Served on a Plate: A Late Medieval Ceramic Vessel with Sgraffito Decoration of a Sailing Ship from the Ropotamo Underwater Excavations, Black Sea, Bulgaria

We report on the interpretation of a late medieval Eastern Mediterranean glazed ceramic vessel with sgraffito decoration depicting a sailing ship. The artefact represents a chance find that was recovered outside the excavation area of the Ropotamo underwater archaeological excavations on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in 2017. Fragments of late medieval sgraffito-decorated ceramics with depictions of sailing ships are rare. Complete examples can be considered exceptional. The Ropotamo artefact is of particular interest due to the freehand execution of its decoration, which suggests some understanding of contemporary ship proportions and seafaring practices on behalf of the artisan. The specimen is analyzed against similar artefacts and discussed in the context of maritime graffiti from the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean regions. The aim is to establish its potential for studying archaeological ceramics and evaluate the extent to which the decoration reflects aspects of Eastern Mediterranean maritime culture of the late Byzantine and early post-Byzantine periods. More research is required to appreciate the full potential of the Ropotamo artefact. A hypothesis for origin, dating and significance has been proposed. However, due to a shortage of published parallels, it may be subject to further refinements in the future in case more stratified similis are identified.

Using Image Feature Extraction to Identification of Ancient Ceramics Based on Partial Differential Equation

This paper presents an in-depth study and analysis of the image feature extraction technique for ancient ceramic identification using an algorithm of partial differential equations. Image features of ancient ceramics are closely related to specific raw material selection and process technology, and complete acquisition of image features of ancient ceramics is a prerequisite for achieving image feature identification of ancient ceramics, since the quality of extracted area-grown ancient ceramic image feature extraction method is closely related to the background pixels and does not have generalizability. In this paper, we propose a deep learning-based extraction method, using Eased as a deep learning support platform, to extract and validate 5834 images of 272 types of ancient ceramics from kilns, celadon, and Yue kilns after manual labelling and training learning, and the results show that the average complete extraction rate is higher than 99%. The implementation of the deep learning method is summarized and compared with the traditional region growth extraction method, and the results show that the method is robust with the increase of the learning amount and has generalizability, which is a new method to effectively achieve the complete image feature extraction of ancient ceramics. The main content of the finite difference method is to use the ratio of the difference between the function values of two adjacent points and the distance between the two points to approximate the partial derivative of the function with respect to the variable. This idea was used to turn the problem of division into a problem of difference. Recognition of ancient ceramic image features was realized based on the extraction of the overall image features of ancient ceramics, the extraction and recognition of vessel type features, the quantitative recognition of multidimensional feature fusion ornamentation image features, and the implementation of deep learning based on inscription model recognition image feature classification recognition method; three-layer B/S architecture web application system and cross-platform system language called as the architectural support; and database services, deep learning packaging, and digital image processing. The specific implementation method is based on database service, deep learning encapsulation, digital image processing, and third-party invocation, and the service layer fusion and relearning mechanism is proposed to achieve the preliminary intelligent recognition system of ancient ceramic vessel type and ornament image features. The results of the validation test meet the expectation and verify the effectiveness of the ancient ceramic vessel type and ornament image feature recognition system.

Olbian Perirantheria

From Olbia’s excavations comes a series of ceramic and stone, mostly marble, large open vessels in the shape of shallow bowls, which were installed on high pedestals. On ceramic vessels the stamped decor on the outside of the edge; it usually consisted of several relief belts – Ionic cymatium (ovolos), one or two pearl cords; in the case of marble vessels, only profiling was marked on the outer side of the edge. Such vessels in the modern literature are interpreted as perirantheria. According to the conditions of the finds and the style of the ornament, the earliest of the known vessels belong to the late Archaic period. The peak of their usage falls on the 5th century BCE. In Olbia, perirantheria have been found in two cult sites, the Western and Southern temenoi, the botroses, and the cultural strata. Their belonging to the cult inventory is unconditional. A wide range of analogies, known from the monuments of the Mediterranean, indicate that the perirantheria were intended for sacred water, which was used for ritual ablutions before and after the sacrifices. Traces of burning on a ceramic vessel originating from the Western Temenos suggest that at some stage of its operation it could be used as an altar for burning offerings. In the late Classical and Hellenistic periods, louteria became a part of everyday life – identical in shape water vessels, also made of ceramics and stone, mostly marble, but smaller in size. These vessels stood on high pedestals, often designed as fluted columns. The context of such finds is mainly related to residential buildings in both the Mediterranean and Olbia, which suggests a change in their functional usage. In addition, the study of the Olbian collection of ritual vessels opens another unknown page in the nomenclature of goods brought to Olbia.

The Liminal Passage: A Final Bronze Age hoard found in Dolany-Nové Sady – “Sádek”, District Olomouc (CZ)

The article presents a hoard from the Final Bronze Age found in 2005 in the cadastre of Dolany-Nové Sady ‒ “Sádek”, Olomouc District (CZ). It consists of 2 bronze axes, 3 bronze cheek-pieces of a horse’s bit, 2 bronze phalerae, decorated bronze belt sheet, 6 fragments of 3 different plano-convex ingots and a ceramic vessel. The paper deals with the chronological-typological evaluation of the hoard and especially the motivations for its deposition in connection with supra-regional long-distance roads. Authors discuss the model of social organization of the landscape in the Low Jeseník Mountains area and selected adjacent regions.

