Compositional Analysis of Cylindrical and Ovoid Jars (“Archive Jars”) and Other Vessels from Hevron, Jericho, and Masada

The article presents a detailed compositional analysis of 26 fragments of the much debated cylindrical and ovoid jars. This type of vessel was first defined at Khirbet Qumran in association with the Dead Sea Scrolls (hence the name “scroll” or “archive” jar). The samples include 15 fragments of this jar type and related types from Tel Ḥevron, a site that bears certain similarities to Khirbet Qumran with respect to the Early Roman period, as well as several published examples from Jericho and Masada. The contextual and compositional analysis, employing both petrography and chemical analysis, combined with previous studies, sheds some new light on the function of these vessels and their place(s) of production. Results of analysis of several other vessel types from these sites, not yet published, are presented here as well as support for the compositional groups. Many of these jars may have been produced in the Ḥevron area, with another source in the northern Dead Sea area. The implications of these results and the similarities in material culture at Tel Ḥevron and Qumran are also discussed.