Book: Ceramics - Art or Science? Author: Dr. Stan Jones

9. Ceramic Development in the Middle East

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Byblos was destroyed by fire in 2,150 BC, probably as a result of invading Amorites, who rebuilt it and restored relations with Egypt. About this time new styles of pottery, weapons and burial practices were introduced by the Amorites. Pottery discovered in Phoenicia dated around 1,900 BC gave further evidence of Egypt’s interest and influence, as it had their enemy’s name inscribed, to be broken as part of an Egyptian ritual curse. Also an 18th century BC fresco showed seven Phoenician merchant ships putting into an Egyptian port, trading faience and glass.

Canaanite jar and mug, 2,000 BC - courtesy Ifergan Collection

Canaanite jar and mug, 2,000 BC - courtesy
Ifergan Collection

The area was noted not only for its timber, wine and olive oil, but Tyre also had an unusual speciality. From around 1,800 BC it produced purple dye they extracted from shellfish. This dye was very long lasting when used to colour cloth but required huge amounts of shellfish to produce a small quantity, so it was extremely expensive. It was because the purple colour was so popular with the royalty of many countries that the name Phoenician was given to them by the Greeks, based on their word for “purple”. Pottery vessels have been found stained with the purple dye. Much later, after production was taken over by the Romans, Nero banned the wearing of purple garments except for the Emperor.

In the 18th century BC the Hyksos, an ethnically mixed peoples including a significant Semitic element, overcame the Amorites passing on to invade Egypt bringing to an end its Middle Kingdom. When they were subsequently driven out of Egypt in 1,550 BC the Hyksos became absorbed into Phoenicia and Syria, and their pottery, which they also made in the Egyptian Delta when they occupied it, became integrated with that of the Phoenicians and Syrians. The Hyksos also introduced bellows that made it easier to raise temperatures to process materials. Examples of pottery around this time shows that the Canaan coastal areas had significant influence on styles further afield. Between 1,650 and 1,000 BC “comb-faced” pottery was produced and around 1,350 BC a new style of pottery turned entirely on a fast wheel was produced in nearby Palestine.

Canaanite combed vessel 2,000 BC, bichrome krater 1,550-1,400 BC, wine pitcher 1,550 BC and wine strainer 1550-1,200 BC - courtesy abc) Ifergan Collection, d) Aweidah Gallery

Wine pitcher 1,550 BC, bichrome krater
1,550-1,400 BC, Canaanite combed vessel 2,000 BC
and wine strainer 1550-1,200 BC - courtesy
abc) Ifergan Collection, d) Aweidah Gallery

Large, thick-walled pithoi typically 1 to 1.5m high were made to store grain and liquids. Imports from Cyprus were also common such as the popular bull-shaped liquid containers, jugs and bowls with white slip on a buff body often painted in red, brown or black. A pottery rattle has also been found.

Cypriot white painted ware, juglet 1,900-1,650 BC, vase 1,900-1,625 BC and high spouted jug 1,900-1,625 BC - source St Barnabas Museum, Cyprus

Cypriot white painted ware, juglet
1,900-1,650 BC, vase 1,900-1,625 BC and
high spouted jug 1,900-1,625 BC - source
St Barnabas Museum, Cyprus

9.15 The Sea People

A characteristic of these times was that people migrated from country to country, sometimes in large numbers. There were four main reasons; first because they were displaced gradually by climate change; second more rapid displacement by events such as the eruption of the island of Thera in 1,628 BC; third because increased population could not be sustained and fourth by others invading their lands. A major example of the third and fourth reasons was the migration of the “Sea People” who migrated to and then invaded the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean around 1,200 BC. There were various simultaneous changes at this time that caused a major upheaval in the Middle East. Some people on the fringes of the Mycenaean (Greek) world, on small islands or on the Ionian coast were in poverty so became pirates and very effective fighters attacking rich ships and coastal towns. Metal advances occurred simultaneously in the Balkans and Anatolia, so these people had access to the latest iron weapons. Natural disasters around this time such as famine in Anatolia pressured people to gain access to the raw materials that were much in demand. In the north of Greece itself there were incursions from the pastoral people of Thessaly and Thrace (North East Greece and European Turkey), at a time when the Greek City States were feuding. This led to a move by the Mycenaeans to reunite their community based on a loose coalition against Troy.

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