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The top of the rim was impressed, while still damp, by a cylinder seal to form a continuous frieze, the height of which is approximately 2.5 cm. The width of the rim is slightly greater than that of the seal as is shown by a ridge at the inside of the rim. The representation consists of a large tree (or plant), a long-tailed bird flying right, a smaller, simpler tree (or plant), and a similar bird flying left. The circumference of the seal was approximately 12.6 cm. giving a diameter of 4 cm. to the cylinder, which is almost exactly close to the diameter of Sh 720. The first tree has seven leaves, the second, four. The design of the leaves is plain, like a tear drop. The birds are shown from above with wings spread out behind, but with head in profile; tails long and graceful. The eyes of the birds are given as two concentric circles and the feathers of the upper wing of the bird on the right are indicated by parallel incisions. In general the rendering is extremely simple without being entirely schematic.
The smaller fragment has maximum dimensions of 11.4 cm. length and 9 cm. height. Width of the rim is 3.6 cm. as against 1.9 cm. for width of the body wall. Length of the larger fragment is approximately 20 cm. are Find No.20 of Tomb 38. This was a Bronze Age tomb disturbed by an intrusive geometric burial and probably frequent flooding. A complete analysis of the tomb's situation will, of course, have to await publication of the tomb. The Bronze Age use of the tomb is inferentially late in the LC II period (1275-1225 B.C. according to Daniel's tentative scheme). The local context of Sh 579 and its position in the lowest level suggest that it belonged to the Bronze Age burial period. However, the general confusion in the tomb prevents this from being absolutely assured, on the basis of stratigraphy alone, which in turn is confirmed by the Mycenaean analysis. The ultimate origin of the motif: animals flanking a plant, will certainly be Near Eastern. Nevertheless, even within this Oriental tradition
65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain