Chemical characterisation of archaeological glasses from the hellenistic site of jebel khalid, Syria by electron probe microanalysis

Abstract

Background: Jebel Khalid is a single period Hellenistic site on the west bank of the Euphrates River in northern Syria. The occupation of the site dates from the early 3rd century BCE until its abandonment in the late 70s BCE. The so-called Governor's Palace, an administrative centre on the Acropolis of the site, overlooked this walled Greek garrison city. A considerable quantity of glass, predominantly drinking bowls, was excavated from this building complex. This study concerns the elemental analysis of glass samples from this assemblage by electron probe microanalysis (SEM-WDS). Results: The preliminary analyses presented in this report reveal that the Jebel Khalid glasses are of the silica-sodalime type fluxed with mineral soda, typical of late 1st millennium BCE glass composition. Manganese was employed as the chief decolourant. Glass compositions of monochrome bowls, core-formed and mosaic glass vessels are very similar, despite the different forms, colours and manufacturing techniques of the vessels. Conclusions: While the production centre for the Jebel Khalid glass remains elusive, the similarity to other published Hellenistic glasses from Greek mainland sites, Rhodes, Tel Anafa in Israel, and Gordion in central Turkey, indicates a tightly controlled composition with comparable batch ingredients. Without more comparative material of this date from the Near East and Greece, it is difficult to determine whether production of the vessel glass from this Seleucid site in the Near East occurred in the Aegean region or the Syro-Palestinian Levant, or both. Vessel style and archaeological context lean towards an Aegean connection, but until more comparative glass is analysed, and trace element and isotope data are considered, questions of primary and secondary production remain unresolved.