Generally speaking, one can distinguish (a) imported Egyptian pottery and (b) locally produced Egyptianized forms. The overwhelming majority of vessels are locally produced, imports being extremely rare and restricted to certain vessel types (mainly amphorae and handled cups). The percentage of imported versus locally-produced vessels at the examined sites never exceeds 5%. 
While imports are mainly transport containers and attest for trade, locally produced Egyptianized forms are typical household wares and signal physical Egyptian presence, including the presence of Egyptian potters. The admixture of large amounts of chopped straw is common in the Egyptianized wares at all the sites under review and betray a close connection to the Egyptian pottery industry in general and to Egyptian Nile clays in particular.

Nile B/E	Marl D	Marl F		Beth Shean	Aphek	Tel Mor	Tel Sera'

 (a) Egyptian imports

The classification of Egyptian imports is based on the "Vienna System" (see, e.g. Nordström 1986: 630-634; Nordström and Bourriau 1993: 168-182). The two main categories, into which Egyptian clays were grouped, are Nile and Marl Clays (for detailed descriptions see Nordström and Bourriau 1993: 168-162; Aston 1998: 60-74; Aston, Aston and Brock 1998: 138-144).

Nile clays
Nile Clays in general are alluvial clays usually containing large amounts of silica and finely disseminated hydroxides of iron – therefore also the term ‘ferruginous siliceous clays’. They fire to a reddish or brownish colour, when burnt in an oxidizing atmosphere. Except for Nile D, which contains limestone particles, they show a negative reaction to hydrochloric acid. Usually (but not invariably), Nile clay fabrics are characterized by organic inclusions.

Nile B/Nile E: Nile clays in general are subdivided by their relative quantity and size of their most common inclusions – sand and straw (Nile D is characterized by limestone). Only Nile B (namely Nile B2) and, possibly, Nile E (see below) fabrics were identified at the Canaanite sites under review. Nile B2 fabrics are characterized by oxidation zones with a colour range lying between strong brown 7.5 YR 5/6 to yellowish red 5 YR 4/6 and, in well fired, thinwalled examples a red 10 R 5/8 core. A dark grey to black core is common in less well fired and/or more thickwalled vessels. As mentioned above chaff is added in the clay mass as temper. Other inclusions are fine to medium sand, mica, quartz, and, rarely, a little limestone

Marl clays
Marl Clays are fine calcareous and calceo-ferruginous clays containing varying amounts of sand but few organic inclusions. Fabrics show a strong reaction to tests with hydrochlorid acid (if the vessel is not fired too highly). Marl fabrics are generally harder and denser than Nile fabrics and fired at higher temperatures. 

Marl A: Only a single rim sherd of a closed shape at Beth Shean was classified as belonging to the Marl A group. It belongs to Variant A4, the most common variant in the period under review. Marl A4 is an Upper Egyptian clay with inclusions of very fine sand, mica, and the occasional red particle. The clay usually fires from a uniform pink to a uniform light red with a light grey outer surface. Higher fired examples have a uniform greenish colour. This fabric is very common especially in the Twentieth Dynasty. Vessels of Marl A4 are often covered with a red slip and burnished. 

Marl C: Marl C is characterized by abundant, more or less decomposed limestone particles. Other inclusions comprise sand particles, particles of unmixed marl clay, and micaceous components. Marl C vessels - generally thickwalled vessel types - appear in the Middle Kingdom at the latest, and become rare after the early Eighteenth Dynasty. They appear mainly in the Memphis-Fayoum region, from where this fabric possibly originates (Nordström and Bourriau 1993: 179-181; Bader 2001; 2002). 
A rim of a large storage jar (zîr; Type JR34) from Tel Mor can be identified as belonging to the Marl C group. 

Marl D: Marl D is a very hard and dense fabric that probably derives from the Memphis-Fayoum region. The section colour ranges from red 2.5 YR 4/8 to greyish brown 2.5 Y 5/2 and pale olive 5 Y 5/3, very often also dark brown occasionally with bands of red on either side at the inner and outer surfaces. In some examples the entire section is red. Most characteristic of the Marl D fabric is a large amount of irregular limestone particles scattered throughout the matrix, resulting in a gritty texture. Finer inclusions such as sand, fine mineral particles and sometimes a little fine chaff, as well as the occasional air hole are also attested. Typically, a thick creamy to pinkish or pale olive slip covers the surface. With the exception of “meat jars“, most Marl D pottery was at least partly burnished. Marl D is attested from the mid-Eighteenth Dynasty onwards. In Canaan Marl D is the most common Egyptian imported fabric.

