte III) (2 vols.). Geneva. Eisenberg E. and Ovadiah R. 1998. A Byzantine Monastry at Mevo-Modi‘in. ‘Atiqot 36:1*–19* (Hebrew; English summary, pp. 123–124). Ettinghausen R. and Grabar O. 1994. The Art and Architecture of Islam: 650–1250. New Haven– London. Fehérvári G. 2000. Ceramics of the Islamic World in the Tareq Rajab Museum. London–New York. Geva H. 1983. Excavations in the Citadel of Jerusalem, 1979–1980: Preliminary Report. IEJ 33:55– 71. Gichon M. 1974. Fine Byzantine Wares from the South of Israel. PEQ 106:119–139. Hadad S. 2002. The Oil Lamps from the Hebrew University Excavations at Bet Shean (Qedem Reports 4). Jerusalem. Haddad E. 2010. Ramla Railroad. Final Report. HA–ESI 122 (September 15) http://www hadashotesi.org.il/report_detail_eng.aspx?id=1496&mag_id=117 (accessed June 2, 2020). Haddad E. 2011. Ramla: Ha-Nevi’im Nursery School. HA–ESI 123 (December 13) http://www. hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=1898 (accessed June 2, 2020). Haiman M. 1995. An Early Islamic Period Farm at Naḥal Mitnan in the Negev Highlands. ‘Atiqot 26:1–13. Hamilton R.W. 1940. Excavations against the North Wall of Jerusalem, 1937–8 Jerusalem. QDAP 54–10:1. Hayes J.W. 1972. Late Roman Pottery. London. Israel Y., Nahlieli D. and Ben Michael Y. 1995. The Naḥal Shahaq Site: An Early Islamic Settlement in the Northern ‘Arava. ‘Atiqot 26:1*–14* (Hebrew; English summary, p. 113). Magen Y. 2008. Oil Production in the Land of Israel in the Early Islamic Period. In Y. Magen. Judea and Samaria: Researches and Discoveries (JSP 6). Jerusalem. Pp. 257–343. Magen Y. and Dadon M. 2003. Nebi Samwil (Montjoie). In G.C. Bottini, L. Di Segni and L.D. Chrupcała eds. One Land––Many Cultures: Archaeological Studies in Honour of Stanislao Loffreda OFM (SBF Collectio Major 41). Jerusalem. Pp. 123–138. Magness J. 1992a. The Byzantine and Medieval Pottery from Areas A2 and G. In A. De Groot and D.T. Ariel eds. Excavations at the City of David Directed by Yigal Shiloh III: Stratigraphical, Environmental, and Other Reports (Qedem 33). Jerusalem. Pp. 164–186. Magness J. 1992b. The Late Roman and Byzantine Pottery from Areas H and K. In A. De Groot and D. T. Ariel eds. Excavations at the City of David Directed by Yigal Shiloh III: Stratigraphical, Environmental, and Other Reports (Qedem 33). Jerusalem. Pp. 149–163. Magness J. 1993. Jerusalem Ceramic Chronology: Circa 200–800 CE (JSOT/ASOR Monograph Series 9). Sheffield.

520

PERETZ REUVEN

Magness J. 2003. Late Roman and Byzantine Pottery. In H. Geva. Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem Conducted by Nahman Avigad, 1969–1982 II: The Finds from Areas A, W and X-2; Final Report. Jerusalem. Pp. 423–432. Majcherek G. 1995. Gazan Amphorae: Typology Reconsidered. In H. Meyza and J. Młynaczyk eds. Hellenistic and Roman Pottery in the Eastern Mediterranean: Advances in Scientific Studies (Acts of the II Nieborόw Pottery Workshop, Nieborόw, 18–20 December 1993). Warsaw. Pp. 163–178. Mazar B. 1969. The Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem. Preliminary Report of the First Season. Eretz-Israel 9:1–31 (Hebrew). Mazar E. 2003. The Southern House. In E. Mazar ed. The Temple Mount Excavations in Jerusalem 1968–1978 Directed by Benjamin Mazar. Final Reports II: The Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods (Qedem 43). Jerusalem. Pp. 209–234. Mazar E. and Gordon B. 2007. The Pottery from the Peristyle and Southern Houses. In E. Mazar ed. The Temple Mount Excavations in Jerusalem 1968–1978 Directed by Benjamin Mazar. Final Reports III: The Byzantine Period (Qedem 46). Jerusalem. 149–155. Olávarri-Goicoechea E. 1985. El palacio omeya de Amman II: La arqueología. Jerusalem. Oren E.D. 1971. Early Islamic Material from Ganei-Hamat (Tiberias). Archaeology 24:274–277. Peleg O. and Adler N. 2007. The Pottery Assemblage from the Byzantine Building in Area XVI. In E. Mazar ed. The Temple Mount Excavations in Jerusalem 1968–1978 Directed by Benjamin Mazar. Final Reports III: The Byzantine Period (Qedem 46). Jerusalem. Pp. 23–34. Rapuano Y. 1999. The Hellenistic through Early Islamic Pottery from Ras Abu Ma‘aruf (Pisgat Ze’ev East A). ‘Atiqot 38:171–204. Reuven P. 2018. Ceramic, Frit and Steatite Finds from Ramla, Train Station. In E. Haddad. Ramla, Train Station: Final Report. HA–ESI 130 (October 29). Pp. 1–26 (Hebrew). https://www. hadashot-esi.org.il/images//Ramla-ceramic-hangasha-(outline).pdf (accessed June 2, 2020). Riley J.A. 1975. The Pottery from the First Session of Excavation in the Caesarea Hippodrome. BASOR 218:25–63. Rosen-Ayalon. M. 1974. Ville royale de Suse IV: La poterie islamique (Mémoires de la délégation archéologique en Iran L). Paris. Rosen-Ayalon M. 1992. Ramla: Other Excavations. NEAEHL 4. Pp. 1269–1271. Rosen-Ayalon M. and Eitan A. 1968. Excavations at Ramle. Qadmoniot 1:138–140 (Hebrew). Rosen-Ayalon M. and Eitan A. 1969. Ramla Excavations Finds from the VIIIth Century C.E. (Israel Museum Catalogue 66). Jerusalem. Saller S.J. 1957. Excavations at Bethany (1949–1953) (SBF Collectio Maior 12). Jerusalem. Scanlon G.T. 1974. The Pits of Fusṭāṭ: Problems of Chronology. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 60:60–78. Scanlon G.T. 1981. Fusṭāṭ Expedition: Preliminary Report 1972 I. JARCE 18:57–84. Scanlon G.T. 1986. Fusṭāṭ Expedition Final Report 1: Catalogue of Filters (American Research Center in Egypt Reports 8). London. Stacey D. 2004. Excavations at Tiberias, 1973–1974: The Early Islamic Periods (IAA Reports 21). Jerusalem.

CHAPTER 13: THE EARLY ISLAMIC POTTERY

521

Tushingham A.D. 1985. Excavations in Jerusalem 1961–1967 I. Toronto. Tzaferis V. 1983. The Excavations of Kursi-Gergesa (῾Atiqot [ES] 16). Jerusalem. Vaux R. de and Stève A.-M. 1950. Fouilles à Qaryet el-‘Enab Abū-Ġôsh, Palestine. Paris. Vincenz A. de. 2008. The Pottery Assemblages. In Y. Hirschfeld and O. Gutfeld. Tiberias: Excavations in the House of the Bronzes; Final Report I: Architecture, Stratigraphy and Small Finds (Qedem 48). Jerusalem. Pp. 107–165. Watson P.M. 1992. Change in Foreign and Regional Economic Links with Pella in the Seventh Century A.D: The Ceramic Evidence. In P. Canivet and J.-P. Rey-Coquais eds. La Syrie de Byzance à l’Islam VIIe–VIIIe siècles (Actes du Colloque international Lyon–Maison de l’Orient méditerranéen, Paris–Institut du Monde arabe, 11–15 septembre 1990). Damascus. Pp. 233– 248. Whitcomb D. 1988. A Fatimid Residence at Aqaba, Jordan. ADAJ 32:207–224. Wilkinson C.K. 1973. Nishapur: Pottery of the Early Islamic Period. Greenwich, Conn.

D. Ben-Ami, Y. Tchekhanovets, 2020, Jerusalem: Givati Parking Lot II (IAA Reports 66)

Chapter 14

The Coins from Strata III–II Donald T. Ariel and Ariel Berman

Introduction This chapter discusses all the identified coins minted between the 613/4 CE destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Abbasid period (second half of the tenth century CE), retrieved in the 2008–2014 excavations.1 Table 14.1 presents the 43 coins that fall within this time frame, according to locus, along with the unidentified coins that originated in the same loci––for a total of 119 coins (these coins also appear in the general coin conspectus for the volume, see Chapter 4: Table 4.2). The coins from the 2007 season at Givati (Area M1) were published in the first volume of the series (Ariel 2013). In the catalogue, five coins from well-stratified loci of the Abbasid period (Strata III–II) are presented, which include one Arab-Byzantine coin (Cat. No. 2), three Ummayad coins (Cat. Nos. 3–5) and one Abbasid coin (Cat. No. 6). One coin from Byzantine Phase VA (Cat. No. 1) is also catalogued here as it was issued after 613/4 CE (see Chapter 4). No securely stratified, post-613/4 CE coins were associated with Stratum IV of the Early Islamic Umayyad period. From Stratum III, apart from the one Ummayad coin derived from a secure locus (Cat. No. 4), a second Ummayad coin was assigned to this stratum (L1939). Stratum II is represented in the catalogue by Cat. Nos. 2, 3 and 5, while another seven post-613/4 CE coins originated in fills assigned to this stratum (L1496, L1819, L2211, L2328, L3723). No coins were associated with Stratum I. The selection method and cleaning process are described in Chapter 4.

Stratified Coin Finds Stratum III The archaeological remains of Stratum III comprised little architecture and many pits, and the nature of the finds suggests the area served as a large open marketplace. Only a single Abbasid coin (Cat. No. 6) was found in a secure locus of this stratum, in a pit (L3746)

Ariel Berman identified Cat. Nos. 3–6. The coins were cleaned in the laboratories of the IAA by Lena Kupferschmidt, Raisa Vinitzky and Gali Beiner, and were photographed by Clara Amit of the IAA photography studio. Donald T. Ariel prepared the report. 1

524

DONALD T. ARIEL AND ARIEL BERMAN

0

1

Fig. 14.1. Cat. No. 5 (L1398).

along with bone artifacts and bone production waste. This coin possibly dates to the end of the eighth century CE. A post-reform Umayyad fals (No. 4) was recovered in a nearby pit (L3833), which had similar contents, as well as a characteristic Abbasid bone doll. Stratum II The open marketplace of Stratum III gave way to a well-planned architectural complex in Stratum II, comprising a workshop and handicraft quarter. The stratigraphic sequence and the rich ceramic repertoire (see Chapters 12, 13) provide a date in the Abbasid period. In contrast, the stratum’s coin finds from the secure loci are all Umayyad in date, both pre-reform (until 697 CE) and post-reform (697–750 CE). From Phase IIB, an unusual Umayyad lead issue was retrieved in the L-shaped Room 1398 of Building 1421 (Cat. No. 5; Fig. 14.1). In Phase IIA, an Arab-Byzantine I follis was recovered on a floor in Room 3578 (Cat. No. 2), and a post-reform Umayyad fals (Cat. No. 3) in W1942, which bounded Street 3580 on the north.

Coin Currency Period

from the

Persian Invasion (613/4 CE)

into the

Abbasid

In the 2007 season of excavations, continuity of occupation stretching from the Persian invasion (613/4 CE) into the Abbasid period was reflected by the stratified coins (Ariel 2013:241), where a follis of Heraclius I (627/8 CE; Ariel 2013: Cat. No. 182) was recovered in a drainage channel that remained in use into Stratum III. During the Abbasid period, coins from as early as the seventh century may still have been circulating. For the present discussion of the coin currency in this period, 61 coins are included: all the 43 identified coins from the 2008–2014 excavations circulating in the time span of Strata IV–II (from the Persian invasion through the Abbasid period; Table 14.1), as well as five coins of this period from the 2007 season (Ariel 2013:63, Cat. Nos. 184–188), one coin from Shukron’s 2003 excavations in the Givati Parking Lot,2 and 12 coins from Kenyon’s Area M (see Chapter 4: Table 4.2; Reece 2008:419–420). Excluding the follis of Heraclius I published in 2013 and noted above, the earliest coins of the seventh century, those of Heraclius I, are not discussed here, as none were

My thanks to Eli Shukron for his permission to include this unpublished material, and to Gabriela Bijovsky who identified the coins. 2

525

CHAPTER 14: THE COINS FROM STRATA III–II

Table 14.1. List of All Loci Containing Coins Minted Between the 613/4 CE Destruction and the End of the Abbasid Period (the coin bearing an asterisk appears in Fig. 14.1). Locus/Wall (Stratum)

N

Date CE (Mint)

Cat. No.

1398 (IIB)

1

697–750

5*

1416 (III)

1

9th c.

2

Unidentified

1

645–670

1419 (III)

Total per Locus 1 3

1

Unidentified

2

1476 (IV)

1

7th c.

1

1496 (II)

1

697–750

1

1547 (III)

1

629/30 (Constantinople)

1

1551 (V–IV)

1

624/5–628/9 (Constantinople)

1

629/30–630/1 (Constantinople)

1

645–670

4

Unidentified

1

645–670

2

Unidentified

1

641/2–651/2 (Constantinople)

5

Unidentified

1

615–624 (Constantinople)

1

641/2–651/2

1

642–644

3

1868 (III)

1

635/6–636/7 (Constantinople)

1

1895 (V–III)

1

641–697

3

Unidentified

1902 (VA)

1

631/2–639/40

1939 (III)

1

697–750

1

Unidentified

1

666–668 (Constantinople)

4

Unidentified

1

663/4 (Constantinople)

9

Unidentified

1

Abbasid (š fraction of dirham)

4

Unidentified

1

691–697 (Ilya)

1

Unidentified

1

7th c.

2

697–750

1

Abbasid

4

Unidentified

3521 (Ottoman)

1

697–750 (Dimashq)

3578 (IIA)

1

645–670

1

Unidentified

1

645–670

1

Unidentified

4

697–750 (1 × Ilya)

2

Unidentified

1567 (V–IV) 1628 (V) 1648 (modern) 1819 (II)

1946 (V–III) 2211 (IIA) 2230 (IIA) 2328 (IIB) 2348 (V–III)

3723 (II) 3724 (V)

2 5 3 6

4 1

1 2 5 10 5 2

8 1 2 2 2 6

526

DONALD T. ARIEL AND ARIEL BERMAN

Table 14.1 (cont.). Locus/Wall (Stratum)

N

Date CE (Mint)

Cat. No.

Total per Locus

3835 (VI)

1

697–750

1

3741 (V)

1

734/5 (al-Ruha)

1

3746 (III)

1

End 8th c.?

3808 (V)

1

815 (al-Ramla?)

7

Unidentified

3833 (III)

1

697–750

W1253 (IV)

1

645–670

W1942 (IIA)

1

697–750

Balk

1

7th c.

21 Surface

Total

Unidentified

1

697–750

1

800–840

4

Unidentified

6

1 8

4

1 1

3

1 22

6 119

recovered in stratified contexts of Strata III–II, and high numbers of this emperor’s coins are common (see Table 4.2). The overall lower frequency of coins from the Umayyad and Abbasid periods as compared with the Byzantine period, is generally known in Palestine, and is not specific to the finds from the Givati Parking Lot (Magness 1997:482–483). A partial explanation for this is the larger module of most of the Umayyad and Abbasid coins. Nevertheless, despite the reduced amount of low-value money in this period, the particularly small number of coins from Strata III–II is remarkable in light of the site’s character in Stratum III as a large open marketplace, and in Stratum II as a well-planned workshop quarter. In marketplaces of the classical Greek and Roman periods, huge quantities of coins are commonly found. It appears that in the Abbasid period, the amount of low-value money was restricted. In excavations at the Western Wall Plaza, northwest of the Givati site, where the Abbasid period is characterized by considerable construction and commercial activity, the coin finds are also meager (Kool, forthcoming). The general dearth of copper coinage noticeable in the Abbasid period for the entire region must be contrasted with the high number and quality of the silver issues in this period. The fact that only two local mints issued copper coins (Ramla and Tabariya) leads to the conclusion that the striking of low-value money in the periphery was of little interest to the central administration in Bagdad. This is especially evident when compared with the many active mints striking copper coins in the Umayyad period (Kool, forthcoming). One can only surmise that many more of the transactions conducted in the Abbasid marketplaces in Jerusalem were conducted through barter exchange. The six coins in the catalogue (one of Heraclius I, one Arab-Byzantine, three Umayyad and one Abbasid) reflect reasonably well the chronological/typological groups of coins found at the Givati site from these periods (see Table 14.1). Alongside the stratified Arab-Byzantine follis (Cat. No. 2), 21 coins of both Constans II and Arab-Byzantine folles

CHAPTER 14: THE COINS FROM STRATA III–II

527

were found in the excavations; and alongside the three post-reform Umayyad fulus (Cat. Nos. 3–5), 17 additional examples were uncovered. In the Abbasid period, the proportions are roughly the same. Six Abbasid coins (five fulus and one fraction of a dirham) were identified in addition to the single well-stratified specimen (Cat. No. 6),3 and three of these actually originate in less-secure Abbasid loci and fills (L1416, L2230, L3746). Abbasid fulus are rarely well dated. However, one of the six, issued by the governor Sa‘id b. as-Surḥ al-Kinani, was possibly minted in Ramla (cf. SNAT 1993:14, Nos. 91–95) and dates around 815 CE (L3808; IAA 143000; Table 14.1; Chapter 4: Table 4.1). As this fals was recovered in a Byzantine fill of Stratum V, it is presumably intrusive. In the earlier numismatic report of the 2007 season, the near-absence of Umayyad coins and the absence of Abbasid coins were noted (Ariel 2013:262, No. 188). Now, both lacunae have been filled, with 20 Umayyad fulus (one from Shukron’s excavations) and eight Abbasid fulus (two from Kenyon’s Area M).

Two more come from Kenyon’s Area M (see Chapter 4: Table 4.2).

3

Locus/ Wall

L1902

L3578

W1942

L3833

L1398

L3746

Cat. No.

1

2

3

4

5*

6

58173

14181

59246

56981

55775

24932

Reg. No.

0.35

1.78

2.95

1.87

3.66

3.27

Weight (g)

12×14

15

15

23

19×23

18×20

Diam. (mm)

↓

↓

Axis

Reverse

Within double circle with striations: ‫الاله \ االالله \ وحده‬

Illegible

‫]ه‬- - -[//‫]الله‬- - -[/]- - -[

Within plain circle a scorpion around: ‫محمد رسول الله‬

Illegible

‫محمد \ رسول \ الله‬

Abbasid, Uncertain, Fals

··/‫]له‬- - -[/]- - -[

Within circle: ‫الاله \ االالله \ وحده‬

m above, cross

Umayyad, Fals

Emperor stg. facing

Arab-Byzantine I (647–670 CE), Follis

beneath: B

K to l.: A/N/N/O;

Heraclius I (610–641 CE) Two imperial figures stg. facing

Obverse

End 8th c.?

631/2– 639/40

Date (CE)

Ramla

Mint

Cf. Walker 1956:204, No. 598

Cf. SNAT 1993:12, Nos. 45–49

SICA 1: Pls. 36–37, Type E

Cf. DOC 2/1:303, No. 120a

Reference

Umayyad– Abbasid?; lead

Struck on cut quarter of follis

Notes

138797

123244

143029

143104

138754

135538

IAA No.

