Stone Vessels in the Levant

Rachael Thyrza Sparks author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Maney Publishing

Published:23rd Nov '07

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Stone Vessels in the Levant cover

Examining stone vessels in the Levant during the 2nd millennium BC, the author explores the links between material culture and society through a comprehensive study of production and distribution. Extensively illustrated with 100 drawings, maps and charts, this volume includes a full object catalogue.

This study represents the first comprehensive overview of the stone vessel assemblagesof the Levant in this period, a time which, fed by an increase of wealth and interregional trade, saw a growth in the popularity and variety of such vessels.

Previously, our understanding of the varied functions and forms of these diverse vessels has been relatively underdeveloped. In this volume the author attempts to address this problem by creating a typological framework though which we can analyse variability and define essential characteristics of local stone vessel workshops. Only once this has been achieved is it possible to look at stone vessel production in its wider cultural context.

Subsequent chapters explore broader themes, beginning within the workshops themselves, examining the links between craftsmen, their sources of raw materials, and the authorities that controlled and distributed their output. Considerations of the geographical and chronological distribution of such goods are then used to provide a regional perspective for the operation of these workshops, connections between them, and further insights into the nature of local and international trade. Finally, the objects themselves can be used to assess the impact of trends such as the growing Egyptianization of the ruling classes of the Levant at this time.

This volume is refreshingly different from other monographs on stone vessels of the eastern Mediterranean region. It not only describes the typology, chronology, and materials of the vessels - which is where other treatments stop - but also provides a thorough discussion of their archaeological contexts. The author is to be congratulated for producing a scholarly work of the first magnitude as well as an authoritative reference of great usefulness. It deserves a place in the library of every student of stone vessels and not just those with an interest in the Levant.' -- James A. Harrell American Journal Of Archaeology May 2009 ...a masterful analysis serving multiple purposes, from a useful comparative stone vessel typology to a broader investigation of the influence of imported vessels on the development of local workshops and styles.[...]Stones Vessels in the Levant fills an enormous gap in our knowledge of stone vessels,[...]The volume is well organized, carefully edited, with good-quality illustrations of artifacts;[...]...a necessary addition to any library dedicated to Near Eastern archaeology and will be the standard reference for understanding stone vessels of the second millennium B.C. for decades. Sparks is to be congratulated for her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to contextualize the production and consumption of stone vessels within the broader Levant and the eastern Mediterranean world. We can only hope that this thorough work will inspire future researchers to follow suit and produce similar publications for other periods.' -- Yorke M. Rowan, The Oriental Institute Basor 358, 2010

ISBN: 9781904350972

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 2041g

506 pages