This is a marl fabric rich with silt-size dolomite crystals. It probably represents clay derived from the local Bet Meir and/or Moẓa dolomitic formations, illustrating iron-rich calcareous clay. The well-preserved dolomite indicates it is in situ eroded dolomite from the local clay formations, and generally this is a fine, well-levigated clay
The fabric is characterized by a dark to opaque matrix in crossed polarized light, and reddish or reddish-brown matrix in regular polarized light. This is a rather compact, single-spaced, silty to fine fabric with usually 3–5% voids of the slide area (c:f:v20μ ratio of 40–50:40–45:3–5; there are four sub-groups 1a–d). Most particles are silt sized. The main, non-plastic inclusions are well sorted, silt-sized (usually up to 0.15 mm in size, with rarer occurrences of 0.2–0.5 mm sand) rhombic dolomite particles (usually with well-preserved crystal shape), often appearing reddish (ferruginized), comprising usually 35–45% of the slide area. Other non-plastics comprise a highly variable amount of poorly sorted calcareous inclusions (limestone, chalk, calcareous concentrations), usually comprising between 2–10% of the slide area and sometimes more. Clay pellets also often appear (either of quartzic-terra rossa or dolomitic soil type, also termed argillaceous inclusions, see Whitbread 1986). The high variability of the calcareous sand may indicate various degrees of fineness or levigation of the clay rather that different sources. Rarer quantities of quartz dust, opaque minerals, and microfossils also appear. Being from the Moza formation, when fired this petro-fabric is a typical light pinkish orange to yellow-brown in color.
This is a marl fabric rich with silt-size dolomite crystals. It probably represents clay derived from the local Bet Meir and/or Moẓa dolomitic formations, illustrating iron-rich calcareous clay. The well-preserved dolomite indicates it is in situ eroded dolomite from the local clay formations, and generally this is a fine, well-levigated clay
Khirbet er-Rasm (Israel/Shephelah)
Shikhin (Israel/Galilee)
Tel Azekah (Israel/Shephelah)
Tel Rekhesh (Israel/Galilee)
