Pottery trade network in late Roman, Byzantine periods

AMMAN — Cities like Gadara (Umm Qais) and Gerasa (Jerash) were part of the pottery trade/production network in the Late Roman and Byzantine periods.

Four types of fine pottery could be assigned: The Phocaean Red Slip Wares (LRC), the Cypriot Red Slip Wares (LRD), the African Red Slip Wares and the Egyptian Red Slip Wares (ERS). These types indicate strong trade connections with the western coast of Asia Minor, Cyprus, Tunisia and Egypt.

“However, the most common type among the whole assemblages is the the Phocaean Red Slip Wares ‘Forms 3 and 10’”, said Lamia Khouri from Yarmouk University, adding that this type was predominant between the mid 5th and the mid 7th centuries AD.

“The second common type is the Cypriot Red Slip Wares ‘Forms 2, 9 and 10’, products of the mid 5th – end 7th century AD in Cyprus and perhaps southern Turkey. The third type is the African Red Slip Wares [D1 and D2 ware-type], and this type is the most diverse in term of forms,” Khouri explained.

The professor added that the most popular forms are products of northern Tunisia in the 6th century AD.

“The fourth group was the Egyptian Red Slip Wares and it comprises of few bowls, each has different clay and shape, mostly products of Upper Egypt of the late 5th century AD or later,” Khouri said.

She noted that it seems clear that the import of the LRC was at highest point especially between the mid 5th until the late 7th centuries AD.

In that period, trade interconnectedness was stronger with Asia Minor and Cyprus than with Tunisia and Egypt.

“Despite the closest distance with Egypt, it seemed clear that there was a special awareness towards importing the better qualities of fine pottery that comes from Turkey and Cyprus and Tunisia."

"The pottery assemblage presented two new forms of LRD bowls. There were no close parallels for the ERS bowls as well; although they were distinguished through their fabric,” Khouri underlined, adding that the study showed that the most common late Roman fine wares are: LRC; LRD and ARS.

“The existence of these types and other types and forms of Roman pottery in Gadara was a good evidence of a prosperous trade connections with various centres of pottery production, and though a good local economy throughout the late Roman and Byzantine periods in the Mediterranean basin,” Khouri underscored.

The high percentage of the imported fine pottery is a good indication that the residents of Gadara could afford luxuries beside the basic necessities.

Economically, the existence of the fine pottery shows that international trade flourished throughout the Byzantine period-it started in the 4th and 5th centuries AD, however, it increased by the mid 6th and early 7th centuries AD,  which was an indication of a powerful economy.

“This fact can be supported by other evidences and signs of prosperity started during the reign of Emperor Justinian [527-565 AD] and lasted until the end of the Byzantine period, such as the growth of building activities and the flourishing of wine export to the west and to Arabia."

"The trade exchange with the west is not only a sign of luxury and wealth, but it also indicates that the city’s orientation was directed towards the west until the region was passed out of Byzantine control in 636 AD,” Khouri concluded.