tell brak 1976: the pottery

Tell Brak 1976: The PotteryAuthor(s): Kate FieldenSource: Iraq, Vol. 39, No. 2 (Autumn, 1977), pp. 245-255Published by: British Institute for the Study of IraqStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4200073 .

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245

TELL BRAK 1976: THE POTTERY

By KATE FIELDEN

The pottery from the I976 excavations at Tell Brak comprises a fairly homo- geneous, probable Late ED-Late Agade group, much of which proves to be similar in character both to that of the ED-Agade periods obtained by Sir Max Mallowan in I937-8 1 and to the more recently excavated ED material from Tell Chuera.2

The four principal wares and the majority of rim profile types were present in all phases but despite the overall similarity of the pottery it is reasonable to suggest that it falls stratigraphically into three groups:

The earliest, Phase 3, consists of a small amount of material from pre-Temple levels and is probably of the Late ED period.

Phase 2 finds are of Agade date and were obtained from levels associated with the building phases of the Temple.

Phase i pottery, the largest group, from levels subsequent to the Temple, is probably of post-Naram-Sin to, at the latest, Ur III date. There may however, have been a break in occupation of the site during this period.

The volume of the 1976 ceramic sample is small and this discussion is mainly limited to that which was obtained from Trenches A, B and the lowest levels of D where the stratigraphy is best understood. The sample is unlikely to be compre- hensive and it will therefore be pertinent at this stage to describe and illustrate as much of the material as possible and to comment upon its relation to material from other sites where relevant. Statistics quoted and conclusions reached should be considered as preliminary findings which may be enlarged or altered by the con- sequences of further excavation at Brak.

The Wares Four principal ware types were encountered: Simple, Stone, Fine and Cooking Pot.

In addition there were a few sherds of Excised Ninevite 5 and Grey Spiral Ring Burnish ware as well as a number of " stray " early painted sherds, presumably from the mud-brick.

The Simple Ware Most common is the well fired grit/chaff- and frequently limestone-tempered

Simple ware which varies in colour from green to buff or red and is sometimes finished with a buff or wet slip inside/outside.

Forms are largely similar to those of the earlier excavations; they range from small bowls and beakers to medium-sized bowls and jars as well as globular vases

I M. E. L. Mallowan, Iraq 9 (1947). 2 H. Ktihne, Die Kframik vom Tell Chuera; here-

after abbreviated: Ku/me, 1976.

IR 19



246 TELL BRAK 1976: THE POTTERY

and bottles which are generally narrow at the neck and have flat or rounded bases. There are some large storage jars, most of which are incomplete; many of those found had narrow necks but heavy Rim Types 39, 41, 48 and 56 on Plate XIV indicate the presence of wider-necked varieties.

Some of the medium-sized and nearly all of the larger vessels were made on a slow wheel, the rims and outside surfaces often displaying slight rill marks due to wet- smoothing on completion.

The smaller, flat-based vessels (mostly bowls and beakers) if not simply string-cut from the wheel were finished off upside-down to obtain a slight ring or (rarely, only in Phase i) a hollow pedestal base. Rounded bases are more frequent for the smaller, fast-wheel-made vases and bottles but unless many round base fragments were missed in the sorting there seem to be more flat-based medium-large vessels in all Phases. The flat bases of larger vessels were sometimes started in a mould and are frequently unsteady.

Many forms of small bowls and larger globular jars and bottles also occur in Fine or Stone wares and they bear a marked resemblance to both Stone and Simple ware forms at ED Chuera.3

Decoration of the Simple ware is infrequent and, so far, restricted to Phase I; it is similar in individual units of design and in overall effect to that found in Agade or Ur III levels at Tells Sweyhat, al Rimah, Taya and Brak, 1937-8. The usual ornament is a simple shoulder rib, sometimes impressed with slanting parallel grooves (Plate XI, 4). Also frequent are the placing of a single incised line inside the rim, and shoulder decorations comprising bands of incised, combed, parallel wavy or straight lines or both in combination. One heavily ornamented rim sherd (Plate XI, 2) is incised with combed bands of wavy and straight lines and triangles.

A coarse sherd, probably from the shoulder of a storage jar, is decorated with rows of impressed dots and incised lines (Plate XI, X). A fragment of a small " offering stand " with cut-out " windows " bears an incised tree motif. An impressed rocker pattern was found on the base and extant body of a miniature vase (Plate XI, 6).

Spouts and handles are not common. Tubular spouts were occasionally found on Phases I and 2 vessels. Handles of various types occurred in all Phases on both Simple and Cooking Pot wares: lugs or ledges, sometimes with vertical or horizontal perforations, are most frequently found set just below the rims of bowls.'

Strainer sherds of all Phases belonged to small bowls whose rim profiles when extant were of Types 4, 8, i8 and 86 on Plate XIV.

The Stone Ware There is surprisingly little of the Stone ware which was so plentiful in the earlier

excavations. The fabric is a dense, smooth-textured, barely tempered, generally blue-grey but sometimes greenish or reddish clay, fired at a high temperature which was sufficient to give it the appearance but not the impermeable quality of stoneware

* Refcrences to similarities between specific examples will be made in the Catalogue of Illustrations.

'An interesting Stone ware jar bore vertically- pierced, double-barrelled lug-handles. Illustration: Plate XIII, 14, and discussion on p. 247.



TELL BRAK I976: THE POTTERY 247

and to cause the sherds to make a characteristic metallic clink when knocked together. This fabric is elsewhere termed " Metallic " ware.6

All but the larger Stone ware vessels were made on a fast wheel; the rills are generally obvious both inside and out though some of the outer surfaces were deliberately ribbed. Most vessels were wet-smoothed, sometimes with a damp cloth (?) which left the surface smooth but faintly streaked in various directions. The wet-smoothed and rarely, lightly horizontally burnished surfaces display a dull gloss.

