Reconstructed vessels catalog

Most of the six sherds comprising this vessel have been heavily eroded, probably through rolling in the surf zone; only two sherds retain the lime in-filling. There is a trace of a zone marker along the edge of the lip. On the exterior, a relatively simple and open “house” type motif (PK356) is flanked top and bottom with zone markers (RZ4D-3R-1 top and RZ4D-3-2 bottom).

This fairly thick and well-fired flat bottom dish has had its surface heavily eroded, presumably by rolling in the surf zone prior to final deposition. There are cut out notches along the lip edge (GS436). The main motif (PK109) is of the “labyrinth” type, defined top and bottom by zone markers (RZ4D-3R-1 top and RZ4D-3-2 bottom). The base edge has a series of alternating V-shaped cut out notches with dentate stamped lines between the notches (GS498).

This relatively small, thin-walled, flat-bottom dish with a strongly outcurved rim was low-fired, and the execution of the dentate stamping is also fairly crudely executed, indicating that the potter lacked the level of skill seen in other vessels at ECA. The interior lacks decoration. On the exterior the decoration begins with motif A1, followed by zone marker RZ4D-3R-2, then the main motif PK110, a series of alternating “dumbbell” type designs. Along the bottom of the rim is zone marker RD4D-2-1 and a row of motif A51-3.

This is not a vessel in the strict sense, although we have assigned a vessel number to it. Rather, it is a massive, thick-walled ceramic “ring” with a concave profile and strongly everted rim. It is much too large to have served as a pot stand. The most probable interpretation of this object is as a ceramic drum. The concave profile would have permitted a membrane (such as shark skin) to be stretched over the rim and secured around the “waist.” We would envision the drum being played by placing it on the ground and then beating the membrane either with the hands or with a baton.

This large, well made bowl may originally have been supported on a pedestal. The interior is well burnished but not decorated. The inner edge of the lip has a row of stamped circles (motif A417), and an outer design (motif PK133) of cutouts and stamping in the “double beaked bird” design, very finely executed. On the exterior, the decoration begins with an A1/A2 motif (the semicircles are sometimes made with a single stamp, and sometimes with a double stamp), below which is zone marker RZ6D-4-1. The main motif consists of PK84, a variant of the zigzag design, with diamonds and an undulating row of stamped circles along the bottom. It is evident that this was not the only main motif present, however, for there is a fragment (TFG2320) of what was clearly an anthropomorphic face, which must have alternated with motif PK84. The remaining fragment is of an upraised “arm” with five digits, represented by narrow stamped triangles, very similar to the “arms” that define both sides of the face on vessel ECA-V-045. The decoration on this bowl exhibits a high degree of technical and artistic skill.

This thin-walled and very finely made bowl with incurved walls was recovered from the “muck zone” in W200/N120, where the anoxic conditions probably resulted in its black color. The very finely executed dentate stamped motifs are all filled in with lime. There is a row of A417 stamped circles along the lip. On the outer surface below a RZ4D-4R-1 zone marker is a row of GS534 motif, with a RZ4D-3R-1 zone marker below that and immediately above the main motif, PK248.

This large unrestricted bowl, though clearly a different vessel, is very similar to ECA-V-025, and like the latter may originally have been supported by a pedestal. The burnished interior is not decorated, while the wide lip carries a row of stamped circles (motif A417) along the inner edge and the long-beakedbird motif (PK133) made up of cutouts and stamped lines and circles along the outer edge. On the exterior, the decoration begins with motif A1, followed by zone marker RZ4D-6R-2. Below this is the main motif, PK85, a variant of the zigzag design, with undulating stamped lines along the bottom. Like vessel ECA-V-025, this bowl exhibits a high degree of technical skill, and indeed the two vessels may well have been made by the same potter.

This is a fairly thick and somewhat crudely made ring foot with a thick, flat base and steep angle between the base and vertical section. The dentate stamping is coarse and sloppily executed, with the motifs consisting of alternating bands of A417 stamped circles and GS216 lozenges. There are several triangular cut outs extending through the vertical part of the ring foot; one of these retains lime fill suggesting that the cut outs were originally completely filled with lime. The thick vertical edge of the base has zone marker RZ4D-3R-1.

A portion of the rim of this flat-bottom dish was pieced together from several fragments, all badly eroded; the vessel itself was low fired and hence is fragile and crumbly. The lip is decorated with GS602 and a dentate-stamped line (GZ1D). The main motif (PK111), a simple “dumbbell” design, is flanked top and bottom with zone marker RZ4D-3-2. Along the base of the rim is a row of dentate-stamped motif M64-1. The decoration is fairly crudely executed.

This pedestal base most likely supported a bowl or flat-bottomed dish, although it could alternatively have been the base of a cylinder stand. The base rim consists of motif PK123, the “double long-beaked bird motif,” with the dentate stamped stylized birds highlighted by lime-filled carved areas. Above a zone marker (RZ4D-3-1) is a complex motif only partly remaining on this fragment (TFG1839). This is a curvilinear motif made up of both dentate-stamped elements and carved, lime-filled grooves.