Page 259 - Life & Land Use on the Bahrain Islands (Curtis E Larsen)

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The elevation of the base of the city wall is approximately 2 m above
mean high tide. This is also the general elevation of level 21 in Figure 40. In level
21, however, the seals did not have Indus script. The carved designs here were of
gazelles and a footprint (520.AML), and two gazelles (520.AMK). Tlie former had a
large hemispheric boss with incised lines and circles, while the latter had the
smaller round boss. Brunswig and ParpolaTs discussion of seals from the base of the
city wall in close association with the Amorite tablet dated by Gelb provides the
first reliable chronological control for dating the Barbar n sequence.

Plain Wares
As mentioned previously in the discussion of Barbar I materials, two short-necked
jars are important in recognizing the transition from Barbar I to Barbar n levels.
TTiese are the plain-rimmed jar (figs. 45b, 45d, 50e-h) and the triangular-rimmed
jar (figs. 45a, 45c, 50a-d). TTie latter form appears as a rare member of the level
33 collection, but by level 21 makes up 11.6 percent of the sample. Throughout the
remaining Barbar n levels, the triangular-rimmed form averages 10 percent of the
entire assemblage. By means of comparison, the plain-rimmed form makes up 1.4
percent of level 21 and has disappeared by level 19. Tlie appearance of the
triangular rim is also synchronous with the appearance of the red ridged ware
shown in Figure 39b. TTie frequency of red ridged ware also parallels that of the
triangular-rimmed jar. Obviously, Figure 39b shows these to be present on the
same type of vessel, but for the purposes of field identification, they may be
considered as separate entities. Red ridged ware and triangular-rimmed jars are a
type artifact for the Barbar II phase.
Another diagnostic form confined to the Barbar n levels is a large, porous
plate (figs. 50i-k) that varies in diameter from 24 to 28cm. The samples examined
are of sand-tempered buff and light brown paste with cream slip. They make up
only a small proportion of the total Barbar n sample (ca. 3 percent) but are found
only in levels 17-2L