A diversity of forms and fabric treatment was noticed among the sherds recovered from all Phases. Most frequently occurring were sherds of straight-sided, flat-based bowls and beakers, many of which were lightly rilled inside and out and streaked with yellow or greenish-yellow in the horizontal or spiral reserved slip decoration which was also found at Gawra VI 6 and Taya. 7 The fabric of a few beakers and globular pots is brown or orange coloured in patches on the outside or throughout as at Harran 8 and Chuera, 9 or in horizontal stripes which may have been obtained by the reserved slip technique.

The round-based globular jar seems to have been more common in this ware than the flat. The most frequent rim profiles are of small bowls and beakers (Plate XIV, 3-I I) and medium-sized jars with overhanging rims (Plate XIV, i). Kuhne points out the obvious link between the Stone and Simple ware forms at Chuera 10 and there is no reason to suppose that the situation would not be the same at Brak: nearly all the rim types found are paralleled by Simple ware examples and the sherd shapes indicate that globular pot forms were also popular.

Of particular interest is an almost complete but unfortunately unstratified Stone ware vessel (Plate XIII, I4) with almost square, vertically-pierced double-barrelled lug-handles. This form occurs at Chuera in Simple ware and a similar lug was found in Stone ware (Kuhne, 1976, Abb. 252 and 63). Kuhne has pointed to parallels for this and related forms from the Diyala (ED III) to Troy II 11 (EB III) .12

The Fine Ware This possibly ambiguous but appropriate name is given to a large group of sherds

and a few complete examples of small, fast-wheel-made vessels of which the fabric is finely elutriated clay, barely tempered and generally fired very hard. The fabric colouring varies from greenish-buff to buff, pink or, occasionally, grey; its con- stituents appear to be similar to those of the Stone ware. The fractured edge of Fine ware does not appear to be so nearly vitrified as that of Stone ware, but overfiring can make it impossible to distinguish between them.

'f R. and L. Braidwood, Excavations in the Plain of Antioch I, 370; and Kiihne, 1976, 33 ff. where he points out that metal vase forms at Chuera are similar to those of the Metallic ware which may have been derived from them. This ware should not be confused with the part-contemporary Anatolian Metallic ware described by J. Mellaart, An. St. 12

(1963), 228 ff. 6 E. Speiser, Excavations at Tepe Gawra I, 50. 7J. Reade, Iraq 33 (1968), 251. O K. Prag, Levant 2 (1970), 78.

' Ki/me, 1976, 33. Ibid., 8I and 70 ff. Ibid., 49 ff.

"Donald Easton has kindly informed me that well stratified examples of this pot form occur in his Troy II. 6, that is at the beginning of his Anatolian EB III (see: D. F. Easton, An. St. 26 (1976), 145-I67; Chronological Table, p. x65); this fits fairly well in Kilhne's Chronological Table (Kid/me, 1976, 114) and gives an approximate parallel of ED III in Mcso- potamian terms for Troy II. 6.



248 KATE FIELDEN

It would seem that the Fine ware has previously been classified as Stone ware or a finer variant of the Simple ware: it may indeed be related to both, though the nearest parallel for it in fabric and firing which the writer can find is in the fine Ninevite 5 Excised ware to which it is possibly more closely related.

Five Ninevite 5 Excised sherds were found at Brak in 1976 in Phases I-3; two of the rim sherds were exactly similar in fabric and rim type (Plate XIV, 6) to Fine ware examples. Other Fine ware vessel and rim types (Plate XIV, 3, Io, 12, 20, and Plate XIV, i i) are similar to Ninevite 5 rims from Sinjar Group VIII 13; while rim (Plate XIV, I4) and bowl (Plate XI, I5) are similar to Ninevite 5 examples from Thalathat '4 and rim (Plate XIV, i I) is paralleled at Nineveh, levels 3- 15 but also at Taya VII.18

Kuhne has summarized the evidence for a probable relationship between Ninevite 5 Excised and Stone wares and their possible derivation from metal prototypes; he gives a probable time range of ED I-III for the occurrence of Ninevite 5 Excised ware.' 7

It should be noted that all the popular Fine ware rim types so far encountered at Brak (including those mentioned as having Ninevite 5 parallels) also occur in Simple and/or Stone ware. Further similarities may be seen between Brak Simple and Stone ware forms and Ninevite 5 forms on other sites.'8

The Fine ware would therefore appear to occupy an important place in the not yet fully explained interrelationship of ware types in the production of small cups and bowls of the ED-Late Agade periods.

Cooking Pot Wares A quantity of Cooking Pot ware was found in all Phases, most of it in fragments.

The medium-fired fabrics vary considerably in appearance and content and can be divided into two main groups: those with a finer grit/chaff/straw temper which are generally finished with a wet slip (Plate XIII, I I-12); and those which are tempered with fairly large, predominantly black or white grits and are given a heavy, horizontally-burnished slip which fires to a grey, red or brownish colour (Plate XIII, 8-io). Interior fabric shades vary from red to light or dark brown; or grey-black where the body is carbonized throughout. Patches of carbon resulting from use may be found on the inner or outer surfaces of a vessel, especially towards the base. Pottery from both groups was made on a slow wheel; some of the bowls may have been partly constructed in moulds."'

Pot shapes appear to have been uniformly globular with short, wide necks and inverted or everted rims. No bowl bases were found. All rim types encountered also occurred in Simple ware (Plate XIV, 58-76, and 79).

