Incised and Impressed Pottery from Iron Age I Megiddo: A New Southern Levantine Ceramic Group

This article introduces a newly defined pottery group from the southern Levant, dated to the Iron Age I. The group is characterised by incised and impressed decorations, typically executed on vessels that were fired to dark-grey in a reducing atmosphere. Provenance analyses demonstrate that production was local, with at least three workshops identified: two on the coastal plain and one in the Jezreel Valley. Stylistic parallels show that the primary source of inspiration for this group lies in the contemporary Cypriot Black Slip Wheelmade Ware. Nevertheless, Levantine potters exercised considerable independence, creating distinctive hybrid forms inspired by local traditions. It is further suggested that Phoenician agents played a role in these Cypro-Levantine interactions.