Late Chalcolithic Gray Ware (LGR)

Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati – September 2011
Laerke Recht – May 2016

Late Chalcolithic Gray ware is distinguished by its gray coloring. It is burnished on the exterior. The sections show chaff and white mineral temper.

Note: This ware was previously abbreviated as LCG, which may still be found in some places.

Basis for Definition	A few sherds from J1 f196, in front of the revetment wall.
Identifying Attributes	Gray on the exterior and interior, burnished on the exterior and sometimes on the interior. Little chaff temper shown on the exterior of the finer shapes because of the burnishing. This ware until now has only been found in smaller shapes but body sherds indicate that there may also be medium jars and bowls made in this ware.
Clay Type	Medium to coarse.
Temper	Much small chaff temper (maximum size 4mm). Some chaff is not carbonized. Few translucent white mineral inclusions (maximum length ca 3mm some round and some oval in shape).
Firing	Low fire, carbon core with only the exterior and interior gray to gray-brown in color.
Firing Cloud	None.
Color	Medium gray, dark gray, gray-brown.
Surface Treatment	Interior and exterior of bowls and small jars are burnished but not finely burnished.
Shapes	Small jar with everted and pointed rim. Small bowl with straight rim and incised line just below the rim on the exterior ribbing below. Sharp carination with unclear overall shape.