A Specialized Ceramic Assemblage for Water Pulling: The Middle Chalcolithic Well of Tel Tsaf, Israel

The authors explore aspects of a well uncovered at Tel Tsaf, Israel, dating to the Middle Chalcolithic Period, ca. 4800 cal b.c. The well was uncovered in close proximity to the settlement of Tel Tsaf, shedding light on the hydraulic technology of the community. An exceptionally rich assemblage of complete vessels has been found in situ at the bottom of the shaft. The ceramics show two distinct typological features uncommon to other assemblages of the Middle Chalcolithic: double paired handles and the so-called beakers, a new ceramic shape dominant in this assemblage. We argue that the ceramic assemblage comprises task-specific vessel shapes designed for drawing water from a well. The examples from Tel Tsaf are currently the earliest of their kind.