13 S. Lloyd, Iraq 5 (1938), 133, Fig. 6. 14 Egami, Thalathat I, 80, fig. 21: I and 2 re-

spectively. 16 M. E. L. Mallowan and R. Campbell Thomp-

son, AAA 20 (1933), P1. LII, i i. "'J. Reade, Iraq 30 (1968), P1. LXXXV, 17.

The similarity between Ninevite 5 Plain ware from Grai Resh and late third millennium material from

Taya has been noticed by Reade; ibid., 237, footnote 6.

17 Kt/m, 1976, 72 and I04. "I See Catalogue descriptions for Plate XI, t2 and

14; XII, 1o. 19 The majority of triangular-lug-handled pots were

hand-made at Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, 99), as at Harran (Letant 2 (1970), 83).




Several Phase 2-3 sherds, and one almost complete example (Plate XIII, 9) of uncertain stratification, were found of hole-mouthed, globular cooking pots and wide bowls with triangular-lug-handles placed horizontally at the rim (Plates XIV, 66-8, 70, and XIII, 8-i o). The ware is of the burnished type; there were no Simple ware examples of the triangular lug. It is not certain whether all burnished Cooking Pot sherds belong to the triangular-lug-handled group but Prag seems to suggest that this may have been so at Harran.20

The Triangular-Lug-Handled ware is classified as one of the four major pottery groups at Chuera. Kuhne discusses this ware type (of probable East Anatolian origin) and its distribution in some detail 21; he also points to a possible connection with Simple ware.22

Grey Spiral Ring Burnish Ware A small Phase 2 jar, a few body sherds and two rim fragments from Phase i were

the only examples encountered of this ware type. The well-fired, uniformly grey fabric is less dense and rather more coarse than that of the Stone ware; it also bears a characteristic ring burnish on the outside surface.

Kuhne mentions the infrequent occurrence of this ware at Chuera 23 but considers it, perhaps correctly, to be a Stone ware variant 24 despite the fact that both Braid- wood 25 and Prag 26 classify it separately.

The Brak jar (Plate XII, 3) is almost exactly similar in shape to a Brak Simple ware example of the same Phase (Plate XII, 4) and to both Stone and Simple ware forms at Chuera (Abb. 45 and 2I8 respectively). The Phase i jar rim fragment (Plate XI, 25) is similar to Simple and Stone ware rim Type i on Plate XIV; while the bottle rim (Plate XI, 26) is of the " Syrian Bottle " form found at many other sites in both Grey Spiral Ring Burnish 27 and Stone ware.28

Imported Ware Several Phase 3 sherds of a wheel-made vessel are of an unusual, well fired, red,

vertically-burnished and incised fabric: they appear to be of Red Gritty " Cross- Stitch " Incised ware which was found at EB II Tarsus 29 and Zencirli.30 The same ware (also related to the Brittle Orange wares of Amuq H-J 81) is found on sites in the Gaziantep and tslahiye regions,32 and is the dominant pottery type at EB III Tilmen Huyuk, and at Gedikli where it occurs throughout the Early Bronze Age and in the Late Chalcolithic levels.33

30 K. Prag, Levant 2 (1970), 83. Ki/hne, 1976, 99 ff.

23 Ibid., 99, footnote 8M6. 23 KWn, 1976, 46, footnote 284. 24 Ibid., p. 46. 25 R. and L. Braidwood; Excavations in the Plain of

Antioch I, 450 (T. Tainat, Amuq J). 26 K. Prag, Levant 2 (1970), 81 (Late 3rd. mill.

Harran). 27 M. Mellink, in R. W. Ehrich, Chronologies in Old

World Archaeology (i 965), I O- I 11 .

8 Kiihne, 1976, 37 and 63-6, where he discusses the form and its distribution on sites in Mesopotamia, Syria and Anatolia.

' H. Goldman, Tarsus II, P1. 255; p. 109-i 10. 'O F. von Luschan, Sendschirli V, 38 ff.; Pl. 15-i6. 31 R. and L. Braidwood, Excavations in the Plain of

Antioch I, 5i8 and P1. 87:2. 32 U.B. and H. Allum, Belleten 30 (I966), 53. 33 U. B. Alkim, Archaeology 22 (1969), 286 ff.



250 KATE FIELDEN

The Brak fragments (Plate III, I3) may have belonged to a vessel which was similar in form to the campaniform footed pots from Gediklli Chamber Tomb M-I 3'

and Tarsus EB II." The wide time range for the occurrence of this ware type does not permit a more precise dating for Phase 3 at Brak.

Conclusions The close similarity between Brak and ED Chuera pottery forms is striking; the

only notable differences are in the shapes of cups and small bowls and in the frequency of the Stone ware fabric.

Kuhne has noticed that round-based bowls are an " early " feature at Chuera 36;

this form is rarely found at Brak and is then generally restricted to the earlier levels. The popular Brak flat-based beaker or bowl with flaring sides does not seem to be frequent at Chuera where the bodies of bowls and cups are often slightly inverted at the rim/base. It may therefore be reasonable to suggest that the " straight-sided " beakers and bowls of the Brak type were possibly more popular during the Agade-Ur III periods.

The scarcity of Stone ware throughout the 1976 Brak levels may be accidental but, for the present, it is consistent with Kuhne's conclusions: that the Stone ware seems to be especially distinctive of the ED period, as at Chuera; and further, that much of the I937-8 Brak Stone ware may be of ED date.37

It is not surprising to find that, apart from the differences outlined above, the overall character of the Brak Phases 2 and 3 pottery in particular is Early Dynastic. ED forms and wares presumably continued into the Agade period at least until the destruction of Naram-Sin's Palace, an event which may be contemporary with the end of Phase 2.