All the coins are copper, except No. 5, which is lead. The coins are arranged chronologically, according to types. No. 5 is illustrated in Fig. 14.1.

Catalogue

528 DONALD T. ARIEL AND ARIEL BERMAN

CHAPTER 14: THE COINS FROM STRATA III–II

529

R eferences Ariel D.T. 2013. The Coins. In Giv‘ati I. Pp. 237–264. DOC 2/1: P. Grierson. Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection 2/1: Phocas and Heraclius (602–641). Washington, D.C. 1968. Kool R. Forthcoming. The Islamic Coins. In S. Weksler-Bdolah and Alexander Onn. Jerusalem, Western Wall Plaza Excavations: The Islamic Periods (IAA Reports). Jerusalem. Magness J. 1997. The Chronology of Capernaum in the Early Islamic Period. Journal of the American Oriental Society 117:481–486. Reece R. 2008. Jerusalem: The Coins. In K. Prag. Excavations by K.M. Kenyon in Jerusalem 1961– 1967 V: Discoveries in Hellenistic to Ottoman Jerusalem; Centenary Volume Kathleen M. Kenyon 1906–1978 (Levant Suppl. S. 7). Oxford. Pp. 411–431. SICA 1: S. Album and T. Goodwin. Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean 1: The Pre-reform Coinage of the Early Islamic Period. Oxford 2002. SNAT 1993: L. Ilisch. Sylloge Numorum Arabicorum Tübingen: Palästina IVa Bilād aš-Šam I. Tübingen 1993. Walker J. 1956. A Catalogue of the Arab-Byzantine and Post-reform Umaiyad Coins (A Catalogue of the Muhammadan Coins in the British Museum II). London.

D. Ben-Ami, Y. Tchekhanovets, 2020, Jerusalem: Givati Parking Lot II (IAA Reports 66)

Chapter 15

The Early Islamic Glass Dorit Gutreich

Introduction Thousands of glass sherds were unearthed in the Early Islamic Strata IV–I in the Givati Parking Lot excavations from the second season onward (2008–2014). This chapter presents an assemblage of c. 625 diagnostic fragments that originated in the well-stratified loci of these strata.1 The glass finds retrieved from a relatively constricted area during the first excavation season in 2007 (Area M1) were described in Givati I (Gutreich 2013) and are referred to here whenever relevant as part of the overall Early Islamic glass assemblage from the Givati site. The present report is a major contribution to the study of glass in the Early Islamic periods, in particular the Abbasid period. Few sites in the vicinity of Jerusalem have yielded a well-stratified glass assemblage from this period (e.g., Khirbat ‘Adasa, a much smaller excavation, see Gorin-Rosen 2008a). Furthermore, at most sites (e.g., Bet She’an, see Hadad 2005; Ramla, see Gorin-Rosen 2010), the Early Islamic glass finds are divided into ‘Umayyad’ and ‘Abbasid–Fatimid’ groups with no further differentiation between the periods; at Givati, the stratigraphic sequence enables an accurate distinction between the remains of the Umayyad (Stratum IV) and the Abbasid (Strata III–I) periods, as well as between the three Abbasid strata. The typological presentation of the glass repertoire of each phase in this sequence allows us to examine the evolution of various types within the Early Islamic periods. The relative frequencies of types that appear in more than one stratum in the sequence, from Byzantine Stratum V (see Chapter 6) to Abbasid Stratum I, are presented in Table 15.1.2 The assemblages of Strata IV–I are presented in typological order, from open to closed forms, and plain before decorated ware, and include all the diagnostic sherds from the well-stratified loci of each stratum. From Stratum III, the glass from a particularly rich locus (Pit 1554) was chosen as a representative repertoire and illustrated separately, alongside plates of the other vessel types in this stratum’s assemblage. Parallels for all the strata are brought mainly from the rich Early Islamic assemblage of Bet She’an (Hadad 2005). In addition, parallels to the Umayyad assemblage include

This chapter was completed and submitted in 2016. I would like to express my gratitude to Yael Gorin-Rosen for her help and encouragement, although the conclusions are solely of the author. 1

Percentages are rounded off. As it was often difficult to determine if fragments belonged to the same vessels, the counts may be somewhat askew. 2

532

DORIT GUTREICH

fragments from sites around Jerusalem, for example, Khirbat Ṭabaliya (Giv‘at Ha-Maṭos; Gorin-Rosen 2000), as well as from Jerash in Jordan (Meyer 1988), while Abbasid comparanda include finds from Tiberias (Lester 2004; see also Lester 1998), Caesarea (Pollak 2003) and Ramla (Pollak 2007; Gorin-Rosen 2010).

Umayyad Glass from Stratum IV During the Umayyad period (Stratum IV, early seventh to mid-eighth centuries), the area of the Givati site underwent a major change. Following the destruction of Byzantine Stratum V in 614 CE, the area became an industrial zone. The main feature of Stratum IV is a large limekiln (L1850) built against the southern wall of the abandoned Building 1821 of the previous period. The Umayyad remains were exposed almost solely in the vicinity of the kiln, and include a few walls, floors and fills around it (see Chapter 12). Seventy-five diagnostic glass fragments were retrieved from the few well-stratified loci of Stratum IV, of which 31 were chosen to illustrate the various vessel types in the assemblage (Figs. 15.1, 15.2). The vast majority of the fragments in the Umayyad assemblage are made of bluish green glass of different shades; a few are olive green or nearly colorless yellow. Several rim fragments were decorated with blue threads. Bowls and Beakers (Fig. 15.1:1–6) The Umayyad bowl repertoire at Givati resembles that of the Byzantine period (see Chapter 6), with three of the four types continuing from the previous assemblage––bowls with out-folded rims (11 examples),3 one shallow bowl with a ridge below the outer rim, and two outcurving rims attributed to bowls (see Table 15.1). Bowls with outfolded rims (Fig. 15.1:1, 2) were common in the Late Roman and Byzantine periods and continued into the Early Islamic period (see below; Pollak 2007:100; Israeli 2008:376). At Givati, they are the most common bowl type in both the Byzantine and Umayyad assemblages, comprising a similar percentage of these assemblages (16% and 15%; see Table 15.1). Several out-folded rims of various shapes, attributed to bowls, were found in Umayyad contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:21, Pls. 2:49, 50; 3:51–71). Shallow bowls with a ridge below the outer rim (Fig. 15.1:3) are usually dated to the fourth–fifth centuries (Israeli 2008:376) and appear at Givati in the Byzantine assemblage as well (see Table 15.1). However, an example from an Umayyad context was retrieved at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:21, Pl. 1:28). The two outcurving rims (Fig. 15.1:4), like similar rims in the Byzantine assemblage (see Table 15.1), are identified as parts of bowls. An outcurving rim from a Late Byzantine–

Although out-folded rims also characterize bowl-shaped oil lamps with three handles, a decision was made here to attribute all fragments of outfolded rims that show no trace of a handle to this bowl type. 3

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

533

Early Umayyad context (630–670 CE) at Jerash was tentatively identified as a bowl-shaped oil lamp (Meyer 1988:206, Fig. 10:S). The shallow bowl with a wide rim in Fig. 15.1:5 is a type that appears at Givati only in the Umayyad assemblage. Thick, solid, disc bases characterize a well-known type of beaker common during the fourth–early fifth centuries (see Chapter 6: Fig. 6.1:7; see also Israeli 2008:377). However, the three examples from Umayyad contexts at Givati (Fig. 15.1:6) probably belong to another type of beaker, with a spherical body, found for example at Ramla in contemporary contexts (Gorin-Rosen 2010:215, 220, Pl. 10.1:7, 8). The bases from Ramla were identified as beakers, although Gorin-Rosen mentions that they might belong to bowls or ‘small and medium-sized bottles’ (Gorin-Rosen 2010:220). A somewhat similar base from Umayyad Bet She’an was assigned to a bottle (Hadad 2005:24, Pl. 11:207). Wineglasses (Fig. 15.1:7–10) Eight fragments of footed wineglasses were identified in the Umayyad assemblage. These vessels, which first appeared in Israel in the Byzantine period, became more common during the Umayyad period (Gorin-Rosen and Winter 2010:165, 167). An increase is also evident at Givati, where wineglasses comprise 8% of the Byzantine assemblage and 11% of the Umayyad assemblage (see Table 15.1). The difference between Byzantine and Umayyad wineglasses usually lies in the shape of the base: while the early bases were tubular ring bases, during the sixth–seventh centuries a new type––solid bases––appeared and gradually replaced the tubular bases (Gorin-Rosen and Winter 2010:167). Nevertheless, the six wineglass bases in the Umayyad assemblage of Givati (and probably also the base of the beaded stem in Fig. 15.1:10) are tubular ring bases; no solid bases were found. One of the bases preserves the cylindrical stem (Fig. 15.1:7), a type seen in Byzantine–Umayyad contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:95). A contemporary example from the vicinity of Jerusalem was found at Kh. Ṭabaliya (Gorin-Rosen 2000:86*, Fig. 2:14). The base in Fig. 15.1:8 probably belongs to a squat wineglass without a stem. A similar base from an Umayyad context at Bet She’an was assigned to a wineglass (Hadad 2005:28, Pl. 21:412), while an example from a Late Byzantine–Early Umayyad context (630–670 CE) at Jerash was identified as a squat wine goblet or a shallow bowl (Meyer 1988:202, Fig. 9:K). Wineglasses decorated with thin dark threads below the rim (Fig. 15.1:9), a beaded stem (Fig. 15.1:10) and a tubular base are typical to the Jerusalem area during the sixth– seventh centuries (Gorin-Rosen and Winter 2010:167, 169). At Givati, Byzantine contexts in the present excavation also yielded both thread-decorated rim fragments and beaded stems (some still attached to the characteristic tubular base; see Chapter 6: Figs. 6.1:11; 6.4:6), and beaded stems were found in Byzantine–Umayyad contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:96–98). Other examples from Jerusalem, dated to the sixth–seventh centuries, include several complete wineglasses found in the crypt of the Armenian monastery in the Morasha neighborhood (Gorin-Rosen and Winter 2010:168–169, Fig. 3), and typical rims and stems retrieved at Binyene Ha-Umma (Gorin-Rosen 2005:203–204, Fig. 2:20, 21, 25, 26).

534

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.1 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Bowl

1444

14869/6

Bluish green

2

Bowl

1444

14869/7

Bluish green

3

Bowl

1444

15007/3

Bluish green

4

Bowl

1444

14869/4

Bluish green

5

Bowl

1812

23319/1

Colorless with yellowish tinge

6

Beaker

1769

23868

Bluish green

7

Wineglass

1769

22891

Bluish green

8

Wineglass

1444

15129/2

Bluish green

9

Wineglass

1790

23646

Bluish green; blue threads

10

Wineglass

1812

23482/1

Bluish green

11

Oil lamp

1770

22902

Bluish green

12

Oil lamp

1770

22753

Bluish green

13

Oil lamp

1812

24598/2

Bluish green

14

Oil lamp

1444

15129/1

Bluish green

15

Oil lamp

1444

15059

Colorless with yellowish tinge

16

Oil lamp

1812

24598/3

Bluish green

Oil Lamps (Fig. 15.1:11–16) The Umayyad oil-lamp repertoire at Givati presents a continuation of the two most common types of the Byzantine period: the bowl-shaped lamp with an out-folded rim and three handles (Fig. 15.1:11), sometimes with a tube attached to the center of the floor (Fig. 15.1:12, 13); and the hollow-stemmed oil lamp with a cylindrical stem (Fig. 15.1:14). Both types increase slightly, from 3% and 2% in the Byzantine assemblage, to 5% and 4% in the Umayyad assemblage, respectively (see Table 15.1). The fragmentary handle attached to the end of a broken out-folded rim in Fig. 15.1:11 is the only rim fragment in the present assemblage that could be positively identified as belonging to an oil lamp of the first type. A Byzantine–Umayyad context in Area M1 yielded one outfolded rim with a handle and one characteristic handle (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:90, 91). In addition, three oil-lamp tubes were found in the present assemblage: two are attached to a concave base (Fig. 15.1:12), while the complete tube in Fig. 15.1:13 seems to have had a rather flat base. It should be noted that the concave base in Fig. 15.2:8 (below) may also belong to this type of lamp. Oil lamps of this type were very common in Byzantine and Umayyad assemblages in Israel, for example at Kh. Ṭabaliya (Gorin-Rosen 2000:91*, Fig. 3:29–33); Umayyad examples include several lamps from Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:28–29, Pl. 22:413–423). The second type of lamp––with a hollow cylindrical stem––is represented in the present assemblage by three characteristic bases (Fig. 15.1:14); similar bases were also

535

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1

2

4

3

5

8

7

6

9

10

12

13

11

14

15

16 0

4

Fig. 15.1. Umayyad Glass from Stratum IV.

536

DORIT GUTREICH

found in Byzantine–Umayyad contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:93, 94). Hollow-stemmed lamps with a cylindrical stem were very common during the Byzantine period and continued into the Umayyad period, as at Kh. Ṭabaliya (Gorin-Rosen 2000:91*– 92*, Fig. 3:35–37). At Bet She’an they appeared in Umayyad contexts and did not continue into the Abbasid period (Hadad 2005:29, Pl. 22:436–442), while at Givati they appear in later contexts as well (see Table 15.1). Two thick body fragments in the assemblage (Fig. 15.1:15) decorated with shallow, wheel-cut, horizontal bands, may belong to a deep, hemispherical, bowl-shaped oil lamp with a cut-off rim, another type known at Givati in the Byzantine assemblage as well (see Table 15.1). The rim fragment in Fig. 15.1:16 may represent another lamp type––a wide, shallow, conical bowl with an out-folded rim and three handles. The fragment here lacks the handles, but its shape seems to be characteristic of this oil-lamp type. Two fragments of such lamps were found at Sardis and dated to the sixth–early seventh centuries (Saldern 1980:45, Pls. 11:234; 23:234, 235). A similar, almost-complete bowl from an Umayyad context (661– 747 CE) at Jerash is unusual for having only two handles, and it is not identified there as a lamp (Meyer 1988:212, Fig. 12:T). Plain Bottles (Fig. 15.2:1–8) Sixteen rim fragments and one base are attributed to plain bottles. Twelve rims resemble Byzantine bottles with a wide, cylindrical neck. Of these rims, nine are simple (Fig. 15.2:1, 2) and three are in-folded (Fig. 15.2:3). Bottles with a wide, cylindrical neck are the most common bottle type in both the Byzantine and Umayyad assemblages, although they decrease in popularity––from 19% of the Byzantine glass assemblage to 16% of the Umayyad (see Table 15.1). Similar bottles were found in Byzantine–Umayyad contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:100). Many bottles with a simple or in-folded rim and a wide cylindrical neck were found at Bet She’an in Umayyad contexts (Hadad 2005:23, Pls. 8:144, 145, 155–159; 9:166–168). A single example of a bottle with a funnel-shaped mouth, an in-folded rim and a cylindrical neck originates in an Umayyad context at Givati (Fig. 15.2:4). These bottles were common from the Late Roman through the Umayyad periods (Gorin-Rosen 2000:87*), and at Givati they were also encountered in the Byzantine assemblage (see Table 15.1). Parallels dated to the Byzantine–early Umayyad periods were found, for example, at Kh. Ṭabaliya (Gorin-Rosen 2000:87*, Fig. 2:20) and at Jerash, where most fragments of this type originate in late Byzantine–early Umayyad (630–670 CE) or Umayyad (661–747 CE) contexts (Meyer 1988:202, Fig. 9:O–S). The Umayyad assemblage yielded four fragments that are identified as bottles of types unknown in the Byzantine assemblage (Fig. 15.2:5–8). That in Fig. 15.2:5 may represent the rim and narrow neck of a small bottle that probably had a globular body, as seen in two complete bottles with similar necks retrieved from Umayyad contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:23, Pls. 6:107; 7:140). Alternatively, Fig. 15.2:5 could be a tube of a bowl-shaped oil lamp (see Fig. 15.1:12, 13).

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

537

The rim in Fig. 15.2:6 is attributed here to a bottle due to its small diameter. A similar rim was found in an Umayyad context (661–747 CE) at Jerash, but its vessel type was not identified (Meyer 1988:213, Fig. 13:G). The wide, funnel-shaped mouth with a slightly flaring rim in Fig. 15.2:7 might belong to a large bottle. A similar example (with an out-folded rim) was recovered from an Umayyad context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:27, Pl. 18:346). The concave base in Fig. 15.2:8 should be attributed to a bottle or a small bowlshaped oil lamp (see Fig. 15.1:12), as it closely resembles the many bases of this type from Late Byzantine–Early Umayyad contexts (630–670 CE) at Jerash (Meyer 1988:206, Fig. 10:X–Z). Similar bases found in Umayyad contexts at Bet She’an were attributed to bottles (Hadad 2005:24, Pl. 11:208–215). Decorated Bottles (Fig. 15.2:9, 10) The only decorative technique used on bottles in the Umayyad assemblage is the application of threads around the neck, represented by four fragments. This technique was the most common on bottles in the Byzantine assemblage as well (see Table 15.1). The examples in Fig. 15.2:9, 10, both with thick threads of the same color as the bottle, may be decorated variations of the bottles with a wide cylindrical neck mentioned above (Fig. 15.2:1, 2), thus representing a continuation of the Byzantine tradition. Alternatively, Fig. 15.2:9 may belong to a bottle with a wide, conical, funnel-shaped mouth with threads wound around the mouth; a bottle of this type was found in a late Byzantine (late sixth–seventh centuries) context at Binyene Ha-Umma in Jerusalem (Gorin-Rosen 2005:204, Fig. 2:29). Jugs/Juglets (Fig. 15.2:11) These vessel types are represented in the Umayyad assemblage by five handle fragments (Fig. 15.2:11) that may have belonged to either jugs or juglets (or perhaps to bowl-shaped oil lamps; see Fig. 15.1:11; Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.6:91). Jugs are usually uncommon in Umayyad assemblages, as at Bet She’an, where one restorable upper part of a jug and a few jug handles were recovered (Hadad 2005:28, Pls. 20:382; 21:383–386). Kohl Bottle (Fig.15.2:12) Double-tube kohl bottles are usually dated to the Byzantine period (Israeli 2008:380) and were found at Givati in the Byzantine assemblage (see Table 15.1). The example in Fig. 15.2:12, however, was found in a secure Umayyad locus related to Limekiln 1850 and is therefore mentioned here. Windowpanes (Fig. 15.2:13, 14) Two rim fragments of windowpanes were retrieved from Umayyad loci: an out-folded rim of a blown, rounded windowpane of the ‘bull’s-eye’ type (Fig. 15.2:13), and a simple rim of

538

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.2 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bottle

1444

14869/2

Bluish green

2

Plain bottle

1790

23649/1

Bluish green

3

Plain bottle

1769

23009/1

Bluish green

4

Plain bottle

1444

15183

Bluish green

5

Plain bottle(?)

1444

15007/1

Bluish green

6

Plain bottle

1444

14869/3

Bluish green

7

Plain bottle

1444

14869/5

Bluish green

8

Plain bottle(?)

