- Archaeological News
-
Image Credit: Reg81, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rare Glazed Ceramics Reveal Iron Age Exchange at Tall Zarʿa in Jordan
A new archaeometric study has analyzed rare glazed ceramic sherds from Tall Zarʿa in northern Jordan, offering new insight into Iron Age technology, trade, and material exchange in the southern Levant. The study focuses on 12 glazed ceramic fragments dating mainly from the Iron Age, roughly between 1200 and 600 BCE.
Tall Zarʿa is located in the Wādī al-Arab, near the ancient city of Gadara, and was occupied for a long period from the Early Bronze Age into the Byzantine era. Its location, fertile environment, water sources, and access to trade routes through the Jordan Valley made it an important settlement. Earlier finds from the site already show connections with Cyprus, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and other regions.
The study examined glazed sherds from different Iron Age contexts, many of them associated with the temple area in Area 1. Some were found with other high-status objects, including glass, faience, terracotta figurines, and ritual-related materials. This suggests that glazed ceramics formed part of a broader group of prestigious objects at the site.
Researchers used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to analyze the glazes, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy to study the ceramic bodies. These methods allowed them to compare the chemical composition of both the glaze layers and the clay matrices.
The results show that most of the glazes were copper-based and belonged to alkali-lime glaze technology. Excluding one later or mixed-context sample, the researchers identified three main glaze groups. These groups differed in elements such as arsenic and lead, suggesting the use of different copper sources or recipes. The glaze groups also corresponded with differences in the ceramic fabrics, indicating that glaze choices were linked to distinct production traditions or supply networks.
One sample, numbered 20747, stood apart from the Iron Age group. It contained cobalt and showed similarities with later “Type N1” cobalt-blue glazes known from Late Period or Ptolemaic materials. Because it came from a disturbed context, the study suggests it may be a later intrusion rather than part of the Iron Age assemblage.
The copper used in the glazes may reflect several possible sources. Some chemical patterns could point to Cypriot copper, while others may relate to sources such as Faynan or Timna. The study remains cautious, noting that smelting and glaze production can affect trace-element patterns. Still, the results show that Tall Zarʿa was connected to wider technological and exchange systems during the Iron Age.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of rare glazed ceramics for understanding elite objects, craft knowledge, and long-distance interaction in the Levant. The findings suggest that Tall Zarʿa was not only a local settlement, but also a place where imported materials, specialized technologies, and regional exchange networks intersected.
Published on: 10-06-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: npj Heritage Science
