General Information

Ayla Ware (after the Arabic name of 'Aqaba), sometimes called Late 'Aqaba Ware, is here defined as a specialty production of basins and the well-traveled Ayla (or Ayla-Axum) amphoras. Both were produced in the Early Islamic 'Aqaba Kilns (Melkawi et al. 1994: 456-460). 

Ayla ware amphoras are hard-fired, with a thick, soapy fabric containing large quartz/feldspar inclusions. Holmqvist (2009: 93) also identified biotite mica as one of the main aplastic inclusions in the site's Late Byzantine-Early Islamic ceramics. Dolinka (2003: 80) had argued that the later Ayla wares lacked biotite mica inclusions and suggested that this indicated a change in clay source, but Holmqvist has shown that this is not the case.

The rim of the Ayla amphora is very similar in form to that of the Aila Ribbed-Neck jars (Dolinka 2003: 80 and Jar J2). Yet a wide chronological gap separates these forms; the Aila Ribbed-Neck Jars date to the 1st-2nd c. CE while production of Ayla amphoras was in the 5th-8th c. CE. Thus it is difficult to trace a continuous relationship or direct development between these types. Further publication of Late Roman and Byzantine ceramics from southern Jordan, and especially from 'Aqaba, will hopefully clarify this continuity.

The ceramic industry at Aila/Ayla extends from the early Roman era well into the Islamic period. Over this long stretch of time, potters produced several different wares and vessel shapes; and these different wares and forms have different distribution patterns. The wares made in Ayla in the early and middle Roman period are common across a wide geographic region in in southern Jordan and the Negev of Israel, including distribution around the Dead Sea region (Dolinka 2003: 80-86; a single sherd from Aila was found at Jarash, but Dolinka maintained that the primary distribution was south of Madaba). The distribution of the Byzantine-early Islamic Ayla Ware basins and amphoras is quite different. The basins are relatively local, though some examples are known from the Wadi 'Araba, and several examples have been found as far north as Faynan. The distribution of Ayla amphoras is very wide, however, as suggested by the alternate name, Ayla-Axum amphorae. They are found in southern Jordan, but they are also common in the Red Sea region and are found as far east as western India (Raith et al. 2013: 322, Fig. 1, 339, Table 1).

Calcareous matrix with distinctive high CaO value. The main aplastic inclusions are quartz, potassium and sodium feldspars, biotite mica and iron oxides. The surfaces are generally cream or pink, and the cream surfaces are probably not the result of slipping, "but rather an accumulation of mineral salts, which were drawn to the vessel's surface during firing" (Raith et al. 2013: 322). Cores generally range in color from red to orange, pink, light brown, and cream.

Aila Ware, Nabataean Cream Ware, Ayla Ware, Late 'Aqaba Ware

Humayma (Jordan/Aqaba Highlands)

al-'Aqaba, Aila (Jordan/Wadi 'Arabah)