1769

23135

Bluish green

9

Decorated bottle

1444

14869/1

Light olive-green

10

Decorated bottle

1444

14744/1

Bluish green

11

Jug

1812

23320/1

Bluish green

12

Kohl bottle

1796

23396/1

Bluish green

13

Windowpane

1444

15129/4

Bluish green

14

Windowpane

1769

23211/1

Bluish green

15

Bracelet

1769

22748/1

Dark, opaque

a square/rectangular windowpane (Fig. 15.2:14) that was made by casting or by flattening a blown glass cylinder (Meyer 1988:195). Both types are known in the Byzantine assemblage as well (see Table 15.1). In addition, eight flat body fragments in the present assemblage should probably also be identified as parts of windowpanes. Blown, rounded windowpanes came into use during the fourth century and became very common in the late Byzantine– Umayyad periods, as at Jerash (Meyer 1988:195, 207, Fig. 11:N–U). Square/rectangular windowpanes were very common during the Byzantine period, and examples from the Jerusalem area are mostly dated to the late Byzantine period (Gorin-Rosen 2000:92*; 2005:208). Umayyad contexts at Bet She’an yielded both types of windowpanes, although the square/rectangular type is predominant (Hadad 2005:30, Pl. 24:468–478). Bracelet (Fig. 15.2:15) Glass bracelets were a very popular type of jewelry throughout the Syro-Palestinian region, from the Late Roman period onward (Spaer 2001:193). The only bracelet found in an Umayyad context at Givati (Fig. 15.2:15) belongs to the most common bracelet type at the site––a plain, monochrome, dark-colored bracelet with a narrow, D-shaped section (see Table 15.1). This type was widespread and has been found in contexts ranging from the third through the seventh centuries and later (Spaer 1988:54–55, Type A2). An example dated to the Umayyad period (made of unusual turquoise glass) originates at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:29, Pl. 23:458).

539

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

3 1

2

4

6

5

8

7

10

9

11

12

13

14

15 0

4

Fig. 15.2. Umayyad Glass from Stratum IV.

540

DORIT GUTREICH

Summary: The Umayyad Glass The Umayyad glass assemblage, based on the diagnostic fragments retrieved from the well-stratified loci of Stratum IV, is relatively small due to the nature of the contexts in this stratum. Generally speaking, it demonstrates continuity with the Byzantine assemblage–– most of the types were already known in the previous period (see Table 15.1) and only a few appear for the first time. This phenomenon is known from other sites and for this reason the glass assemblages are sometimes combined and entitled ‘Byzantine–Umayyad’––as at Kh. Ṭabaliya (Gorin-Rosen 2000), Jerash (Meyer 1988; in addition to a ‘pure’ Umayyad assemblage), Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010) and of course the assemblage from Area M1 at the Givati site itself (Gutreich 2013). Thus, the Umayyad period can be viewed as a transitional period between the Byzantine and the Abbasid periods. Some vessel types, mainly bowls with outfolded rims, wineglasses and certain types of oil lamps, also continue into the following Abbasid period; however, most have disappeared by that period (see Table 15.1).

Abbasid Glass from Stratum III The most prominent feature of Stratum III is the many refuse pits excavated throughout the site, the only remaining evidence of the open-air market that once stood here. The pits were sealed after use and therefore constitute a secure archaeological context. They were rich in finds, including pottery and glass vessels, bone and metal artifacts, and large quantities of organic materials. The Stratum III pits are also characterized by the highly preserved state of the various finds––many of the ceramic and glass vessels were nearly intact or restorable. This, coupled with the fact that they are sealed loci belonging to the earliest stratum in a sequence of three Abbasid strata (see Chapter 12), amplifies their significant contribution to the study of the early Abbasid glass repertoire in Jerusalem. The glass repertoire from the secure loci of Stratum III, which include mostly pits but also some installations and floors, comprises some 310 diagnostic fragments. Pit 1554, which was extremely rich in well-preserved glass fragments (c. 70 fragments; 22% of the Stratum III glass assemblage), was chosen as a representative locus of this stratum, and selected examples are illustrated in Figs. 15.3 and 15.4. Abbasid vessel types originating in other loci, which were not present in Pit 1554, as well as better-preserved examples of the types from Pit 1554, are illustrated in Figs. 15.5–15.8. As these characteristic pits were not present in the sequence in Area M1 at Givati, the Abbasid finds from that area (Gutreich 2013) will be discussed together with Strata II and I, below. As mentioned, Stratum III yielded one of the largest and definitely the best-preserved glass assemblage from the various strata at Givati, with many intact and restorable vessels. The assemblage consists of plain, free-blown vessels, as well as many decorated examples–– mold blown, thread decorated, tonged and wheel cut. Most fragments were found covered with blackish patina, probably resulting from the conditions inside the sealed pits. The majority of the vessels were made of bluish green glass in varying shades, yet a relatively high percentage of nearly colorless glass (characterizing mostly––but not exclusively––

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

541

the mold-blown vessels) also occurs, alongside a few green, yellow, olive-green and blue fragments. Plain Bowls and Beakers (Figs. 15.3:1–7; 15.5:1–12) Bowls with a tubular out-folded rim (Fig. 15.5:1) were common from the Roman to the Abbasid periods (until the late ninth century; Pollak 2007:100). Indeed, they are present at Givati in large numbers in both the Byzantine and Umayyad assemblages, comprising 16% and 15% of these assemblages, respectively (see Table 15.1); they are the only bowl type that continued in use from the previous periods into the Abbasid period. Nevertheless, their popularity seems to decrease over the centuries, with only 19 examples (6%) in the present assemblage. Abbasid–Fatimid parallels come, among other places, from Tiberias (Lester 2004: Fig. 7.1:21–26), Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pls. 28:558–29:565) and Ramla (Pollak 2007: Fig. 1). The most prominent bowl type in the Stratum III assemblage (due to the relatively large fragments preserved) is a shallow, cylindrical bowl made of thick glass and characterized by straight vertical walls, a flat base and usually a simple rounded rim (Figs. 15.3:1; 15.5:2–5). Various types of these bowls are known since the ninth century, and represent a change in the glass repertoire from the Umayyad to the Abbasid period (GorinRosen 2008b:47). They remained in use until the eleventh century (Pollak 2007:104), and therefore can be seen as an Abbasid vessel type par excellence. Stratum III yielded 16 examples of these bowls (5% of the assemblage)––six presenting a complete profile (including one complete bowl), six rim fragments and four flat bases attributed to these bowls. The example in Fig. 15.5:2 represents the typical form of these bowls. Similar bowls were found, for example, at Caesarea, where they are among the most common vessel types of the late ninth–mid-tenth centuries (Pollak 2003:167, Fig. 3:40). That in Fig. 15.5:3 is a very shallow bowl (c. 2 cm high); similar bowls were recovered from Tiberias and dated to the late eighth–early ninth centuries (Lester 2004:168, Fig. 7.1:1), and from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:35, Pl. 25:491). The bowl in Fig. 15.5:4 has a slightly flaring rim, and a similar example was found in a late ninth– mid-tenth-century context at Caesarea (Pollak 2003:167, Fig. 3:39). The small cylindrical bowl with a bulge (or a deep groove) below the rim (Fig. 15.5:5) is complete and was found broken into two pieces. A somewhat similar bowl was found at Ramla in an Abbasid context (ninth–eleventh centuries; Pollak 2007:104, Fig. 3:16). The bowl in Fig. 15.3:1 is elliptical in shape; no parallels are known. Four fragments in the assemblage represent three more types of small bowls: Fig. 15.3:2 is somewhat rounded, the walls curving toward the base; Fig. 15.3:3 represents two bowls in the assemblage with an inward-curving wall forming a holemouth shape, a type that was found, for example, in a tenth–eleventh-century context at Ramla (Pollak 2007:107, Fig. 4:21); and Fig. 15.5:6 represents a type of small bowl with convex walls and a short, everted rim that is known, for example, from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Tiberias, where they appear towards the end of the tenth century (Lester 2004:168, Fig. 7.1:12), and at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 26:507–509).

542

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.3 ► No.

Type

Basket

Color

1

Plain bowl

17537/3

Light green

2

Plain bowl

17665/4

Bluish green

3

Plain bowl

17642/6

Bluish green

4

Plain bowl

17288

Bluish green

5

Plain bowl

17642/3

Bluish green

6

Plain beaker

16975/1

Colorless with olive-green tinge

7

Plain beaker

17665/3

Bluish green

8

Decorated beaker

17643/3

Bluish green? (patina)

9

Wineglass

17642/7

Green

10

Oil lamp

17665/6

Bluish green

11

Oil lamp

17003/2

Bluish green

12

Cupping glass/alembic

17726

Light purple

The large bowl with an in-folded rim in Fig. 15.3:4 seems to be a very rare type in the Abbasid–Fatimid periods; a close parallel was found at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:36, Pl. 28:555). The deep bowl in Fig. 15.5:7 is very large (c. 22 cm diam.) and has an out-slanting wall and an incurving rim. Stratum III yielded four solid bases that are attributed here to bowls (Fig. 15.5:8). Bowls with solid bases are known in Abbasid contexts, for example at Caesarea, where large bowls with slanting walls and solid bases appear in contexts of the mid-eighth– ninth centuries (Pollak 2007:167, Fig. 1:20). It should be noted that at Bet She’an, solid bases from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts were attributed to bottles (see Hadad 2005:40, Pls. 38:797–39:802). Four fragments of handled bowls were found in the present assemblage. That in Fig. 15.5:9 is a hemispherical bowl with two horizontal handles (one is missing). While the bowl is made of fine glass, the handle shows quite careless workmanship. The solid base with the beginning of a rounded handle in Fig. 15.3:5 belongs to a handled bowl (or cup). A cup with a similar base, decorated with a vertical coil attached above the base on the curve (like the handle in Fig. 15.3:5), was found at Ramla in an eighth–ninth-century context (Pollak 2007:110, Fig. 6:32). The rounded handle in Fig. 15.5:10 belongs to either a handled bowl (Hadad 2005:46, Pl. 45:942; Pollak 2007:110, Fig. 6:34) or a cup-shaped oil lamp (Amitai-Preiss 2004:181–183, Fig. 11.3:22; Gorin-Rosen 2010:222–223, Pl. 10.3 [Umayyad]; 253, Pl. 10.11:4, 5). Finally, the fragment of an olive-green vessel in Fig. 15.5:11 is probably a bowl with an out-folded rim and a basket handle drawn up from the rim. A bowl of this type was found at Ramla and dated to the eighth–ninth centuries (Pollak 2007:101, Fig. 1:5). Conical beakers with slightly concave bases are known since the ninth century and gradually replaced the stemmed wineglasses (below). Nevertheless, in most cases only the base is preserved, and therefore they are not often recognized in assemblages (Lester 2004:174–175). Stratum III yielded twelve rim fragments of deep conical vessels (Figs. 15.3:6; 15.5:12) and six concave bases (Fig. 15.3:7) that should probably be identified as

543

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1

2

3

4

7

6

5

9 8 10

12

11

0

4

Fig. 15.3. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III Pit 1554.

beakers of this type. A base similar to Fig. 15.3:7, attributed to a conical beaker, was found at Tiberias (Lester 2004:174–175, Fig. 7.3:41). Decorated Bowls and Beakers (Figs. 15.3:8; 15.5:13–16) This group includes five fragments of mold-blown and wheel-cut bowls and tonged beakers. Mold blowing was a popular decorative technique during the Abbasid–Fatimid periods (Hadad 2005:36), and the most common in the Stratum III assemblage at Givati (mostly on bottles, see below). The large, flat, mold-blown base in Fig. 15.5:13 is the

544

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.4 ► No.

Type

Basket

Color

1

Plain bottle

17643/2

Bluish green

2

Plain bottle

17537/1

Bluish green

3

Plain bottle

17003/4

Bluish green

4

Plain bottle

17665/1

Bluish green

5

Plain bottle

17665/5

Bluish green

6

Plain bottle

17537/2

Colorless with olive-green tinge

7

Plain bottle

17766/1

Bluish green

8

Plain bottle

17642/2

Colorless with light olive-green tinge

9

Plain bottle

17003/1

Light olive-green? (patina)

10

Plain bottle

17003/3

Bluish green? (patina)

11

Plain bottle

17642/1

Bluish green

12

Decorated bottle

17665/2

Bluish green

13

Decorated bottle

17643/5

Colorless

14

Decorated bottle

17643/1

Bluish green

15

Decorated bottle

17643/4

Light Bluish green? (patina)

16

Juglet

17642/4

Colorless with olive-green tinge

only fragment assigned to a bowl, based on parallels from Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pls. 30:598–31:604). It is decorated with a honeycomb pattern, which was very common on mold-blown vessels during the Abbasid–Fatimid periods. A similar base was found, for example, at Ramla, although its vessel type was not identified (Gorin-Rosen 2010:247, Pl. 10.9:2). The fragment of a finely made cylindrical bowl with a thickened rim in Fig. 15.5:14 is decorated with shallow, wheel-cut lines around the body. Fragments of apparently similar cylindrical bowls with wheel-cut decoration were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:38, Pl. 34:675, 677; no rim fragment was found). A small body fragment of a wheel-cut vessel made of thick glass and decorated with elliptical facets (Fig.15.5:15) is assigned to a bowl based on a similar fragment from Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 34:676). The vessel in Fig. 15.3:8, identified here as a beaker, was decorated by tonging, i.e., a design was impressed into the vessel wall with metal tongs (Hadad 2005:37). This technique was very popular in the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, mainly on bowls and beakers (Gorin-Rosen 2010:242). A pattern of ellipses with a knob in the center is common, in tonging as well as in other techniques (Hadad 2005:42). For instance, bowls and beakers bearing similar tonged patterns of concentric ellipses were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 32:632–634) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010: Pl. 10.8:2). It should be noted, however, that Fig. 15.3:8 may, in fact, be a tonged bottle neck, similar to those found at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:42, Pl. 40:846, 847). The fragment in Fig. 15.5:16, which might also belong to a beaker, bears a tonged decoration of pinched ridges near the base. A similar yet larger vessel, identified as a bowl, was found at Bet She’an and its decoration is described as ‘unusual’ (Hadad 2005:36, Pl. 33:649).

545

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1 3

2

5

10

4

6

8

7

13

12

11

14

15 0

9

16 4

Fig. 15.4. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III Pit 1554.

Wineglasses (Figs. 15.3:9; 15.5:17, 18) Footed wineglasses first appeared in the Byzantine period, continued in use during the Umayyad period and are usually very rare in Abbasid–Fatimid assemblages (Hadad 2005:46). At Givati, wineglasses are relatively common in both the Byzantine and Umayyad assemblages, comprising 8% and 11% of the assemblages respectively, and appear much less frequently in Stratum III (5%; see Table 15.1). Of the 14 examples in the present assemblage, 11 are tubular bases (Fig. 15.5:17) and three are beaded stems

546

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.5 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bowl

1549

16887/1

Light green

2

Plain bowl

2425

37200/1

Deep blue

3

Plain bowl

1939

25549/1

Colorless with yellowish tinge

4

Plain bowl

1793

23348/1

Bluish green

5

Plain bowl

1479

16367/1

Bluish green

6

Plain bowl

2425

37143/2

Bluish green

7

Plain bowl

2425

37065/1

Light yellow

8

Plain bowl

1514

16026/3

Bluish green

9

Plain bowl

1620

18862

Light olive-green

10

Plain bowl

1578

18139/1

Bluish green

11

Plain bowl

2379

35895

Dark olive-green

12

Plain beaker

2425

37200/5

Bluish green

13

Decorated bowl

1793

23155/1

Colorless with olive-green tinge

14

Decorated bowl

1951

25841/1

Colorless with olive-green tinge

15

Decorated bowl

1951

25880/1

Bluish green

16

Decorated beaker

1547

18471/1

Colorless with purple tinge

17

Wineglass

1549

16964/1

Bluish green

18

Wineglass

1827

23699/1

Bluish green

19

Oil lamp

1479

16384/1

Bluish green

20

Oil lamp

1827

23699/2

Bluish green

21

Oil lamp

1900

25484/1

Bluish green

(Figs. 15.3:9; 15.5:18). It is possible, though, that some of the fragments identified here as bases of wineglasses are, in fact, bases of lamps (see Lester 2004:173), thus the number of wineglasses in this assemblage may be even lower. The fragments in Figs. 15.3:9 and 15.5:18 are hollow and solid beaded stems respectively; a wineglass stem similar to Fig. 15.5:18 was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 45:947). Oil Lamps (Figs. 15.3:10, 11; 15.5:19–21; 15.6:1–3) Eighteen fragments in the Stratum III assemblage were identified as belonging to oil lamps. In addition to these, the above-mentioned rounded handle (Fig. 15.5:10) and perhaps also the ‘wineglass bases’ (e.g., Fig. 15.5:17), may also be parts of lamps. The fragments are assigned to six types of oil lamps: bowl-shaped lamps with an out-folded rim and three handles, three types of lamps with a hollow stem, a lamp with a solid stem, and bowlshaped lamps with a central tube and no handles. Bowl-shaped lamps with an out-folded rim and three handles, usually with a concave base and sometimes with a vertical tube attached to the center of the floor, were common since the Byzantine period and continued in use until the Mamluk period, as at Bet She’an (Hadad 1998:63–64, Fig. 1). At Givati, they appear in the Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid periods (see Table 15.1). In Stratum III, this type is represented by three fragments which can be positively attributed to it––an out-folded rim with a handle attached (Fig. 15.5:19)

547

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1 3 2

6 5

4

7

10

9

8

13 11

12

14

15

16

18

17

20

19 0

21 4

Fig. 15.5. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III.

548

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.6 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Oil lamp

1951

26321/1

Bluish green

2

Oil lamp

3819

59498/2

Dark blue with opaque red ‘stains’

3

Oil lamp

2425

37176

Bluish green

4

Cupping glass/alembic

2425

37392/1

Bluish green

5

Plain jar

2472

38798/1

Bluish green

6

Decorated jar

2426

36999/1

Bluish green

7

Plain bottle

2438

37741

Bluish green? (patina)

8

Plain bottle

2425

37177/1

Bluish green

9

Plain bottle

1513

15922/1

Bluish green

10

Plain bottle

1793

23221/2

Bluish green

11

Plain bottle

3745

58297/1

Bluish green? (patina)

12

Plain bottle

1549

16753/1

Bluish green

13

Plain bottle

2425

37143/1

Colorless with bluish green tinge? (patina)

14

Plain bottle

2472

38560

Bluish green

and two characteristic small handles (not illustrated). Two concave bases with vertical tubes attached (Fig. 15.5:20) and two fragmentary tubes (not illustrated) could belong to this type or the similar bowl-shaped lamps without handles (see below). The popularity of this type appears to decline in Stratum III: from 3% of the Byzantine assemblage and 5% of the Umayyad, to 1–2% in the present assemblage (see Table 15.1). Eight fragments in the Stratum III assemblage represent three types of bowl-shaped lamps with a hollow stem, which differ in the shape of the stem. That in Fig. 15.5:21 (and two other base fragments) belongs to a well-known lamp type with a small bowl and a hollow, cylindrical stem. These lamps were found at many sites in contexts of the Byzantine and Umayyad periods, as at Bet She’an (Hadad 1998:69, 72, Fig. 4). At Givati, they appear in the Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Their popularity declines in Stratum III, from 4% of the Umayyad to 1% of the present assemblage (see Table 15.1). The hollow stem with a pinched, knobbed base in Fig. 15.3:10 belongs to a later type of hollow-stemmed oil lamp, represented in Stratum III by three base fragments (see Table 15.1). A fragment similar to Fig.15.3:10 was found, for example, at Ramla, where it was dated to the Fatimid period (Pollak 2007:114–115, Fig. 7:42). Another type of hollow-stemmed lamp, represented by two fragments (Figs. 15.3:11; 15.6:1), has a stem that narrows toward the base (Hadad 1998:72). The lamp in Fig. 15.6:1 still retains marks around the upper part of the stem, from where it was suspended. This type of lamp was in use from the Umayyad through the Ayyubid–Mamluk periods, but was rare during the Abbasid–Fatimid periods, as, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:47, Pl. 45:970, 971). At Givati, it was encountered only in Stratum III. One fragment in the Stratum III assemblage (Fig. 15.6:2) is probably a small, flat base with a knob. It is made of transparent, dark blue glass and decorated with ‘stains’ of opaque red glass. This base most likely belongs to a lamp with a solid, knobbed stem (from which only one knob was preserved). Lamps of this type were found at Bet She’an and

549

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

2

3 1

5

6

4

10

7

9

8

13

11

12

14 0

4

Fig. 15.6. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III.

