Geochemistry of Byzantine and Early Islamic glass from Jerash, Jordan: Typology, recycling, and provenance. Issue 6 (28th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barfod, Gry Hoffmann; Freestone, Ian C.; Lichtenberger, Achim; Raja, Rubina; Schwarzer, Holger
• Is Part Of: Geoarchaeology. Volume 33:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 623
• Page End: 640
• Publication Date: 2018-06-28
• Subjects: Apollonia -- Byzantine glass -- Early Islamic glass -- EMP -- Gerasa -- Jerash -- LA‐ICP‐MS -- Levantine -- MC‐ICP‐MS -- olive fuel -- provenance -- recycling -- Sr isotope -- trace elements -- trade -- typology; Archaeological geology -- Periodicals; 930.1028
• DOI: 10.1002/gea.21684
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-6353

Abstract

Abstract: Twenty‐two objects of glass from the Decapolis city of Gerasa, N. Jordan, with characteristic vessel forms ranging from Hellenistic to Early Islamic (2nd century BCE to 8th century CE) were analyzed for major and trace elements, and 16 samples for Sr‐isotopes. The majority were produced in the vicinity of Apollonia on the Palestine coast in the 6th–7th centuries CE, and strong inter‐element correlations for Fe, Ti, Mn, Mg, Nb reflect local variations in the accessory minerals in the Apollonia glassmaking sand. The ubiquity of recycling is reflected in elevated concentrations and high coefficients of variation of colorant‐related elements as well as a strong positive correlation between K and P. The high level of K contamination is attributed to the use of pomace (olive processing residue) as fuel, and a negative correlation with Cl, due to volatilization as the glass was reheated. This points to an efficient system for the collection of glass for recycling in Jerash during the latter part of the first millennium CE. Differences in elemental behavior at different sites in the Levant may reflect the context of the recycling system, for example, glass from secular contexts may contain less colorants derived from mosaics than glass associated with churches.