General Information

Locally produced versions of certain forms of Egyptian pottery are a phenomenon of the Late Bronze Age in the southern Levant, when portions of this region were under the control of New Kingdom Egypt in those years. Vessels forms include small and large bowls, both straight-sided and round-walled, slender ovoid and globular jars, and versions of the typical Egyptian "beer jar." 

Much of this Egyptianized pottery bears a faint, grayish white self-slip, which, because of the underlying reddish fabric, often appears pinkish white (e.g., 5YR 8/2).

Potters not only copied the shapes of Egyptian vessels, but also apparently tried to emulate the mode of clay preparation. These Egyptianized vessels are characterized by a large amount of organic temper, which causes the fabric to be brittle and porous. Often the straw has not been combusted entirely and appears as white fibers (silica skeletons). These vessels often have a dark brown, gray or black core, another indication that not all the organic temper was fully oxidized. This core is found primarily where the vessel wall is thickest (e.g., beer-jar bases). 

The addition of straw serves many purposes: (1) it enhances the plasticity of the clay; (2) it allows the vessel to dry more quickly, evenly and with less shrinkage (Arnold 1993:105); (3) it decreases the amount of raw material (i.e., clay) required; and (4) it decreases the amount of fuel needed because of the increased porosity of the clay, which reduces firing time.

The reasons behind the addition of straw temper, however, probably had more to do with cultural background than functional advantage. While the admixture of organic temper does occur occasionally with Canaanite pottery, it is a noticeably common feature of Egyptian pottery, especially that made from Nile clay. Thus it seems likely that this method of clay preparation was a deliberate attempt to replicate Nile Silt pottery. It is significant that the local Egyptianized vessel forms are those characteristic of one made in Egyptian Nile Silt, rather than ones made of Egyptian Marl Clay. Moreover, since almost no actual Egyptian imports have been found, it may be that the potters involved in the production of the Egyptianized vessels were Egyptian, or, at  least intimately familiar with Egyptian ceramic styles and modes of production.

Good evidence for the chronology of this ware comes from archaeological contexts at Tel Mor. From Stratum VIII to Stratum IX at that site, the quantity of Egyptianized pottery more than doubles, an indication of greater Egyptian presence during the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. The high quantity of Egyptianized pottery disappeared in conjunction with the destruction of Building F in the middle of the 12th century BCE. Following this, Egyptianized pottery apparently ceased to be produced locally, a phenomenon likely connected to the collapse of the Egyptian Empire in Canaan amid the Bronze Age Collapse (Barako & Martin 2007: 149-151; Martin 2011: 195).

The clay is generally silty and mineral inclusions are not abundant throughout the matrix. In general the fabric’s color ranges from red (2.5YR 5/6) to yellowish red (5YR 5/6) to strong brown (7.5YR 5/6). The organic temper consists of chopped straw, which, when completely burnt out, leaves elongated voids in the fabric and on the surface of the vessel.

Aphek (Israel/Central Coastal Plain)

Beth She'an, Hamadya Farmland (Israel/Beth She'an Valley)

Tel Sera (Israel/Negev)

Tell Megiddo (Israel/Jezreel Valley)

Ashkelon (Israel-Palestinian Authority/Southern Coastal Plain)

Tel Mor (Israel-Palestinian Authority/Southern Coastal Plain)