Phase I pottery is still characterized by the distinctive wares and forms of the earlier Phases though accompanied by the introduction of new rim types (Plate XIV, 77-86) and the use of ribbing and plastic decorations typical of the Late Agade-Ur III periods on other sites.

Tell Brak, I976: Catalogue of Illustrations Vessel descriptions are prefixed by T.B. (Site Register and Aleppo Museum),

BK. or T.S. (Sherd Catalogue) numbers followed by batch numbers; for smaller sherds, the batch number alone is given.

All registered and catalogued material is also given Munsell colour names and codes, matched to the nearest Munsell Soil Colour Charts colour samples.

Illustrated pottery is of Simple ware and wheel(i.e. fast wheel)-made unless stated otherwise. The term " wet slip " is used to describe a slurried surface, not a slip applied by dipping or pouring.

The following abbreviations are used: It. light; dk. dark; sl. slip; i. inside; o. outside and d. diameter.

3' U. B. and H. Alkm, Bellktn 30 (X966), 48 and Fig. 42.

S6 H. Goldman, Tarsus II, Fig. 255, 280.

3K Kiih, 1976, 74-5. 3Ki Klm, 1976, 59 ff. and io8 ff.



PLATE XI

>XXXi ~~

2 4 1;8?9 5 7

30~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2~~~~~~~~~~~~~2

t

3 ( 12 20 56

31~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1

Tell Brak~~~~~~~~~~~~,? 97. Phs . No.2,SoeWr;v ,8 o,2 n 9 ieWr;2 6

Grey Spiral Ring Burnish Ware./Scale,2 23 25

08St.L',i/'t Wt.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9

z t. d /~~~~~~~~~~2

cms )

Te3 Ba,I7.PaeI1o. 4 tn ae ,7 ,In 7ad2,Fn ae 52



PLATE XII

2

0 5

%- 1 v- v .I

cms 7 8

10 __ _ .

10 M- 0 /- 14 1

_ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~16 __

\ > / ~~~~~~~15 <

Tell Brak, I976. Nos. I-I5, Phase 2; I6-I8, Phase I. Nos. IO, Stone Ware; 5, II, I4 and I5, Fine Ware; 3, Grey Spiral Ring Burnish Ware. Scale, '14; except No. I3, I/IO.



PLATE XIII

13 15

2

13 a

0 5

L 1LL . L 1 6

6

8(1 _ F /

1 7

9

11

Tell Brak, 1976. Nos. I-8 and 13, Phase 3; I0, II, I5 and I7, Phase 2; 1... 2, Phase I. Nos. I, 2, 7 and I4, Stone Ware; 8-IO, Burnished Cooking Pot Ware; I1I-I2, Plain Cooking Pot Ware. Scale, I1/4; except Nos. 1 2, I15 and I 6, I /IO; and I 3a, not to scale.



PLATE XIV

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23

~) 24 25 26 2

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

59

60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

79 80 81 82

72 73 74 75 76 77 78 \ \ )83 84 85 86

cms Tell Brak, I976. Frequently Occurring Rim Types. Nos. I-68 and 70-76, Phases x-3; 77-86, Phase Ionly; 69, Phases 2-3 only. Nos. I-II, Stone Ware; 2-82 and 85, Fine Ware; 2-9 and x3486, Simple Ware; 58-76 and 79, Cooking Pot Ware; 66-68 and 70, Triangular- Lug-Handled Burnished Cooking Pot Ware. Scale, I/2. This content downloaded from 185.2.32.21 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 18:45:09 PM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions



PLATE XI: Phase i Pottery From Area CH

Note: Sherds I-4, selected examples with plastic decoration, are from the shoulders of large vessels; the ware is buff or red Simple, with grit and chaff temper. I. B2. Incised and pricked with same instrument. For pricked decoration of this type, cf. Taya VIII (Iraq 30, P1. LXXXIV, 12); Sinjar Group VIII (Iraq 5, Fig. 6:2 and 12); Nuzi (Ga. Sur) (Vol. II, Pl. 56: P, Qand R); Billa 5 (MuseumJournal (Penns.) 23, PI. LIV, 8); Dinkha Tepe IV (Iran i2, Fig. VIII: 22b); and Rimah (L. 3rd mill.) (Iraq 32, PI. X). 2. B4. Rim d. 28 cm. Combed incised wavy and straight parallel line decoration. This widely occurring form of ornament is found over a long period, often in combination with ribbing. Earlier examples are more usually confined to " cult " vessels. For roughly contemporary illustrations, see: Rimah (Ur III and early 2nd mill.) (Iraq 32, P1. IX, 7); Mardikh III (AAAS 20, Fig. 5: I4); Taya VII (Iraq 30, P1. LXXXV, 20); Gawra VI (Vol. I, P1. LXX, i44 and 145); Telloh (Agade) (Vol. I, P1. 62: I); Hama H (Hama II. I, p. Io8, Fig. 132 : N 14); Ur (U.E. II, P1. 266, T. 235); Susa (Steve and Gasche, Pl. 2:40 and Pl. 3); and, rather later, Palestine (Middle Bronze Age) (K. Kenyon: Amorites and Canaanites, p. 34); and Dinkha Tepe IV (Iran I2, Fig. XI: 36d). 3. A2o. Gouged.

