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Raw Materials and Production at a Late Roman Glass Workshop: Geochemical Analysis of Glass and Coastal Sands at Tel Yavne, Israel

Ben Dor Y. (1), Gorin-Rosen Y. (2), Sorkin K. (2), Betzer P. (2), Varga D. (2), Zilberman T. (1), Yasur G. (1), Berlin O. (1), Weiss-Sarusi K. (1), Jacobi-Glass Y. (1), Alian S. (1), Asscher Y. (2,3), Wieler N. (2)

(1) Geological Survey of Israel, 32 Yesha'ayahu Leibowitz, Jerusalem 9692100, Israel

(2) Other Institute (insert manually)

(3) Other Institute (insert manually)

2. Israel Antiquities Authority, POB 586, Jerusalem 91004, Israel 3. Department of Cultural Heritage, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel

This study investigates the composition of Late Roman glass and adjacent sand deposits near a newly discovered primary natron glass production site at Tel Yavne, Israel. The site provides a unique opportunity to examine natron glass production at the southern Israeli coastline during the Late Roman period and to evaluate potential nearby raw material sources delivered by the Nile-coastal sedimentary system of the southern Levant. We conducted a comprehensive geochemical, mineralogical, and grain size analysis of sand samples collected along a transect from the modern coastline to the production site, and of primary glass fragments. Results demonstrate that any of the examined sand bodies could have supplied the quartz sand necessary for glass production at Yavne, although dunal sand seems slightly more compatible with respect to several trace elements. Comparison of the Yavne glass compositions with known glass groups from the Levant and Egypt reveals both similarities and distinctions in production practices relative to contemporaneous manufacturing sites. A novel contribution of this research is the direct compositional comparison between raw glass chunks and adjacent sand deposits, an analysis rarely possible for Roman glass studied outside the Levant, combined with an investigation of key nearby sand sources. Our findings highlight the distinctive characteristics of the Levantine Yavne glass group, which shares compositional features with other coastal Israeli sites, such as Jalame. Furthermore, geochemical analysis suggests the possible addition of a previously unconsidered ingredient that enriched the Yavne glass in aluminum. These results underscore the value of integrating multi-disciplinary approaches when linking archaeological materials to their geological sources.

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