Pottery and communal identity

Abstract

The study of Northern Jordan Islamic pottery provided complete visualize regarding the pottery production and technology. Archaeometry close look allowed identifying the most frequently utilized raw materials that were mostly used to produce the different Islamic pottery wares.<br /> The analysis of the pottery assemblages that were collected from the hinterlands of Abila, Gadara, and Umm el-Jimal, allowed comparison of the raw materials. Grouping of the samples was based on the raw materials that figured out the most popular source of the clayey materials. The study estimated technical aspects that revealed disparity in the durability of the Early Islamic pottery and the Middle, Late Islamic periods. The study confirmed that the Early Islamic pottery was fired frequently at higher temperatures than the Middle and Late Islamic periods. The constituents of the studied samples reflected the local geology of the studied area, except very few sherds that were brought from somewhere else. The petrography, XRD, and SEM enriched our knowledge about Northern Jordan Islamic pottery, which is not well documented. Pottery as a culture choice has been the key that this study used to discuss the communal identity. Although archaeometry is a trend usually used to gain scientific information, the information can always interpret and coupled with ethnographic and archaeological studies. Therefore; the archaeometry results showed similarities in the consumed clayey materials and tempering materials, which reflects culture choice. The study suggested that the communal identity has changed when comparing the Early Islamic period with the Middle and Late periods. Early Islamic assemblage, in general, is durable, wheel-thrown, and plain, this is their cultural choice if it was not imposed on them. While the Middle and the Late Islamic period's pottery was a cottage industry less durable, and frequently hand-made, although decorated, which reflects their culture choice and the structure of production in this period. The interpretation of the archaeometry results required comparison with the local geology of the region, which indicated a correlation between the results and the geology of the region. <br /> The results of quantitative and qualitative scientific techniques contributed to the division of samples into groups, which facilitated their comparison with the local geology of the region. The study proved that the majority of the studied samples raw materials are a reflection of the local geology, which indicates conservative potters. Scientific analysis detected a change in the manufacturing techniques from the early Islamic period when compared with subsequent periods, suggesting a change in pottery culture that can reflect a change in community identity. The study combined both the traditional archaeological pottery study techniques and the archaeometric, the combination opened new horizons for understanding Northern Jordan Islamic pottery tradition. The results of this study showed the importance of the pottery sherds to understand the Islamic culture, regardless of its source, whether from an archaeological survey or archeological excavations. Understanding the pottery tradition was the major factor that favored reconstructing the communal identity besides the administrative and the road networks in the area and the surrounding.