POTSHERDS AND JAR HANDLES

Pottery was plentiful in biblical times. Because they were brittle they broke easily. But no matter, they were inexpensive, easy to make and were easily replaced. Also, they tended to change in design in accordance with the functions they were expected to serve and, when a civilization was fairly advanced, they were among the first tokens of fashion and design. It was common therefore to find broken jar handles which enable a person familiar with "ceramic typology" developed especially by William F. Albright to identify them with fair precision within decades of a particular century. When such handles are stamped, they become very much more valuable as they give to us information sometimes concerning where they originated (like "Made in China", to quote a modern example), or data linking with a historic place or personage, or sometimes they tell us the contents of the vessel and assures the customs official to know that duty has been paid for the contents!

IMAGES	ACCESSION NO. / SERIAL NO. /NO. OF ITEMS	DESCRIPTION
	C34 / 40 / 1	One jar handle with a Greek seal ...
	C35 / 41b / 2	An unidentified potsherd ...
	C36 / 42 / 3	An unidentified potsherd (location uncertain). ...
<missing>	C37 / 43 / 4	The base of a vessel dating back to LB 1 (1550-1400). It was picked at Beth-Shean, level uncertain. It is greyish-white, concave, disc-shaped, and was originally a separate piece attachd to the main body of a large vessel, judging by the thickness of the base. Perhaps part of a LB I bowl. (See Anurabm o, 128mbi, 10.)
	C38 / 44 / 5	An unidentified potsherd from the Essence Gate, Mt Zion, Jerusalem. One rim of a large vessel.
	C39/ V16 / 6	Early Bronze potsherd with bi-colour design.
	C40 / 45 / 7	The rim of a large multi-handle storage jar? Date: Iron I B (1150-1000). From Essene Gate at Mt Zion, Jerusalem. Ref: Amiran, p.237, no.6.
<to be determined>	C41 / 46/ 8	Rim of a large storage vessel.
	C42 / 47 / 9	Complete jar handle from Caesarea Maritima.
	C43 / 40a / 10	One jar handle with a Greek seal ...
	C44 / 40b / 11	One jar handle with a Greek seal ...
	C45 / 40c /12	One jar handle with a Greek seal ...