. B5. Rim d. 52 cm. Popular rim type in Phase I only; often accompanied by shoulder rib with/ without impressed grooves. Cf. Sweyhat (Ur III) (Levant 9, Fig. 9: I and 5); Susa (Ur III) (Steve and Gasche, Pl. 3, 3); and Billa 5 (Museum Journal (Penns.) 23, P1. LV, 3). Also found in conjunction with incised decoration. 5. B3. Miniature vase or cup (base only); greenish-buff Fine ware; fine grit temper, wet sl. i. and o. Incised spiral around body of vessel executed while wheel in motion. 6. A13. Base of miniature vase or cup; buff; fine grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Base roughly smoothed before decoration. Rocked pattern on extant body and base. An early example of this decoration technique was found in Uruk VI (UVB IV, Tf. 9gD: a). Impressed crescent designs were found at Taya VII-IX (Iraq 30, p. 244) and earlier Amuq G (OIP LXI, p. 279, Fig. 220:2-13). 7. T.B. 22; Al 7. Incomplete Fine ware beaker; white-lt. grey (5Y 8/2-7/2); fine grit and chaff temper; wet sl. i. and o. Rill marks i; lower third of o. body scraped with finishing tool. Popular rim type in all Phases (Plate XIV, 9). Cf. Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXVII, I8); Harran (ED) (Levant 2, Fig. 7:37 (Stoneware)); Chuera (Kgihne, 1976, Abb. ix (Stone ware)); Billa 5 (Museum Journal (Penns.) 23, PI. LIV, 4); and Taya VIII and VII (Iraq 30, PI. LXXXIV, 8). 8. T.B. 12; A22. Fine ware cup; lt. olive grey (5Y 6/2); some grit and chaff temper; wet sl. i. and o. Base unsteady. 9. T.S. 5; AI3. Incomplete cup; white (5Y 8/2); grit, chaff and some limestone temper; wet sl. i. and o. Roughly made; base string-cut. Similar form in Phase 3 (Pl. XIII, 4). Cf. Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXXII, 14); and Germayir (Iraq 4, Fig. 20: IO). so. T.B. 3I; A22. Incomplete cup; pale yellow-pale olive (5Y 7/4-/2). Fine ware, possibly overfired leaving surface rough to touch and finely crazed; small grit and chaff and some fairly large limestone grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Unusual carination at string-cut base also occurs Phase 2 (Simple ware) and Phase 3 (Fine ware). xI. T.S. ii; B3. Incomplete small bowl; lt. brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2); i. surface carbonized in patches; grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Roughly made; string-cut base. Cf. Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXVII, 3). X2. Ai6. Small bowl sherd; light red with buff sl. i. and o.; grit and some limestone temper; impressed rills o. surface. Cf. Chuera (Ku/me, I976, Abb. 152), Amuq I andJ (OIP LXI, Fig. 313 and 339, respectively) and other, early examples of small bowls with corrugated surfaces at: Thalathat (Nin. 5) (Vol. III, P1. XLVII); Billa 6 (Museum Journal (Penns.) 23, P1. LII, 2); Sinjar Group VIII (Iraq 5, Fig. 6:4, 7). 13. Ai6. Small bowl sherd; light red with buff sl. o., fine grit temper, very well fired. See above remarks for No. 12 for parallels. I4 T.S. 2; B4. Incomplete small bowl; pink (7.5YR 7/4) fabric with very pale brown (ioYR 8/4) sl. i. and o.; grit and larger limestone grit temper; roughly made; string-cut base. Similar in form to Asmar (Larsa) (Pottery From the Diyala Region, OIP LXIII, Pl. 148: B 052. 200C). 15. T.S. IO; B3. Incomplete small bowl; pale yellow (5Y 7/4) Fine ware; wet sl. i. and o.;



252 KATE FIELDEN

base and lower half of body marked by finishing tool. Cf. Thalathat (Nin. 5) (Vol. I, p. 8o, Fig. 21: 2); and Taya VIII (Iraq 30, P1. LXXXIV, Io). I6. T.B. 32; A22. Incomplete small bowl; very pale brown (ioYR 7/3) fabric with similar-white (5Y 8/I) sI. i. and o.; grit, chaff and limestone temper. Small cracks towards i. base owing to hard firing; lower body and base o. shaved with flat finishing tool when almost dry. Cf. Sweyhat (Agade- Ur III) (Levant 8, Fig. 5:30); Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. I83); and Brak, I937-8, (Iraq 9, P1. LXXIV, 13). 17. T.S. 22; B3. Incomplete bowl; lt. brown (7.5YR 6/4) fabric; grit, mica and limestone temper; wet sl. i. and o. Made on slow wheel. Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 197); and Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXVI, 6). I8. T.B. 8; AI7. Small, crudely made pinch pot; very pale brown (ioYR 7/3); chaff and some large grit temper. 'g. T.B. 2; B8. Small jar; very pale brown (i oYR 7/3), similar or slightly lighter wet sl. i. and o.; grit, chaff and limestone temper. Slight shoulder rib. Exact parallels not found but similar are: Brak I937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXV, 6); Billa 5 (Museum Journal (Penns.) 23, P1. LV, i); and Gawra IV (Vol. I, P1. LXXII, I7I). 20. T.B. i; A22. Incomplete small jar; pale yellow (5Y 7/3); grit, some chaff and fairly large limestone grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Hairline cracks at i. neck and in base; not waterproof. For similar forms, see remarks under No. i9, above, and Brak I937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXV, 2). 2I. T.B.s; A22. Smalljar; white(2.5Y8/2); gritandlimestonetemper; wetsl.i.ando.; rather careless finish. For similar forms see Nos. I9, 20 and remarks, above. 22. T.B. 15; Aio. Incomplete jar; pink (7.5YR 7/4) fabric and i. wet sl., white (5Y 8/i) o. sl.; grit, chaff and limestone temper. Base and o. scraped by finishing tool; rill marks i. Similar, though not in rim type, to Gawra IV (Vol. I, P1. LXXII, I7'). 23. T.B. 6; AI9. Small jar; lt. olive grey (5Y 6/2); fine grit and some chaff temper; wet sl. o.; patch of carbon on o. lower body. Fairly similar in form to Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 36-37). 24. B4. Rim sherd of grey Stone ware jar. For similar rims, cf. Chuera jars (Kiihne, I976, Abb. 43,

