Base Mat Impressions in the Southern Levant and a Case Study from Late Chalcolithic Teleilat el-Ghassul

Base mat impressions, distinctive imprints left on the bases of pottery vessels during production, offer a rare opportunity to examine aspects of pottery production and matting techniques. In the southern Levant, these appear with the earliest pottery assemblages of the Pottery Neolithic period. Although there was a marked increase in mat impressions during the Middle and Late Chalcolithic periods, little research has been devoted to this phenomenon. The current paper focuses on a sizeable assemblage of base mat impressions from the Late Chalcolithic site of Teleilat el-Ghassul. The assemblage is presented in detail, and its features are discussed, including the relationship between base mat impressions and regional pottery production.