Marl F:  “Marl F” does not exist in the Vienna system but it is widely used to denote a fabric group, which has been found in large quantities at Tell el-Dab'a and Qantir in the Eastern Delta, the most likely region of its production. At Qantir four varieties of Marl F were discerned (i.e., II.F.01-04), II.F.02 being by far the most common. Thin walls and brittleness usually characterize pottery made from II.F.02. The fabric in general ranges from pale brown to brown and reddish brown. The surface is usually covered by a white to pale yellow self slip, occasionally also by a creamy slip. Sand, limestone grits, and, occasionally, pebbles, ochre, grog, and lumps of unmixed marl are the typical inclusions.
Distribution: Marl F is hardly attested at Canaanite sites. Several fragments at Tel Mor were tentatively identified as Marl F (namely Variant 2) by D. Aston (several bowl fragments - not in typological discussion - and two amphora rims). One single rim sherd at Beth Shean probably also belongs to the Marl F group.    

Mixed Marl-and-Silt clays
Aston tentatively divided Mixed Clays into two fabrics (1998: 68). While Fabric III.A was defined as a deliberate or natural mixture of marl and silt clay components, Fabric III.B is a Nile clay with a marl based, thick reddish-yellow slip. Fabric III.A, which is the more common fabric, appears cream slipped or cream slipped and burnished respectively. It is a dense clay, which fires either a uniform red 2.5 YR 4/6-8 in section, or, in thicker walled vessels, light red 2.5 YR 6/8 at the inner and outer surface with a wide grey N 5/0 or 5 Y 5/1 core. The clay is micaceous and includes sand, the occasional limestone particle and, rarely, chaff within the matrix. In terms of shapes and surface treatment Fabric III.A is closely related to the Marl D group and like the latter probably derives from the Memphis-Fayoum region. This fabric was not identified in the here presented collection but due to its similarities to Marl D it might be represented in some of the vessels mentioned above in the Marl D class, which were not examined by the author (see above). An amphora base from Tell Abu Hawam (Balensi 1980: pl. 12:6; retrieved from a later Iron Age context) was identified as belonging to a Mixed Clay fabric by D. Aston and the author (courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority).

* Fabric analyses are mostly based on visual examinations of fresh breaks, with the aid of a x20 magnifying stereo-microscope. 

(b) Local "Egyptianized" Clays 

From a cultural point of view the locally produced Egyptian forms, which form the bulk of the Egyptian assemblages at Egyptianized sites in Canaan, are more interesting than the Egyptian imports. Although a local clay source (at each site!) is used for the production of these vessels, the clays show generally certain distinct properties, which can be closely related to properties of Egyptian clays.

The main shared trait of locally produced Egyptian forms (among them especially simple bowls and beer jars) at the various Egyptian centers is the admixture of large amounts of chopped straw into the clay mass. While this method of clay preparation has a functional background and is well known in the ancient pottery tradition, the co-occurrence with Egyptian forms probably indicates an additional cultural background. Note in this connection that large amounts of straw temper are characteristic in many Egyptian Nile clays. An assumption that at the examined sites the admixture of large amounts of straw into the Egyptian forms can be closely tied to the Egyptian pottery industry is supported 
(a) by the fact that straw temper is more common among the Egyptian than among the Canaanite forms, 
(b) that it is very rare (especially in large amounts) prior to the appearance of considerable amounts of Egyptian-style pottery and 
(c) that it gradually appears in larger amounts and in more vessels (of Egyptian and Canaanite shape) on a time axis spanning the fifteenth to twelfth centuries co-occurring with an increasing Egyptian influence in general and a growing share of Egyptian-style vessels in particular. The fact that straw temper gets more common also in Canaanite forms may then, among other reasons (e.g., a shortcome of clay sources or other temper), be explained as increasing influence of the Egyptian pottery manufacture on the local Canaanite ceramic tradition. 

That the admixture of large amounts of straw into the Egyptian forms can be regarded as imitation of Egyptian Nile clays is also corroborated by the fact that the locally produced Egyptian-style vessels in Canaan imitate the typical Egyptian Nile silt shapes (= household types) and not Egyptian marl shapes (mainly transport containers) which in Canaan generally appear as imports. Furthermore, these vessels are generally low fired (indicated by the common appearance of uncombusted straw rods), another property characteristic of Egyptian Nile silts.

Especially interesting are the Egyptian-style vessels from Aphek. Apart from being tempered with chopped straw, they are produced in a distinct fabric, in which Canaanite forms at this site are not produced. This fabric – terra rosa soil from the Samarian hills – shows close similarities to Egyptian Nile clays. One can assume that this clay source was chosen deliberately.