550

DORIT GUTREICH

elsewhere in contexts of the eighth through fourteenth centuries (Hadad 1998:68–69, Fig. 2: mainly Nos. 17, 18, 28); none of these lamps, however, is decorated. Another oil-lamp type appearing for the first time at Givati in the Stratum III assemblage is characterized by a small bowl with a flat or concave base and a vertical tube attached to the center of the floor (Fig. 15.6:3). No handles were attached to the lamp’s wall, and unlike the other lamp types, it was not suspended (Lester 2004:199; Hadad 2005:47). Two flat bases with a tube attached were found in the present assemblage and can be positively identified as belonging to this lamp type. In addition, two concave bases with tubes (see Fig. 15.5:20) and two fragmented tubes (not illustrated) might also belong to such lamps, or to lamps with out-folded rims and three handles (see above). Oil lamps with central tubes and no handles first appeared in the Abbasid period and continued in use until the Mamluk period. They were found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 1998:73, Fig. 7:71). Cupping Glasses/Alembics (Figs. 15.3:12; 15.6:4) This vessel type has a small bowl with a rounded base and a rim that is usually folded out, and a long, narrow spout (Hadad 2005:29). Two cupping glasses/alembics were found in Stratum III, in addition to a delicate, out-folded rim that might also belong to such a vessel. The vessel in Fig. 15.3:12 is nearly complete (after restoration) but lacks the spout, although its location on the wall of the bowl is visible. The other example (Fig. 15.6:4) features the outfolded rim and the beginning of the spout. The function of these vessels is unclear, and theories range from cupping glasses for medical purposes (supported by a miniature in a thirteenth-century Islamic manuscript) to alembics used in chemistry experiments, or even vessels used in rose-water production (Hadad 2005:29). Cupping glasses/alembics are a very common find in excavations of Islamic sites (Gorin-Rosen 2010:227). They are known since the Umayyad period but are more common from the Abbasid period onward. Abbasid–Fatimid examples were found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:29, Pl. 46:979–981). Jars (Figs. 15.6:5, 6) The jars of the Abbasid–Fatimid periods are characterized by a low, carinated neck and usually a simple, rounded rim (Hadad 2005:45). They are less common than jars of the Umayyad period, characterized by their rounded neck and in-folded rim (Hadad 2005:28, 45). Two typical Abbasid jars were identified in the present assemblage. The plain one in Fig. 15.6:5 is similar to Abbasid–Fatimid jars from other sites such as Tiberias (Lester 2004: Fig. 7.4:42, 45, 46) and Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 43:890–892). The only decorated (probably mold-blown) jar from Stratum III (Fig. 15.6:6) has a carinated neck and a deeply molded decoration of a circle with a knob at the center. This was a popular motif during the Abbasid–Fatimid periods, appearing in various decorative techniques (see Fig. 15.3:8; Hadad 2005:42). It is possible that Fig. 15.6:6 was not blown into a mold but rather impressed with a mold bearing the pattern, while the glass was still

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

551

hot. A bottle with a similar pattern made in this technique was found in an Abbasid context at Kh. ‘Adasa near Jerusalem (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:129, Fig. 3:5). Plain Bottles (Figs. 15.4:1–11; 15.6:7–14; 15.7:1–7) Small and medium-sized plain bottles, usually characterized by an in-folded rim, a long narrow neck and a high, pushed-in base (Figs. 15.4:1–3; 15.6:7–10), first appeared in the Abbasid period and continued in use into later times (Hadad 2005:40). This is by far the most popular vessel type in the assemblage of Stratum III, of which 104 typical fragments (mostly base fragments, e.g., Fig. 15.4:1) were identified, comprising over a third of the assemblage (see Table 15.1). The abundance of this vessel type in the refuse pits of the Abbasid market is noteworthy, and around 40 of these fragments originated in Pits 1554 and 2425. They or their contents must have been sold here, perhaps in market stalls situated near Pits 1554 and 2425. It should be noted that the capacity of these small bottles is rather limited (e.g., Fig. 15.6:7, 9), and their shape is suitable for holding expensive liquids (e.g., medicine, perfume). Although the bottles are made of thin glass and are of poor workmanship, some were found nearly intact (e.g., Fig. 15.6:7, 8), while others had broken into large fragments (i.e., complete bases or rims and necks; see Fig. 15.6:9, 10). Parallels from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts were found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 36:710), Caesarea (Pollak 2003: Figs. 2:29; 3:41, 42) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010: Pl. 10.6:24, 25). Bottles with a short, wide, cylindrical (or sometimes tapering) neck and a simple, rounded rim constitute a large and varied group of bottles known since the Umayyad period and becoming very common during the Abbasid period. They differ in size and the shape of the body, and can be either plain (e.g., Fig. 15.4:4) or mold blown (see below; Gorin-Rosen 2010:233). At Givati, they first appear in the Abbasid period (see Table 15.1). The example in Fig. 15.4:4 is the only plain one positively identified in the present assemblage; nine smaller rim fragments were also attributed to plain bottles of this group. Both plain and decorated examples from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts are known from, among other places, Kh. ‘Adasa near Jerusalem (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:129, Fig. 3:1–5; Abbasid), Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pls. 36:715; 37:747), Caesarea (Pollak 2003:166–167, Fig. 2:23, 24; second half of the eighth century) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010: Pls. 10.5:3–6; 10.6:1, 2). Three bottles (Fig. 15.6:11–13) belong to a group of Abbasid–Fatimid bottles with a funnel-shaped mouth or shelf-like rim and a narrow cylindrical or tapering neck, which first appear at Givati in the Stratum III assemblage (see Table 15.1). The two pieces in Fig. 15.6:11, an upper part and a base, probably belong to the same bottle with a hemispherical funnel mouth, a tapering neck and pronounced shoulders. A fragment of a similar mouth was found at Ramla and dated to the Abbasid period (Gorin-Rosen 2010:237, Fig. 6.6:16). Bottles with a tapering neck and pronounced shoulders, and a flaring ‘shelf-like’ rim, were very common during the Abbasid–Fatimid period, from the ninth to the eleventh centuries (Gorin-Rosen 2010:238). Despite its hemispherical rim, it seems that Fig. 15.6:11 should be assigned to this well-known type. The upper part and base in Fig. 15.6:12 probably belong to the same bottle, which has a flaring, almost shelf-like rim, a cylindrical neck and a globular body. A fragment of a

552

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.7 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bottle

1951

26321/3

Bluish green

2

Plain bottle

2425

37200/3

Colorless with yellowish tinge

3

Plain bottle

2425

37143/5

Deep blue

4

Plain bottle

1608

18465

Colorless with olive-green tinge

5

Plain bottle

1549

16844

Light yellow

6

Plain bottle

1793

23155/2

Bluish green

7

Plain bottle

1537

16594/3

Light green

8

Decorated bottle

1514

16026/1

Colorless with yellowish tinge

9

Decorated bottle

1620

18616/1

Colorless

10

Decorated bottle

1513

15922/3

Bluish green

11

Decorated bottle

1608

18316/1

Colorless with yellowish tinge

12

Decorated bottle

1547

17404/1

Bluish green

similar bottle was found at Tiberias in a context dated to the early Abbasid period (Lester 2004:178, Fig. 7.5:59). Bottles with a similar rim and neck are usually grouped together with the bottles with a tapering neck (e.g., Fig. 15.6:11) under the same type (Pollak 2003:167; Lester 2004:177–178). In fact, the globular bottles with a cylindrical neck are considered to be the Syro-Egyptian version of the bottle with a tapering neck and pronounced shoulders, which originated in Iran (Lester 2004:177–178, following Carboni 2001: Cat. No. 35). Rim and neck fragments of both subtypes (and both plain and decorated) were found at Caesarea in late ninth–early tenth-century contexts (Pollak 2003:167, Fig. 3:43, 44, 50, 51). The fragment of a wide, flaring, rounded rim and a narrow neck slightly constricted below the rim (Fig. 15.6:13) probably had a globular body and might also belong to the same group of bottles as Figs. 15.6:11 and 15.6:12. A similar fragment was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 36:711). The fragment in Fig. 15.6:14 is the only example at Givati of a bottle with a short, funnel-shaped mouth and a wide cylindrical neck, a type known over a long period of time. An example from an Early Islamic context was found, for example, at Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010:237, Pl. 10.6:15). Three types of plain bottles in the assemblage can be grouped together as bottles with rounded bases. These include two vessels designated here as ‘large phials’ (Fig. 15.7:1, 2), an elongated blue bottle (Fig. 15.7:3) and a finely made bottle (Fig. 15.4:5). These enigmatic vessels all share one characteristic: a rounded base that prevents them from standing alone. The two large phials resemble the miniature phials (see Figs. 15.4:10; 15.7:5, 6) but are much larger. It should be stressed that the size of the large phials probably prevented them from actually serving as medicine ampoules, as the miniature phials are interpreted. The base in Fig. 15.7:1 probably belonged to a large lentoid phial. The large tubular phial in Fig. 15.7:2 is nearly intact (lacks the rim). A similar, complete bottle was found in an Umayyad shop at Bet She’an. Hadad describes it as ‘unique in shape’ and presumes it was used for measuring liquids (Hadad 2005:24, Pl. 8:149). Another intact vessel of similar

553

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

2

1

3

5

4

7 9

6

8

10

11

0

4

Fig. 15.7. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III.

12

554

DORIT GUTREICH

shape, though slightly smaller, from Fustat, was identified as a medicine dropper and dated to the eighth–ninth centuries (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:59–60, Fig. 29:h). The base in Fig. 15.7:3 belongs to a bottle type that is characterized by a knocked-off rim, an elongated, cylindrical body and a rounded base. Such bottles are usually made of distinctive dark blue glass of uneven thickness, and are found at sites throughout the Islamic world and dated to the ninth–tenth centuries (Pollak 2003:167). Although the function of these elongated bottles is unclear, they are believed to have been used for medicinal purposes (Amitai-Preiss 2004:181). Characteristic rims and base fragments dated to the ninth–tenth centuries were found, for example, at Caesarea (Pollak 2003: Fig. 3:45) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2008b:49, figure on right). The rounded base in Fig. 15.4:5 has a fine, thin wall and probably belonged to a bottle, perhaps similar to a neckless bottle found at Nishapur in Iran and dated to the tenth century. The bottle from Nishapur is thought to have been “devised for some special purpose … connected with distillation” (Kröger 1995:76, No. 97). Small cylindrical (Fig. 15.4:6) and square-sectioned (Figs. 15.4:7, 8; 15.7:4) bottles are characterized by tall narrow proportions, a funnel-shaped neck and thick glass. The cylindrical bottles were made by tooling, and the square-sectioned bottles were made by tooling or mold blowing (Gorin-Rosen 2010:231). Many of the cylindrical and square bottles from Givati and elsewhere are either intact or nearly intact, due to their small size and the thickness of their walls. At Fustat, one cylindrical bottle of this type was found with an ivory kohl stick inside, testifying to its use (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:42, Fig. 17f). These bottles first appeared in the Umayyad period and became common in the Abbasid period, with which they are most identified (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:128). At Givati, they are encountered for the first time in Abbasid Stratum III (see Table 15.1), in which fragments of seven square-sectioned bottles and two cylindrical bottles were identified. A similar ratio is seen at other sites, such as Bet She’an (at least nine square bottles and one cylindrical bottle; Hadad 2005:39–40, Pls. 35:695–36:702), Ramla (three square bottles and one cylindrical; Gorin-Rosen 2010:231, Pl. 10.5:3–6) and also Kh. ‘Adasa, where the only bottle found is square sectioned (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:128, Fig. 3:1). Six bases in the assemblage (Fig. 15.4:9) probably belong to another type of small cylindrical bottle, which was free blown and made of thinner glass than the bottles made by tooling. Similar bases attributed to bottles with a cylindrical or globular body were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:40, Pl. 39:804–807). Miniature bottles of various types are considered a product of the Abbasid–Fatimid period (Hadad 2005:39). The eighteen fragments of miniature bottles identified in the present assemblage belong to four types: lentoid and tubular phials and two types of squat bottles. Eleven phials were found––eight are flattened and have a lentoid shape (Figs. 15.4:10; 15.7:5, intact) and three are tubular (Fig. 15.7:6). Lentoid phials from Abbasid– Fatimid contexts were found, for example, at Tiberias (Lester 2004: Fig. 7.9:116–120) and Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 35:689, 690). Tubular phials, on the other hand, are quite rare at Early Islamic sites and are more common in Late Roman and Byzantine contexts. Nevertheless, ten such phials were found at Tiberias in early Abbasid through Fatimid contexts (mid-eighth to mid-eleventh centuries; Lester 2004:191–192; Fig. 7.9:107–115).

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

555

Seven fragments of squat miniature bottles, representing two types, were found in Stratum III. The nearly intact bottle in Fig.15.4:11 has a wide flaring neck, a slightly carinated shoulder and a globular body. Five additional fragments apparently belong to the same type. A fragmented bottle, probably of the same type, was found in an Abbasid– Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 35:692). The example in Fig. 15.7:7, characterized by its thick glass and squat, carinated body, resembles a miniature, wheel-cut bottle found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 41:856). Decorated Bottles (Figs. 15.4:12–15; 15.7:8–12; 15.8:1–3) Fragments of 23 decorated bottles were identified in the Stratum III assemblage, the vast majority of which (17; 5% of the assemblage) are mold blown (see Table 15.1). The rest are decorated with various techniques: one has a grooved neck, one has a tooled-in tube and four small fragments (not illustrated) belong to thread-decorated bottles. Mold blowing was a very common technique in the production of glass vessels during the Abbasid–Fatimid periods. At Bet She’an, Abbasid mold-blown bottles are less common than the mold-blown bowls and beakers of the period (Hadad 2005:36, 41). This is not the case, however, in the Stratum III assemblage at Givati, which contains numerous mold-blown bottles (Figs. 15.4:12–15; 15.7:8–12; 15.8:1) but only one bowl made in this technique (see Fig. 15.5:13). The mold-blown bottles from Givati are of different shapes and sizes and display various mold-blown patterns. They can be divided accordingly into six types. Fragments of three mold-blown polygonal bottles were identified: two hexagonal (Fig. 15.4:12) and one octagonal (Fig.15.4:13).4 Polygonal bottles were very common during the ninth–tenth centuries (Gorin-Rosen 2010:247) and were found, for example, in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 40:836–838) and Ramla (GorinRosen 2010: Pl. 10.9:7, 8). Seven mold-blown fragments belong to small and medium-sized cylindrical bottles with a cylindrical or funnel-shaped neck (Figs. 15.4:14, 15; 15.7:8, 9). They are the decorated version of the well-known bottles characterized by the same neck shape (see Fig. 15.4:4). These bottles are decorated with dense, deeply molded geometric designs of either herringbone (or chevron; Fig. 15.7:8) or concentric diamonds (Figs. 15.4:14; 15.7:9). In most cases (e.g., Figs. 15.4:14, 15; 15.7:9), even the base is decorated. The example in Fig. 15.4:14, a complete (restored) profile, also has a mold-blown decoration on its base, but the pattern is too shallow to be illustrated. The fragment in Fig. 15.7:9 is the whole body (missing the neck) of a relatively small mold-blown bottle. A juglet in the assemblage also bears a mold-blown, concentric-diamonds pattern (see Fig. 15.8:6). Cylindrical bottles with mold-blown decoration are very common at Early Islamic, especially Abbasid, sites (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:129), and fragments were found, for example, in Abbasid–Fatimid

The plain, square-sectioned bottles (see Figs. 15.4:7, 8; 15.7:4) were not included in this group, although some of them were probably made by mold blowing (Gorin-Rosen 2010:231). 4

556

DORIT GUTREICH

contexts at Kh. ‘Adasa near Jerusalem (Gorin-Rosen 2008a: Fig. 3:8), Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 40:833, 834), Caesarea (mid-eighth to late ninth centuries; Pollak 2003:167, Fig. 2:24) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010: Pl. 10.9:9, a complete example). However, none of these sites has yielded such a large number of well-preserved bottles of this elaborate type as Givati. Moreover, none of the above-mentioned examples exhibit the herringbone or concentric-diamonds patterns seen on the bottles from Givati. In fact, the herringbone pattern is apparently rare in Islamic mold-blown glass in general (Carboni 2001:214; see p. 221 for a discussion on the concentric-diamonds pattern). An almost complete (restored) mold-blown, bell-shaped bottle (Fig. 15.7:10) is decorated with concentric diamonds on the body and a rosette on the base. Although the concentric-diamonds pattern is similar to that on the mold-blown cylindrical bottles and juglet (see Figs. 15.4:14; 15.7:9; 15.8:6), it is shallower. Mold-blown, bell-shaped bottles with a funnel-shaped neck are known in the eighth–tenth centuries (Hasson 1979:17, Fig. 31). One plain bell-shaped bottle was found at Fustat and dated to the eighth–ninth centuries (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:33, Fig. 12, Pl. 12). A mold-blown, bell-shaped bottle in the Dobkin Collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem is assigned to Iran or the eastern Mediterranean and dated to the eighth–ninth centuries (Brosh 2003:358, Cat. No. 483). However, the character of the bottle in Fig. 15.7:10 and its material point to a local origin (Gorin-Rosen, pers. comm.). A rim and a body fragment that probably belong to the same mold-blown bottle (Fig. 15.7:11) represent a type with a flaring rim, a thin waist and a ribbed, globular body. The shape was formed by blowing the glass bulb into a ribbed, cylindrical mold and then tooling the waist. A ribbed body fragment of a globular bottle was found at Ramla (Pollak 2007:123, Fig. 10:68), and a bottle similar to that in Fig. 15.7:11 (but with a longer rim, termed a ‘spittoon’ shape) was found at Fustat (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:72, Fig. 35h, Pl. 35h); both examples come from contexts of the eighth–ninth centuries. Four fragments in the assemblage belong to cylindrical mold-blown vessels (probably bottles) with a ribbed (fluted) body; three are bases with the beginning of the ribs (Fig. 15.7:12) and one is a ribbed body fragment. Cylindrical, mold-blown fluted bottles were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 39:828, 829) and Tiberias (Lester 2004: Fig. 7.13:166). One body fragment (Fig. 15.8:1) is probably part of a mold-blown globular bottle. It is made of thin glass and the design consists of concentric circles with a central dot, in shallow relief. This is a common pattern applied in various decorative techniques during the Abbasid period (see Figs. 15.3:8; 15.6:6). A fragment similar to Fig. 15.8:1 was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an and assigned to a bottle (Hadad 2005:42, Pl. 40:832). In addition to the many bottles decorated by mold blowing, Stratum III yielded a few fragments of bottles decorated with other techniques. The large bottle with a wide cylindrical neck in Fig. 15.8:2 is decorated with two tooled, horizontal grooves. It represents a type of bottle with a ridged neck formed by a tool, characteristic of the Early Islamic period (GorinRosen 2010:233–235). A bottle of this type was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 38:780).

