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Principal Investigator: Dr. Mateusz Iskra
Contact: mk.iskra2@uw.edu.pl
Project collaborators:
- Katarzyna Zalewska
Funding:
National Science Centre Poland, Preludium 20, 2021/41/N/HS3/02388
Project term:
January 2022 – January 2024
Budget:
PLN 139 954
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The Urartian palace ware in Transcaucasia. The analysis of regional production, distribution and evolution of Urartian luxurious vessels, as well as their role in provincial society
Keywords: pottery, Urartu, Armenia, Iron Age, archaeometric analysis, provenance studies, chaîne opératoire
The project focuses on interdisciplinary research conducting on the palace ware pottery group manufactured in the Urartian empire between 9th and 7th century BC. The palace ware vessels are often seen as the hallmark of the Urartian cultural assemblage. This highly standardized group, known also as “the red burnished ware” or “Toprakkale ware” consists of fine tableware products (bowls, jugs, goblets and cups), characterizes by reddish or light brownish slip, and high quality of glossy burnish. Together with fortresses, the palace ware is considered to be one of the main indicator of Urartian presence outside the core region of the empire.
The main aim of the project is to specify circulation and production of this imperial pottery in Urartian provinces in Transcaucasia, using archaeological and archaeometric (petrographic, geochemical) methods of analysis and classification. The research will based on complete vessels as well as their fragments found and stored in present-day Armenia. The project will be divided into several tasks such us: provenance studies, the study on typology, depositional context, chronology and evolution stages of the palace ware, as well as the study on the function of the palace ware in economical and cultural contacts between Urartian fortresses and indigenous communities of Transcaucasia.
Associated events:Lectures and conference presentations:June 1-3, 2022, Conference presentation (co-authors Zalewska K., Woronko B. Oglaza, K.) „Preliminary results of archaeometric research of Iron age pottery from Metsamor” in “Benchmarks of South Caucasian Antiquity” International Conference held in Tbilisi
October 1, 2022, Workshop presentation (co-author T. Zakyan) “Continuity and change in the ceramic assemblage from Metsamor between the 10th and 7th century BC. New data from the outer town.” In “From Etiuni to Urartu. International Workshop” held in Yerevan
Project bibliography:Links
