Ubaid
The Ubaid period falls within the Pottery Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic periods (c.5900-4000 BC). Ubaid culture began in southern Iraq and spread northwards to cover much of the Fertile Crescent around 4500BC.
Description:
The Ubaid period is marked by the high quality of painted pottery, found throughout Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf. The first settlements were established, most notably at Eridu, and irrigation agriculture also began during this period. The name derives from Tell al-Ubaid, excavated by Henry Hall and Sir Leonard Woolley as part of the Ur project. It is part of the Neolithic, and arises out of the Halaf period, and is replaced by the Uruk Period.
Ultra-Low Chronology:
Short/Low Chronology:
Medium Chronology: 5500-4000 BCE
Long/High Chronology:
Objects: Ubaid Export: JSON - XML - CSV
| Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.217 | (none) | (none) | |
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.212 | (none) | (none) | |
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.215 | (none) | (none) | |
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.282 | (none) | (none) | |
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.189 | (none) | (none) | |
 | (none) | (none) | 1929,1017.747 | (none) | (none) |
| (none) | (none) | 1930,1213.214 | (none) | (none) |
| 12018 | (none) | 1929,1017.555 | (none) | Copper Adze (?) [drawing] Type | |
| 12094 | (none) | 1928,1010.816 | (none) | Terracotta figurine. Painted. Grotesque. Head missing. Black paint round neck and black painted lines running vertically down back and shoulders. | |
| 12769A.2 | (none) | 1928,1010.731 | (none) | [A.1-.7] Fragments of colored pottery. Various pottery fragments - [B] a wheel, [C-D] 2 handles, [E] clay made of blade, [F] cone etc., and a [G] shell tubular bead 36mm long pierced longitudinally and also transversely at each end. | |
| 12769A.3 | (none) | 1928,1010.730 | (none) | [A.1-.7] Fragments of colored pottery. Various pottery fragments - [B] a wheel, [C-D] 2 handles, [E] clay made of blade, [F] cone etc., and a [G] shell tubular bead 36mm long pierced longitudinally and also transversely at each end. | |
| 12774J.5 | (none) | 1928,1010.739 | (none) | Objects. (A) Bead, long, clay imitation of bead cut from shell core. (B) Clay bugle bead. (C) Shell bugle bead. (D) Clay spindle whorl. (E) Copper needle (broken). (F) Clay nail. (G) Fragment of clay sickle. (H) Penannular ring of shell. [I not assigned in group] (J) [J.1-.11] Chips, flint and obsidian, including one flint piercer. (K) [K.1-.2] Fragments of clay animal figurines. (L) Animal tooth. (M) Miniature pot of reddish clay, broken. (N) Pottery fragments. [N.1-.4] 4 small bits black design on white, characteristic TO [Tel Obaid]; [N.5-.6] 2 pieces, black band on drab, coarse ware; [N.7-.10] 4 pieces red bands on drab [N.11] 1 piece plain red wash(?); [N.12-.13] 2 pieces, design in red on light ground; [N.14-.15] 2 pieces, design in red and black on light ground : rows of triangles and bands; [N.16-.18] 3 pieces with transverse bands of erased slip decoration, light red on deeper red body. (O) [O.1] Cylindrical vase of light drab clay and [O.2] fragment of a second similar. (P) Clay jar sealing (?) with scratched design. (Q) Clay jar sealing with impression of seal cylinder : subject, bulls and square shrines. (R) Clay cup, reddish ware, wheelmade, normal type, broken and mended. (S) Clay jar sealing, fragment, with design of rows of animals. |
| 12774J.6 | (none) | 1928,1010.740 | (none) | Objects. (A) Bead, long, clay imitation of bead cut from shell core. (B) Clay bugle bead. (C) Shell bugle bead. (D) Clay spindle whorl. (E) Copper needle (broken). (F) Clay nail. (G) Fragment of clay sickle. (H) Penannular ring of shell. [I not assigned in group] (J) [J.1-.11] Chips, flint and obsidian, including one flint piercer. (K) [K.1-.2] Fragments of clay animal figurines. (L) Animal tooth. (M) Miniature pot of reddish clay, broken. (N) Pottery fragments. [N.1-.4] 4 small bits black design on white, characteristic TO [Tel Obaid]; [N.5-.6] 2 pieces, black band on drab, coarse ware; [N.7-.10] 4 pieces red bands on drab [N.11] 1 piece plain red wash(?); [N.12-.13] 2 pieces, design in red on light ground; [N.14-.15] 2 pieces, design in red and black on light ground : rows of triangles and bands; [N.16-.18] 3 pieces with transverse bands of erased slip decoration, light red on deeper red body. (O) [O.1] Cylindrical vase of light drab clay and [O.2] fragment of a second similar. (P) Clay jar sealing (?) with scratched design. (Q) Clay jar sealing with impression of seal cylinder : subject, bulls and square shrines. (R) Clay cup, reddish ware, wheelmade, normal type, broken and mended. (S) Clay jar sealing, fragment, with design of rows of animals. |
