Internet Archaeology 9. Smith et al. 4. Results

Study to date suggests that fabric is a better basis for classification than shape (Figure 1). Shape properties within fabric families are under study, meanwhile see Bourriau (1990).

4.2 Fabric groups

The characteristic properties of each group are described first as they appear in sherd section at 25^x, then in thin section. The subgroups are listed in Table 1 with references to examples illustrated. Each example is represented by photomicrographs of the sherd section and thin sections at two degrees of magnification. Constituents of 0.5% or less are omitted to save space except where of importance for provenance. The characteristic size classes, above silt size, into which the majority of inclusions fall are given according to the Udden-Wentworth grain size scale (Adams et al. 1984, 3).

Group 1: (Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Sherd section:
	High content of fine quartz, limestone (partially decomposed) and microfossils. Dense, crumbly.
Colour (specimen 74):	Zones in section: outer reddish yellow 5YR6/6, inner light brown 7.5YR6/4. Surface pinkish white 7.5YR 8/2.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 74)	PPL: Mid brown core, mid reddish-brown exterior zone; XP: Dark-brown core, mid orange-brown exterior zone.
Sorting:	Moderate to well-sorted
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.2-1.4, 2.2-2.4
Shape range of most inclusions:	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: very fine - medium sand; rarely coarse sand
Size range of most inclusions:	Limestone: fine - coarse sand; rarely very coarse sand and granule
Inclusions:	Abundant quartz and limestone, moderate percentage microfossils. Small amounts (generally under 2%) K-feldspars, chalk, marl clay pellets, shell fragments, red iron oxides, red clay pellets, volcanic rock fragments (mainly basalt), and replacement chert fragments.

Group 2: (Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10)

Sherd section:
	Dominated by high fine to very coarse limestone content (often decomposed); also fine to medium quartz, clay pellets, microfossils and elongate shell fragments and conspicuous chalk up to granule size. Occasional fine plant remains. Medium porosity and hardness.
Colour (specimen 80):	Zones in section: outer reddish yellow 5YR6/6, core grey. Surface as outer zone.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 80)	PPL: Light brown throughout; XP: Mid-brown core, orange-brown exterior zones.
Sorting:	Poor to moderate
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.3-1.4, 2.3-2.4
Shape range of most inclusions:	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspar: very fine - coarse sand
Size range of most inclusions:	Limestone: very fine - very coarse sand; rarely granule
Inclusions:	Abundant quartz and limestone, moderate percentage of microfossils. Chalk: rounded, medium to very coarse sand size, moderate to high percentage. Moderate percentage clay pellets. Volcanic rock fragments including basalt present in some specimens. Calcareous components include a small percentage of nari, which is a calcrete rock formed by dissolution of underlying chalk (Horowitz 1979, 168).

Group 3: (Figures 11 and 12)

Sherd section:
	Dominated by black and red-brown rock particles (volcanic rock fragments) up to very coarse sand size. Abundant fine to medium limestone content (greatly decomposed); microfossils. Dense and extremely hard.
Colour (specimen 62):	Zones in section: outer pink 7.5YR 7/4, core grey 5YR6/1.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 62)	PPL: Mid yellow-brown core and interior zone, light yellow-brown exterior zone; XP: Dark yellow-brown core and interior zone, mid yellow-brown exterior zone.
Sorting:	Poor to moderate
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.2-1.3, 2.2-2.3
	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
	Volcanic rock: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars : very fine - medium sand
	Limestone: very fine - coarse sand; rarely very coarse sand
	Volcanic rock: very fine - very coarse sand
Inclusions:	Abundant volcanic rock fragments, mainly alkali-olivine basalts, followed by limestone, microfossils, quartz, replacement chert and clay pellets. Very low percentages of chalk inclusions, marl clay pellets, red iron oxides, olivine, non-volcanic lithic fragments, K-feldspars, plagioclase, calcite, mica, opaques, amphiboles, pyroxenes, chalcedonic quartz and serpentinite. Volcanic rock fragments include both fresh and altered material

Group 4: (Figures 13, 14, 15 and 16)

Sherd section:
	Conspicuous black and red-brown rock inclusions, but less abundant and much finer than Group 3; fine to coarse sand size quartz and limestone (decomposed); occasional fine plant remains and microfossils. Dense, medium hard.
Colour (specimen 52):	Zones in section: pinkish grey 7.5YR 7/2. Surface as zones.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 52)	PPL: Light olive-brown throughout; XPL: Dark yellow-brown throughout.
Sorting:	Poor to moderate
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.2-1.4, 2.2-2.4
	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
	Chert (Replacement): 1.2-1.4, 2.2-2.4
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: very fine - coarse sand; rarely very coarse sand
	Limestone: very fine - very coarse sand
	Chert (Replacement): very fine - coarse sand; rarely very coarse sand
Inclusions:	Abundant limestone, replacement chert, igneous rock fragments, radiolarian chert and other lithic fragments; microfossils and serpentinite at moderate percentages. Small quantities (2% or less) quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspars, quartzite, red iron oxides, mica. Schist 0.5%. Igneous rock fragments include basalt and dolerite, also altered basaltic inclusions. The suite of inclusions is characteristic of an ophiolite complex and subgroups were based on variations in these constituents.

Group 5: (Figures 17, 18, 19 and 20)

Sherd section:
	Dominated by fine to very coarse limestone content (occasionally decomposed); fine to medium elongate shell fragments and microfossils. Low in fine to medium quartz; abundant fine to medium red-brown clay pellets. Dense and hard.
Colour (specimen 160):	Zones in section: outer light reddish brown 5YR 6/4, wide grey core; surface: pink 5YR 7/4.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 160)	PPL: Yellow-brown core, light orange-brown exterior zone; XP: Mid yellow-brown core, mid orange-brown exterior zone.
Sorting:	Poor to moderate
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.1-1.4, 2.1-2.4
Shape range of most inclusions:	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: very fine - coarse sand
Size range of most inclusions:	Limestone: very fine - very coarse sand
Inclusions:	Abundant limestone and microfossils, both up to very coarse sand size, and reddish-brown or brown clay pellets. Low (3% or less) quartz, red iron oxides, opaques, chert, shell and plant voids.

Ras Shamra Group for comparison: (Figures 21 and 22)

Sherd section:
	Dominated by fine to medium black and red-brown rock particles and occasional very coarse ones; moderate fine-medium quartz and limestone (decomposed); few medium microfossils. Dense, hard.
Colour (specimen 211):	Zones in section: outer pink 7.5YR 7/4, wide grey core; surface: as outer zone.
Thin Section:
Colour (specimen 211)	PPL: Mid yellow-brown core and exterior zone, light yellow-brown interior zone; XP: Mid yellow-brown core and exterior zone, yellow-brown interior zone.
Sorting:	Poor to moderate
Shape range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars: 1.2-1.4, 2.2-2.4
	Limestone: 1.3-1.5, 2.3-2.5
	Chert (replacement): 1.2-1.4, 2.2-2.4
Size range of most inclusions:	Quartz/Feldspars : very fine - coarse sand
	Limestone: very fine - very coarse sand
	Chert (replacement) very fine - coarse sand; rarely very coarse sand and granule
Inclusions:	Abundant limestone, microfossils, replacement chert, and radiolarian chert. Low (3% or less) quartz, shell, clay pellets and lithic fragments.

4.0 Results