Urkesh Ceramic Analysis
Categorization / Lexicon / Wares / 3rd-2nd mill.

Metallic Ware (M)

Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati, Laerke Recht – May 2016

General Description

Metallic ware is a dark gray, high-fired ware. The surface is usually gray but can red-brown patches. It is notably distinguished by the ‘clinking’ noise it makes when tapped against other sherds or surfaces. It is primarily known from the outer city areas at Mozan and is likely imported.

Characteristics

Basis for Definition	Some Metallic ware sherds came from the various excavation units, mostly dating to the mid-third millennium, but these are rare in the inventory. From the Outer City however some areas have large amounts of these sherds on the surface. This was especially noted in OD50 and OS11. Two early third millennium tombs excavated in the Outer City, Oa4 and Ob1, contained early Metallic ware cups.
Clay Type	Fine clay is used which yielded a fine and hard texture
Temper	Temper, when present, calcareous, very small particles
Firing	Firing is done in a reducing atmosphere at a high temperature resulting in gray or red-brown surface color
Carbon Core	None
Wall Thickness	Largest necked jars can have a wall thickness of close to 1 cm but the majority of the necked jars have a wall thickness in the range of 3-5 mm
Shapes	Relatively few cups or bowls but medium size necked jars are the commonest shapes
Surface Treatment	Wet smoothed
Decoration	None
Comments	At Urkesh Metallic ware must be imported and appear to mostly be used a tomb offerings for tombs placed in the Outer City. The locally made Imitation Metallic ware is found more often in the mid-third millennium areas within the High Mound.