Pottery production in Jerusalem during the Iron Age: A new compositional profiling

Abstract

This paper presents a first large‐scale compositional study of Iron Age pottery from Jerusalem, the capital of Judah during the Iron Age II (ca. 1000–586 B.C.E.). A sizable group of pottery vessels was analyzed by petrography and neutron activation. The aims were to identify more clearly the compositional profile of the Jerusalem pottery products and attempt to reconstruct trade and taxation patterns during the Iron Age II in the days of the kingdom of Judah. We present results defining new petrographic and chemical profiles not linked with the Moẓa clay previously associated with the Jerusalem production. Vessels made of Moẓa clay showed diverse chemical profiles, possibly indicating several sources within the Central Hills of Israel. The petrographic and chemical deductions were compared, and the complementary nature of these two techniques for pottery analysis was further emphasized, in particular in regards to the sourcing of highly calcareous clays. The compositional results of the pottery indicate that trade or transition of tax commodities related to sites around Jerusalem may have been more intensive in the latter part of the period (the Iron Age IIB), while evidence for trade with more distant regions is generally limited.

New Analysis of Cylindrical and Ovoid Jars (‘Archive Jars') From Southern Judea

“…This profile is somewhat similar to Group HebA (Table , Jer‐20, and Fig. ) (Ben‐Shlomo and Mommsen , fig. 6), and possibly some of these vessels were made in the Ḥevron region.…”

“…Its geographical source can be in the northern Dead Sea or the Jericho area, and thus can be local to Jericho or the Qumran area (Michniewicz , 135–6). Nevertheless, note that currently it is not possible to distinguish between rendzina soil from the Dead Sea area and other neighbouring regions as the Judean hills, including the Jerusalem region (e.g., Ben‐Shlomo and Mommsen , Petrographic Group 7, provenanced to Jerusalem), and the geographical provenancing should be made according to the chemical profile (see below).…”

“…). However, it has been shown recently that this group comprising 20 random sherds from Jerusalem with only a very broadly similar composition is not a reliable reference group, and does not represent clays of Jerusalem (Ben‐Shlomo and Mommsen , 360). This profile is somewhat similar to Group HebA (Table , Jer‐20, and Fig.…”

“…The main chemical group represented is Group HebA (Table and Fig. ) (Ben‐Shlomo and Mommsen ). The overlapping groups HeKA and HebA are very close in composition with mainly differing K and Rb concentrations that are higher in HeKA.…”

“…The HebA group includes also Iron Age and Early Roman period pottery found recently at Tel Ḥevron, including several distorted, sintered or refuse vessels (‘wasters'; see also Ben‐Shlomo , fig. 8) from the potter's workshop at Early Roman‐period Hebron (Ben‐Shlomo ; Ben‐Shlomo and Mommsen ). Therefore, it is highly likely this group represents clays from the Hebron region (note that Tel Ḥevron lies on Moẓa clay formations).…”