Holey Sherds: Pierced Jars from an Early Islamic-Period Shipwreck

The Ma agan Mikhael B shipwreck is the remains of a 25-m-long merchantman that plied the Mediterranean during the late seventh-early eighth centuries CE, namely in the Umayyad period. The shipwreck was excavated underwater for eight seasons, revealing remarkably well-preserved hull components and notable discoveries, such as the masthead fitting, rigging elements, bricks, ballast stones, glassware, baskets, matting, food remains, animal bones, and pottery items. Among the latter were eight unused pierced jars of Egyptian origin and unknown function. This article presents a typological analysis of the jars, comparing them with similar jars discovered in Egypt and the Middle East, and examines their function in light of archaeological and ethnographic data.