Page 238 - Life & Land Use on the Bahrain Islands (Curtis E Larsen)

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25). TTiis is to say that all rims, bases, painted ware, and decorated body sherds
were available for study. In the lower five levels (26-30) all sherds were saved.
Figure 40 shows the results of a simple "presence-absence" graphic display of
pottery forms and attributes from this sounding. Common, recognizable "types"
are shown as a function of depth. A distinct change in the pottery sequence occurs
near level 22. This coincides with Bibby’s reported change in pottery between City

I and City n. His "red ridged ware" extends only to level 23 where it makes up a
minor percentage of the collection. The globular hole-mouths (fig. 39a) are found
only until level 22. TTius, Bibby’s earlier analysis is correct in delineating two
distinct pottery assemblages.

The stratigraphic relationships of the lower levels at the north wall of the
qalat seem to be well-defined with little obvious evidence of major disturbance.
These general relationships have been illustrated by Bibby (1964, 1971) and show that
maximum disruption of stratigraphic levels occurs between the City n and
Hellenistic occupations and later during the construction of the nearby Portuguese
fort in the sixteenth century. TTie strata involved are, in general, horizontal or
gently sloping units behind and below the first city wall. We know from Bibby^s
discussions that partial leveling of the site was undertaken in order to provide a
foundation for this wall. This involved the filling of depressions with beach
deposits. Uius, there is the possibility of mixed cultural materials. Because the
arrangement of the various City I and City n levels appears to be straightforward,
Bibby’s levels provide a reasonable basis for developing a chronological framework.
One goal of this study has been to identify surface sites by diagnostic pottery to
indicate changes in settlement and land use. TTiis approach is as accurate and
complete as the ceramic assemblage used for study. A frequency distribution to
assess the temporal positions for ceramic forms and attributes is presented in
Table 7. To develop this approach, certain points should be clarified. TTie name
Barbar is a more recognizable term for referring to the pottery of Bibby^s City I
and City n. I refer to these pottery assemblages as the Barbar I and Barbar II
phases respectively. Materials earlier than Barbar I in the north wall sequence are
simply grouped as pre-Barbar. It is also useful to clarify the concept of the