171-184

Articles

• Groman-Yaroslavski, Iris
• Iserlis, Mark
• Eisenberg, Michael

A sample of glossed and non-glossed Canaanean blades from the Early Bronze Age Ib–II site of Qiryat Ata, northern Israel, was the subject of a use-wear analysis. This research comprised microscopic analysis and a series of experiments based on the microscopic usewear detected to reconstruct the function of the archaeological Canaanean blades. Two main activities were reconstructed in the analysis: one related to plant processing, including cereal harvesting and threshing; and the other, which is the focus of this article, was related to pottery processing. Several experiments using experimental flint blades were carried out, including processing clay on a potter's wheel, and processing by hand. The results indicated that the microscopic traces on the blades were produced by contact with moist coarse-tempered clay, especially for smoothing by hand, as in the initial stages of pottery processing and shaping. Reconstructing the potters' use of Canaanean blades indicated that ceramic tools were locally produced at Qiryat Ata. Reconstruction also contributed to the understanding of the complexity involved in models related to Canaanean blade production and distribution.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία

Qiryat Ata, Canaanean blades, Use-wear analysis, Potters' flint tools, Early Bronze Age Ia-II, pottery production, moist coarse-tempered clay

Corresponding author: I. Groman-Yaroslavski (igromany@campus.haifa.ac.il), We wish to thank the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies for access to the metallurgic microscope; especially Yossi Mart for his advice, and J.J. Gotlieb for technical support. We thank our potter Shiri Potters ' CANAANeAN FlINt BlAdes durING the eArlY BroNze AGΕ 181 Figure 14. the Canaanean blades from the 1996 excavation at Qiryta Ata interpreted as pottery processing tools. Shamir for the unique experience in her workshop. Thanks are due to Cristina Lemorini for her remarks following her observations on some of the archaeological artifacts, as well as for reviewing a draft of this article. We also thank Maria-Rosa Iovino, Shoh Yamada and Mina Weinstein-Evron for commenting on earlier versions of this article. We thank Avi Gopher, Steve Rosen, Ron Shimelmitz and Danny Rosenberg, who were most helpful in their comments, especially those relating to technological aspects.

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