Technological transfer? Comparative analysis of 2nd–3rd/4th century CE “Late Roman” pottery from Taymāʾ, Saudi Arabia, and Petra, Jordan

Abstract

Morphological and macroscopic analysis of 2nd–3rd/4th century CE pottery from Taymāʾ (Saudi Arabia) and Petra (Jordan) revealed important similarities regarding the shapes and macrofabrics of some vessels. This evidence motivated the present study to explore the possibility of ceramic trade between these two sites. On the basis of the results obtained from a multianalytical approach - based on petrographic, mineralogical and chemical analysis and their statistical treatments - the two productions were found to be both local at both sites. Since the production technology of these ceramic classes, in particular the selection of temper materials at Taymāʾ for certain bowls and jars, differs from their precursors at Taymāʾ, this paper will discuss the possibility of a transfer of technological knowledge from Petra to Taymāʾ during the Nabataean period, a shift that lead to the widespread use of this newly acquired technology between the 2nd and the 3rd/4th century CE.