The clay matrix varies from non-calcareous to calcareous and non-silty to silty. Shale-rich fabrics are frequent. The common denominator of this group is the occurrence of igneous rock fragments as non-plastic inclusions, in grain sizes up to ca. 2.5 mm. These include both intrusive and volcanic rocks, mainly of felsic (granite, rhyolite) and, rarely, also of intermediate composition (diorite, andesite). In a single case, a mafic rock fragment was encountered (gabbro or coarse dolerite). Granitic rocks are most frequent, composed of quartz, plagioclase and K-feldspar (orthoclase, microcline) in varying amounts and occasionally also perthite (intergrowth of two feldspars) and myrmekite (intergrowth of quartz in plagioclase). Graphic granite was also encountered. The igneous rock fragments are frequently accompanied by large fragments (up to 1.5 mm) of their mineral components—mainly quartz and feldspars. These minerals commonly have an angular to subangular habit (no abrasion). They also appear in the silt to fine-sand fraction of the clay mass, often escorted by accessory minerals, such as micas, which may be abundant in the matrix (micaceous fabrics), amphiboles, epidote and zircon; all of these fit well into an igneous (mainly granitic) geological environment (In several cases, the granitic rock fragments may be derived from arkosic sandstone [detrital sedimentary product] but the fact that the feldspars are frequently immature [not weathered] points to the immediate vicinity of the mother-rock). Additional non-plastic inclusions often comprise shales and calcareous rock fragments (mainly limestone, very rarely chalk) and more rarely, slag inclusions (see Petro-fabric “Arabah/slag-tempered”), chert and sandstone. = Arabah 2 (igneous rock inclusions) in Martin and Finkelstein 2013.

The common denominator of this petrographic group is the occurrence of igneous rock fragments as non-plastic inclusions. The igneous rock assemblage points to the crystalline basement of the Great Rift Valley, which outcrops in southern Jordan and in the eastern and southern Arabah of Israel. Certain igneous rocks also appear in the Ramon Crater bordering the Negev Highlands to the south. However, these are either basaltic or occur in very limited outcrops only (rhyolite, microquartz, syenite and gabbro); granite does not outcrop in the Ramon Crater at all (Zilberman and Avni 2004; Y. Avni, personal communication). Combining geological with archaeological data, the possible regions of provenance can be narrowed down further for Iron IIA petrographic samples. In the Iron IIA no evidence for settlement activity has been found on the plateau of southern Jordan (Bienkowski 1992a; 1992b; Herr and Najjar 2001). A near settlement vacuum characterized the Sinai during the entire Iron II (Meshel 2002: 287; Yezerski 2003). This leaves us with the Wadi Arabah and, more precisely, with its copper districts. In terms of geology, both Wadi Faynan and Timna are apt candidates (for the geology of the Faynan area, see Rabba 1994; for the Timna area, see Segev et al. 1992 and Beyth et al. 1999). In these areas, granitoid outcrops of the Precambrian basement as well as numerous cross-cutting dikes provide ample source for the above-described rock fragments. Indeed, the latter can be found in reference thin sections of ceramic products from both the Faynan (Al-Shorman 2009: Figs. 5.7a–c, 6.1b–c, 6.6b, 6.15c–d, 7.2c; Smith 2009: 365–366, 373–374, Pl. 6.6: 1–2) and Timna (Glass 1988: 109, Samples 1125 and 1523) areas. It should be mentioned that fabrics with granitic or other related igneous-rock inclusions are attested at Negev Highlands sites of the Intermediate Bronze Age, and Goren (1996: 53–54 [‘Arkose Group’]) classified them as imports from the Faynan area. = Arabah 2 (igneous rock inclusions) in Martin and Finkelstein 2013.

Horvat Ritma (Israel/Negev)