SAT I.AD.ns(1-4).a,
((extremely) large) FeMn nodules/ crumbling / gritty

reddish to brownish and/or brownish grey firing
 irregularly stained with a variety of colours
crumbles easily due to a very high total amount of inclusions

830 - 650 BC

29 diagnostic sherds attributed to this fabric

contribution by bachelor student Remco Bronkhorst 2012 

FRESH CROSS SECTION and FABRIC DESCRIPTION

THIN SECTIONS

ASSOCIATED CERAMICS

 

FRESH CROSS SECTION

S 1351 / 70 (daub)
microscopic appearance of the fabric at a fresh cross section / field of view: 4.8 x 3.2 cm.

 

S 1406 /21 (daub)
microscopic appearance of the fabric at a fresh cross section / field of view: 1.55 x 2.3 cm.

 

S 4150 (loomweight)
microscopic appearance of the fabric at a fresh cross section / field of view: 6.2 x 4.2 cm.

 

FABRIC DESCRIPTION

 

Description on the basis of microscopical observation of the fabric to x30 (see images of the fresh section above and the table below):

The fabric is reddish to brownish and/or brownish grey. The material is not strictly a type of ceramic, but it consists of fired loam for huts (wattle and daub construction) and loom weights. The colour varies, but the predominant Munsell colours are 7.5 YR 4/6 (strong brown) and 10 YR 5/4 (yellowish brown). After refiring (800oC) the predominant Munsell colours shifted to 2.5 YR 4/8 (red) and 5 YR 5/8 (yellowish red) .The impression by eye of a high percentage of unsorted inclusions is confirmed under the microscope, the total percentage of solid inclusions varies between 20 and 35% and goes up to 50%.

Quartz, feldspar, augite, Ferro-Manganese nodules and occasionally leucite occur. The particles are rounded to subrounded. The structure of the fresh cross section is hackly. The hardness is not detectable due to the high percentage of inclusions.

This fabric is related to SAT I/(II).AD*.ms-vps(1-4).a, variety of characteristics / (slightly) gritty, furthermore to SAT I.AD*EQ.ps-vps(1-4).ab, medium-coarse gritty / (hardness +) and to SAT III.AD*.ns(1-4).c, hardness + / organic.  

 

Properties of SAT I.AD.ns(1-4).a.  in a fresh cross section (x: absent / p: present < 1%)  

fabric

SAT I.AD.ns(1-4).a.

volume of inclusions

>20%; in general >35%, and up to 50%

sorting

not sorted

particle size

<90 - >2000

quartz/feldspar

>30%

flint

>5%

augite

p-5%

FeMn

>5%

mica

p

leucite

x-1%

leucite-tuff/lava

x-1%

tuff

x-1%

rock fragments

p

organic inclusions

x-p (in (black) voids)

 

THIN SECTIONS

 

The fabric contains a very high percentage of inclusions (35-50%). Unsorted Ferro-Manganese nodules (up to 1,0 cm) can be detected. The clay structure is chaotic in flakes and fissures, partially due to the high amount of inclusions, although no crumbling of fired clay is visible. The inclusions are rounded to angular, but seldom euhedral. The Quartz/Feldspar inclusions contain Sanidine Feldspar and Plagioclase (only present).

A second thin section shows characteristics  in between this fabric and SAT I/(II).AD*.ms-vps(1-4).a, variety of characteristics / (slightly) gritty. This thin section gives the impression of a fabric with a high percentage of very poorly sorted inclusions. The total amount of inclusions is slightly lower compared to the thin section discussed above: 25-40%, of which predominant Quartz/Feldspar. Inclusions are rounded to angular, seldom euhedral. FeMn is present in a few but fairly large nodules. The Ferro-Manganese nodules are probably an original constituent of the clay (like the Quartz/Feldspar), which leads to the assumption that the clay is hardly worked before firing.

 

S 1406 / 21 
thin-section in plain polarised light (ppl)  / field of view: 0.4 x 0.7 cm.

 

S 1406 / 21 
thin-section under crossed polars (cp)  / field of view: 0.4 x 0.7 cm.

 

S 925 / 27
thin-section in plain polarised light (ppl)  / field of view: 0.8 x 1.3 cm.

 

S 925 / 27
thin-section under crossed polars (cp)  / field of view: 0.8 x 1.3 cm.

 

ASSOCIATED CERAMICS

LOAM FOR PLASTERING OF HUTS (GRUMO, FIRED) AND BRICK

LOOM WEIGHTS

 

LOAM FOR PLASTERING OF HUTS (GRUMO, FIRED) AND BRICK

 

 

S1351/70  

Daub

Fragment of fired daub with four smoothened sides, one side has a smaller inner angle.

Exterior: reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 and reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8

21.5 x 9 x 9 cm.

Broken.

 
 

 

   

S4680  

Daub

Fragment of fired daub with one relatively flat side and one side with the imprints of twigs.

Exterior:  reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8

9.5 x 8.5 x 4 cm.

Broken.

 
 

 

   

S5034/45 + 5116/18  

Brick

Common brown impasto

Rectangular brick-like artifact. Levelled on one side, other sides are damaged. The corners  have an angle of approximately 90°.

Exterior: brown/dark brown 7.5YR 4/2 to reddish yellow 5YR 6/8 to dark reddish brown 5YR 3/2

25 x 9.5 x 8 cm.

Found in kiln A13/A14 

 
 

 

 

   

S5157/101

Daub

Fragment of fired daub with one  flat side and one side with the imprint of twigs.

Exterior:  reddish yellow 7.5YR 6/8

11.5 x 9.5 x 4 cm.

Broken, abraded, old fractures, mended.

 
 

 

 

LOOM WEIGHTS

   

S4150  

Large pyramidal-shaped loom weight with a perforation, irregularly modelled.

Exterior: pale brown 10YR 6/3 to dark brown 7.5YR 3/2. Refiring would probably result in a red colour in the range of 2.5 YR 4/4 – 5/6.

10.9 x 5.0 x 6.7 cm. Diameter hole: 0,9 – 1.1 cm.

Broken, traces of secondary burning.

 
 


 

 

S 5044/01

Trapezoidal-shaped loom weight, smoothened on all sides.

Exterior: reddish yellow 7.5 YR 7/6

8.7 x 3.8-5.5 x 3.5-5 cm. Diameter hole: 1.0 – 1.2 cm.

Date: 830-650 BC

Broken: the lower half is missing.

 
 


 

   

S 5028 / 07  

Furnace lining

Impasto (two colours)

Non-diagnostic fragment of furnace lining comprising of two different and unmixed claytypes. Possibly the red area has been part of a prefired brick like construction material to build the kiln structure, while the pale area has been applied as a type of plaster to cover the surface before using the kiln.

reddish /orange variety: 5 YR 5/8
pale variety: 2.5 Y 7/4

9  x 6 x 3.8 cm.

Secondary burned

see also: SAT III.AD*.ns(1-4).c, hardness+ / organic