General Information

Süberde Gritty Vegetal-Tempered Very Coarse Ware is one of four wares found in Pisidia, specifically the Beyşehir-Suğla Basin, during what is being called the Early Tradition of the Neolithic in this area. All four of these early Neolithic wares appear to be made from lacustrine clay sources close to the sites. All fragments have a wide grey firing core, which is evidence of under-firing and/or an uncontrolled open fire. This may be the reason for poorly preserved surfaces.

Süberde Gritty Vegetal-Tempered Very Coarse Ware resembles what Jaques Bordaz termed the Cream Burnished Ware of Çatalhöyük (levels XII-IX) in the Konya Basin (Bordaz 1969, 51-52; Bordaz 1973, 284-285). Bordaz excavated Süberde in 1964 and 1965; all ceramic material is now housed in the Konya Archaeological Museum. Site records indicate that five pottery sherds came from undisturbed level III and 12 sherds came from from disturbed levels I and II. Süberde Gritty Vegetal-Tempered Very Coarse Ware differs from Süberde Gritty Vegetal-Tempered Coarse Ware in that the texture is looser and more gritty. Most surfaces are mottled and have an absence of burnishing or slip most likely due to poor preservation. In a few there are traces and marks of red slip. (Özdöl, 2012, 12-16, 25-26)

No fully preserved vessels are known; forms are based on preserved examples from Çatalhöyük, all of which are bowls. There are four variants, with different shapes and/or rim treatments: convex or globular with slightly in-turned rim; straight-walled; hemispherical; and cone-shaped. All have walls up to 3.2cm thick (Özdöl, 2012, 25-26).

Süberde Gritty Vegetal-Tempered Very Coarse Ware vessels are made of a local lacustrine clay with calcite and shell inclusions, tempered with brown grits and dense vegetal matter. Vessel texture is very coarse and loose, with many irregular voids. Fabric color ranges from pinkish to reddish brown. Surfaces are poorly preserved, with a few showing traces of red slip (Özdöl, 2012, 25-26).