The Types of the Islamic Pottery Discovered in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Firstly:The Pottery-Types during the Prophetic and the Caliphate Periods:There is no detailed accounts regarding the literature of the early Islamic pottery in general, however, during the Prophetic and the Caliphate periods in particular. It seems possible that the Sasanian and Byzantine types of pottery were commonly in use during that early stage of the Islamic era. Nevertheless, the most mentioned pottery types at that time are as follows:(1).The Yemeni Jars.(2).The Hajar Jars.(3).The Madhari Jars.Secondly:The Umayyad Pottery-Types:In fact, it seems true to say that the Umayyad’s pottery-types , which are unearthed at the Islamic archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia, are scant, in comparison with Abbasid sum of discovered pottery-types. The following samples of Umayyad’s pottery-types found in the archaeological site of al-Ikhdud,Najran region:(A). The Pottery-Type coated with almighrah substance.(B). The Pottery-Type decorated with grooved incisions.(C). The Pottery-Type of cooking-pots . (D). The Pottery-Type of oil-lamps. Others pottery-types were found within the archaeological strata of the site of Darayah,Qasim region. They were classified as follows:(A). The Pottery-Type made of reddish/orange-clay.(B). The Pottery-Type made of light yellow-clay.During the surface-survey of the archaeological site of Bada,situated in the north-west of Saudi Arabia,certain Umayyad unglazed pottery-types were discovered:(A). The Pottery-Type made of smoothed yellow-clay.(B). The Pottery-Type made of ribbed red-clay.(C). The Pottery-Type made of smoothed orangish-clay.(D). The Pottery-Type made of ribbed orangish-clay.(E ). The Pottery-Type of black ribbed cooking-pots.(F). The Pottery-Type of oil-lamps made by mould.Thirdly.The Abbasid Unglazed Pottery:The most popular Abbasid pottery types which are discovered at the Islamic Archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia,viz.,:(1). The Pottery-Type made of moulded/ added decorations,(barbotine-style).(2). The Pottery-Type of red ,polished thin- clay.(3). The Pottery-Type with incised decorations.(4). The Pottery-Type of alqilal.(5). The Pottery-Type made of very thin-clay.At some settlements located on the banks of wadi Hanifah,near Riyadh, a number of unglazed Abbasid pottery-types were picked up, such as: (1). The Pottery-Type made of very thin-clay.(2). The Pottery-Type made of medium thick-clay.(3). The Pottery-Type made of thick-clay.On the Red coast where the Islamic archaeological sites of Aththar and al-Sharjah are located, Abbasid pottery-types were found:

Keywords

• kingdom of saudi arabia; islamic pottery; types of pottery and ceramic; archaeological sites