The first wooden showcase [G4] on the left hand wall as you enter contains some of the more characteristic pottery from the site, which deserves some comment.

Content of showcase
1.A. Cornets	B. Handled, Shortnecked Jars
2.A. Cornets	B. Repaired Vessels from Ghassul
3.A. Goblets	B. “Mini-Vessels” and spoons
4.A. Handled Storage Jar	B. Handled Storage Jar

Cornets

Because of their unusual shape, virtual unknown from any archaeological period, these vessels were called cornets by the early excavators of Ghassul. Many scholars have argued that these are drinking vessels, despite their unstable bases. A number of unusual pointed depressions were found inside the Chalcolithic Temple at En Gedi which may have been used to hold cornets.

The most recent study by Sharon Zuhovitzky (see below) has argued for them as “vigil object”, clearly tied with a ritual function.

Repaired vessels

Repaired pottery is found at most Chalcolithic sites but Teleilat Ghassul has a higher number than other sites. The recycled pots at Ghassul were carefully selected from among the broken vessels. Most were bowls which were repaired by drilling holes in two large sections with a small borer and typing the sections together with vines or reeds at their perforations. In addition to bowls, cornet sherds were recycled. They were reused at amulets after their edges were smoothed and holes for fastening were drilled.

Spoons

Spoons are a rather rare type of object from Chalcolithic site, with eighteen (at least) out of the 52 known examples from sixteen sites (see Rosenberg et al., below). We take for granted today that spoons forms part of our modern dining habits, but this is not the case in antiquity. Scholars have rightly asked, considering the rarity of these items, whether these spoons were linked with specific meals or events, or perhaps for particular dishes?
 

---

Additional Reading

D. ROSENBERG, S. GUR-ARIEH, M. PEARL & H. AHITUV, (2024) “(Don’t) Use Your Hands: The South Levantine Late Chalcolithic (ca. 4500–3900 cal BC) Spoons and Their Significance”, Humans 4.4, 385-399. (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.3390/humans4040025

S. ZUHOVITZKY, P. WAIMAN-BARAK & Y. Gadot (2025), “The Cornets of Teleilat Ghassul as a Vigil Object,” Tel Aviv 52:2, 159-185, (Open Access) DOI: 10.1080/03344355.2025.2546274