Left and right sidebars

Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati – April 2023

Introduction

As with the other digital books in the Urkesh Global Record (UGR) the format for the Ceramics book is divided into three sections, see page layout.

The left and right sidebars serve as pointers to the central section where the content of the pages is shown. In other words, the sidebars provide in effect the table of contents of the entire digital book. They are present at all times in order to ensure that one may always have a clear perception of the full structure of the digital book.

In the Urkesh Ceramic Analysis digital book, the left sidebar gives in detail the “how” of the analysis while the right hand sidebar shows the “what” that was analyzed in both chronologically based and typologically based formats. We may now look in more detail at the nature of the content accessed respectively from the two sidebars.

The Left-Hand side is divided into two parts:

the topmost section of the Left-Hand side (labeled A1) gives a general overview of the Ceramics book and connects this typological book with the broader Urkesh Global Record website, Urkesh Global Record (UGR);
the lower section (labeled A2) is a very detailed description of the categorization system.

Introduction

The upper section first explains the methodology used in Mozan and discusses why these methods have been adapted from the point of view of our responsibilities as archaeologists. It gives an overview of the data collected both organized by time period and also organized by selected excavated units. The layout of the Ceramics book pages is described as well as the data itself.

In the section of the relationship of the Ceramics book to the UGR the interconnection of the Ceramics book both as an independent book as well as an intrinsic part of the UGR is explained.

Categorization

The lower section of the Left-Hand side (A2) is centered on a detailed discussion of the categorization system. This examination focused on two fundamental aspects of the system: the Roster and the Lexicon. These are the two avenues (see also the page Roster and Lexicon) used in describing in detail all the immense ceramic data in the archaeological record of the excavations of the Mozan site. For further detail see the “Grammar”.

The roster is a list of the identified categories or variables, in particular: ware, shape, decoration, or function.

The lexicon is centered on the attributes or variants, for example the attributes (variants) of painted or incised designs for the category (variable) of decoration.

The right sidebar points to a series of shape catalogs divided into three parts:

Shapes by horizon (labeled C1)
Shapes by context (labeled C2)
Whole vessels: shapes by typology (labeled C3)

The data are based on printed catalogs which built up from the very beginning of the excavation for each time period. This methodological approach is due to the fact that from the start we analyzed all the ceramics and not just selected examples. This meant that I had to develop the system and codes for each shape. That was a working tool for the analysis of the excavated ceramics from a specific time period. From the start of the research I added to the catalog as needed depending on the new shapes found that were not yet in the catalog or variations of the shapes that I deemed important. This meant that the catalogs are a selection of the shapes from that specific time period. The analysis of all the ceramics with the pertinent shape and ware codes are found in the individual unit excavation books with statistics pertinent to that book.

Shapes by horizon

A selection of distinctive shapes for a total of 1435 items) distributed according to the main periods of occupation of the site. For example, for the Akkadian period it lists 12 roster categories (jars, bowls, etc.) and for each category it gives the drawings of representative types (e. g., 7 types for hole mouth jars).

The Cross-horizon section inverts the sorting criterion, and gives examples of shape types for each period, e. g. 47 examples of hole mouth jars from the Late Chalcolithic to the Middle assyian period.

Shapes by context

The middle section of the Right-Hand side (C2) contains the data selected on the basis of the context rather than typology, chronology or function. The data are chosen during the excavation season for that unit see introduction. The choice depended on our evaluation of the importance of the specific context within a unit. If the context was deemed important depending on a variety of reasons then it was analyzed immediately. It is these contexts that are found in this section of the Ceramics book.

This section contains a number of indices and synopses based on the excavation units, chronology, ware and shape. The synopses add links to the drawings.

An example

To best illustrate this linkage between context and typology the trajectory of a single sherd will be here followed. The sherd chosen comes from a Mittani period deep bowl with a line of painted birds as the decoration. It is from the J1 unit book and was excavated in feature 38. Within this feature it was found in q-lot 139 and labeled as p1, the link gives a description of the context, with further links indicated, and a photo and drawing. The shape type drawing for the Mittani period is found in the Mittani horizon catalog. The decoration type is categorized as M6. By clicking on these links the detailed analysis of both the context and the typology can be studied.

Shapes by typology: whole vessels

Selecting only complete or nealry complete vessels, for a totla of 405 items, and giving both drawings and photographs, this section is in effect a sumamry of all types by typology (jars, bowls, etc.).

Urkesh Ceramic Analysis

Introduction: The book

Left and right sidebars

Introduction

Left sidebar

Introduction

Categorization

Right sidebar

Shapes by horizon

Shapes by context

An example

Shapes by typology: whole vessels