Simple rectilinear schemes are commonest (panels, lozenges, and triangles, enriched with lattice and chequers) (V, Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12); with these in the Early Iron Age appear little targets of concentric circles drawn mechanically with compasses (V, Figs. 13-15); also, by degrees, birds (V, Fig. 16), animals, and simple plant designs (rosettes, lotus, palmette), and occasionally human figures.  But as a rule, the mainland pottery is very simply decorated, and insular imports are rare, except within the area within Greek colonization.

In the Later Iron Age or Historic Period, from the seventh century onward, the pot-fabrics of Asia Minor rapidly assimilate two main classes of foreign fashions, Greek and Oriental.

E. The Oriental types (mainly from Syria) are all plump and heavy looking, usually in coarse buff or cream-coloured ware, almost without paint.  The Greek forms are more graceful, varied, and specialized; light-coloured clays predominate, with simple bands of black ill-glazed paint, absorbed by the inferior clays.

After Alexander’s time the Greek and the Oriental forms became confused; the general level of style and execution falls, painted decoration almost disappears, and the outer surface is often ribbed by uneven pressure of the fingers on the whirling clay.  This fashion is a sign of late Hellenistic or Graeco-Roman date.

F. Meanwhile, the black-glazed Greek (mainly Athenian) wares spread widely for table use, and were imitated locally from the fourth century onwards.  The clay is pale or reddish (genuine Greek fabrics are usually quite red within) and the glaze thick, black, and of a brilliant glassy smoothness.  Imitations are of all degrees of inferiority.

G. Other late fabrics have smooth ill-glazed surfaces, of various red, brown, or chocolate tints, over hard-baked dull-fractured paste not unlike modern earthenware, but usually dark-coloured.  These wares begin in the Hellenistic period, and go on into the Roman and early Byzantine Ages.  They have sometimes a little ornament in a hard white or cream ‘slip’ which stands up above the surface of the vase.  These fabrics are all for table use, or for tomb-furniture, and are usually of small size.

H. Pottery with vitreous glaze like modern earthenware only appears on Byzantine and Turkish sites.  There a few late Greek and Roman fabrics of glazed ware, mostly of dark brown and olive-green tints; but they are rare, and usually found in tombs.  The earlier glazes are applied directly to the clay; later a white or coloured slip is applied first, and a clear siliceous glaze over this.

3.  Inscriptions and Monuments.

A. Hittite Civilization. (See figures, Illustration VI:  Hittite
Inscriptions, etc.)

(1) From 2000 B.C. onwards baked clay tablets with cuneiform (or wedge-shaped) writing (Illustration VI, Fig. 1) to be found anywhere in Eastern Asia Minor, within the Halys bend and south of it, in Southern Cappadocia, in Cilicia, and in North Syria up to the Euphrates.