54 and 58). 25. Bi. Rim sherd of Grey Spiral Ring Burnish ware jar; greyish brown fabric with darker grey wet sl. i. and o; fine black grit and mica temper; hard fired. Horizontal ring burnish o. Rim type paralleled in Phases I and 2 Stone and Simple wares (Plate XIV, i). 26. Al 7. Grey Spiral Burnish ware bottle rim; grey fabric; small black grit, mica and limestone temper; hard fired. 0. surface damaged; ring burnish visible on rim only. Cf. Chuera (Kaihne, 1976, Abb. 66, 68 and 70); Ku/me, 1976, 63 ff. for discussion on " Agade " and " Syrian " bottles and their distribution. 27. T.B. 33; A22. Small spouted bottle, neck missing; pale yellow-very pale brown (5Y 7/3- ioYR 8/3) Fine ware; fine grit and some large limestone grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Surface of fabric missing and remainder badly cracked. 28. BK. 29; Ai8. Incomplete bottle; reddish yellow (5YR 7/6) fabric; grit, mica and some chaff temper; wet sl. o. Cf. Chuera (Kin, 1976, Abb. 223 and 265); and Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXXI, 6). 29. T.B. 20; A22. Incomplete small bottle; It. reddish brown (5YR 6/4) Fine ware fabric with very pale brown (IoYR 7/3) sl. i. and o.; fine grit and limestone temper. Cf. Brak 19378 (Iraq 9, P1. LXXI, I); Gerrnayir (Iraq 4, P1. ig, 8); and similar Chuera form (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 265). 30. T.S. I; B3. Rim of medium-sized pot; brown (IoYR 5/3) with dirty buff slip o.; grit, some chaff and much limestone temper; o. surface ribbed; hard fired. For ribbing of Agade-Ur III pottery see Sweyhat (Levant 9, Fig. 3: 23, 31). 31. T.S. 37; AI8. Rim and neck of medium-sized pot; lt. brown (7.5YR 6/4) fabric; grit, chaff and mica temper; wet sl. o. and i. rim; slight ribbing o. (not shown). Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 22I). 32. T.B. 36; Ai6c. Incomplete, medium-sized pot; pale yellow (5Y 7/3); grit, chaff, mica and limestone temper; wet sl. o. Cf. Chuera (Kizne, I976, Abb. 267-rounded base); and Gawra V (Vol. I, P1. LXXI, i6i) which is not similar in rim profile.



TELL BRAK 1976: THE POTTERY 253

PLATE XII: Phase i and 2 Pottery From Area CH; Nos. I-I5, Phase 2; Nos. i6-i8, Phase i.

I. BK 17; B7. Incomplete medium-sized pot; It. brown (7.5YR 6/4); grit and some limestone temper; wet sl. o. (?)Slight ring burnish on o. neck and rim. Cf. Chuera (Ktihne, 1976, Abb. 264) though not for rim and neck. Possibly of same type as globular, narrow-necked jars from Sweyhat (Levant 7, Fig. 13). 2. T.B. 56; B21. Medium-sized pot with rounded base; very pale brown (ioYR 8/4); grit, limestone and some chaff temper; wet sl. o. and i. neck. Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 27I). 3. T.B. 3; B7. Incomplete small jar; Grey Spiral Ring Burnish ware; grey (5Y 5/i) fabric; grit temper; hard fired; wet sl. i. and o. Slight ring burnish on o. surface (not shown). Cf. Arbit (Iraq 4, Fig. I9: i6-Stone ware); Chagar Bazar (Iraq 3, P1. 14: 1); Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXXI, i4-Stone ware); Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 45-Stone ware and 2I 8-Simple ware); Ur (Sargonid) (U.E. II, P1. 256, T. 84); and Khafaje (ED III) (OIP LXIII, PI. I03c). 4. T.B. 4; B7. Incomplete small jar ;(?)Simple ware; grey (5Y 5/') fabric, blackened o. towards base; fractured edge slatey in appearance, not so dense as Stone ware but hard fired. Grit temper. I. and o. surfaces part-coated with whitish substance. Cf. Mari (? ED III) (MAM III, 300, Fig. 314: 3207); Gawra VII (Vol. I, P1. LXVI, 8o); and Chuera (K&ine, 1976, Abb. 32). 5. T.B. 7; B7. Incomplete small bottle; very pale brown (ioYR 8/3-7/3) Fine ware; wet a1. o. 6. T.B. I8; B2 I. Small bottle; pale yellow (5Y 7/3); grit, chaff and limestone temper; wet sl. i. and o. Similar to Chuera rim and neck profile (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 274). 7. T.B. 54; B2I . Small jar; fairly roughly made; It. brown (7.5YR 6/4) fabric with pale yellow (5Y 7/3) sl. i. and o.; grit, chaff, mica and limestone temper. Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, I976, Abb. 214); and Sweyhat (Agade-Ur III) (Levant 8, Fig. 13:8) though rim profile differs. 8. T.B. 28; B7. Pitcher with vertically pierced lug-handles on shoulder; pale yellow (5Y 8/4) fabric and o. sl.; grit, chaff and limestone temper. Misshapen (?)owing to drying conditions. Pitchers with horizontally pierced handles are frequent on contemporary N. Syrian sites; examples with vertically pierced handles were found at Gawra IV (Vol. I, P1. LXXIII, I9I); and Asmar (E. Agade) (OIP LXIII, P1. I96, D.743.310) which is similar to the Brak example though longer in body. 9. T.S. 42; B2I. Large bowl with knob handles set below rim; incomplete; inner fabric pale brown (i oYR 6/3) becoming very pale brown (i oYR 7/4) outside; grit, chaff and limestone temper; wet sl. i. and o. Hole centre base before firing. IO. B7. Stone ware cup or beaker rim sherd; reddish brown fabric; slight rilling on i. and o. surfaces. Possibly similar in form to Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. I3). xi. T.B. I 7; B8c. Incomplete small bowl; white (5Y 8/2) Fine ware; grit and limestone temper; smooth texture; wet sl. i. and o. This rim type (P1. IV, io) popular in Phases I and 2 in Stone and Fine wares only. Cf. Sinjar Group VIII (Iraq 5, 133, Fig. 6:6, 8,-rim only); and Chuera (Kiihne, I976, Abb. 193). x2. T.B. 14; B8c. Small incomplete bowl; very pale brown (ioYR 7/3) fabric with white (2.5Y 8/2) sl. i. and o.; grit and limestone temper; fairly roughly made; string-cut base. 13. T.B. 38; BiI. Incomplete large bowl; It. brown (7.5YR 6/4) fabric, It. reddish brown (sYR 6/4) in patches on o. surface; grit, chaff, mica and limestone temper; wet sl. i. and o. Uneven base, started in a mould. Scale i/io. I4 T.B. i9; B7. Cup or bowl; Fine ware; olive (5Y 5/3) centre fabric, surfaces vary between olive (3Y 5/3) and pale yellow (5Y 7/4); fine grit temper; wet sl. i. and o. Base slightly concave. Centre fabric and base fired very hard; surface deterioration (flaking) on part of upper body and rim. I5. T.B. i i; B2o. Cup; pale yellow (5Y 7/4), well fired Fine ware; small grit and some limestone temper; very smooth wet-slipped surface i. and o. Cf. Chagar Bazar (Iraq 3, P1. I 7, Io); and Brak 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXVI, 8).