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1

2

3

4

6

5

7

8 0

4

Fig. 15.8. Abbasid Glass from Stratum III. No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Decorated bottle

2425

37200/6

Colorless with yellowish tinge

2

Decorated bottle

3819

59498/1

Yellow

3

Decorated bottle

1951

25815

Golden brown

4

Plain jug

2379

35838

Bluish green

5

Plain juglet

1547

16779/1

Bluish green

6

Decorated juglet

1513

15922/2

Colorless with yellowish tinge

7

Windowpane

1537

16769/1

Bluish green

8

Bracelet

1514

16026/2

Dark color, opaque (patina)

557

558

DORIT GUTREICH

One bottle in the assemblage is decorated with a tooled-in tube (Fig. 15.8:3), a technique very common on a variety of vessel types from the Early Islamic to the Crusader periods (Gorin-Rosen 2000:83*). In most cases, only the thick fragment of the inner tube is preserved, while the thin walls of the vessel have broken and its shape remains unknown (see, e.g., a fragment from Ramla reconstructed as a ‘bottle/jug’; Gorin-Rosen 2010:240, Pl. 10.6:23). This restorable upper part and base of a large bottle with a cylindrical neck and a tooled-in tube below the rounded shoulder is an uncommon find. The bottle is made of golden-brown glass, common in vessels with an inner tube (Carboni 2001:182, Cat. Nos. 46a, b, and see references therein). The inner tube, which appears as a dark line from outside, is probably decorative rather than functional (see Smith 1957:213, Cat. No. 425; Carboni 2001:182, Cat. Nos. 46a–c). It should be noted, however, that in the case of a colorless vessel with an inner tube, the interpretation of the fold as a functional device is more plausible. Three such colorless fragments found at Tiberias were consequently identified as parts of lamps (Lester 2004:199, Fig. 7.11:150– 152). The general shape of the bottle in Fig. 15.8:3 assigns it to the large group of bottles with a wide cylindrical neck, which were common during the Abbasid period (see Fig. 15.4:4; Hadad 2005: Pl. 36:715; Gorin-Rosen 2010:233). A complete piriform bottle with an inner tube in the Dobkin Collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem is attributed to the eastern Mediterranean and dated to the tenth–thirteenth centuries (Brosh 2003:346, Cat. No. 455). Finally, four small fragments (not illustrated) probably belong to bottles decorated with threads, a technique that was widespread in the Byzantine and Umayyad periods and became much less common during the Abbasid period (Hadad 2005:41). At Givati, the thread-decorated bottles constitute 7% of the Byzantine and 5% of the Umayyad assemblages, declining sharply in Stratum III to 1%. Thread decoration was apparently replaced at Givati during Stratum III by mold blowing (comprising 5%; see above) as the preferred decorative technique of bottles. Thread decoration regained popularity in the following stratum (see Table 15.1). Jugs and Juglets (Figs. 15.4:16; 15.8:4–6) One jug, two plain juglets and one mold-blown juglet were identified in the present assemblage. In addition, some ten handles (not illustrated) should probably be assigned to jugs and juglets. The rim fragment of a jug in Fig. 15.8:4 has a pinched handle. Pinched handles of various types are very common on jugs and juglets of the Abbasid–Fatimid periods (e.g., Fig. 15.8:6). Many were found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:45; Pls. 43:899– 44:910). The upper part (without the rim) and the tubular ring base in Fig. 15.4:16 probably belong to the same delicate juglet. The miniature vessel with a wide neck in Fig. 15.8:5 bears the remains of what seems to have been a small handle on the shoulder, and is therefore identified as a juglet. Wide necks and miniature size are both characteristics of the Abbasid period (see Figs. 15.4:11;

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

559

15.7:7). This juglet resembles a miniature bottle of Abbasid–Fatimid date from Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 35:692). The complete profile (restored) of a mold-blown juglet in Fig. 15.8:6 has a wide neck, a globular body and a pinched handle. It is decorated with a dense concentric-diamonds pattern. The base is decorated as well, but the pattern is very eroded. The shape of the neck and handle, as well as the mold-blowing technique and the decorative pattern, are all characteristic of the Abbasid–Fatimid periods (see the bottles in Figs. 15.4:14; 15.7:9, and the jug in Fig. 15.8:4; Hadad 2005:45, Pl. 43:899, 900). Windowpanes (Fig. 15.8:7) Five flat glass fragments were found in Stratum III and identified as parts of windowpanes. The fragment in Fig. 15.8:7––a fire-rounded rim of a rounded, cast windowpane with circular marks of lathe polishing on one surface––is the only rim-fragment found. A similar rounded windowpane was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 49:1016). Bracelets (Fig. 15.8:8) Three fragments of plain, monochrome bracelets with a narrow, D-shaped section were recovered (Fig. 15.8:8). As noted above, this type was very common from the third century onward (Spaer 1988:54; Type A2), and is represented at Givati in the Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid strata (see Table 15.1). Two of the bracelets are made of characteristic dark glass that seems opaque, the third is of transparent dark blue glass. Similar bracelets (of different colors) were found, for example, in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 47:983, 986, 987). Summary: The Abbasid Glass from Stratum III The Abbasid glass assemblage from the secure loci of Stratum III represents a marked change from the previous Umayyad assemblage, with very few vessel types continuing and many new types making their first appearance (see Table 15.1). New decorative techniques were also introduced, such as mold blowing and tonging, and these were widely employed at the expense of the former thread-decoration, which is almost absent from the assemblage of Stratum III. Finally, the colors of the Abbasid vessels are more varied than those of the previous periods. There are less bluish green vessels in the assemblage, while yellow, blue and mainly colorless vessels appear in relatively high numbers. The appearance of this ‘new Islamic style’ (see Gorin-Rosen 2010:228) is known from contemporary assemblages at other sites as well, such as Caesarea (Pollak 2003) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010). An interesting group of vessels found in the refuse pits of Stratum III––vessels with rounded bases––include the cupping glasses/alembics (Figs. 15.3:12; 15.6:4), the ‘large phials’ (Fig. 15.7:1, 2), the elongated blue bottle (Fig. 15.7:3), the finely made bottle (Fig. 15.4:5) and the miniature phials (Figs. 15.4:10; 15.7:5, 6). The function of all these vessels

560

DORIT GUTREICH

is enigmatic, and they are usually thought to have been used for medicinal or chemical purposes (see, e.g., Lester 2004:191–192). It is interesting to note that vessels of these types were sometimes found together in the same pit. For example, the finds from Pit 1554 include an alembic (Fig. 15.3:12), the finely made bottle with a rounded base (Fig. 15.4:5) and three miniature phials (e.g., Fig. 15.4:10), while Pit 2425 yielded an alembic (Fig. 15.6:4), the elongated blue bottle (Fig. 15.7:3), a ‘large phial’ (Fig. 15.7:2) and a miniature phial (not illustrated). As noted above, these are the two pits that yielded the largest number of bottles with a pushed-in base (Figs. 15.4:1–3; 15.6:7–10), which may have contained medicine or perfume. Based on the glass finds from Pits 1554 and 2425, one may speculate that these two refuse pits stood in the proximity of market stalls selling medicinal or pharmaceutical products.

Abbasid Glass from Stratum II Sometime during the ninth century, the open-air market that stood in the area of the Givati Parking Lot was replaced by a commercial and residential quarter characterized by narrow streets flanked by rows of buildings that are interpreted as houses, shops and workshops (see Chapters 12, 19). The finds retrieved from the streets and buildings of this stratum are not as well preserved as those from the undisturbed refuse pits of Stratum III. The Stratum II assemblage is comprised of c. 180 diagnostic sherds from well-stratified loci, and selected fragments are illustrated in Figs. 15.9–12; Fig. 15.13 presents a few well-preserved fragments of Abbasid vessels that were retrieved from loci excluded from the sample.5 Relevant fragments from the Abbasid assemblage of Area M1 (Gutreich 2013) are mentioned here as part of the overall assemblage of the Abbasid period at Givati. In order to avoid repetition, only vessel types that do not appear in the Stratum III assemblage are described here at length; otherwise, the reader is referred to the previous discussion of Stratum III (see above; see also Table 15.1). Alongside the many plain, free-blown vessels, the assemblage of Stratum II includes decorated examples featuring similar decorative techniques to those known from the assemblage of Stratum III (mold blowing, thread decorating, tonging, tooling and facet cutting). The vast majority of the vessels are made of glass in varying shades of bluish green, although nearly colorless glass (usually with a yellowish tinge) and hues of green–– olive green, light green and dark green––are also common. A few vessels are made of purple or brown glass. The threads used to decorate bowls and bottles are bluish green, blue, dark blue, turquoise or brown.

The almost-complete miniature bottle in Fig. 15.13:4 was retrieved in a medieval fill and is attributed typologically and presented here, within the discussion of Stratum II, because this is the main phase of Abbasid settlement at the site. 5

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

561

Plain Bowls and Beakers (Fig. 15.9:1–11) Bowls with a tubular out-folded rim, usually with a tubular ring base, were common from the Roman period (Pollak 2007:100), and appear at Givati in the Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid periods (see Table 15.1). Their frequency decreased over the centuries from 16% in the Byzantine assemblage to 6% in Stratum III; an increase is seen in the present assemblage, with 16 out-folded bowl rims (9%; Fig. 15.9:1–5). These differ in the length and shape of the fold, and belong to bowls with various body shapes. Six tubular ring bases (Fig. 15.9:6) may belong to bowls of this type, or to other vessel types (see, e.g., Figs. 15.10:15; 15.12:2). Similar rims and bases were also found in Abbasid contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:107–111). One outfolded-rim fragment was found together with a thick, solid base of the same color and fabric, and both should probably be assigned to the same massive bowl (Fig. 15.9:7). Four fragments of small solid bases in the assemblage are identified here as bowls based on the example in Fig. 15.9:8, which preserves the beginning of a flat body. Similar bases from Stratum III were also identified as bowls (see Table 15.1). Ten flat bases with the beginning of a cylindrical wall (Fig. 15.9:9) may be attributed to shallow cylindrical bowls that are known in the Stratum III assemblage. If so, they appear in Stratum II in a similar frequency (6%; see Table 15.1). However, no rims were found in the present assemblage, and the identification of these bases as bowls is uncertain; similar bases at Bet She’an, for example, were attributed to both cylindrical bowls and cylindrical bottles (Hadad 2005:36, 40, Pls. 29:572, 573; 38:792, 793). One large cylindrical bowl from Area M1 was dated to the Abbasid period (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:104). Cylindrical fragments as in Fig. 15.9:10, 11 may be parts of beakers, bowls or even necks of large bottles. The six examples in the present assemblage are identified as beakers based on vessels of similar diameter from Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 25:496–500) and Fustat (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:28, Fig. 7). Decorated Bowls and Beakers (Figs. 15.9:12, 13; 15.10:1–4) In addition to mold blowing, wheel cutting of thin horizontal lines and tonging, all known from the previous Stratum III (see Table 15.1), two new techniques were used in the present assemblage to decorate bowls and beakers: applying thin threads on or below the rim, and pinching the wall of the vessel. Mold blowing was a common decorative technique during the Abbasid–Fatimid period (Hadad 2005:36). At Givati, this technique was mostly employed on bottles in the assemblage of Stratum III, with one mold-blown bowl (see Table 15.1). The slightly concave base with a ribbed decoration in Fig. 15.9:12 is the only mold-blown fragment in the assemblage of Stratum II positively identified as belonging to a bowl. Abbasid-Fatimid examples of mold-blown bowl bases bearing a ribbed pattern were found at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 31:604–606) and Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010:246, Pl. 10.9:1).

562

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.9 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bowl

2278

33798/1

Bluish green

2

Plain bowl

1326

14380/2

Bluish green

3

Plain bowl

2262

33752

Bluish green

4

Plain bowl

1402

14571

Bluish green

5

Plain bowl

1800

23407

Bluish green

6

Plain bowl

1629

19114/1

Golden brown

7

Plain bowl

2435

38578/3

Green

8

Plain bowl

2328

35015/1

Bluish green

9

Plain bowl

1402

14358/1

Bluish green

10

Plain beaker

2279

34384/1

Olive-green

11

Plain beaker

2229

40109/1

Bluish green

12

Decorated bowl

2377

36882

Bluish green

13

Decorated bowl

2275

33868

Bluish green

The shallow, hemispherical bowl with an incurving rim in Fig. 15.9:13 is decorated with thin, horizontal, wheel-cut lines below the rim. One cylindrical bowl decorated in the same manner originated in Stratum III (see Table 15.1). A few plain bowls similar to Fig. 15.9:13 were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:35, Pl. 27:534–536). As noted above, tonging was a very popular technique for decorating bowls and beakers during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods (Gorin-Rosen 2010:242), and one of the common patterns consists of ellipses with a protruding knob in the center (Hadad 2005:42). Two bowl fragments bear a tonged decoration of this pattern (Figs. 15.10:1; 15.13:1, a complete profile). A vessel identified as a tonged beaker with this pattern was found in a Stratum III pit (see Table 15.1). Glass threads usually adorn rims and necks of bottles (see below). Nevertheless, four thread-decorated fragments in the Stratum II assemblage were identified as bowls or beakers based on the rim diameter. These include three rims of deep vessels (bowls or beakers) decorated with thin blue threads (Fig. 15.10:2) and the rim of a very wide, shallow bowl (or plate) decorated with thin, dark blue threads (Fig. 15.10:3). One out-folded rim from Area M1 was decorated with a thin, dark thread inside the tubular fold (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:112). A few thread-decorated rims of cylindrical vessels identified as deep bowls were found at Tiberias in contexts dating from the late eighth through the eleventh centuries (Lester 2004:173, Fig. 7.1:28, 31, 32), and similar vessels from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an were identified as bowls and beakers (Hadad 2005:38, Pl. 34:679–682). Pinching the wall of a vessel to create small horizontal protrusions is a decorative technique known in the Syrian region during the late Byzantine and Umayyad periods on bowls, jars and bottles (Lester 2004:204–206). However, at Givati the only three small fragments with this technique appear in Stratum II (Fig. 15.10:4), therefore they may be considered residual (see a similar fragment from an eleventh-century context at Tiberias; Lester 2004:206, Fig. 7.14:173).

563

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1

2

3

4

6

5

7

8

9

11

10

12

13

0

4

Fig. 15.9. Abbasid glass from Stratum II.

564

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.10 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Decorated bowl

2247

35173/3

Bluish green

2

Decorated bowl/beaker

1326

14380/1

Bluish green; dark blue threads

3

Decorated bowl

1474

15400/1

Bluish green; dark blue threads

4

Decorated bowl(?)

1863

24162/2

Bluish green

5

Wineglass

1800

23838

Colorless with yellowish tinge

6

Wineglass

1577

17689

Bluish green

7

Wineglass

2403

39388/2

Bluish green

8

Wineglass

2403

39388/1

Bluish green

9

Wineglass

2403

39388/3

Bluish green

10

Oil lamp

2261

33549/1

Bluish green

11

Oil lamp

1741

23607

Bluish green

12

Oil lamp

2358

35944/1

Bluish green

13

Oil lamp

1468

15506

Olive-green

14

Oil lamp

1637

19033

Colorless

15

Oil lamp

1800

23549

Olive-green

16

Jar

1577

18599

Light yellow

Wineglasses (Fig. 15.10:5–9) As noted above, footed wineglasses are rare in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts (Hadad 2005:46). Indeed, in comparison to the previous periods (see Table 15.1), relatively few wineglass fragments were found in Stratum III (5%). In Stratum II, 16 were retrieved (9% of the assemblage; see Table 15.1). However, as noted above, it should be borne in mind that some of the bases may in fact belong to lamps (see Lester 2004:173). The fragments include 12 typical tubular bases (Fig. 15.10:5), a tubular base of a stemless wineglass (Fig. 15.10:6), two hollow stems––one cylindrical and the other beaded (Fig. 15.10:7, 8)––and a body fragment (Fig. 15.10:9) found together with the two stems that may have belonged to Fig. 15.10:8 (the wall of Fig. 15.10:7 is too thin). A similar body fragment from an Umayyad context at Ramla was assigned to a wineglass with a tubular base (Gorin-Rosen 2010:221, Pl. 10.2:5). Squat, stemless wineglasses (Fig. 15.10:6) are known from Umayyad contexts at Givati and elsewhere (see Fig. 15.1:8). A similar (solid?) base from Abbasid–Fatimid Bet She’an was described as a ‘low base with a shape of a goblet stem’ but assigned to a bowl (Hadad 2005:36, Pl. 29:569). Two positively identified wineglasses from Tiberias have cylindrical stems similar to Fig. 15.10:7, although they are solid (Lester 2004:173, Fig. 7.2:36, 37). Oil Lamps (Fig. 15.10:10–15) Fragments of 14 glass lamps were identified in the assemblage of Stratum II, 13 of them belonging to types known from previous strata (see Table 15.1). Three are of bowl-shaped lamps with an outfolded rim and three handles (Fig. 15.10:10), and four of lamps with a hollow, cylindrical stem (Fig. 15.10:11). Both types are known at Givati since the

565

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

2 1

3

4

6

5

7

8

9

10

12

11

13

15

14

16 0

4

Fig. 15.10. Abbasid glass from Stratum II.

Byzantine period and show similar frequencies to those of the Byzantine and Stratum III assemblages, slightly lower than those of the Umayyad period (see Table 15.1). Three fragments in Stratum II belong to lamps with a hollow stem and a pinched, knobbed base (Fig. 15.10:12) and one is a bowl-shaped lamp with a flat base and a central tube and no

566

DORIT GUTREICH

handles (Fig. 15.10:13), both first appearing at Givati in Stratum III, in similar percentages (see Table 15.1). Two oil-lamp tubes that are not attached to a base (Fig. 15.10:14) may have belonged to lamps with three-handles or the similar lamps with a flat base and no handles. Of the four types mentioned here, only the lamps with a hollow cylindrical stem continue into the next stratum (see below; Table 15.1). A unique lamp found on a Stratum II floor (Fig. 15.10:15) has a central tube, but instead of the usual concave or flat base, it has a high, tubular ring base. To the best of my knowledge, the only published parallel to this lamp comes from a Byzantine context at Samaria-Sebaste (Crowfoot 1957:418–419, Fig. 99:2). Jar (Fig. 15.10:16) Typical Abbasid jars, characterized by a low carinated neck and usually a simple, rounded, flaring rim (Hadad 2005:45), were already known at Givati in the assemblage of Stratum III (see Table 15.1). One example was identified in Stratum II (Fig. 15.10:16). Plain Bottles (Fig. 15.11:1–13) The 42 fragments of plain bottles identified in the Stratum II assemblage belong to several types, most of which first appeared in the previous Stratum III assemblage (see above; Table 15.1). The most common bottle type in Stratum III, with a high, pushed-in base (34%), is much less represented in the assemblage of Stratum II, with 11 fragments (6%; see Table 15.1). These include five characteristic bases (Fig. 15.11:1), two infolded rims that probably belong to such bottles (Fig. 15.11:2), and four fragments of long, narrow, cylindrical necks (not illustrated), which were also assigned to this type. Another well-known bottle type of the Abbasid period, with a short, wide cylindrical (or sometimes tapering) neck and a simple rounded rim, increases from 3% in Stratum III to 6% in Stratum II (11 typical rim fragments; Fig. 15.11:3; see Table 15.1). Bottles with a funnel-shaped mouth (or flaring rim) and a tapering or cylindrical neck are known at Givati in Stratum III (see Table 15.1); the four rims of such bottles from Stratum II all belong to the same type with a flaring, in-folded rim (Fig. 15.11:4). A large bottle from an Abbasid context in Area M1, with a wide, shelf rim and pronounced shoulders (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:116), should also be assigned to this varied group of bottles. A decorated variation of this bottle type is seen in Fig. 15.13:2 (below). Two bases (Fig. 15.11:5) belong to a large tubular phial, another bottle type known from the Stratum III assemblage (see Table 15.1). Four types of plain bottles appear at Givati for the first time in the assemblage of Stratum II (Fig. 15.11:6–10), one of which––with an infolded rim and a wide cylindrical neck––continues into the next stratum (see Table 15.1). Bottles with a bulging neck (Fig. 15.11:6) are known from the Abbasid period and became more common in the Ayyubid– Mamluk periods (Hadad 2005:41). The example in Fig. 15.11:6 has a bulge immediately

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

567

below the rim and a short, narrow, cylindrical neck. A similar bottle, with another bulge further down the neck, was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an and dated by a parallel to the ninth–tenth centuries (Hadad 2005:40–41, Pl. 38:785). Two bottle fragments have a small bulge in their wide neck (Fig. 15.11:7). An almostcomplete bottle (decorated with threads) from an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an has a somewhat similar neck (Hadad 2005:41, Pl. 39:820). Two bottles have an infolded rim and a wide cylindrical neck (Fig. 15.11:8). Similar fragments were retrieved from Abbasid contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:117). Possible parallels come from an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 37:746) and from eighth–ninth-century contexts at Ramla (Pollak 2007:121, Figs. 9:59; 10:60). Small bottles with an infolded rim and a short, narrow cylindrical neck (Fig. 15.11:9), usually with a globular body and a concave base (Fig. 15.11:10), were very common during the Abbasid period (Gorin-Rosen 2010:235). Four rims in the present assemblage should probably be assigned to bottles of this type. Two concave bases from Area M1, identified as bottles (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:118), may belong to globular bottles of this type. Parallels were found, for example, in Early Islamic contexts at Ramla (Gorin-Rosen 2010:235, Pl. 10.6:3, 4). Small, square-sectioned bottles were most common in the Abbasid period, and several were retrieved in the Stratum III pits (see Table 15.1). The only example found in Stratum II (Fig. 15.11:11) was made by tooling, and it retains the imprint of the tongs used to shape it. Finally, fragments of four miniature bottles, characteristic of the Abbasid–Fatimid period (Hadad 2005:39), belong to two types also known from the Stratum III assemblage (see Table 15.1): two lentoid phials (Fig. 15.11:12), one squat miniature bottle with a wide neck, a slightly carinated shoulder and a globular body (Fig. 15.11:13), and a base that should probably be assigned to the latter type as well. Decorated Bottles (Figs. 15.11:14–20; 15.13:2–4) Twenty-four fragments of decorated bottles were identified in the Stratum II assemblage (Fig. 15.11:14–20). Five additional fragments of well-known Abbasid bottle types were retrieved from loci excluded from the sample (Fig. 15.13:2–4). Generally speaking, the decorative techniques continue those characteristic of Stratum III (above), i.e., mold blowing, thread decoration, and the tooling of an inner fold in the bottle wall; only one new technique for decorating bottles (wheel cutting) was introduced in Stratum II. It is interesting to note, however, that many bottles in the Stratum II assemblage feature variations of the previously known techniques. Additionally, the most common (and impressive) decorative technique in Stratum III––mold blowing––is almost absent in Stratum II, while thread-decorated bottles reappear in relatively large numbers after a decline seen in the previous stratum (see Table 15.1). As a result, the overall impression is that the two assemblages are quite different from each other.

