Anthony Grey

Excavations during the last decade at the Tawahin es-Sukkar near Safi, to the south of the Dead Sea in Jordan, revealed structures connected with sugar cane milling and the refining of sugar. Study of the sugar pots from the 2002 excavations at the Tawahin and the adjacent settlement of Khirbet Shaykh ‘Isa (which can be equated with ancient Zoara) indicates that sugar production was taking place on a significant scale from the 11th century to the late 14th century.This paper presents the morphological and material characteristics of these sugar pots, comparing them with their counterparts from elsewhere in Jordan and Palestine. This is considered within the broad model of production and consumption, reviewing the evidence, for example, for centres where storage and secondary refining occurred separately. The issue of the extent to which sugar pots travelled with their contents is discussed, as is the potential of integrating typology with fabric analysis to begin elucidating some of the steps within the chain that led from primary production to secondary refining to selling, first within southern Jordan (encompassing the southern Ghor and the region administered by Kerak), and second, more widely within the Levant

Report on the first season of excavation at Ghor es-Safi, Jordan, site of a medieval sugar installation and early Byzantine church with Abbasid and later settlement overlying it.  Kiln site for production of sugar pots and other Mamluk period ceramics. Occupation terminated by AD 1500.

Coastal sites recently excavated include several in Qatar of abandoned towns, forts and villages with coarse wares produced regionally and fine table wares imported via long distance maritime trading links. In the 18th century porcelain was imported from China (mainly), S.E. Asia and Japan. Nothing came from the west (Ottoman or European sources). In the 19th century Chinese porcelain included mass produced material of inferior (so cheaper) quality known as 'kitchen Ch'ing' destined primarily for overseas Chinese communities. European refined white earthenware bowls and plates were imported after c1860 mainly from Dutch factories in Maastricht and bound primarily for the Dutch East Indies with some offloaded in Bombay for transshipment by the local dhow traffic.

The site of Deir 'Ain 'Abata is that of a Late Antique period monastery and pilgrimage site reputed be that of Lot's Cave overlooking the Dead Sea in Jordan. The site and its pottery extend into the 9thc Abbasid period. The ceramics include cream ware Abassid relief-moulded jugs, many lamps (separate author) and much Late Roman Fine Ware.

The pottery was recorded from the site of a large church (a seat of a bishopric) that fell out of use in the Abbasid 9th century AD with a village developing in the ruins. Pottery includes residual early Byzantine and extends to the Mamluk 14th/15th century AD. Early versions (plain and painted handmade pottery 10th-12th century) were present as precursors to Handmade Geometrically Painted Wares of the Ayyubid-Mamluk period.

The pottery dates the site from the 18th-20th century AD with the possibility of earlier material coming to light. As well as high quality Chinese porcelain poor quality (and cheaper) 'kitchen Ch'ing' porcelain was common. Other late trade wares included decorated refined white earthenware from Maastricht, Netherlands and from other European and Japanese makers. Two unusual sherds show transfer decoration of soldiers (perhaps in India) and street life (also perhaps in India). The regional wares included Aa'li ware jugs and jars from Bahrain, Julfar cooking pots and other vessels from Ras al-Khaimah (UAE) and glazed earthenwares probably from Iran.

Tel Jezreel as a multi-period site extends from Bronze Age to 1948. The pottery interim touches on Persian period through Hellenistic, Roman, early Byzantine, early/middle/late Islamic to 20thc up to 1948. The final report remains unpublished.

Excavations during the last decade at the Tawahin es-Sukkar near Safi, to the south of the Dead Sea in Jordan, revealed structures connected with sugar cane milling and the refining of sugar. Study of the sugar pots from the 2002 excavations at the Tawahin and the adjacent settlement of Khirbet Shaykh 'Isa (which can be equated with ancient Zoara) indicates that sugar production was taking place on a significant scale from the 11 th century to the late 14 th century. This paper presents the morphological and material characteristics of these sugar pots, comparing them with their counterparts from elsewhere in Jordan and Palestine. This is considered within the broad model of production and consumption, reviewing the evidence, for example, for centres where storage and secondary refining occurred separately. The issue of the extent to which sugar pots travelled with their contents is discussed, as is the potential of integrating typology with fabric analysis to begin elucidating some of the steps within the chain that led from primary production to secondary refining to selling, first within southern Jordan (encompassing the southern Ghors and the region administered by Kerak), and second, more widely within the Levant.