Assemblage A16b6

Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati, Laerke Recht – August 2015

Diagnostic sherds of f184.

Transitional Isin-Larsa to Khabur.

This assemblage comes exclusively from A16f184. The feature was chosen because it contained both late Phase 4 sherds and some clear Khabur period pottery, both painted and unpainted types. Its mixture of types makes it possible that this feature is transitional between these two phases. No single type can be seen as specific to this transitional moment but we can see variations of both in the shapes and wares, for instance the typical Phase 4 cup in an untypical thicker and coarser ware (A16q550-p26). It is very likely that specific shape (or even less ware) types do not exist as they would in a real transitional phase, but that new types appear gradually in a type of evolutionary fashion.

A16q550-p14	Folded rim with a sharp lower edge of the rim, this characteristic is a possible indication to a late Phase 4b to early Phase 5a date
A16q550-p1	Carinated bowl with sharp carination, in FC ware is typical for late Phase 4 but this shape in this ware also continues later but later it is usually made in RC ware.
A16q550-p13	bowl with greenish-yellow slip on the exterior and interior; this type and color of slip typical for the Khabur period
A16q550-p26	Typical Phase 4 bag-shaped cup but this cup made in a coarser and thicker CH ware than usual Phase 4 examples so may be transitional between Phase 4b and 5a. Cups in all of Phase 5 are usually made in RC ware.