Casgliadau Arlein

Small food vessel of the vase tradition. It is of bipartite form with a slightly everted externally and internally bevelled rim, a high carinated shoulder and slightly bowed body.The internal bevel is decorated with 6 concentric rows of twisted cord impressions, the external bevel is decorated with 3 ritngs of twisted cord with a further 6 immediately below on the neck. The neck zone is divided in two by three lines of twisted cord with the panels above and below being decorated with spaced paris of short oblique twisted cord impressions. Beneath the carination the decorative scheme changes completely. Here the body of the vase have been divided into 6 panels by wide grooves, probably made with a finger. Each panel is decorated with either three or 4 rows of oblique fine impressions forming a herringbone design. The fabric has a 'soapy' texture and contains modereate quatities of grog and sparse crushed rock inlcusions. The surface appears to have been deliberately reddened in places and there a possibly traces of white infill in the herrinbone decoration. These fabric and decorative traits would usually be associated with Beaker ceramics so this is potentially a somewhat 'hybrid' vessel.