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Dr
David
Williams
Dept of Archaeology
University of Southampton
Avenue Campus
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
England
Tel: 080 593032
Distinctive FeaturesThis represents the final phase of Beirut amphora production. Unlike the output of the first century BC to early/mid fifth century AD (Beirut 1 to 7), the Beirut 8 is free-standing and rests on a small domed base. Nevertheless it shares the same style of tronco-conical body as other Beirut amphorae. The handles also differ in that they are placed low on the neck and are more strap-shaped (though with the typical triple-banded section). The earliest version, Beirut 8.1, has a wide, folded, band rim and fairly wide domed base (mid fifth century AD to c. AD 551, typical of Beirut earthquake deposits). Perhaps from c. AD 575 till c. AD 640/650, the amphora is smaller, with a simple ribbed neck and plain, rounded rim (not a band). The latest bases are quite small and are well-domed.Minimum height: Beirut 8.1/2: 55.9 cm (AD 551?); Beirut 8.2, (mid seventh century AD): 58 cm. Minimum width: Beirut 8.1/2, 20 cm.; Beirut 8.2, 16 cm. See characteristics | ||
Date RangeMid fifth to mid seventh centuries AD. The earliest date is around c. AD 450 (occurs regularly with Beirut 7, then alone from c. AD 460/475). The latest date is c. AD 640/650? Production had certainly ceased by the second half of the eighth century AD.Search: [5th century AD] [6th century AD] [7th century AD] [8th century AD] | ||
OriginChemical analysis of the fabric indicates a Beirut origin for the Beirut 8.1. Though the majority of Beirut 8.2 are also from Beirut, a fair number of examples, particularly those of seventh century AD date, occur in a pale fabric that suggests an origin outside the environs of Beirut (an unprovenanced non-Beirut source in pale ?kaolinite fabric, orange-red patina surface, the same as the cooking ware ‘CW 34’ (Waksman et alii, 2004). Occasional classic examples of Beirut 4 (early third century AD) occur in the same fabric, but are rare.Search: [Lebanon] [The Levant] | ||
DistributionBeirut, the Levantine coast and Cyprus. More specifically, Beirut 8.1: Beirut, Butrint.Beirut 8.2: Beirut, Caesarea, Cyprus (Salamis), the Iskandil Burnu wreck (off Bodrum). Search: [Eastern Mediterranean] [Lebanon] [The Balkans] [The Levant] [Western Asia Minor] | ||
ContentsWine? Some examples have their necks pierced for fermentation (see also Beirut 1). The domed base also suggests that wine was carried (cf the Calabrian form Keay 52).Search: [Unknown] [Wine] | ||
CommentsPrincipal contributor: Paul Reynolds |