Symbols in Clay : A Study of Early Bronze IV Potter's Marks from the Amman-Zarqa Region in Transjordan

Abstract: The present work examines the taxonomy and function of potters’ marks applied to pottery in the Amman-Zarqa region during the last phase of the Early Bronze Age, the so-called EB IV ca. 2350/2300–2000 BC. The study is anchored in a small data set gathered from 12 archaeological sites, in which 24 different mark types have been identified. These mark types - together with their associated vessel classes, circumstances of deposition, and geographical distribution - comprise the background against which previous suggestions regarding potters’ marks are evaluated. Evidence from ethno-archaeological sources concerning traditional potters’ rationales for marking vessels today is also included as part of the interpretive framework. The mode and scale of production is discussed on the basis of the ceramic evidence, the size and character of settlements located within the region, and the socio-economic setting of the EB IV period in general.