Late Bronze Age Imports at Qantir: Petrographic and Contextual Analysis of Fabric Groups

Abstract

Late Bronze Age imported vessels have been found throughout Egypt during the New Kingdom. Their presence is a tangible testament to the international trade carried out throughout the eastern Mediterranean during this period. Those found at Piramesses/Qantir are particularly important as they represent what was acquired by the royal court in the Nineteenth Dynasty. A petrographic study aimed to clarify the origin of the LBA Canaanite jars and some other imports at Qantir based on a fabric classification system. Examining the prevalence of fabrics from two contexts at the site suggests those areas that were likely key exporters, but also indicates other minor producers may have been involved.