Urkesh Ceramic Analysis

Categorization / Lexicon / Wares / 3rd-2nd mill.

Imitation Metallic Ware (IM)

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

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General Description

Imitation Metallic ware is intended to mimic the color and style of Metallic ware. This ware, however, is not as fine or highly fired. The surface is painted to appear the same gray and orange colors as are found on Metallic ware sherds. These sherds do not make the characteristic ‘clinking’ noise that defines the more highly fired Metallic ware.

Imitation Metallic Ware is part of the Imitation and Imported Wares Group.

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Features

Basis for Definition

Surface, temple BA, storage room in F1, AK storage wing; there are few examples of this ceramic variety in the mid third millennium Mozan corpus but more in the later third millennium strata.

Identifying Attributes

coarser exterior surface than Metallic ware, paste not as fine as Metallic ware, painted lines on the neck and body in dark brown to red-brown color painted on so that it appears to be same color as Metallic ware, shapes similar to Metallic ware, more temper than Metallic wares; not as highly fired.

Paste Color Red-buff; the exterior is often dark gray-brown because of the paint.

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Temper

Some organic and small to medium mineral temper.

Firing

Medium.

Firing Cloud None.
Carbon Core

None.

Surface Treatment

Painted to look like Metallic ware, surface wet smoothed and rougher than Metallic ware.

Wall Thickness

Can be as thick as 2cm in the larger jars.

Manufacturing Techniques

Medium fire (as opposed to the highly fired Metallic ware).

Shapes
  • Same as Metallic ware but bowls and necked jars predominate.

  • Bottles (size range: rim d ca 4-6 cm); [A1q928, F1.114, this example has three tiny feet, spouted].

  • Small jars.

  • Some thicker body sherds may come from medium to large jars.

  • Decoration

    No (paint on exterior not meant as a decoration but to make vessel appear like Metallic ware).

    Comments

    In the mid-third millennium ceramic corpus from all areas of the site there are more sherds of Imitation Metallic ware than Metallic ware. One exception to this is found on the southern perimeter of the Outer City in Area OD50 where there were a large number of Metallic ware sherds scattered on the surface (see catalog of OD50 shapes and wares). In some cases there may also be imitation BC ware sherds that can be mixed with the imitation Metallic as they can appear similar with the gray and orange on the surface.

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    Sherd Illustrations

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    Exteriors

    A16q827‑p5

    A6q1653-p69

    A6q450-p69

    A7q417-p2

    A7q825-p69

    B5q153-p28




    F1.114

    A6q348-p69

    A6q1051-p69

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    Interiors

    A16q827‑p5

    A6q1653-p69

    A6q450-p69

    A7q417-p2

    A7q825-p69

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    Sections

    A16q827‑p5

    A6q348-p69

    A6q1051-p69

    A6q450-p69

    A6q1653-p69

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