Shape. The plates shall be rectangular in shape for mounting at the rear of vehicles.
Shape. The aggregate shall be angular that is posessing well defined edges formed at intersection of roughly flat pieces free from an excessive percentage of flaky or needle-like pieces.
Shape. The plates shall be in the shape of an equilateral triangle with truncated corners, for mounting with one apex upwards at the rear of slow-moving vehicles.
Shape. These bowls have an open shape in which the contents are easily accessible. The rim diameter is also the maximum vessel diameter. The mean ratio between vessel height and rim diameter is 0.37 (between 0.29 and 0.46). The bowls are markedly deeper than the larger carinated bowls type 111c. The bowls are easily transportable, but transport is only practical over very short distances. Type 113 bowls are very stable, due to their relatively broad ring bases. Size No size groups can be made. The rim diameters vary between 110 and 370 mm, with a mean rim diameter of 253 mm.
Shape. These bowls have an open shape, and the contents are easily accessible. The rim diameter is also the maximum vessel diameter. The mean ratio between vessel height and rim diameter is 0.34 (between 0.21 and 0.50). They are easily transportable, but transport is only practical over short distances. The bowls can stand without a support, and most are stable. Slanting shapes due to oblique cutting from the wheel occur only rarely. Two-thirds of these bowls have a ring base, providing for extra stability. The rims that are bent over outwards (types 131, 143) provide a good grip for lifting or tilting the bowl, especially when hands are slippery. Rims that are thickened on the inside (types 132, 143) provide a practical inner edge that prevents the contents from spilling (for example when moving the bowl). It also prevents the contents from being pushed out easily (for example when scooping up morsels of food with bread or a spoon). Size This group of deep bowls with straight walls cannot be divided into different size classes on the basis of their rim diameters or vessel heights. A tentative grouping in smaller and larger bowls was tried only for type 132 (Appendix B). Generally, type 132 bowls are smaller than type 143 bowls, while type 131 encompasses the whole range of diameters. Type 131 mean rim diameter = 300 mm, (between 140 and 560 mm; CV = 20.0%). Type 132a rim diameter < 250 mm, mean rim diameter is 206 mm. Type 132b rim diameter ≥ 250 mm, mean rim diameter is 308 mm. Type 143 mean rim diameter = 327 mm (between 150 and 450 mm; CV = 20.4%). Whole group: mean rim diameter 295 mm (between 100 and 560; CV = 22.2%).
Shape. Only one pot has been preserved well enough to allow for a reconstruction of the complete shape including the base (P93-308). This severely limits our data on shape and especially size and capacity. Most pots seem to have had a roughly globular slightly closed shape. The contents are easily accessible but the incurving rim prevents spilling when contents are stirred or when they are boiling. No flat or ring base fragments in cooking ware have been found, suggesting that these pots had rounded bases that were not always recognized as such among the body sherds. The rims are rolled over and provide a thin ledge for better grip when moving the pot. Handles are either completely absent, or are small rounded lug handles with elaborate appliqué decorations (only 2 examples, fig. IV.62.a-b). Since only one complete example was found, the ratio between vessel height and maximum diameter is not known. The maximum diameter is below the rim but in the upper half of the vessel. Size Rim diameters vary widely between 170 and 430 mm. The mean rim diameter is 260 mm (CV = 28%). Size groups could not be distinguished.
Shape. Closed or slightly closed shapes, mostly with a roughly globular vessel shape, sometimes a bit more squat. The contents are easily accessible and easily retained inside. Vessels that have their bases preserved are stable. The ratio between vessel height and rim diameter could only be calculated for 6 vessels. The mean ratio is 1.06 (between 0.87 and 1.33; CV = 15%), illustrating the globular shape. The maximum vessel diameter is below the rim but mostly in the upper half of the vessel. The mean ratio between vessel height and maximum vessel diameter is 0.87 (between 0.59 and 1.03; CV = 17%). The vessels that are preserved completely can stand easily without support and are rather stable. If bases are preserved, they are always ring bases (and once a rounded base, on a handmade pot, fig. IV.61.k). The incurving rims prevent spilling of the contents. The rims are thickened on the outside or clearly bent outwards, providing a practical ledge to increase the grip when carrying the pot. In addition, the rim shape may have made it easier to tie a cover over the opening with rope. The pots are transportable, but the relatively large vessel opening make transport over large distances impractical. Size It was not possible to discern size groups based on the rim diameter or other measurements. Rim diameters vary widely. The mean rim diameter is 216 mm (between 120 and 350 mm; CV = 21%). The mean maximum vessel diameter is 314 mm (between 245 and 397 mm; CV = 20%).
