Chlorite is a distinctive gray-green
stone that was utilized during
antiquity for the fabrication of
luxurious containers in the greater
Gulf region as well as southern
Iran. Excavations at the
archeological site of Tepe Yaya,
dated to the mid-third millennium
B.C., in Iran unearthed the ruins
of workshops where such vessels
were discovered. As well, raw
materials used for their
manufacture, chlorite as well as
steatite, quarried from the nearby
hills were also present. On the
island of Tarut, in the Gulf close to
the Arabian coast, over six
hundred complete and
fragmentary vessels and weights
have been unearthed. Because
many partially formed objects
found on Tarut were discovered
next to chunks of unworked
chlorite, it has been surmised that
this island was once a center of
production for these works.
Found throughout the ancient
Near East, from Syria to the Indus
Valley, revealing the extensive
trade routes of the time, these
works are classified by modern
historians as belonging to the
“Intercultural Style,” called so
because they derive
iconographical elements from both
Near Eastern and Harappan
traditions. Much like the written
cuneiform alphabet was used by
several distinct cultures
throughout the ancient Near East
to dictate their individual spoken
languages, so such vessels were
created by various cultures, each
adorning the works with their own
distinct aesthetic style. Many
examples were discovered in the
ruins of palace and temple
structures or entombed in the
graves of the nobility, including
Sumerian Mesopotamia. Clearly
these vessels were among the
most precious luxury items that
could only be afforded by the
ruling elite.
- (LM.3 B)
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