Local amphorae from the Tyrian cemetery of al-Bass: typology, chronology, function and Mediterranean connections

A local form of amphora is common among the ceramic containers employed as cinerary urns in the tombs of the Iron Age cemetery at al-Bass in Tyre. This form appeared around the second quarter of the 8th century BCE, in an advanced stage of the Late Iron Age, and represents an apparent novelty in the ceramic array of the central Levant. From a typological perspective, it appears to be a variation of the local plain storage jars, while from a technical point of view, it follows the morphological and decorative traditions of local workshops. Functionally, it seems to be related to contemporary imports of Cypriot amphorae, but it cannot be considered as either an imitation or a substitute for those vessels. The emergence of these amphorae as a form seems to have been triggered by innovations in wine consumption habits, and their appearance does not seem to be an isolated phenomenon. Other parts of the Mediterranean under direct Levantine influence witnessed similar typological phenomena at this time. This circumstance leads to the assumption that a short-lived trend in wine consumption in the 8th-century-BCE Levant apparently continued to have repercussions overseas.