| Abstract: | The characteristics of, and the sources of the soil materials for, pottery groups manufactured in three ancient settlements of early Roman (late first century BC–first century AD) Galilee were studied by micromorphological techniques. The site-specific manufacturing proveniences of the three respective pottery groups have been previously demonstrated by chemical analysis. One of the sites, Kefar Hananya, is located near the geographical boundary between the Upper and Lower Galilee while the other two, Shikhin and Yodefat, are in the Lower Galilee. Each of the settlements made pottery from different soil types. In one case (Yodefat) temper was added to the main soil material. The Kefar Hananya pottery was made from noncalcareous Red Mediterranean soils (Terra-Rossa soil type) derived from hard limestone. Although most of the soils in the Galilee derive from Upper Cretaceous geological formations, the Kefar Hananya pottery was prepared from soils, found near that settlement, that were derived from Lower Cretaceous material rich in the kaolinite clay mineral. Micromorphological analysis of 41 randomly selected samples of the most common early Roman storage jar type thought to have been produced at Shikhin showed that all of the vessels were made from one of three soil types, Colluvial–Alluvial soils, Brown Grumusols, or Pale Rendzina. Study of the lithology and soils in the area of Shikhin showed that all three soil types derive from soil material eroded from the hilly area, on which the ancient settlement of Shikhin was built, into the adjacent valleys below the site. Samples of the Shikhin pottery group collected on the surface, in contrast with excavated samples, exhibit postdepositional carbonate infilling by dissolution and reprecipitation of the carbonates due to repeated exposure to water. No added temper was used for the preparation of either the Kefar Hananya or the Shikhin pottery groups. The Yodefat pottery, made from Rendzinic material rich in calcareous material, is of particular interest. This soil material contains about 70–80% calcareous material homogeneously mixed with the clayey plasma. In order to diminish the effect of the large amount of calcareous material and improve the properties of this raw material for pottery manufacture, leached clayey soil material of Terra-Rossa soil type was added as temper. The micromorphological comparison of the pottery groups and soil materials shows that two main factors influenced the raw-material procurement strategies of the potters of these settlements: the proximity of the soil material to the potters' settlement, and the suitability of the soil material for pottery manufacture. |
