Byzantine and Umayyad Jerash reconsidered

This volume tackles aspects of the overlooked but crucial pottery of the Byzantine and Umayyad periods stemming from Gerasa, modern Jerash, in northern Jordan. While the city of Gerasa - modern-day Jerash - is perhaps best known for the impressive remains left by its Roman inhabitants, the Byzantine and Umayyad periods (fifth-eighth centuries AD) were also eras during which the city blossomed and its population boomed. Pottery production in this period also peaked: excavations over the last hundred years have revealed a vast quantity of ceramic finds, creating a challenge for archaeologists to cope with the sheer quantity of material as they seek to define and refine the typology of local ceramics. This volume presents an in-depth examination of finds from Jerash dating to the Byzantine and Umayyad periods. Through this analysis, it seeks to provide a better understanding of local pottery production and the role it played in the development of the city. The chapters included here explore techniques of production, identify key locations for ceramic work, and examine these developments as part of broader socio-economic patterns within the region. The contributions also analyse other artefacts from the city, including coinage and fine wares, as part of this wider discussion. The volume thus offers a unique academic contribution aimed at bringing to the forefront issues of continuity and change in Jerash in the dynamic period between the fifth and eighth centuries CE.