568

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.11 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bottle

2403

36960/1

Bluish green

2

Plain bottle

2488

39547

Bluish green

3

Plain bottle

1863

24466/1

Bluish green

4

Plain bottle

2247

35173/2

Bluish green

5

Plain bottle

1407

15284/1

Bluish green

6

Plain bottle

2377

36636

Light bluish green

7

Plain bottle

1800

23843

Colorless with yellowish tinge

8

Plain bottle

1863

24162/1

Bluish green

9

Plain bottle

2268

34722/1

Bluish green

10

Plain bottle

2229

36444/1

Colorless with yellowish tinge

11

Plain bottle

2262

34348/1

Colorless with purple tinge

12

Plain bottle

2229

38922/2

Bluish green

13

Plain bottle

1408

14584

Bluish green

14

Decorated bottle

1577

18203/1

Colorless with olive-green tinge

15

Decorated bottle

2403

39388/4

Bluish green

16

Decorated bottle

1569

17926/1

Bluish green; dark blue threads

17

Decorated bottle

2403

39623

Bluish green; turquoise thread

18

Decorated bottle

1798

25485

Bluish green; brown thread

19

Decorated bottle

2229

36302

Light yellow

20

Decorated bottle

2247

35173/1

Bluish green

Seven fragments from Stratum II belong to mold-blown vessels, three of which are small body fragments and their vessel type cannot be identified. One was identified as a bowl (see Fig. 15.9:12). Only three could be positively attributed to bottles, comprising 2% of the assemblage, in contrast with Stratum III, in which the various mold-blown bottles comprise 5% of the assemblage and over 70% of the decorated bottles. The mold-blown bottle fragments in Stratum II include a heavily corroded base (not illustrated) that probably belonged to a cylindrical, mold-blown bottle––the only example in this assemblage of the prominent type of decorated bottle in Stratum III (see Table 15.1). Another fragment can be positively attributed to a polygonal (hexagonal) bottle (Fig. 15.11:14). While mold-blown polygonal bottles are considered very common during the ninth–tenth centuries (GorinRosen 2010:247), at Givati they are relatively rare in Stratum III as well (see Table 15.1). Finally, Fig. 15.11:15 is a wide bottle neck decorated with diagonal ribbing. Bottles with a mold-blown neck are not as common in Early Islamic contexts as in the Byzantine period (see Chapter 6: Fig. 6.2:18). In most cases, for example in Stratum III (above), the moldblown decoration is restricted to the bottle’s body, while the neck is left plain. A few small examples with vertically ribbed necks (and bodies) were found at Fustat (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:70–71, Fig. 35:e–g), and a similar bottle from Nishapur has ribs that ‘twist slightly on the neck’ (Kröger 1995:88, Cat. No. 115). To the best of my knowledge, no parallel to Fig. 15.11:15 has been published from Early Islamic contexts in Israel. As noted above, bottles decorated with threads were common mainly in the Byzantine and Umayyad periods, and less popular in the Abbasid–Fatimid and later periods, and

569

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

4 1

3

2

8 7 5

6

9 10

12

11

13

15

14

17

16

19 18

20 0

4

Fig. 15.11. Abbasid glass from Stratum II.

indeed, at Givati they decline from the Byzantine and Umayyad periods into Stratum III of the Abbasid period (see Table 15.1). However, Stratum II yielded a relatively large number (18 fragments, 10% of the assemblage and 75% of the decorated bottles). A few were found in Abbasid contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:120, 121). The Stratum II fragments belong to two types: bottles decorated with a thin thread wound several times on the rim (Fig. 15.11:16, 17) or the neck, and bottles decorated with a thick thread around the neck (Fig. 15.11:18). The bottles are all made of bluish green glass. The first type,

570

DORIT GUTREICH

represented by 11 fragments, includes a few bottles decorated with threads of the same color as the body, but most are of a contrasting color: dark blue (Fig. 15.11:16), turquoise (Fig. 15.11:17), brown or olive green. In some cases, the threads were marvered into the bottle’s wall (Fig. 15.11:16, 17), in others they were simply wound around its neck (not illustrated; see Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:121). The second type, represented by seven neck fragments, has either a wavy thread (Fig. 15.11:18), or a simple ring of thick thread (not illustrated; see Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:120). One bottle of this type is decorated with two thread rings––a thin one on top of a thick one (not illustrated; see Fig. 15.13:2 for a similar phenomenon). The thread is usually bluish green like the bottle, while in two cases it is brown (e.g., Fig. 15.11:18). Bottles decorated with a wavy thread were common during the Umayyad period, but became rarer in the Abbasid–Fatimid periods, although they appear until the early tenth century. Two examples were found in Abbasid contexts at Ramla (Pollak 2007:120, 127, Figs. 9:56; 11:72). Similarly decorated bottles were also found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Tiberias (Lester 2004:185, Fig. 7.8:90–92) and Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 39:824). A body fragment displaying a tooled-in tube (Fig. 15.11:19) is identified here as part of a bottle wall, based on an almost-complete bottle with a tooled-in tube found in Stratum III (see Table 15.1). Another fragment of a tooled-in tube, belonging to a smaller vessel, was also found in Stratum II (not illustrated). It should be noted that at Tiberias, tooled-in tubes were identified as parts of oil lamps; however, as they are made of colorless glass, the interpretation of the inner tube as functional, i.e., a wick holder in an oil lamp, is more likely (see discussion above in Stratum III; Lester 2004:199, Fig. 7.11:150–152). Wheel cutting of facets was used during the Islamic period to decorate bottles as well as other vessel types. Round or elliptical facets were usually cut into the surface of the vessel to create a honeycomb pattern (see Fig. 15.5:15, identified as a bowl), while square or rectangular facets were often used to decorate bottle necks (Brosh 2003:361). The only example of this decorative technique retrieved from a well-stratified locus of Stratum II is a small body fragment of turquoise glass bearing a floral(?) pattern (Fig. 15.11:20), probably part of a globular bottle. The neck fragment of a large bottle in Fig. 15.13:2 is decorated with deeply cut, rectangular facets and a ring made of two thick threads wound around the neck. While the combination of these two decorative techniques (facet cutting and a thread ring) is unusual, the fragment belongs to a decorated variation of a bottle with a usually wide, funnel-shaped or shelf-like rim and a tapering neck (see Fig. 15.11:4), a type that was very common during the Abbasid–Fatimid period (ninth–eleventh centuries; Gorin-Rosen 2010:238). Moreover, bottles with a tapering neck decorated with shallow or deep, rectangular, wheelcut facets are also well known in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts, as at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 42:863, 864) and at Caesarea, where similar bottles with a shallow-cut decoration on the long neck are dated to the late ninth to mid-tenth centuries (Pollak 2003:167, Fig. 3.50, 51). Finally, a few neck fragments of such bottles with rectangular facets are discussed in a thorough study of cut-decorated glass from Tiberias (Lester 1998) and are assigned to a group of bottles dated from the eighth to the eleventh centuries (Lester 1998:88, 91, Pls. 12:3.1, 3.2; 13:3; see also Pls. 13:4, 5; 14:1, 2, 4 for complete examples from other sites).

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

571

Another type of cut-decorated bottle is the small-sized ‘molar’ bottle (Fig. 15.13:3)––thus termed because of its resemblance to a molar––which was very common throughout the Islamic world during the ninth–tenth centuries and is considered one of the most characteristic vessel types of the Early Islamic period (Brosh 2003:362, 368, Cat. No. 503). These bottles are usually made of light yellow or colorless glass and characterized by a funnel-shaped neck and a body shaped by facet-cutting (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:91; Hadad 2005:45). One fragment of a ‘molar’ bottle was identified at Givati (Fig. 15.13:3). Bottles of this type were found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:45, Pl. 42:868, and see references there). The almost-complete miniature, wheel-cut, cylindrical bottle with a thick, flat base (Fig. 15.13:4), retrieved in a medieval fill and dated typologically to the Abbasid period, represents a type of bottle that, except for its base, shares the characteristics of the ‘molar’ bottle and is also dated to the ninth–tenth centuries (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:91; Hadad 2005:44–45). Fragments of two additional bottles of this type were identified in the present excavation, and two were found in Area M1 in a drain channel that was in use during the Byzantine through Abbasid periods (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:122). Miniature bottles resembling Fig. 15.13:4 were found, for example, in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 41:857) and in a tenth-century context at Fustat (Scanlon and Pinder-Wilson 2001:94, Fig. 42:f). Jugs/Juglets (Fig. 15.12:1–3) Six handles attributed to jugs or juglets of the Abbasid period were identified in the assemblage of Stratum II; two additional examples were retrieved from Abbasid contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:124). Three of the handles in the present assemblage are pinched (Fig. 15.12:1, 3), a type that is very common on jugs and juglets of the Abbasid– Fatimid periods (Hadad 2005:45). Two of these are pinched in the upper part (Fig. 15.12:1), similar to examples from Stratum III (see Fig. 15.8:4, 6). That in Fig. 15.12:3 is pinched in the lower part. Pinched handles of various types were numerous in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an––including three with a pinch in the lower part, identified there as a ‘thumb rest’ (Hadad 2005:45, Pl. 44:921–923). Together with the complete handle in Fig. 15.12:1 was a complete tubular ring base of the same color (Fig. 15.12:2), which probably belongs to the same jug, of a type characterized by an everted neck, a cylindrical or globular body, and a ring base or flat base. A handle similar to Fig. 15.12:1 from Tiberias was attributed to a juglet of this type and dated from the mid-eighth to the twelfth century (Lester 2004:193, Fig. 7.10:126). A juglet with a tubular ring base (the upper part of its handle not preserved) was found in Stratum III (see Fig. 15.4:16). Windowpanes (Fig. 15.12:4–6) Nine rim fragments of windowpanes were found in the assemblage of Stratum II, all belonging to types known from previous strata (see Table 15.1). Five fragments belong to blown, rounded windowpanes of the ‘bull’s-eye’ type (Fig. 15.12:4) and one to a square/

572

DORIT GUTREICH

2

3

1

4

6

5

7

8 0

4

Fig. 15.12. Abbasid glass from Stratum II. No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Jug

2435

38578/1

Light yellow

2

Jug

2435

38578/2

Light yellow

3

Jug

1455

16117

Golden brown

4

Windowpane

2282

34422/1

Bluish green

5

Windowpane

1798

23676/1

Bluish green

6

Windowpane

1798

23854

Dark Bluish green

7

Bracelet

2229

38922/1

Dark, opaque (burnt)

8

Rod

3646

56611/1

Light bluish green; dark blue thread and disk

573

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

2

1

3

4 0

4

Fig. 15.13. Abbasid glass from mixed loci. No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Stratum

Color

1

Decorated bowl

3630

56312

II

Bluish green

2

Decorated bottle

3659

56614

II

Colorless? (patina)

3

Decorated bottle

2211

34040

II

Colorless with olive-green tinge

4

Decorated bottle

2206

36788/1

Medieval

Colorless with yellowish tinge

rectangular windowpane made either by casting or by flattening a blown glass cylinder (Fig. 15.12:5). Both types were found at Givati in the assemblages of the Byzantine and Umayyad periods (see Table 15.1). Three fire-rounded rim fragments belong to rounded windowpanes made by casting (Fig. 15.12:6), a type also found in the Stratum III pits (see Table 15.1). In addition, ten flat fragments attributed to windowpanes originated in Stratum II (not illustrated). In Area M1, two were found in Abbasid contexts (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.8:125). Fire-rounded rims of both square/rectangular and rounded windowpanes were retrieved from Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:49, Pl. 49:1016–1019), while the ‘bull’s-eye’ type appears there in Umayyad and Ayyubid–Mamluk contexts, but not in the Abbasid–Fatimid assemblage (Hadad 2005:63). Bracelets (Fig. 15.12:7) All six bracelet fragments from Stratum II belong to plain monochrome bracelets with a narrow D-shaped section (Fig. 15.12:7). Three are made of characteristic dark glass that seems opaque, two are made of opaque, bright green/yellow glass, and one is of opaque turquoise glass. As noted above, this bracelet type was very common from the third century onward, and appears at Givati in the Byzantine, Umayyad and Stratum III assemblages (see Table 15.1).

574

DORIT GUTREICH

Rod (Fig. 15.12:8) One fragment of a twisted glass rod was retrieved from Stratum II––a flat end with an applied disk. Glass rods were common during the Roman period and are known in the Early Islamic period as well (Gorin-Rosen 2010:254). The function of these items is unclear and interpretations range from stirring rods to kohl sticks (for further discussion, see Lester 2004:209–210). The Early Islamic rods are usually twisted and made of light bluish-green glass, sometimes decorated with a spiraling thread of a different color that is either internal or applied around the rod, as in Fig. 15.12:8. Rods of various types were found in Abbasid– Fatimid contexts at Tiberias (Lester 2004: Fig. 7.17:190–194, undecorated, twisted and smooth rods of varying thickness and color), Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:48, Pl. 49:1007– 1010, twisted bluish-green rods, most with an internal dark blue thread) and Ramla (GorinRosen 2010: Pl. 10.11:7, 8, twisted bluish-green rods with an applied thread). Some of these fragments feature a pointed tip or a pinched end, but none exhibit a flat end with an applied disk, as in Fig. 15.12:8. Summary: The Abbasid Glass from Stratum II As can be expected, the assemblage of Stratum II is mainly a continuation from the previous Abbasid stratum, as most types of plain vessels as well as all the decorative techniques are known in the Stratum III assemblage (see Table 15.1). At the same time, some types (e.g., thread-decorated bowls and beakers and certain types of plain and decorated bottles) make their first appearance in Stratum II. In addition, some of the characteristic vessel types of the Stratum III assemblage (i.e., bottles with a pushed-in base and various types of mold-blown bottles, especially the deeply molded cylindrical type) appear in much smaller numbers in the assemblage of Stratum II, while thread-decorated bottles are much more common than in the previous assemblage (see Table 15.1). Thus, the overall impression is that the assemblages of these two Abbasid strata are actually quite different from each other.

Abbasid Glass from Stratum I Stratum I, the final Abbasid stratum in the sequence at Givati, reflects a decline in the settlement in this area, the main features being a few wall stubs and installations, mostly ṭabuns (see Chapters 12, 19). The assemblage of Stratum I is comprised of c. 60 diagnostic sherds retrieved from the well-stratified loci of the stratum and selected sherds are illustrated in Figs. 15.14, 15.15. Only vessel types that do not appear in the previous Abbasid strata are described at length, and for discussion of types known from Strata III and II, the reader is referred to the relevant sections above (see Table 15.1). Fragments from comparative vessels in the Abbasid assemblage of Area M1 (Gutreich 2013) are mentioned here as part of the overall assemblage of the Abbasid period at Givati.

