Urkesh Ceramic Analysis

Shapes by horizon: Mittani / Royal Sanctuary

Decoration

Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati – June 2013, September 2016, June 2023

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Brief Overview

In the Mittani period we find the widest variety of designs on the ceramics. Painted designs are the most common type but incised designs and deep ribbing patterns also occur among the Mittani period decoration types. Painted decoration designs can be dark lines on a light background or a dark background, or occasionally a red background, with the design in white or a shade of beige.

Painted designs can include geometric patterns such as alternating black and white rectangles, the so-called checkerboard design, being common. Running triangles filled with a variety of patterns is also a frequent motif. Drip marks in a short line, usually diagonal, can be found on the exterior or interior of jars and deep bowls.

Rims can be covered with solid paint or can have a series of short parallel strokes either all around the rim or arranged in discrete groups; this is a motif started in the Khabur period and continued in Mittani. Simple parallel stripes on the body of vessels, especially jars, from the Khabur period also continue to be used in the Mittani period.

Animal motifs, principally birds in white paint on a dark background are often portrayed in a line going around the vessel. Occasionally a horned animal is depicted and one painted sherd from our excavations even had a fish surrounded by a water pattern (see here).

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Applique

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Rope Decoration

A1

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Incised

I4
I11

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Stamped

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Circles

S1

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Wheat pattern

S3

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Painted

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Solid bands

M1

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Solid paint

M2
M15
M16
M18
M20
M25

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Parallel lines

M3
M4

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Dotted circles and half circles

M5

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Triangles

K5
M8
M9

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Triangles and dotted circles or dots

M11
M17

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Half ovals

M7

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Cross-hatched bands

M13

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Wavy lines

M10

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Stripes on rim

M12
M19

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Drip marks

M24

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Red edge

M27

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Animal figures

M6

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Spiral

M21

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Checkerboard

M32

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Other

M22
M23
M26
M29

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Combination

K4+ K5
M6 + M22
M8+ M13
M19 + M22
M6 + M12 + M22

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