The White Ware from Palmyra (Syria) : Preliminary data from the new excavations in the South-West quarter

The excavations of the Peristyle Building carried out by the joint Italian-Syrian mission (PAL.M.A.I.S) since 2008 have yielded a significant amount of pottery from contexts dating between the 6th and the 8th centuries AD. Among them, a common ware of local production appears to be predominant. This is characterized by a sandy clay variable in colour between pale pink and white featuring a whitish slip on its external and/or internal surfaces. Due to its peculiar colour, this pottery has been conventionally named “White Ware”. A preliminary macroscopic analysis of the White Ware recovered has allowed its subdivision into several groups, each characterized by distinct features. The purpose of this paper is to present the most significant group (WW I) and propose a chronological framework of its most frequent forms on the basis of the stratigraphic record from two contexts excavated in Room B of the Peristyle Building.