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

575

The relatively poor assemblage of Stratum I is comprised mainly of plain vessels made of bluish green glass. A few are made of olive-green or nearly colorless yellowish glass. Fragments of decorated vessels are rare. Bowls (Fig. 15.14:1–5) The assemblage of Stratum I includes 13 fragments attributed to plain bowls and one identified as a decorated bowl. Bowls with tubular out-folded rims, usually with a tubular ring base, were common during the Roman through Abbasid periods (Pollak 2007:100), and many rims (and bases) of such bowls were recovered at Givati in Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid assemblages. Stratum I yielded seven out-folded rims (Fig. 15.14:1), comprising a relatively high percentage of the assemblage (12%, higher than in the previous Abbasid strata; see Table 15.1), and three tubular ring bases (Fig. 15.14:2) that may belong to bowls of this type. The wide, conical vessel in Fig. 15.14:3 is identified as a bowl, similar to vessels from Abbasid contexts in Area M1 (Gutreich 2013: Fig. 12.7:105, 106). Similar bowls dated to the Abbasid–Fatimid periods were also found, for example, at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 25:479, 480, 482, 485) and Ramla (Pollak 2007:109, Fig. 5:24, eleventh century). Two solid bases (Fig. 15.14:4) are attributed to bowls, similar to bases found in the previous Abbasid strata (see Table 15.1). The cylindrical vessel in Fig. 15.14:5, decorated with a dark blue thread on the rim and another one further down the wall, is probably a bowl. Thread-decorated bowls were also found in Stratum II (see Table. 15.1) Wineglasses (Fig. 15.14:6, 7) As noted above, footed wineglasses are considered rare in the Abbasid–Fatimid periods (Hadad 2005:46). However, at Givati, fragments of footed wineglasses (mostly the typical tubular bases and the stems) were found in high percentages in most assemblages (see Table 15.1), from the Byzantine and Umayyad, to the Abbasid Stratum II, with a decrease only in Abbasid Stratum III. Nine fragments of wineglasses were found in Stratum I, comprising again a large percent (15%) of the assemblage. On the other hand, as noted above, it is possible that some of the ‘wineglasses’ in the Abbasid assemblages served, in fact, as oil lamps (see Lester 2004:173). The fragments from Stratum I include seven tubular bases, two of them still attached to the cylindrical stem (Fig. 15.14:6), and two beaded stems (Fig. 15.14:7). Oil Lamps (Fig. 15.14:8) Only two fragments in the assemblage of Stratum I can be positively identified as parts of oil lamps, both of which are hollow cylindrical stems (Fig. 15.14:8) of a type known mainly during the Byzantine and Umayyad periods (Hadad 1998:63, 72), but which appears at

576

DORIT GUTREICH

Fig. 15.14 ► No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bowl

1735

24345/1

Bluish green

2

Plain bowl

1735

22472/1

Bluish green

3

Plain bowl

1735

22516/2

Bluish green

4

Plain bowl

1373

14420/1

Bluish green

5

Decorated bowl

1735

22479

Bluish green; dark blue threads

6

Wineglass

1735

24345/2

Bluish green

7

Wineglass

1723

22416

Bluish green

8

Oil lamp

1735

22346

Bluish green

9

Plain bottle

1922

26939

Bluish green

10

Plain bottle

1735

24378

Bluish green

11

Plain bottle

1383

12913/1

Bluish green

12

Plain bottle

1337

14664/1

Bluish green

13

Plain bottle

1731

22334/1

Bluish green

14

Plain bottle

1735

22516/1

Bluish green

15

Plain bottle

1735

22482/1

Bluish green

16

Plain bottle

1341

13266

Bluish green

17

Plain bottle

1731

22334/2

Bluish green

18

Plain bottle

1337

12289

Colorless with light yellow tinge

Givati in all strata, from the Byzantine through the Abbasid, ranging from 1% to 4% of the different assemblages (see Table 15.1). Bottles (Figs. 15.14:9–18; 15.15:1–3) Eight types of plain bottles and one type of decorated bottle were identified in the assemblage of Stratum I. All but two of the plain types were common in Abbasid–Fatimid assemblages and appear at Givati in the previous Abbasid strata (above). Bottles with high pushed-in bases, very common in Stratum III and less so in Stratum II (see Table 15.1), are represented in Stratum I by four fragments: one typical base fragment (Fig. 15.14:9), a flaring asymmetrical rim (Fig. 15.14:10), and two in-folded rims on long, narrow necks (not illustrated; see Fig. 15.11:2 for a similar fragment). These comprise 7% of the assemblage, similar to their frequency in Stratum II (see Table 15.1). A rim very similar to Fig. 15.14:10 was found at Ramla and also attributed to a bottle with a high pushed-in base (Pollak 2007:121, Fig. 10:63). Two rim fragments are identified as bottles with a short, wide, cylindrical neck and a simple rounded rim (3% of the assemblage; Fig. 15.14:11), another common type in the Abbasid period known at Givati since Stratum III (3%) and appearing in larger numbers in Stratum II (6%; see Table 15.1). The Abbasid–Fatimid bottles with a funnel-shaped mouth or shelf-like rim and a tapering or cylindrical neck, seen in Strata III and II in relatively small numbers (see Table 15.1), are represented in Stratum I by five rim fragments (Fig. 15.14:12–14), which

577

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

1

3

2

4

5

7

6

9 11 10 8

13

14

15

17 12

18

16 0

4

Fig. 15.14. Abbasid Glass from Stratum I.

comprise 8% of the assemblage, and four flat (or slightly concave) bases like that in Fig. 15.14:12, which probably represents the upper part and base of the same bottle. The wide, cylindrical neck with an in-folded rim in Fig. 15.14:15 resembles a fragment in Stratum II (see Table 15.1). Seven fragments in the assemblage probably represent wide, cylindrical, or slightly tapering necks of bottles (Fig. 15.14:16, 17). Similar yet wider rims from Strata III and II were identified as beaker rims due to their diameter (see Figs. 15.3:6; 15.5:12; 15.9:10, 11). A bottle rim similar to those in Fig. 15.14:16, 17 was found in an Abbasid–Fatimid context at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005: Pl. 36:713).

578

DORIT GUTREICH

2

1

3

5

4 0

4

Fig. 15.15. Abbasid Glass from Stratum I. No.

Type

Locus

Basket

Color

1

Plain bottle

1329

12135

Colorless

2

Plain bottle

1732

22342

Bluish green

3

Plain bottle

1341

12383

Bluish green

4

Jug

1735

22561

Bluish green

5

Windowpane

1728

22562

Deep purple

The flaring, perhaps cut-off rim of a bottle in Fig. 15.14:18 is made of thick, nearly colorless glass. Thick-walled bottles with a similar flaring (fire-rounded) rim were found in Abbasid–Fatimid contexts at Bet She’an (Hadad 2005:40, Pl. 37:730, 732). Small, square-sectioned bottles, one of the vessel types most identified with the Abbasid period (Gorin-Rosen 2008a:128), were found in both Strata III and II (see Table 15.1). In Stratum I, this type is represented by two fragments: Fig. 15.15:1, which is made of thick glass and was probably mold blown, and Fig. 15.15:2, which is thin walled and made by tooling. One miniature bottle––a lentoid phial (Fig. 15.15:3)––was found in Stratum I; this type was found in both Strata III and II (see Table 15.1). The most prominent difference between the assemblage of Stratum I and those of the previous Abbasid strata lies, perhaps, in the almost-total absence of decorated bottles, represented only by a few poorly preserved fragments of a mold-blown polygonal bottle (not illustrated; for a discussion see above, Strata III and II, Figs. 15.4:12, 13; 15.11:14). Jugs/Juglets (Fig. 15.15:4) Five handles of jugs or juglets were identified in Stratum I. That in Fig. 15.15:4 probably belongs to jug of a type dated to the mid-eighth to twelfth centuries and characterized

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

579

by an everted neck, a cylindrical or globular body, and a ring base or flat base (Lester 2004:193). A handle and a base attributed to such a jug were found in Stratum II (see Fig. 15.12:1, 2). Windowpane (Fig. 15.15:5) Only two fragments were identified as parts of windowpanes: a rim of a cast, rounded windowpane made of purple glass (Fig. 15.15:5), and one flat fragment (not illustrated). Cast, rounded windowpanes appeared in the previous Abbasid Strata III and II (see Table 15.1). It should be noted that the out-folded rim in Fig. 15.14:1, identified here as a bowl, may in fact belong to a blown, rounded windowpane, a type known from the Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid Stratum II assemblages (see Table 15.1). Summary: The Glass from Stratum I The small assemblage from the few well-stratified loci of Stratum I represents a continuation of the Abbasid tradition from Strata III and II (see Table 15.1), with hardly any new types appearing here for the first time. The very few decorated vessels, especially bottles, so characteristic of Abbasid–Fatimid assemblages at Givati and other sites, may be a result of the small size of this assemblage.

68

3 7 35

11

8

4 80 6 29 2

9

2 11 1

Shallow bowls with ridge

Bowls with outcurving rim

Footed wineglasses

Bowl-shaped lamps with outfolded rim and 3 handles

Hollow-stemmed lamps with cylindrical stem

Deep hemispherical lamps with cut-off rim

Bottles with wide cylindrical neck

Late Roman–Umayyad bottles with funnel-shaped mouth

Bottles decorated with threads (various types)

Mold-blown bottles (various types)

Jugs/juglets (various types)

Double-tube kohl bottles

Blown, rounded windowpanes

Square/rectangular windowpanes

N

0

3

0

2

0

7

1

19

1

2

3

8

2

1

16

%(~)

Byzantine Str. V (N=~415)

Bowls with outfolded rim

Type

Period

1

1

1

5

4

1

12

2

3

4

8

2

1

11

N

1

1

1

7

5

1

16

3

4

5

11

3

1

15

%(~)

Umayyad Str. IV (N=75)

14

17

4

3

3–7*

14

19

N

5

5

1

1

1–2

5

6

%(~)

Abbasid Str. III (N=~310)

1

5

6

3

18

4

3–5*

16

16

N

1

3

3

2

10

2

2–3

9

9

%(~)

Abbasid Str. II (N=~180)

5

1

2

9

7

N

8

1.6

3

15

12

%(~)

Abbasid Str. I (N=~60)

Table 15.1. Frequencies of Types that Continue through Several Strata

Byzantine: Figs. 6.4:13; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.2:14; 15.12:5

Byzantine: Fig. 6.3:4; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.2:13; 15.12:4

Byzantine: Fig. 6.4:12; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.2:12

Byzantine: Figs. 6.3:1, 2; 6.4:11; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.2:11; 15.4:16; 15.8:4–6; 15.12:1–3; 15.15:4

Byzantine: Fig. 6.2:17, 18; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.4:12–15; 15.7:8–12; 15.8:1; 15.11:14, 15

Byzantine: Fig. 6.2:13–16; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.2:9, 10; 15.11:16–18

Byzantine: Fig. 6.2:9, 10; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.2:4

Byzantine: Figs. 6.2:5–8; 6.4:9; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.2:1–3

Byzantine: Fig. 6.2:1, 2; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.1:15

Byzantine: Figs. 6.1:14; 6.4:7; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.1:14; 15.5:21; 15.10:11; 15.14:8

Byzantine: Fig. 6.1:12, 13; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.1:11–13; 15.5:19, 20*; 15.10:10, 14*

Byzantine: Figs. 6.1:11; 6.4:5, 6; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.1:7–10; 15.3:9; 15.5:17, 18; 15.10:5–9; 15.14:6, 7

Byzantine: Fig. 6.1:3, 4; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.1:4

Byzantine: Fig. 6.4:2; Early Islamic: Fig. 15.1:3

Byzantine: Figs. 6.1:1; 6.4:1; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.1:1, 2; 15.5:1; 15.9:1–5; 15.14:1

Figs. (This Volume)

580 DORIT GUTREICH

3

Hollow-stemmed lamps with pinched, knobbed base

8 6 1 1

Miniature lentoid phials

Squat miniature bottles with wide neck and globular body

Decorated bottles with tooledin tube

Cast, rounded windowpanes

2

3

2

3

2

2

2

1

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

6

6

1

1–2

2

1

1

1

2

6

3

%(~)

1

1

1

1

2

5

2

4

2

N

* Could belong to either bowl-shaped lamps with an outfolded rim and three handles, or bowl-shaped lamps without handles.

2

7

Square-sectioned bottles

2

4

Bottles with infolded rim and wide neck

1

Large tubular phials

1

11

11

1

1–3*

3

1

1

1

4

10? Bases

6

N

4

3

Abbasid–Fatimid bottles with funnel-shaped mouth

3

34

1

1–2

1

1

1

1

5

1

%(~)

Abbasid Str. II (N=~180)

Bowls/beakers decorated with threads

10

Bottles with short, wide, cylindrical neck

2 104

Bottles with pushed-in base

Abbasid jars

2–6*

2

Tonged bowls/beakers

Bowl-shaped lamps with central tube and no handles

2

Bowls decorated by wheelcutting

3

1

N

4

1

%(~)

Mold-blown bowls

1

N

Abbasid Str. III (N=~310)

Bowls with solid base

1

%(~)

Umayyad Str. IV (N=75)

16

5

N

Byzantine Str. V (N=~415)

Abbasid cylindrical bowls

Plain D-section bracelets

Type

Period

Table 15.1. (cont.)

2

2

2

2

3

8

3

7

3

%(~)

Abbasid Str. I (N=~60)

Figs. 15.11:8; 15.14:15

Figs. 15.10:2, 3; 15.14:5

Figs. 15.8:7; 15.12:6; 15.15:5

Figs. 15.8:3; 15.11:19

Figs. 15.4:11; 15.11:13

Figs. 15.4:10; 15.7:5; 15.11:12; 15.15:3

Figs. 15.4:7, 8; 15.7:4; 15.11:11; 15.15:1, 2

Figs. 15.7:2; 15.11:5

Figs. 15.6:11–13; 15.11:4; 15.14:12–14

Figs. 15.4:4; 15.11:3; 15.14:11

Figs. 15.4:1–3; 15.6:7–10; 15.11:1, 2; 15.14:9, 10

Figs. 15.6:5, 6; 15.10:16

Figs. 15.5:20*; 15.6:3; 15.10:13, 14*

Figs. 15.3:10; 15.10:12

Figs. 15.3:8; 15.5:16; 15.10:1

Figs. 15.5:14, 15; 15.9:13

Figs. 15.5:13; 15.9:12

Figs. 15.5:8; 15.9:8; 15.14:4

Figs. 15.3:1; 15.5:2–5; 15.9:9

Byzantine: Fig. 6.4:14; Early Islamic: Figs. 15.2:15; 15.8:8; 15.12:7

Figs. (This Volume)

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

581

582

DORIT GUTREICH

R eferences Amitai-Preiss N. 2004. Glass and Metal Finds. In Y. Hirschfeld. Excavations at Tiberias, 1989–1994 (IAA Reports 22). Jerusalem. Pp. 177–190. Brosh N. 2003. Early Islamic Glass. In Y. Israeli ed. Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum: The Eliahu Dobkin Collection and Other Gifts (Israel Museum Catalogue 486). Jerusalem. Pp. 325–370. Carboni S. 2001. Glass from Islamic Lands: The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait National Museum. New York. Crowfoot G.M. 1957. Glass. In J.W. Crowfoot, G.M. Crowfoot and K.M. Kenyon. Samaria-Sebaste III: The Objects from Samaria. London. Pp.403–422. Gorin-Rosen Y. 2000. The Glass Vessels from Khirbet Ṭabaliya (Giv‘at Hamaṭos). ‘Atiqot 40:81*– 95* (Hebrew; English summary, pp. 165–166). Gorin-Rosen Y. 2005. The Glass. In B. Arubas and H. Goldfus eds. Excavations on the Site of the Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha’Uma): A Settlement of the Late First to Second Temple Period, the Tenth Legion’s Kilnworks, and a Byzantine Monastic Complex; The Pottery and Other Small Finds (JRA Suppl. S. 60). Portsmouth, R.I. Pp. 195–210. Gorin-Rosen Y. 2008a. The Glass Finds from Khirbat ‘Adasa. ‘Atiqot 58:123–134 (Hebrew; English summary, pp. 72*–73*). Gorin-Rosen Y. 2008b. Glass Vessels from the Ramla Excavations. Qadmoniot 135:45–50 (Hebrew). Gorin-Rosen Y. 2010. The Islamic Glass Vessels. In O. Gutfeld. Ramla: Final Report on the Excavations North of the White Mosque (Qedem 51). Jerusalem. Pp. 213–264. Gorin-Rosen Y. and Winter T. 2010. Selected Insights into Byzantine Glass in the Holy Land. In J. Drauschke and D. Keller eds. Glass in Byzantium: Production, Usage, Analyses (International Workshop Organised by the Byzantine Archaeology Mainz, 17th–18th of January 2008) (Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Tagungen 8). Mainz. Pp. 165–181. Gutreich D. 2013. The Glass Finds. In Giv‘ati I. Pp. 265–289. Hadad S. 1998. Glass Lamps from the Byzantine through Mamluk Periods at Bet Shean, Israel. JGS 40:63–76. Hadad S. 2005. Islamic Glass Vessels from the Hebrew University Excavations at Bet Shean (Qedem Reports 8). Jerusalem. Hasson R. 1979. Early Islamic Glass. Jerusalem (Hebrew). Israeli Y. 2008. The Glass Vessels. In J. Patrich. Archaeological Excavations at Caesarea Maritima, Areas CC, KK and NN; Final Reports I: The Objects. Jerusalem. Pp. 367–418. Kröger J. 1995. Nishapur: Glass of the Early Islamic Period (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). New York. Lester A. 1998. The Cut Glass from the Tiberias Excavations 1973–4: Typological and Chronological Aspects. M.A. thesis. The Hebrew University. Jerusalem (Hebrew). Lester A. 2004. The Glass. In D. Stacey. Excavations at Tiberias, 1973–1974: The Early Islamic Periods (IAA Reports 21). Jerusalem. Pp. 167–220. Meyer C. 1988. Glass from the North Theater Byzantine Church, and Soundings at Jerash, Jordan, 1982–1983. In W.E. Rast ed. Preliminary Reports of ASOR-Sponsored Excavations 1982–85 (BASOR Suppl. 25). Baltimore. Pp. 175–222.

CHAPTER 15: THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS

583

Pollak R. 2003. Early Islamic Glass from Caesarea: A Chronological and Typological Study. In Annales du 15e Congrès de l’AIHV (New York–Corning 2001). Nottingham. Pp.165–170. Pollak R. 2007. Excavations in Marcus Street, Ramla: The Glass Vessels. Contract Archaeology Reports 2:100–133. Saldern A. von. 1980. Ancient and Byzantine Glass from Sardis (Archaeological Exploration of Sardis Monographs 6). Cambridge, Mass.–London. Scanlon G.T. and Pinder-Wilson R. 2001. Fustat Glass of the Early Islamic Period: Finds Excavated by the American Research Cnter in Egypt 1964–1980. London. Smith R.W. 1957. Glass from the Ancient World: The Ray Winfield Smith Collection. Corning, N.Y. Spaer M. 1988. The Pre-Islamic Glass Bracelets of Palestine. JGS 30:51–61. Spaer M. 2001. Ancient Glass in the Israel Museum: Beads and Other Small Objects (Israel Museum Catalogue 447). Jerusalem.

D. Ben-Ami, Y. Tchekhanovets, 2020, Jerusalem: Givati Parking Lot II (IAA Reports 66)

Chapter 16

Production of Bone Objects in the Early Islamic Period Ariel Shatil

Introduction Alongside the dozens of finished bone objects (see Chapter 21), the Givati Parking Lot excavations also yielded evidence that the production of bone tools and artifacts took place at the site––including objects in primary and advanced stages of production (blanks, preforms) and several hundred waste pieces. Analysis of these objects revealed an almostcomplete production sequence, which finds parallels at only a few other archaeological sites in the Levant and Egypt (see below). As evidence for the production of bone objects is rarely addressed in archaeological publications of the Levant, this discussion describes the methodological, technological and theoretical aspects of these finds from Givati.1 ‘Bone industry’ is a collective term that describes the entire collection of finds related to osseous objects, their production and use. In a sense, the bone industry encompasses the assemblage of finished objects, whether they are freshly finished, used, exhausted and/or discarded, and the three technological by-products of production: blanks, preforms and waste.2 This chapter discusses in detail the technological by-products of the production process (for convenience, blanks, preforms and waste will be generally coalesced here under the terms production debris or production refuse), but it also takes into consideration the objects described in Chapter 21 (the bone objects), and some specific bone items included in Chapters 22 (spindle whorls) and 23 (beads), in order to present a holistic picture of the

This chapter was updated in 2016. In 2017, an assemblage from a bone workshop was published from Petra, Jordan, dated to the fourth–fifth centuries CE (Khan and Picod 2017). The Petra assemblage is similar to that from Givati in many respects, especially in the items referred to here as ‘disk-tokens’ (see Fig. 16.25), and undoubtedly reflects an earlier appearance of the same technological tradition seen in Early Islamic Jerusalem. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Sabine Deschler-Erb of the University of Basel, for taking the time to read the draft of this chapter and share with me her remarks, insights and knowledge. 1

The blank is a yet untreated product resulting from the splitting or sectioning (debitage) of raw material blocks. It is later transformed into a finished object. The preform, also known in literature as rough-out or sketch, occupies an intermediate position between the blank and the finished object. Waste is not a by-product that the artisan sought after; it may result from all phases of tool manufacturing and even from re-shaping or re-sharpening a used or broken tool. 2

586

ARIEL SHATIL

bone industry at Givati during the Abbasid period.3 Such a holistic picture, however, cannot be complete without reference to the unworked assemblage of faunal remains at the site (Chapter 26), which represents not only a possible source for the raw material of the bone industry, but also a wider sphere of the human–animal relationship: husbandry, subsistence, carcass processing and other animal-product related industries. While evidence for the production of bone tools was found throughout the site, most of the production debris was unearthed in the northeastern quarter. Further south and southwest, the material evidence is sparse. Most of the Givati material originated in fills, floors, pits and architectural elements of Strata III and II, both dated within the Abbasid period. Some items were found in fills of later strata, probably a result of digging or agricultural activities in the later periods, while production debris recovered from the earlier Strata V–IV, dated to the Byzantine and Umayyad periods respectively, reached these levels due to the Abbasid pits dug into them. Almost no evidence for bone-artifact production was recovered from Stratum VI of the Late Roman period. This chapter describes the spatial distribution of the production debris, the production stages as can be deduced from this debris, the production process of several specific objects and the tools used. This is followed by a theoretical discussion of the production system and the evidence for a specialized bone industry in Early Islamic Jerusalem. A catalogue of the production debris is presented (Table 16.4), which also incorporates nine partially finished objects (Cat. Nos. 248–256) that appear in Chapters 21 and 23.

