Shale "chip" fabrics

Fabric Group

Description

Shapes

Chronology

Distribution

1. Chip Classic

A fine buff and tan to orange to dark pink fabric with large angular shale chips. Chips, ranging in size from 2 - 6mm (usually the maximum size is 4 or 5mm), dominate and protrude from the well-refined, soft paste. Chips may be red, red brown, or grey. Other inclusions are small amounts of quartz, felspar and silver mica. Macroscopic inclusion density is 15-45% with most about 30%.

Shapes include tripods (Prehistoric), amphorae and tiles (Graeco-Roman).

The ware may be dated as early as Late Minoan IIIC and extends through the Hellenistic and Roman periods

Region 1 (3), 3 (6), 5 (1), 8 (1). It is especially common in western Sphakia. It is not common in Ag. Vasilios Valley Survey Project or Vrokastro Survey Project, but is common in the western part of such areas

2. Mixed Red Chip

An orange to grey pink fabric with shale chips and other inclusions. There are no buffs. Angular shale chips range from 4-6mm in size (usually maximum size is 4 or 5mm). In addition to small amounts of quartz, felspar and silver mica, other inclusions common in a metamorphic mix such as phyllite, phyllite-shale, siltstone, and sandstone are present. Macroscopic inclusion density is 20-40% with most 30%. The paste is not as refined as with Chip Classic.

A Cooking Fabric: shapes include tripods and large bowls.

It is probably Middle Minoan-Late Minoan.

The fabric is limited in distribution to Regions 1, 5 and 8, with most of the catalogued sherds from Region 1 in the west.

3. Orangey-pink Phyllite/shale

An orange or tan to pinky tan and dark pink fabric. Angular to subangular phyllite-shale chips dominate in a well-refined clay matrix. Some sherds have no other inclusions besides phyllite-shale, but most have a little quartz and/or mica in addition to the phyllite-shale. Inclusions are 2-7mm in size (usually maximum size is 4). Macroscopic inclusion density is 10-20% to 40-50%. Smaller inclusion sizes are present with lower densities.

A Cooking fabric: shapes include tripod cooking pots.

It is a Middle Minoan-Late Minoan through Early Iron Age fabric. (Late Minoan - Late Geometric)

Region 1 (1), 3(1), 5(1), 6 (1), 8(3). It is distributed in 5 of the 8 regions in Sphakia, with nearly half of the catalogued sherds from eastern Sphakia (Region 8).

It is not known from Vrokastro Survey Project, Ag. Vasilios Valley Survey Project or Khania Area Survey Project.