Ceramics of the Middle East from the Excavation of the Eski-Kermen Site

Abstract

Introduction. Three exemplars of Middle Eastern fritware of the 12th–13th centuries, which were first discovered on the territory of a Byzantine town on the Eski-Kermen plateau during the excavations in 2018 and 2019, are presented in the article. They belong to the three different decorative groups, which had not been found in the Crimea before and are rather rare in the archaeological sites of Eastern Europe in general. Methods. The methods of archaeology and art history are involved in the study. First of all these are a stratigraphic method for the chronology of the contexts and artifacts, as well as a comparative method to identify the origin of finds. Analysis. The vessels under study belong to different decorative and stylistic groups of oriental ceramics. The plate and one jug find parallels among the products of the Raqqa workshops from the first half to mid 12th century and late 12th to mid 13th century. Another jug most likely comes from Iran and can be dated to the 12th–13th centuries. Results. These kinds of vessels were not very common outside the region of their production. At least we have very little information about these facts now. So the finds from Eski-Kermen are important for expanding the area of distribution of these types of fritwares. In addition, their presence in a small provincial Byzantine town indicates the residence there in the 12th–13th centuries of the local elites, who could get and own such expensive and quite rare things.