PREVIOUS   NEXT   CONTENTS   SUMMARY   ISSUE   HOME 

5.6 Class 6

This class is not associated with any specific fabric groups. The clay can be medium (as with Fabric Groups 2, 1, 7, 10) as well as coarse (like Fabric Groups 13, 8, 17, 14). A few mica specks are visible in section but never on the surface. Owing to the small size of the surviving potsherds, it is difficult to identify the techniques used to fashion the pots. Notwithstanding these difficulties, it seems that they were all made using the wheel-coiled technique. The main distinguishing feature of this class is the presence of a red or black slip (depending on the firing atmosphere), which is then smoothed and usually polished. Three variants can be defined.

Class 6 variant 1 (n=22) (Figure 23)

This variant is made using fabrics with a medium texture without mica (i.e. Fabric Groups 1, 2, 7 and 10). Owing to the low quantity of potsherds in the assemblage (22 in total) and their small size, it is not possible to identify the shaping techniques. The only evidence is the regular surface thickness, which can be attributed to both wheel-thrown and wheel-coiled techniques. A smoothed red slip (2.5YR-2.5/2 very dusky red, 2.5YR-4/6 red, 10R-4/6 red, 10R-5/6 red, 2.5YR-6/3 light reddish brown, 5YR-5/3 reddish brown) is applied. The firing atmosphere is oxidising, but a few potsherds exhibit variation in the colour of the surfaces resulting from an ill-controlled firing process. Only restrictive shapes (jars with neck and out-turned rim and pots with everted rims) have been discovered. For vessel forms, see Lefrancq and Hawkes (2019b, plate 26).

Class 6 variant 2 (n=56) (Figure 24)

The paste of this variant is coarser than that of Class 6 variant 1 and belongs to Fabric Groups 13, 8, 17, 14. Depending on the fabric group, a few mica specks are present in the section but not on the surfaces. Potsherds display a black slip (2.5Y-2.5/1 black, 10YR-2/1 black, 5Y-2.5/1 black) that was smoothed and slightly polished. Shaping techniques are difficult to discern owing to the small size of potsherds. In contrast to variant 1, pots of Class 6 variant 2 are fired in a reduced atmosphere, indicated by the grey colour of the paste and surfaces. They also exhibit a greater diversity of shapes. Unrestrictive shapes such as shallow bowls and bowls with in-turned rims are present, as well as restrictive shapes including pots with elongated and everted rim, pots with in-turned rim and jars with neck and out-turned rims. Ridges are sometimes present on the external surface of the rim, on the neck or shoulder of the vessel. Impressed decorations are evident on a basin with a complex rim — a vessel shape that is also evident in Class 5 variant 4. For vessel forms, see Lefrancq and Hawkes (2019b, plates 26–27).

Class 6 variant 3 (n=15) (Figure 25)

This variant brings together potsherds with a similar paste to those attributed to Class 6 variant 2. However, the black slip indicative of that variant is not found in variant 3. Indeed, the grey colour of the surfaces (7.5YR-5/1 gray, 2.5YR-5/1 reddish gray, GLEY2-5/1 bluish gray) is instead the result of a final stage of firing in a reduced atmosphere. However, for some potsherds, it is difficult to say whether a black slip (characteristic of Class 6 variant 2) might have disappeared owing to post-depositional processes, or does not exist. Both surfaces of potsherds are smoothed and vessels are fired in a reducing atmosphere. Only one pot with an in-turned rim and a jar with neck and out-turned rim have been found. For vessel forms, see Lefrancq and Hawkes (2019b, plate 27).

 PREVIOUS   NEXT   CONTENTS   SUMMARY   ISSUE   HOME