Phase i Pottery x6. T.B. 35; Ai6. Incomplete, medium-sized pot; pink (7.5YR 7/4) fabric and o. sl.; grit, mica and some chaff temper; hard fired. Much scraping of lower i. surface possibly indicates base was rounded: cf. Nuzi (Ga.Sur) (Vol. II, P1. 53: B); but might have been similar to Brak P1. XII, I 7



254 KATE FIELDEN

illustrated within it and described below: a popular form throughout Mesopotamia from the ED-Larsa periods. Cf. Kish A Cemetery (Anthropology Memoirs I, P1. XIII, 3); Ur (Sargonid) (U.E. II, P1. 26I, T.155); and Nuzi (Ga.Sur) (Vol. II, P1. 52: H, I and P1. 53: A). 17. T.S. 9; A7. Base of medium-sized pot; pink (7.5YR 7/4); grit, chaff, limestone and mica temper; wet sl. o.; roughly made. Possibly belonged to oval-bodied vessel similar to No. I 6 described above q.v. for similar forms on other sites. I8. B2. Rim and spout fragment of medium-sized vessel, possibly similar in form to Nos. i6-1 7, above. Interior fabric: grey brown, becoming lt. red at surface; limestone, mica and much grit temper; wet sl. o. and i. rim. Thin shoulder rib. Very similar example from Brak I937-8 (Iraq 9, P1. LXIX, 8). See also: Asmar (L. Agade) (OIP LXIII, P1. 92: h, and (Agade-Ur III) P1. I76: C.466.470). A spoutless example from Asur E (Die Archaische Ischtar-Tempel in Assur, P1. 6o, Ur III grave No. 2305, middle row, far left) has the same wide neck, high shoulder carination and rib.

PLATE XIII: Phase I, 2 and 3 Pottery, Including Cooking Pot Ware, From Area CH: Nos. i-8 and 13, Phase 3; Nos. io-: I and I5-17, Phase 2; No. 12, Phase i.

