Les timbres amphoriques de Ras el Bassit
In the site of Ras el Bassit, during 1971 to 1984’s excavations plan, 133 amphora stamps have been found principally in the Tell du Meidan. These stamps are precious artefacts. Effectively, this dissertation shows how the amphora stamps help the archeologists to know the history of an archeological site, in this case the site of Ras el Bassit. First of all, the basic terms will be presented to explain what are an amphora and a stamp. Then, the historiography research on the amphora stamps shows that since the discovery of amphorae workshops, some stamp’s categories were dated to the year, contributing to the dating of others sites. The dating is the principal contribution of a stamp, but there are others. For example, by locating the production of stamp categories, the trade is visible. With the analysis of these 133 amphora stamps, the dating of Ras el Bassit can be reevaluated and more accurate. Moreover, knowing the origin of these stamps, it will demonstrate that the exchanges (with the amphorae with stamps) began as early as the fourth century B.C., which corresponds to a resumption of Greek imports. These imports will last throughout the Hellenistic period.
Ras el Bassit Commerce Syria Archeology Hellenistic period Trade Dating Amphora Stamp