Report on the pottery from Tell Sufan in Nablus, Palestine

What is it about?

In this paper we present the results of our analysis of the pottery from the archeological site of Tell Sufan, known today as Tell Sofer, near Nablus in Palestine. The ceramics include large quantities of tableware, storage jars and small amounts of other kinds of ware. We have analysed the pottery recorded during the 1999 and 2013-16 archaeological excavation campaigns, which were undertaken at the site by the Department of Archaeology at (ANU) in Nablus.

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Why is it important?

The pottery documented during the 1999, 2013–2016 seasons included abundant tableware and storage jars, with some other wares in lesser quantities, but with very little Silo, jars, olive oil press and structures found in 2016. Although there have been no pottery kilns found in the Nablus area, the storage jars and amphorae are of local production, with some types of pottery imported from the city of Bisan. The assemblage was dated to the late Bronze Age (1550–1200 BC), Iron Age (1200–333 BC) and the Byzantine (AD 324–638) and Early Islamic periods by correlating archaeological information with comparison of the pottery with that from local and Mediterranean sites, and referring to relevant literature. Storage jars and sherds from Tell Sufan were found to belong to the Umayyad and Late Byzantine periods due to their close similarity to pottery from other sites in Palestine and Jordan. The function of the pottery suggests that the site was used for pottery production during the periods of occupation, along with agricultural activity, the pottery being mainly used for storage or transport of agricultural products or water. The olive oil press located adjacent to a Byzantine storage area indicates production during that time. Our study results suggest that the site was mainly occupied from the fourteenth to the fourth centuries BC and from the fifth to the seventh centuries AD.

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