Concluding, it can be said that while Egyptian imported vessels are mainly transport containers (amphorae, meat jars; handled cups probably contained precious ointments and might therefore also have served as prestige vessels) and attest for a trade contact between Egyptian and Canaan (mainly over sea: the concentration of Egyptian imports at coastal sites seems to be higher than at inland sites, even such important ones as Beth Shean), locally produced Egyptianized forms are typical household wares and, appearing mass-produced and in a variety of forms, can be regarded as ethnic marker for a physical Egyptian presence. The potters involved in the production of the Egyptianized vessels at sites such as Beth Shean, Tel Aphek, Tel Mor, Tel Sera' and Deir el-Balah were Egyptians, or, at the very least, trained by Egyptians and intimately familiar with Egyptian modes of pottery production. 

Local Fabrics - Beth Shean
	Beth Shean: Ware Fabric 70. The abundance of poorly sorted travertine particles of silt to sand grain-size coined the term "Travertine family" for this group. The clay is carbonatic and contains some silty quartz particles (Cohen-Weinberger). Almost all Egyptianized vessels are made of this fabric. Especially in bowls and beer jars large amounts of chopped straw are added.
	Beth Shean: Ware Fabric 70. Beer jars are often characterized by massive amounts of organic temper in form of chopped straw. Their thick walls commonly exhibit a grey to black core of varying thickness, an indication that not all the organic temper was fully oxidized.
	Beth Shean: Ware Fabric 70b. A variant of fabric WF 70 that contains limestone grits in the margin zones of the break, possibly a secondary deposition. This variant appears often with large Egyptian-style bowls, sometimes also with beer jars.

Beth Shean: Ware Fabric 78. Only a few Egyptian-style bowls can be ascribed to this family. WF 78 is a marly fabric with various rounded, non-plastic components including basalt, chert, limestone, sediment, chalk, and rarely travertine (Cohen-Weinberger). This fabric was generally only used for Canaanite forms. Egyptian-style bowls of  WF78 seem to be limited to Stratum S-5 and its correlates, while in Strata S-4 and S-3 all Egyptian-style vessels seem to have been produced of fabric WF 70.

* magnification: x6 (only WF 70b x4)

Local Fabrics - Aphek
Aphek: 'terra-rosa' family, used for Egyptian forms only The origin of this fabric can be located at the foot of the Samarian hills (Goren). Most of the Egyptianized vessels from the "governor's residency" of Stratum X-12 were produced in this fabric but none of the Canaanite forms! The red to reddish-brown (ferruginous) clay and the large amounts of organic temper clearly distinguish this fabric from the one used for Canaanite forms. With all its properties the 'terra rosa' wares are very similar to Egyptian Nile wares (fabric colour, matrix, temper). Often only the petrographic analysis revealed their local origin.	Aphek: 'Canaanite' family  Canaanite forms of Stratum X-12 mostly exhibit a yellowish section. Organic temper is not common (especially not in large amounts), the matrix is therefore rather dense. If tempered the fibers are always better burnt out than in vessels of the 'terra-rosa' family. Inclusions comprise abundant quartz particles and, occasionally, limestone grits.
* magnification: terra rosa (x4), Canaanite fabric (x6)

Local Fabrics - Tel Mor
Tel Mor, Egyptianized bowl At Tel Mor commonly extremely large amounts of chopped straw were added into the clay of Egyptianized vessels. What remains after the firing are often only blackened voids (carbonized straw). The fabric of Egyptianized vessels is generally characterized by the absence of mineral temper.	Tel Mor, beer jar Often, as in this beer jar, not all the straw was entirely combusted, suggesting a very low firing temperature. Referring to Mackenzie (1957) Nordström and Bourriau note that in an oxidizing atmosphere the combustion of organic matter takes place at temperatures between 380-600°C (1993: 155).
* magnification: x4

Local Fabrics - Tel Sera'
	Tel Sera', Egyptianized bowl Also at Tel Sera' the admixture of straw as temper is common in the Egyptianized vessels. An increase in the use of straw temper in Egyptian and Canaanite forms on a time-axis spanning the fifteenth to twelfth centuries co-occurs with an increase of Egyptian influence and an increased share of Egyptian-style vessels within the entire assemblage, and can therefore most probably be explained as influence of the Egyptian pottery tradition (cf. also to Beth Shean and Tel Mor).
* magnification: x8

* Fabric analyses are mostly based on visual examinations of fresh breaks, with the aid of a x20 magnifying stereo-microscope. Additionally, petrographic studies were available from Beth Shean (Cohen-Weinberger 1998) and Aphek (Y. Goren; cf. Martin, Gadot and Goren forthcoming). 
 

Note that the print scale might differ from the given scale!