Caesarea Maritima (1996–2003)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
‘Atiqot 92, 2018 A CHRONOLOGIcaL REVISION OF THE DATE OF THE POTTERY FINDS FROM THE EASTERN CIRCUS AT CAESAREA MARITIMA PETER GENDELMAN INTRODUCTION The pottery from the excavations of the Joint Expedition to Caesarea Maritima (JECM) in the Eastern Circus of Caesarea (cf. Humphrey 1974; 1975; 1986:477–491) provided valuable material for the pioneering article published by Riley (1975). Some twenty years later, an excavation team on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) headed by Y. Porath, returned to this magnificent monument. These excavations, during 1996–2003 (see Porath, this volume), extended JECM Probe H5 near the obelisk (Humphrey 1975:15–24) and opened a new area at the southern edge of the spina and the meta prima (Areas VI, VIa). The pottery unearthed from the stratified layers discovered by the IAA expedition are of prime importance for the dating of the circus, which is the main goal of this study.1 The pottery finds are arranged in the plates according to strata and divided into four categories: fine tablewares, household vessels, cooking wares and amphorae. Most of pottery types discussed below were previously identified in large quantities from well- dated contexts in the IAA excavations at Herod’s Circus (Gendelman, in prep. a) and Insula W2S3 (Gendelman, in prep. b), where they were analyzed and discussed comprehensively. The typology used here follows that developed in the above-mentioned excavation reports. Consequently, the pottery in this article is treated briefly, with reference to the forthcoming reports. The pottery presented here was carefully chosen from stratigraphic contexts related to four major stages: Stratum IV—pre-Circus remains; Stratum III—the construction phase of the Eastern Circus subdivided into three phases (a–c); Stratum II—post-Circus activities; and Stratum I—modern topsoil (see Porath, this volume). 1 This article was originally written in 2007 and was updated in 2013. I wish to thank Yosef (Sefi) Porath for the opportunity to study the pottery finds from the excavation, and Edna Stern, for her consultation. The vessels were drawn by Marina Shuiskaya and photographed by the author. Shoshana Israeli edited the article. 106 PETER GENDELMAN THE POTTERY STRATUM IV The Stratum IV pottery assemblage originated in sandy kurkar fills associated with pre-Circus remains found below the earliest arena and spina (see Porath, this volume: Plans 1, 2). Fine Tableware A great deal of fine tableware sherds were found. The predominant group of this type, like elsewhere at Caesarea (Gendelman 2006:171–172, Chart IV), is the Eastern Sigillata A Ware (henceforth, ESA). Eastern Sigillata A (ESA).— A shallow bowl with a high ring base and a rounded wall terminating in a pointed incurved rim (Fig. 1:1) is identical to Atlante ESA Form 39, dated to c. 60–80/100 CE (Hayes 1985:32, Pl. V:16). Such bowls were previously reported from Caesarea (Gendelman, in prep. b). A base fragment of a small cup on a high, molded pedestal foot (Fig. 1:2) features a four- petalled stamp inscribed with the Greek letters ΧΑΡΙΣ on the floor of the vessel. According to the shape of the base, this fragment may be a cup of Atlante ESA Form 48 or 49, dated to c. 40–70 CE (Hayes 1985:36, Tav. VI:16, 17), or a deep hemispherical goblet, known thus far only at Caesarea and dated to the mid–late first century CE (Gendelman, in prep. a). A carinated cup with a vertical molded rim and flange-rouletted decoration (Fig. 1:3) belongs to Atlante ESA Form 47, dated to c. 10–60/70 CE (Hayes 1985:35, Pl. VI:15) and Slane ESA Type 34A (Slane 1997:324–328, Pl. 24:FW269). Such cups are common at Caesarea (Gendelman, in prep. a, b). Two fragments of carinated cups with a vertical, triangular-shaped rim (Fig. 1:4, 5) can be identified as Atlante ESA Form 50, dated to c. 60/70–100 CE (Hayes 1985:36– 37, Pl. VI:18). This type is fairly common in late first-century CE deposits from Caesarea (Gendelman, in prep. a, b). A hemispherical cup with a protruding, external mid-body ridge (broken) and two grooves on the rim (Fig. 1:6) is equivalent to Atlante ESA Form 48, dated to c. 40–70 CE (Hayes 1985:36, Pl. VI:16). In Caesarea, such vessels are found in deposits of the first–early second centuries CE (Gendelman, in prep. a, b). A base fragment of a hemispherical bowl on a high ring base (Fig. 1:7) belongs to Atlante ESA Form 51 (Hayes 1985:37, Pl. VI:19, 20), dated to c. 70–120 CE. This date is confirmed by other evidence from Caesarea (Gendelman, in prep. a). Cypriot Terra Sigillata (CTS).