Shape. The jars have a closed shape in which the contents are not very easily accessible unless by pouring or drinking. A closed fist does not fit into the openings of very small and small jars, and retrieving the contents with the hands or with a scoop would have been impossible in smaller jars and awkward in all. The vessel shape is oval or more globular, with the maximum vessel diameter usually at the middle or at the lower half of the vessel. Larger jars are more slender, and the maximum vessel diameter is a bit higher up. The rims are simple and rounded and always a bit bent outwards, facilitating the pouring of liquids or the drinking from the rim. A cover could be tied over the rim and fastened with a rope, but no special ledge was provided for this. The jars are transportable. The ratios between vessel height and rim diameter, and between vessel height and maximum vessel diameter are: Very small Mean ratio (height/rim diameter) = 2.03 (between 1.56 and 2.60; CV = 16%). Mean ratio (height/vessel diameter) = 1.49 (between 1.12 and 1.49; CV = 10%). Small Mean ratio (height/rim diameter) = 2.14 (between 1.57 and 2.75; CV = 10%). Mean ratio (height/vessel diameter) = 1.43 (between 1.17 and 1.62; CV = 7%). Large Mean ratio (height/rim diameter) = 3.03 (between 2.0 and 3.91; CV = 17%). Mean ratio (height/vessel diameter) = 1.60 (between 1.33 and 2.02; CV = 17%). Very small jars mainly have ring bases (63.6%) or flat bases (18.2%). Small jars, on the contrary, have mainly pedestal bases (41.9%) or flat bases (44.2%), while only a few have ring bases (11.6%). Larger jars mainly have ring bases (86.7%) or flat bases (13.3%); pedestal bases do not occur in this group. Very small vessels and large vessels are rather stable and can stand without support. The small vessels are less stable, with their relatively small base diameters compared to the vessel height. This is especially true for jars from level 4 when they have predominantly narrow pedestal bases instead of flat bases (cf. Chapter IV). These jars are unstable without support and many of them cannot easily stand alone. However, ceramic pot stands for small jars are absent from the site (although they could have been made from a perishable material like wood; cf. also Chapter VI). Size Small jars can be divided into three size groups based on the vessel height and the maximum vessel diameter: Very small 311x: vessel height < 160 mm, maximum vessel diameter < 120 mm. Mean vessel height is 122 mm (between 100 an...
Shape. These jars have a closed shape with rather restricted rim diameters, making the contents inaccessible with the hands. The attachment of a handle from the rim to the shoulder of the vessel indicates that pouring was the way to remove the contents. Rims are mostly simple and always bent outwards, facilitating pouring. A jar from a mixed context (fig IV.109.w) has a trefoil mouth that greatly facilitates pouring (trefoil mouths are otherwise not attested at the site). A flexible cover could easily be tied to the rim with a rope. Not much can be said about the vessel shape, since only two vessels were preserved completely. They have an oval vessel shape, one with a ring base (fig. IV.89.d) and one with a pointed “amphora”-type base (fig. IV.89.c) that is unusual at Sabi Abyad. Indeed, the use of handles is rare at the site, and is another indication for the foreign origin or different production tradition from which these vessels came. The vessels are easily transportable and the relatively small rim diameters make them suited for transport over longer distances as well.
Shape. These small cups are called goblets because of their resemblance to drinking cups. They exist in two shapes: V-shaped goblets for which the rim diameter is also the largest vessel diameter, and the walls are more or less straight towards a pointed base; and S-shaped goblets with a curved wall and a globular body, with a maximum vessel diameter that is a little larger than the rim diamter. Both shapes have extremely thin walls and rounded rims, often turned outwards to facilitate drinking. The ratios between vessel height and rim diameter or maximum vessel diameter show that the proportions were usually similar, although goblets could vary in height. V-shaped mean ratio (height/rim diameter) = 1.16 (between 0.80 and 1.43; CV = 9%) S-shaped mean ratio (height/rim diameter) = 1.31 (between 0.94 and 1.90; CV = 12%) Mean ratio (height/max diameter) = 1.16 (between 0.92 and 1.36; CV = 10%) Bases are pointed, and nipple or knob-shaped. These vessels cannot stand on their bases and need to be held in the hand or put into a support (like a small pot stand, a hole in the table, etc.). Small pot stands made of pottery have not been found. It is very well possible that the goblets were meant to be held in the hand when full (see also Chapter VI). Size Goblets are small vessels with very thin walls. There are no size groups. V-shaped mean rim diameter = 89 mm (between 60 and 160 mm, CV = 15.6%). Mean rim thickness = 2.6 mm (between 2 and 5 mm, CV = 23%). S-shaped mean rim diameter = 78 mm (between 45 and 130 mm, CV = 14.7%). Mean rim thickness = 2.7 mm (between 2 and 6 mm, CV = 24%).
