Fragment of pottery vessel with snake decoration

Very little is known of the early stages of the occupation at Tell Arpachiyah, apart from the pottery. The earliest phase is characterized particularly by deep straight-sided bowls, often decorated with cross-hatching or rows of large lozenges. Other shapes are known, but they are limited and the decoration tends to be bold and relatively simple. This sherd, decorated with a snake with a flickering tongue, comes from a vase made from a yellow clay with a lustrous brown slip.