General Information

This is a class of bowls of five basic types, most of which were gray in color, but variants are found in black, dark brown and buff. As the name implies these vessels were burnished, sometimes to a very high sheen. One type (1) with sub-type variations and Type 5 are among the earliest; other types appear later, apparently after the disappearance of Types 1 and 5. Their fabrics are generally dark gray and they very often have white inclusions, probably limestone temper. GBW is a luxury ware with a distribution primarily in northern Israel, the Mediterranean Littoral to as far south as Tel Aviv, and in small quantities in the Jordan Valley. Type 1 is notably for its carinated or seemingly carinated profile, emphasized by flat, horizontal knobs, sometimes forming a sinuous line. Type 5 bowls are shallow with rounded walls. There are morphological examples of GBW in other types of fabrics, some red and burnished.

Sub-types of Type 1 bowls seem to evince a chronological development. Type 5 bowls have a more northerly distribution and are found at fewer sites. Type 2 bowls seem to be site specific variations (Tell el Far'ah N) and not a true morphological type. Type 3 bowls are carinated but do not have protuberances. Type 4 bowls are smallish, rounded, generally with flat bases. Each has a horizontal row of conical protuberances on its exterior, just below its rim.