Petrographic Analyses of Fourth Millennium B. C. Pottery and Stone Vessels from the Northern Negev, Israel

The location of specialized copper production by the lost wax technique in the Chalcolithic southern Levant

“…Again in this case, a large body of analytical data enables the identification of these materials due to the fact that they were also used for the production of contemporary pottery from some Levantine Chalcolithic sites. At the Chalcolithic site of Teleilat Ghassul, most of the locally made pottery is formed of this iron-rich clay (Goren, 1987:48-53, 1991:Appendix 2, 1995Gilead and Goren, 1989), the typical pithoi being sintered to a surprisingly high quality (Edwards and Segnit, 1984). Since Lower Cretaceous sandstones, siltstones, and shales of the Kurnub Formation (in Jordan) or the Hatira Formation (in Israel) expose mainly in the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea basin east of the Jordan, the origin of this material should be looked for in this part of present-day Jordan.…”

Groundstone Tools of a Copper-Smiths’ Community

“…The application of these limitations and guidelines could be implemented through various agents pertaining to communities at different ends of an exchange network, as well as to various mediators along the way. In this regard, it is important to note that EB I distribution and exchange networks may have relied, at least in part, on some of the commercial systems and trade infrastructures developed during the Chalcolithic period (see, e.g., Gilead and Goren 1989;Rowan 1998), although the volume of trade seems to have increased considerably during the EB I (Philip 2003: 121). Furthermore, it is clear that the prevalent use and production of basalt bowls that characterized Chalcolithic habitation and mortuary sites continued into the EB as well, as is seen both in the composition of the assemblages and in raw material selection (Amiran and Porat 1984: 17), as well as in the technological and morphometric traits of tools.…”

“…In the past, several studies of EB I basalt bowls claimed that they were primarily distributed on a regional level, spread from several central localities to different areas and through different mechanisms (on other suggestions for Chalcolithic-EB basalt origins, see Gilead and Goren 1989;Goren 1989;1991;Hani 2004;Philip and Williams-Thorpe 1993: 60;Rowan 1998;Rutter 2003). It seems, however, that we should re-evaluate the distribution mechanism of basalt bowls and other basalt items from the quarry and production sites to the distant, coastal sites, where these items seem to reflect different, more complex systems of distribution and redistribution.…”

“…Such studies have greatly enriched our knowledge and provided extensive databases and detailed analyses for the study of fifth and fourth millennia BC groundstone assemblages (e.g. Amiran and Porat 1984;Braun 1985;1990;Gilead and Goren 1989;Goren 1991;Rowan 1998;2006;Rowan et al 2004;Rutter 2003;van den Brink et al 1999). These studies form the basic framework for understanding the Chalcolithic-EB groundstone industries of the southern Levant. In these studies, the complexity of the EB groundstone industry is shown alongside certain elements characteristic of specific components in the assemblages.…”

Tulaylat Ghassul: an Appraisal of Robert North's Excavations (1959–60)

“…Macalister (1912) originally defined this ware on the basis of vessel form, fabric, and finish, whereas Amiran (1955) limited the term to form and, in particular, fabric. While there is a strong association between Cream Ware and vessel form, the label is used here as a reference to fabric type only, as defined by Gilead and Goren (1989). Invariably, Cream Ware is Munsell pink (e.g., 7.5yr 7/4) but not all pink fabrics are Cream Ware.…”