General Information

This is a broadly-defined group of monochrome lead glazed ceramics, mostly bowls, that appear in the late 12th century CE and continue into the Ottoman period. They are generally common finds at southern Levantine sites of the Middle and Late Islamic periods. The ware includes a variety of forms, and Avissar and Stern (2005: 10-15) divide it into two primary wares: Monochrome Glazed Bowls I, dating to the Frankish and Ayyubid periods and characterized by molded and ledge rims (both of which are also found on later Ottoman monochrome glazed bowls), and Monochrome Glazed Bowls II, dating to the Mamluk period and characterized by carinated, out-turned, and everted profiles. The ware continues into the Ottoman period, although the exact nature of this continuity is uncertain in the southern Levant, and particularly Jordan, where 17th-19th century assemblages are still not well-known (Walker 2009: 41-46, 51-52). They were certainly produced at a number of centers, and the distribution map currently underestimates the range of production centers. It is likely that some are imports from Lebanon, Syria, and elsewhere.

This ware is characterized by a green or, more rarely, yellow (often with patches of green) lead glaze, often applied over a light slip. Forms are, for the most part, restricted to bowls. A variety of rim forms—including club rims, ledge rims, out-turned rims, and fairly simple rims on carinated forms—can be identified over the lifespan of the ware.