— A fragment of a shallow flaring bowl or lid with a grooved rim (Fig. 1:8) has no parallels. THE POttERY FINDS FROM THE EASTERN CIRCUS AT CAESAREA MARITIMA 107 Fig. 1. Stratum IV: fine tableware, household and cooking wares. No. Locus Basket No. Type Caesarea Form Description 1 61059 601,074/1, 3 Bowl C1R/76 Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip Atlante ESA Form 39 2 60033 600,050/1 Cup or goblet Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip; Atlante ESA Form 48 four-petalled stamp ΧΑΡΙΣ or 49 3 60032 600,044/1 Cup C1R/135b Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip; Atlante ESA Form 47 rouletting on rim ext. 4 60033 600,050/3 Cup C1R/136 Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip Atlante ESA Form 50 108 PETER GENDELMAN Fig. 1. (cont.) No. Locus Basket No. Type Caesarea Form Description 5 61065 601,205/2 Cup C1R/136 Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip Atlante ESA Form 50 6 61059 601,077/1 Cup C1R/138 Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip Atlante ESA Form 48 7 61067 601,114/2 Bowl C1R/123 Pink 5 YR 8/4 fabric; red 10 R 5/6 slip Atlante ESA Form 51 8 61203 601,306/3 Bowl/lid C1R/262 Light gray 5 YR 7/1 fabric; reddish gray 5 YR 5/2 slip 9 61065 601,205/3 Mold-made skyphos C1R/359 Light reddish brown 5 YR 6/4 fabric; minute white and gray grits and small portion of silvery shining material; red 2.5 YR 5/6–2.5 YR 6/4 slip; light reddish brown metallic luster 10 61059 601,077 Plate C1R/501–502 Light red 10 R 6/6 fabric; red 2.5 YR Kenrick 4/6 fine slip, brilliant; stamped with Form B205 or B213 Latin inscription P or RI. 11 60032 600,024 Krater/chalice C1R/562 Light red 10 R 6/6 fabric; red 2.5 YR Conspectus Form R1 4/6 slip; mold-made; she-dancer to the or R2 right; floral scroll design 12 60032 600,044/4 Krater/chalice C1R/562 Light red 10 R 6/6 fabric; red 2.5 YR Conspectus Form R1 4/6 slip; rouletting on rim ext. or R2 13 60033 600,050/2 Jug C2R/274 Red 2.5 YR 4/6 hard fabric; few white grits 14 60033 600,050/4 Jug C2R/275 Light red 2.5 YR 6/6 hard fabric; few white grits 15 61059 601,074/2 Jug C2R/303 Red 2.5 YR 4/6 hard fabric; few small white and black grits; fire blackened 16 61059 601,077/4 Cooking pot Red 10 R 4/6 hard fabric; few small white grits 17 61059 601,077/3 Cooking pot/ C3R/151a Red 10 YR 4/6 rather soft fabric, casserole granular; few white grits 18 61067 601,114/4 Cooking pot/ C3R/151c Red 10 YR 4/6 , rather soft and granular casserole fabric; few white grits 19 61067 601,114/1 Baking dish C3H-R/411b Reddish brown 2.5 YR 5/4 soft fabric; small black and white grits and golden mica; red slip dull; fire blackened 20 61059 601,077/6 Lid/tegami C3H-R/408 Light red 2.5 YR 6/8 fabric, soft; small Benghazi Lid Type 7 black and white grits and golden mica; self-slip; fire blackened THE POttERY FINDS FROM THE EASTERN CIRCUS AT CAESAREA MARITIMA 109 Knidian Relief Ware.— A single fragment of a mold-made skyphos (Fig. 1:9) has a high ring base and its wall is decorated with interlacing acanthus leaves and palmettes. No exact parallels were found. The fabric, slip and decoration indicate that it belongs to Knidian Relief Ware produced in workshops in the vicinity of Knidus on the Marmora coast of Asia Minor (Kenrick 1985:327; Hayes 2008:105–107). Italian Terra Sigillata (ITS).— A base fragment of a plate (Fig. 1:10) has a poorly preserved rectangular stamp, with a badly imprinted Latin inscription in the center of its floor. Traces of three letters are visible: the first letter isP or R, the second is I and the third is unreadable. The vessel seems to belong to either Kenrick’s Form B205, dated to c. 10 BCE–25/35 CE or to Kenrick’s Form B213, dated to c. 30–80/90 CE (Kenrick 1985:142–143, 149–153, Figs. 28, 29). Rim and body fragments of molded, bell-shaped kraters/chalices (Fig. 1:11, 12) on a high pedestal foot were found. The folded rim has rouletting decoration on the exterior (Fig.