Phoenician Iron Age Bichrome Ware
Lebanon/Southern Coast, Israel/Northern Coastal Plain, Israel/Carmel coastal plain, Israel/Jezreel Valley, Israel/Hula Valley
1000-800 BCE
Iron Age
General Information
Phoenician Bichrome ware is the successor to Phoenician Monochrome Ware. Vessels are decorated with both bands and concentric circles of alternating black and red pigments. PXRF analysis has shown that the red pigment derives from iron oxides and the black from manganese oxides (Shoval and Gilboa 2016). Vessels made in this ware were mostly small containers such as flasks, jugs as well as bowls, kraters, and jars - although these last are rare.
Production occurred at sites along the southern Phoenician coast, from Sidon to Achziv to Dor, in the coastal hinterland (Keisan), in the Jezreel Valley (Yoqne'am, Megiddo), and in northern Israel (Dan). The small containers (flasks and jugs) were often exported to Cyprus and Egypt, as well as to sites further south on the Israeli coast (Qasile). At sites in inland Israel (Megiddo, Rehov, Dan) there is both local production as well as vessels made elsewhere.
Tel Dan (Israel/Hula Valley)
Tel Dor (Israel/Carmel coastal plain)
Tel Kinrot, Tell el-‘Oreimeh (Israel/Galilee)
Tell Keisan (Israel/Northern Coastal Plain)
Tell Qasile (Israel/Central Coastal Plain)