Sources of Information for Bone Working Written and Illustrated Sources Little is known of bone working in any period in the Levant, as written and illustrated sources are scarce. Jewish sources mention bone utensils, but not their production or trade (Ayalon 2005:161). In classical Roman sources, ivory workers are mentioned, and ivory merchants, called eborarii, were included in a collegium with citriarii––those dealing with citrus-tree furniture (Ayalon 2005:131; Rodziewicz 2007:49; Lang 2011:295). Workers and traders of bone are completely absent. Pictorial and written sources from medieval and later Europe indicate specialization in specific products, rather than in the raw material. For example, in medieval Europe, bone knife handles were made by the knife maker, and antler crossbow nuts were fashioned by the same craftsman who produced the entire crossbow (MacGregor 1985:161; Lang 2011:301).

Technological by-products of production (i.e., blanks, preforms and waste) were not as common in the Byzantine strata as they were in the Abbasid layers, and thus a comprehensive discussion relating to the Byzantine period is not possible. However, finished objects of the Byzantine period are included in this discussion, as are some technological by-products from the Byzantine strata. Although some of them may not belong to the Early Islamic bone industry, they help provide a clearer and larger picture of the bone industry as a whole. 3

CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION OF BONE OBJECTS IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD

587

Miniatures of workshops crafting game pieces and boards are depicted in Alfonso X’s Book of Games from 1283 CE (Golladay 2007). Here again, it is apparent that the workshops specialized in the product, not the raw material. In one miniature, a workshop is represented with two craftsmen (Fig. 16.1). One is painting the squares on a chess board and the other is turning a chess piece on a lathe. While there is no evidence that the latheturner is working with bone, arranged on the shelves behind him are game pieces, some of which resemble bone pieces known throughout Europe, and even at Givati (see Chapter 21: Cat. Nos. 81–84). Another miniature from the Book of Games (Fig. 16.2) depicts a group of

Fig. 16.1. A miniature from the thirteenth century showing artists making a chess board and pieces (Alfonso X’s Book of Games: Fol. 3r; courtesy of Charles Knutson). On the right, the artisan is working on the lathe, holding the chisel in one hand and the bow in the other, and directing the carving chisel with his bare toes. Although the lathe is presented vertically, it was actually lying horizontally on the ground. Golladay identifies the depiction as a carpenter’s workshop, and the craftsmen as Jews (Golladay 2007:802).

Fig. 16.2. A miniature from the thirteenth century showing the production and selling of dice (Alfonso X’s Book of Games: Fol. 65v; courtesy of Charles Knutson). From left to right, the first two seated women appear to be using knives or engravers to mark the bone strips for precise cutting. The third woman uses an arched saw-knife to cut the marked strips into cubes. Next, the bone cubes are abraded on a smoothing or polishing surface to make them perfectly even. The man in the red robe uses a pump drill to mark the pips on the dice, before they are finally sold to a customer (Golladay 2007:964– 965). The miniature gives the impression that this workshop is a family business.

588

ARIEL SHATIL

five men and women producing dice, and a sixth selling them. As stated in the book: “And these dice can be made of wood, or of stone, or of bone, or of any metal, but notably best the ones are [sic] made of bone, the heaviest to be found, more than any other material and they fall more equally and more squarely on any type of surface.” (Golladay 2007:406). The Archaeological Evidence In the past, in most large excavations, bone-working debris was not differentiated from the faunal remains at the site, and hence rarely received the attention of the archaeologists in the field. It is only in recent decades that bone refuse is being recognized in excavations. The collecting of debris from workshops working with bone and ivory has become common at excavations in western and central Europe, although in the eastern Mediterranean this field is still relatively undeveloped (Maeir et al. 2009:41; Choyke 2012:337). In western and central Europe, bone-production assemblages have been reported from many sites, most of them in secondary deposition and from a variety of contexts (rural, urban, public, private, military, etc.), dated mainly to the Roman period (St. Clair 1996; 2003; Deschler-erb 1997, 1998; Rodet-Belarbi and Chardron-Picault 2005; Choyke 2012). Further east, large Late Roman-period concentrations of manufacturing debris in secondary deposition have been published from sites such as Pergamon and Sagalassos (von den Driesch and Boessneck 1982; De Cupere, Van Neer and Lentacker 1993; De Cupere 2001). Production debris was also reported from fills at Carthage in North Africa (Hutchinson and Reese 1988). The most relevant finds for our discussion are the few assemblages reported from Ashqelon (Wapnish 2008), Caesarea (Ayalon 2005) and Petra (see n. 7; below; SchneiderNaef 2005) in the Levant, and from Alexandria (Rodziewicz 1998; 2007) and Fustat (Rodziewicz 2012) in Egypt, due both to their geographical proximity to Jerusalem and the dating of some of the material to the Early Islamic period. All the refuse assemblages from these sites were collected from fills in secondary deposition brought from a different area, and hence shed no light on the exact locations of the workshops producing them. Exceptions are a few concentrations from Ashqelon, Caesarea and Alexandria, recovered from their primary dump site or even from the actual production site, revealing the approximate location of a workshop. At Ashqelon, the majority of the bone production debris dates to the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods and was found in trash pits or secondary deposition, with the exception of one cluster possibly collected in its original manufacturing context (Wapnish 2008:593–594). At Caesarea Maritima, a large assemblage of bone refuse was collected by several expeditions to the site over the span of many years, and from different locations at the site in secondary deposition (Ayalon 2005:157). Several concentrations, however, were found in Early and Late Roman buildings and shops along the Cardo, and in Early Islamic houses near the ancient inner harbor and the modern harbor, revealing the approximate location of workshops that used these buildings as dumping sites (Ayalon 2005:157).

CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION OF BONE OBJECTS IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD

589

Alexandria apparently yielded the largest number of bone and ivory production debris. This should not come as a surprise, as Alexandria was considered a major center for this trade in the ancient world. Concentrations of production refuse dated to the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods were found in secondary deposition in fills around the Late Roman public bath and in domestic contexts (Rodziewicz 2007:38–39), and from the sixth–early seventh centuries in fills redeposited around the theater and in a few large dump sites along the streets and in ruined houses in the city center (Rodziewicz 2007:40–41). A primary dump of production debris, or the actual production site, was identified in a private house in the center of Alexandria (House B), where pins, needles and styli were apparently produced in the sixth and seventh centuries. The same area in the city center continued to be occupied by bone carvers during the Early Islamic period, as bone-carving refuse was found in its primary dumping sites along the same streets (Rodziewicz 2007:42).

The Assemblage The assemblage of bone production refuse from Givati is small. Its composition and size are governed (among other things) by archaeological collection strategy in the field, preservation and post-depositional processes. Below are described the methods of collection and analysis at Givati, the spatial distribution of the finds in the excavated area both horizontally and vertically, and the collection’s state of preservation. Methods of Collection and Analysis The bone finds were collected systematically in the field by the excavators under the guidance of the author. The regular fauna baskets from the field were checked on a daily basis, and in certain cases the soil was sifted in search of small chips of bone refuse.4 Every bone piece was analyzed separately by the author. Where possible, bones were identified to species and bone element. Objects were measured, and findspot, absolute heights, degree of bone weathering and tool marks were recorded. All objects were photographed in the field, and when required, professionally drawn and photographed as well. Altogether, 408 objects are incorporated in the discussion and statistics of the Givati bone industry. They include the 256 waste pieces, blanks and preforms in the catalogue of this chapter (Table 16.4), as well as 137 finished bone objects catalogued in Chapter 21,

Even with this rigorous collection strategy, some 12 bones that were sawn or chopped to make bone tools were later identified by Bouchnik (see Chapter 26: Table 26.9). Although there is no doubt that some of these elements are related to the bone industry, Bouchnick also incorporated in this group bones such as horn cores, astragali, axis, lumbar and cervical vertebrae. However, there is no contemporary evidence from Givati or other sites known to the author that such bones were carved and transformed into tools, and thus I chose to incorporate only 15 of his sawn/chopped finds into the discussion (3 caprine bones, 11 cattle bones, 1 camel bone). 4

590

ARIEL SHATIL

and 15 sawn/chopped bones mentioned in Chapter 26 (see nn. 3 and 4). Objects included in Chapter 21 but excluded from the discussion here are those made of horn (Chapter 21: Cat. Nos. 65, 114, 115, 120, 121, 128, 156) and those used without any modification (Chapter 21: Cat. Nos. 8, 9, 67–76). Five nearly finished objects appear in both the current catalogue and that of the finished objects (Chapter 21: Cat. Nos. 10, 28, 66, 105, 109). Since the author did not have the opportunity to personally examine all the spindle whorls and beads discussed in Chapters 22 and 23, only those considered unfinished and brought to my attention are included in the current catalogue and discussion (Cat. Nos. 247, 250, 251, 254, 255). Spatial Distribution As mentioned above, the bone-production debris was found mostly in Strata III and II, dated to the Abbasid period, throughout the excavation area but with significantly larger concentrations in the northeastern quarter. It can be assumed that all the refuse derived from the same workshop, or from a series of workshops, operating in the vicinity in that period. Further support for this assumption is the fact that all the debris exhibits the same technology and limited set of tools used in their production (see below). A more exact picture of the distribution, and consequently the possible location of the production site itself, was achieved through the use of GIS software.5 In Stratum III, an open market was located in the excavated area (see Chapter 12), from which dozens of refuse pits were preserved throughout the area. These pits yielded various finds such as pottery and glass vessels, seeds, egg shells, bones of mammals, fish and birds, as well as finished bone objects and bone objects in various stages of preparation. A total of 140 bone refuse pieces can be assigned to this stratum, or to the earlier Strata IV and V (Fig. 16.3). Only 19 pieces were actually collected from these Abbasid pits, most of them representing advanced stages of manufacture. Of the other 121 pieces, 91 were recovered from loci in Sq M8 or loci adjacent to it, mostly L2381, L2382 and the robbed courses of the Late Roman W1461 (Cache 36660; Fig. 16.4). This large concentration may be related to a refuse pit whose contours were not identified during excavation, or to an actual production locale. Another, much smaller concentration of refuse (n = 11) was retrieved from a Byzantine fill in L2507, although it probably originated in the nearby Abbasid pits. The rest of the pieces assigned to Stratum III (n = 19) were collected from various locations, mostly fills, across the entire eastern side of the site. A total of 116 refuse pieces are assigned to Stratum II or later. In Stratum II, residential buildings, shops, workshops and a variety of installations occupied the previously open area (Fig. 16.5; see Chapter 12). In the northeastern part of the excavation area, a series of

Figures 16.3 and 16.5 show only the northeastern quarter of the excavation area, where the concentrations of workshop debris were significantly high. Only production debris appearing in Table 16.4 was used to produce these figures, and they do not incorporate finished objects from Chapter 21 or production debris reported in Chapter 26. 5

591

CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION OF BONE OBJECTS IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD

plastered installations was built (L2244, L2248, L2330, L2354, L2457, L2316), apparently related to an industry involving the use of liquids, such as tanning. The buildings on either side of the two northern east–west streets (L2250, L3580/L3559) are interpreted as shops and workshops (see Chapter 12: Plans 12.17, 12.32). The largest concentration of bone production refuse was found in and around Building 2278 (n = 61), adjacent to the abovementioned plastered installations. Interestingly, this building was constructed in the same vicinity (Sq M8) where most of the bone-carving refuse from Stratum III was discovered. Bouchnik (Chapter 26) noticed an unusually large number of cattle bones in this same

9

8

7

6

5

10

N

L2507

B36660

nch er tre

Robb

61 W14 L2382

M L2381

L

K

J

Legend

0

3

6

-5 6

0

I

21

-2

-1 5

16

10

11

6-

1-

5

Density of refuse pieces Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV Stage V m

Fig. 16.3. Spatial distribution and density of bone production refuse in the northeastern corner of the excavation area assigned to Stratum III. The grayscale represents relative density of refuse within archaeological units. The pie charts show the frequency of different production stages within each unit.

592

ARIEL SHATIL

0

2

Fig. 16.4. Cache 36660, assigned to Stratum III.

building (L2278), in a room adjacent to it (L2280) and in a nearby water cistern (L2229). It is likely that some of these cattle bones are part of the bone industry, but were not identified as production debris for various reasons (for example, if they did not bear cut marks or other markers that they were manipulated in any way). Inside a niche in the eastern wall of Building 2278 was a cache of 38 pieces (Cache 35191; Fig. 16.6). This cache is significant as the waste pieces are technologically and morphologically similar to the pieces from the cache found in Stratum III (Cache 36660; Fig. 16.4). In addition, this collection includes pieces of refuse from almost all the stages of production, including some that could be fitted together. Such a cluster of objects could not have been dumped or redeposited accidently in the niche. It must have been placed there by the artisan, who most certainly worked nearby, perhaps in Building 2278 (see

6

7

8

9

10

N

B35191

Building 2278 M

L2250

Tabuns . L2258 L2291

L2294

L2248 L2328

L2244 L

L2324 L2354

L2330

L2457 K L2316

Legend

8 -3

0

J

21

-2

5

4

16

3

-1

2

11

6-

1

1-

0

10

5

Density of refuse pieces Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV Stage V m

Fig. 16.5. Spatial distribution and density of bone production refuse assigned to Stratum II. The grayscale represents relative density of refuse within archaeological units. The pie charts show the frequency of different production stages within each unit.

0

2

Fig. 16.6. Cache 35191, assigned to Stratum II.

594

ARIEL SHATIL

Chapter 12: Fig. 12.33). Furthermore, this cache could only have been placed there after the wall was built, testifying that the earlier, Stratum III workshop was still operating in Stratum II––a generation or two later. While the area had developed and changed in nature, the workshop continued to produce the same or very similar items. It is interesting to note that while bone-refuse pieces were found throughout the excavation, in most places only limited numbers were retrieved representing one or two stages of the reduction sequence with no apparent pattern of distribution, but in and around Sq M8 (before and after the construction of Building 2278), large quantities were recovered, representing all stages of production (Figs. 16.3, 16.5). Thus, in my opinion, the vicinity of Building 2278 may have been a production site for bone carving in both Strata III and II. Weathering and Burning The estimated degree of exposure of the bone refuse to post-depositional processes prior to their burial was categorized according to Berhensmeyer’s weathering scale (1978). The bone refuse was found to be well preserved. Over two-thirds of the objects showed slight weathering or no signs of degradation at all (Stages 0 and 1), while the remainder displayed moderate signs of weathering. In the assemblage of finished objects (Chapter 21), most were found to be in good condition, with a high degree of weathering and disintegration noted only in a small number of artifacts from a few of the Stratum III pits. According to Bouchnik (Chapter 26), the faunal assemblage in general appears to be excellently preserved as well. He notes traces of gnawing, chewing and digesting related to carnivores, and to a lesser extent, rodent activities, as the most common post-depositional attrition affecting the bones. Such bone attritions, however, are rare on the bone-production debris. The degree of burning on the bone-production debris was determined according to bone color and surface morphology (Shipman, Foster and Schoeninger 1984) on a scale from 0 (not burned) to 5 (complete calcination). Only six pieces display any sign of burning: four with some degree of carbonization (Stages 1–2) and two with partial calcination (Stage 4). A similarly low frequency of burning was noted on the finished objects and in the general faunal assemblage (Chapters 21 and 26 respectively). Burnt bone artifacts appeared as very specific incidents; for example, a bone doll found inside a ṭabun (Chapter 21: Cat. No. 91). Burnt animal bones were found in a few localized and specific loci, such as the vicinity of the Stratum IV limekiln and Stratum III trash pits, etc. (see Chapter 26: Table 26.10). However, there is no correlation between the spatial distribution of the bone-production refuse and the loci where faunal remains were found burnt.

R aw Material Selection and Acquisition Bone was a commonly available raw material in any society, whether nomadic or urban. Yet not every bone is suitable for working, and not every society can supply a workshop with the raw material it needs. The natural characteristics of bone and its advantages as a raw material for many kinds of tools and artifacts have been much discussed in the past (e.g., MacGregor 1985:1–29; Deschler-Erb 1998:27–68). Suffice it to say that bone is composed

CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION OF BONE OBJECTS IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD

595

of organic and inorganic matter, which combine in various ways to create two types of structure: cancellous bone, which is delicate and resembles a sponge, and cortical bone, which is solid and hard. It is the cortical parts of the bone that the bone craftsmen utilize. Species Preference The refuse of the first stages of the manufacturing process (see below) may enable us to identify many of the bones that the artisan chose to work, and the species they belonged to (Fig. 16.7). Of the 408 worked bone pieces discussed here, 59 belong to cattle, 25 to camels and 7 to equids (horse, donkey or mule). An additional 181 bones belong to large mammals that could not be identified to the species level, but can reasonably be attributed to cattle, camels or equids. Five bones belong to sheep or goats. The remainder (131) are too transformed to be identified. When reviewing the general fauna at Givati (Chapter 26), the composition of which is interpreted mainly as the result of subsistence, animal processing and husbandry practices, one can see that in the Early Islamic period, unworked caprine bones comprise 59% of the identified specimens (NISP) in the Abbasid strata, cattle bones 21%, equids less than 2% and camels less than 1% (see Chapter 26: Fig. 26.1). In the present assemblage of the bone industry, however, cattle bones comprise the majority (61%) of the identified specimens, while equids rise to 8% and camels to 26%(!). Identified caprine bones in the worked assemblage are rare (5%). The artisans at Givati clearly preferred working with bones of large domesticates––cattle, camel and horse. No bones of wild animals were found. The same preference for large domesticates was noted at other sites (Table 16.1). For example, artisans at Ashqelon preferred bones of cattle and camels (Wapnish

200 (81)

180 160 140

(131)

No. of Bones

120 100 80 60

(59)

40

(25)

20

(7)

(5)

0 Cattle

Camel

Equid

Indeterminate Large Mammal

Fig. 16.7. Species preference (n = 408).

Sheep/goat

Unidentified

67 105 120

Hellenistic–Early Islamic

Early Roman– Crusader

Nabatean, 1st c. BCE–1st c

Late 4th–early 5th c

Late Roman

Late Roman

Late Roman

Late Roman

Late Roman

700–850

Ashqelon, Israel

Caesarea, Israel

Petra, Jordan***

Carthage, North Africa

Sagalassos, Turkey

Pergamum, Turkey

St. Lucia, Rome, Italy

Augusta Raurica, Switzerland

Autun, France

Hamwih, England

14 (1%) 136 (8%)

995 (97%) 1461 (85%)

12 (39%)

16 (52%) 80 (8%)

176 (25%)

506 (73%)

677 (67%)

9 (1%)

1183 (99%) 5 (