Cilician EBA Light Clay Ware
Turkey/Eastern Mediterranean
3300-2000 BCE
Early Bronze Age
General Information
This is one of the leading wares through the Early Bronze Age Period at Tarsus-Gözlükule. During Early Bronze II this ware makes up ca 20% of the sherd count.
Light Clay Ware is usually used for table ware, like hemispherical bowls and goblets, and later during Early Bronze III shallow plates and local West Anatolian Drinking Set members. But it is also used for, albeit in much smaller numbers, pouring vessels like jugs and jars and closed storage vessels.
The Goldman publication distinguishes the Fine Spiral-banded Ware of EB I from Light Clay Ware noting it replaces the Fine Spiral-banded Ware (Goldman, 1956, p. 105). However, they all belong the same petrographic group (Local Fabric I) and are only distinguished by their surface treatment.
These are wheelmade vessels with a buff color. Clay is generally well levigated resulting in a fine to medium fine matrix. There is restricted surface treatment limited to self-slip and smoothing. But during Early Bronze III, a new surface treatment in this ware category is encountered where about 10-20% of the vessels are red slipped and burnished.
Tarsus, Gozlukule (Turkey/Eastern Mediterranean)