| 12774N.6 | (none) | 1928,1010.734 | (none) | Objects. (A) Bead, long, clay imitation of bead cut from shell core. (B) Clay bugle bead. (C) Shell bugle bead. (D) Clay spindle whorl. (E) Copper needle (broken). (F) Clay nail. (G) Fragment of clay sickle. (H) Penannular ring of shell. [I not assigned in group] (J) [J.1-.11] Chips, flint and obsidian, including one flint piercer. (K) [K.1-.2] Fragments of clay animal figurines. (L) Animal tooth. (M) Miniature pot of reddish clay, broken. (N) Pottery fragments. [N.1-.4] 4 small bits black design on white, characteristic TO [Tel Obaid]; [N.5-.6] 2 pieces, black band on drab, coarse ware; [N.7-.10] 4 pieces red bands on drab [N.11] 1 piece plain red wash(?); [N.12-.13] 2 pieces, design in red on light ground; [N.14-.15] 2 pieces, design in red and black on light ground : rows of triangles and bands; [N.16-.18] 3 pieces with transverse bands of erased slip decoration, light red on deeper red body. (O) [O.1] Cylindrical vase of light drab clay and [O.2] fragment of a second similar. (P) Clay jar sealing (?) with scratched design. (Q) Clay jar sealing with impression of seal cylinder : subject, bulls and square shrines. (R) Clay cup, reddish ware, wheelmade, normal type, broken and mended. (S) Clay jar sealing, fragment, with design of rows of animals. | |
| 12776H.12 | (none) | 1928,1010.756 | (none) | Group of objects: (A) Small fragment of obsidian vase. (B) [.1-.6] 3 long clay bugles, imitation of beads cut from core of shell. (C) Obsidian chip. (D) Jar - stopper of mud and lime, circular, one face flat, one convex, with rough incisions on flat face, perhaps accidental. (E) [.1-.2] Fragment of terracotta figure perhaps the head of a dragon (?). [Drawing] (F) Clay object, flat, with incised holes. (G) [.1-.6] Five fragments of clay jar sealings with seal impressions : all have rows of animals in wooded or rocky country. (H) [.1-.26] Pottery fragments 1) Plum red and back decoration on light ground: 2 examples. 2) Red decoration on light ground and other fragments. Not in catalog of Vol. IV. | |
| 12776H.5 | (none) | 1928,1010.763 | (none) | Group of objects: (A) Small fragment of obsidian vase. (B) [.1-.6] 3 long clay bugles, imitation of beads cut from core of shell. (C) Obsidian chip. (D) Jar - stopper of mud and lime, circular, one face flat, one convex, with rough incisions on flat face, perhaps accidental. (E) [.1-.2] Fragment of terracotta figure perhaps the head of a dragon (?). [Drawing] (F) Clay object, flat, with incised holes. (G) [.1-.6] Five fragments of clay jar sealings with seal impressions : all have rows of animals in wooded or rocky country. (H) [.1-.26] Pottery fragments 1) Plum red and back decoration on light ground: 2 examples. 2) Red decoration on light ground and other fragments. Not in catalog of Vol. IV. | |
| 12776H.6 | (none) | 1928,1010.762 | (none) | Group of objects: (A) Small fragment of obsidian vase. (B) [.1-.6] 3 long clay bugles, imitation of beads cut from core of shell. (C) Obsidian chip. (D) Jar - stopper of mud and lime, circular, one face flat, one convex, with rough incisions on flat face, perhaps accidental. (E) [.1-.2] Fragment of terracotta figure perhaps the head of a dragon (?). [Drawing] (F) Clay object, flat, with incised holes. (G) [.1-.6] Five fragments of clay jar sealings with seal impressions : all have rows of animals in wooded or rocky country. (H) [.1-.26] Pottery fragments 1) Plum red and back decoration on light ground: 2 examples. 2) Red decoration on light ground and other fragments. Not in catalog of Vol. IV. | |
| 1405 | (none) | 1924,0920.385 | (none) | Figurine. Fragment, legs and waist only. Brown clay: modeled. Female figure. [drawing 1:1] | |
| 14436 | 31-16-999 | (none) | (none) | Clay figurine. Fragment only. Showing the buttocks in profile. Greenish clay with black paint. [drawing 1:1] | |
| 14988 | 32-40-8 | (none) | (none) | Clay jug. (in fragments but nearly complete) Painted ware, TO. Type CCCXXXVII. As U.47 [as U.47? not legible.] See A.J.x (1920-30 excavations) Pl.XLIVb. | |
| 15349 | 31-16-738 | (none) | (none) | Clay figurine. Fragment. Female figure, from waist to ankles. Greenish clay: round waist traces of belt in black paint. [drawing] | |
| 15354A | 31-16-998 | (none) | (none) | Figurine. Fragment. Baked clay animal. Green clay with black bands. (A) Striped body, very long, of a tiger(?) head & forelegs missing. [1:2 drawing] (B) Hind quarters. [1:2 drawing] (C) Forepart of buffalo. [1:2 drawing] (D) Pig. [1:2 drawing] | |
| 15354B | (none) | 1935,0113.67 | (none) | Figurine. Fragment. Baked clay animal. Green clay with black bands. (A) Striped body, very long, of a tiger(?) head & forelegs missing. [1:2 drawing] (B) Hind quarters. [1:2 drawing] (C) Forepart of buffalo. [1:2 drawing] (D) Pig. [1:2 drawing] | |
| 15354C | 31-16-742 | (none) | (none) | Figurine. Fragment. Baked clay animal. Green clay with black bands. (A) Striped body, very long, of a tiger(?) head & forelegs missing. [1:2 drawing] (B) Hind quarters. [1:2 drawing] (C) Forepart of buffalo. [1:2 drawing] (D) Pig. [1:2 drawing] | |
| 15354D | 31-16-945 | (none) | (none) | Figurine. Fragment. Baked clay animal. Green clay with black bands. (A) Striped body, very long, of a tiger(?) head & forelegs missing. [1:2 drawing] (B) Hind quarters. [1:2 drawing] (C) Forepart of buffalo. [1:2 drawing] (D) Pig. [1:2 drawing] |
Related Terms
Uruk - Jemdat Nasr - Early Dynastic / Sumerian - Akkadian Dynasty - Guti/Post Akkadian - Ur III - Old Babylonian - Middle Assyrian - Kassite - Neo-Assyrian - Neo-Babylonian - Achaemenid Empire (Persian) - Seleucid - Parthian