ON THE HANDLES OF CERAMIC VESSELS OF THE EARLY BRONZE PRIMORSKY DAGESTAN (QUESTIONS OF TYPOLOGY AND CHRONOLOGY)

The main purpose of this article is a typological and chronological study of the handles of ceramic vessels originating from fairly well-studied sites of the Early Bronze Age of the Primorsky Lowland of Dagestan, including both settlements (Velikent II, Gemetyube I, II, Kabaz-Kutan I, II, Torpakh-kala), and and burial grounds (Velikent I (catacomb No. 8), II (catacomb No. 1), III (catacomb No. 1), Karabudakhkent II, Kayakent VI). The first handles in the North-Eastern Caucasus appeared on ceramic ware back in the Eneolithic era. During the early Bronze Age, handles became a characteristic part of ceramic dishes (bowls, containers, cups, vases) on the considered sites of Primorsky Dagestan. Functionally, they have a utilitarian, decorative, artistic and religious purpose. The handles are of four types, which are characteristic of certain forms of dishes: type 1 - horizontal tubular, type 2 - ribbon, type 3 - pseudo-handles, type 4 - hemispherical. The article provides a description of each type of pens, provides analogues on the sites of the Early Bronze Age both in the Northeast Caucasus and the adjacent regions of the Caucasus, including the territories of modern Iran, Turkey and Palestine and Israel, which were part of the distribution area of ​​the Kuro-Arak cultural and historical community ( including Khirbet-Kerak culture). The work identifies the most common and early, dating back to the Chalcolithic period, types of pens, discusses the issue of their chronology. This article is the first special work devoted to a typological and chronological analysis of ceramic vessel handles.

Metabolomics-based analysis of miniature flask contents identifies tobacco mixture use among the ancient Maya

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area. To date, only one study of a collection of such containers successfully identified organic residues through coupled chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. That study identified traces of nicotine likely associated with tobacco. Here we present a more complete picture by analyzing a suite of possible complementary ingredients in tobacco mixtures across a collection of 14 miniature vessels. The collection includes four different vessel forms and allows for the comparison of specimens which had previously formed part of museum exhibitions with recently excavated, untreated containers. Archaeological samples were compared with fresh as well as cured reference materials from two different species of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum and N. rustica). In addition, we sampled six more plants which are linked to mind-altering practices through Mesoamerican ethnohistoric or ethnographic records. Analyses were conducted using UPLC-MS metabolomics-based analytical techniques, which significantly expand the possible detection of chemical compounds compared to previous biomarker-focused studies. Results include the detection of more than 9000 residual chemical features. We trace, for the first time, the presence of Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida) in presumptive polydrug mixtures.

RANDOM FINDS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE ALTAI KRAI AND THE REPUBLIC OF ALTAI

In the course of exploration and other special work, geologists often have to study large areas, and inspect natural and anthropogenic destruction. Over the years of work on the territory of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic, one of the authors of the article had to repeatedly research various archaeological sites and ancient products. Information about this was transferred to the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology of Altai State University and will be reflected in the prepared publication. These materials reflect the connection with ancient burial objects of different cultures, record production sites where iron was smelted, and demonstrate an important single find. The article describes the circumstances of their discovery, makes the cultural-chronological attribution of the subject complex and presents the results of the analyzes. The illustrations complement the content of the interpretations carried out. The listed finds will be transferred to the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Altai ASU, and the indicated locations require additional research and possible excavations. Keywords: Altai Territory, republic of Altai, accidental find, knife, burial, ceramic vessel, Bystryanskaya culture, Pazyryk culture, x-ray fluorescence analysis, melting furnace

SOME RESULTS ON THE SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATION OF THE OBJECTS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE IN THE ALTAI TERRITORY IN 2020

The article is dedicated to the results of the work of the Archaeology Sector of the Department of State Supervision of the Office of State Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Altai Territory which was founded in 2019. The most important areas of activity of the staff of the Archaeology Sector are the systematic observation of archaeological heritage, the identification of damage as a result of illegal and unauthorized archaeological work, as well as the implementation of measures for the preservation and protection of archaeological sites. The article highlights the work in the regulatory and practical sphere of the protection of the objects of cultural heritage in 2020 at various archaeological sites: barrows, archaeological sites, ancient settlements. During these events, archaeological structures were recorded: dwellings, ditches and ramparts. The results of work on the archaeological sites in the Talmensky, Topchikhinsky, Burlinsky and Slavgorodsky districts of Altai Territory are reflected. These observations complement the available scientific evidence for a number of archaeological sites. Keywords: sectors of archaeology, objects of cultural heritage, settlement, moat, rampart, dwelling, burial mound, cultural layer, ceramic vessel, archaeological items

NEOLITHIC SOCIETIES AND THEIR POTTERY IN SOUTH-EASTERN LITHUANIA

South-Eastern Lithuanian Stone Age pottery reflects the way of life, nutrition, social status, artistic expression, and intercommunity relationships of its creators and users. Natural conditions unfavourable for the survival of organic material and the intermingling of artefacts from different periods in sandy settlements limit the ability to precisely date and reconstruct the long, distinctive process of Neolithisation that began in the late 6th millennium bc. Analysing the traces of ceramic vessel use, the structure of the pottery, the coiling and decoration technologies, their changes and reasons, it is possible to understand better the traditions of the Forest Neolithic communities and the encounters of different influences in SE Lithuania. Keywords: Neolithic societies, SE Lithuania, potters, pottery, coiling, decoration, interaction between communities.