A middle bronze age ii type of pottery kiln from the coastal plain of israel

Five MB II pottery kilns have recently been excavated in the Tel Aviv area. These kilns, together with kilns found previously, some of which are barely mentioned in the literature, form a large series of 14 MB II kilns known so far from this area. They are dated to the Middle Bronze IIB-C Period according to pottery wasters found in the kilns and related stratigraphic evidence. Almost all the kilns belong to one type–an elongated, vertical kiln with radial supports of earth. This type of kiln appears in the southern coastal plain in the same period, but is replaced by other types of kilns in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. The new data raises questions such as why do we find a large concentration of kilns in this area; and concerning the mechanisms and technical development of pottery production.