I. D7. Grey Stone ware jar rim; fabric bright red at edges; thin grey sl. i. and o., stripe of bright red in reserve at i. rim. Cf. Chuera (Kiiene, 1976, Abb. 3I). 2. D7. Grey Stone ware jar rim; matt surface. 3. BK 39; D8. Incomplete small bowl; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) fabric; wet sl. i. and o. mottled pink (7.5YR 7/4) on o. surface; grit, chaff, mica and limestone temper; rather carelessly made, rim uneven. Found with No. 4, below: the only restored vessels from a small hoard of pottery found during the closing stages of the excavation. Cf. Brak, 1937-8 (Iraq 9, P1 LXVI, 2); and Susa (Steve and Gasche, Pl. 4:18 (Ur III), Pl. 5:I and 2 (Agade) and P1. 13:x and 2 (ED)). 4. T.B. Io; D8. Cup; very pale brown (ioYR 8/3); grit and chaff temper; wet sl. i. and o. Found with No. 3, above, part of Phase 3 pottery hoard. Cf. Brak Phase i cup (P1. XI. 9) and parallels. 5. T.S. 40; BI4. Incomplete cup or bowl; pink (7.5YR 7/4); wet sl. i. and o. which becomes white (ioYR 8/2) towards rim; grit, limestone and some chaff temper; roughly made, hard-fired. 6. T.B. 37; B14. Large bowl with horizontal lug-handles; incomplete; pink (5YR 7/4) fabric with pale yellow (5Y 7/3) slip i. and o.; grit, chaff and some large limestone grit temper; i. surface worn and partly missing; o. surface scraped irregularly with finishing tool. Scale: I/Io. 7. T.B. 34; BI4. Small Stone ware bowl with rounded base; interior fabric grey (5Y 6/I), surfaces It. olive grey (5Y 6/2) speckled with lt. grey (5Y 7/2); finely made; scrape marks of finishing tool over much of o. body and base. Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 176). Bowls with rounded bases seem to be an " early " feature at Chuera, and possibly also at Brak. 8. B14. Rim sherd of burnished Cooking Pot ware bowl with small triangular-lug-handles. Reddish brown fabric; thick grey-black slip, horizontally burnished i. and o.; fairly large black grit temper. Examples of triangular-lug-handled bowls (see also: No. IO, below) have not yet been recorded on other Syrian sites. 9. BK. 2I; C4. Medium-sized, globular, burnished triangular-lug-handled cooking pot of uncertain stratification; parts of base missing. Illustrated as only almost complete example found. Fabric mostly pinkish grey (7.5YR 6/2) i., becoming dk. grey (7.5YR N4/) towards o. surface. Thick, very dark grey (7.5YR N3/) sl. with horizontal burnish on o. and rim. Fabric and surface carbonized in patches i. and o. especially towards base; much white grit and chaff temper. Cf. Chuera (Kiihne, 1976, Abb. 383-398); Harran (Levant 2, Fig. 8:54, 55 and P1. XXXV. A, bottom L.); Jidle 6 (Iraq 8, Fig. 12:2 1); and Sweyhat (end of 3rd. mill.) (Levant 9, Fig. 5: 8 and io). See also remarks on Cooking Pot wares on p. 249 of this report. 1O. T.S. I8; B: I . Phase 2 rim sherd of burnished Cooking Pot ware bowl with triangular-lug- handle. Fabric: lt. reddish brown (5YR 6/4) i., becoming black (5YR 2/ I) O.; black slip i. and o. with horizontal burnish; much black grit temper. Small perforation in wall of vesel, at base of handle. Cf. No. 8, above. iZ. BK. 24; B6. Phase 2 standard globular cooking pot; well fired, heavily carbonized fabric varies

from brown (i oYR 5/3) to black (i oYR 2/ I); brown-black, mottled, wet-slipped o. surface; much black grit and some chaff temper. I2. BK. 20; B3. Phase I standard cooking pot; incomplete; fabric carbonized throughout except




part of rim which varies from brown (7.5YR 5/2) o. to reddish brown (5YR 5/3) i.; much grit and mica temper; fabric in poor condition: parts of surface missing. Scale i/io. 13. D7. Phase 3. Fragments of imported Red Gritty " Cross-stitch " Incised ware vessel. Very well fired; centre fabric reddish brown, becoming It. red at surface; grit and chaff temper; thick, dk. red sl. and vertical burnish o. which is also roughly incised with " criss-cross " decoration. Possibly belonging to a campaniform footed vessel of form sketched below (I 3a). For further remarks, see: Imported Ware, on p. 249 of this report. x3a. Sketch drawing of campaniform footed vessel: possible form of No. 13, described above. Not to scale. 14 T. 184; Di. Unstratified, incomplete Stone ware jar with vertically pierced, double-barrelled lug-handles. Dark grey (ioYR 4/I). See p. 247 of this report for further remarks and parallels on other sites. X5. BK. 30; Bi i. Phase 2 large storage jar; base missing. Reddish yellow (sYR 7/6); grit, chaff, mica and small limestone grit temper; wet sl. o. Lower body and base smoothed o. Wheel-made. (?)Potter's mark on shoulder. Scale: I/IO. I6. T.S. 13; B7. Phase 2; part of base and wall of large storage vessel; pale yellow (5Y 7/3) fabric and o. wet sl.; grit, chaff, and some limestone temper; scrape marks on o. surface made by finishing tool. Made on slow wheel. Scale: i/ Io. 17. T. B. 29; B7. Phase 2 storage jar with wide, flaring rim; pale yellow (5Y 7/3) fabric and wet sl. i. and o.; grit, chaff and limestone temper. Hole centre base (?) after firing. Made on slow wheel; rim and base uneven, both cracked (?) owing to firing conditions.(?)Potter's mark on shoulder.

PLATE XIV: Most Frequently Occurring Rim Types. Nos. i-68 and 70-76, Phases I-3; 77-86, Phase I only; 69, Phases 2-3 only.

Nos. ti I Stone Ware; 2-28 and 85 Fine Ware; 2-9 and 13-86 Simple Ware; 58-76 and 79 Cooking Pot Ware; 66-68 and 70 Triangular-Lug-Handled Burnished Cooking Pot Ware.

Of the c. I7oo rim sherds obtained from Trenches A, B and the lowest levels of D, about I50 different forms or Types were encountered; 86 of the most frequently occurring Types are illustrated. Though the drawings are of actual rims, they are intended as a guide to form only; fabric thicknesses and rim diameters vary considerably among sherds of the same Type: NOs. 27, 28, 35, 36, 39, 41-5I, 56-6i, and 63-67, for example, were sherds of large storage jars as well as of smaller vessels.

Only half of the rim Types belonging to all Phases (Nos. i-68 and 70-76) were found in Phase 3 levels; no distinction has been made between Phase 2 and 3 Types at this stage owing to the com- paratively small size of the Phase 3 pottery sample and the fact that no rim Type occurred in Phase 3 alone.

The following rim types are particularly numerous Phase i (occurring more than ten times) : 8, 9, 13, 21, 27, 35, 36, 51, 58, 63, 65, 70. PhaSe 2 (occurrng more than seven times): 8, 9, 13, 25, 27, 36. Phase 3 (occurring more than three times) : 8, 9, 27, 56, 63, 70.



tell brak 1976: the pottery

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