General Information

This name describes a general style of decoration: painting with brushes of a thin coat of paint in vertical or broad oblique or crisscross stripes such that they only partially cover light-colored fabrics beneath. Occasionally the result resembles wood grain, which apparently inspired one of its names. Paint may fire to either earthen reds or dark gray. The technique was applied to many types of medium and large sized vessels. It is typically northern and appears at sites in the Jezreel and interconnecting valleys, suggesting an association with patterns of trade. It appears to be found in early EB II contexts and claims have been made that it lasted until EB III, based on its presence at the site Jordanian highland site of Kh. Zeraqun.

This style can be confused with red, crisscross striping that completely cover vessel fabrics beneath them. That style, however, appears to be a very late EB I or EB II mode of decoration.