Bronze Mortars from the Collection of the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.129.137Keywords:
archaeology, bronze mortars, pestle, artistic metalworking, casting technology, engraved ornament, decorative design, metalworking craft, museum collection, material culture, Central Asia, medieval periodAbstract
This article deals with the study of a small collection of medieval bronze mortars held in the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan. The paper provides a comprehensive scientific analysis of these material culture objects, employing morphological, typological and comparative research methods.Particular attention is paid to the study of vessel morphology, including body proportions, base and rim construction, wall thickness and decorative elements, which include engraving, relief projections and ornamental motifs. Comparative and typological analysis revealed a significant similarity in the forms and artistic decoration of the mortars from the museum collection to analogous finds discovered at archaeological sites across Central Asia and neighbouring regions. These correspondences underscore the shared artistic and technological traditions characteristic of medieval metalworking practices. In terms of function, bronze mortars served diverse roles: they were employed in domestic settings, artisanal production processes, and in pharmaceutical and medical contexts for the grinding of various substances. Stylistic and technological criteria suggest that the majority of the analyzed pieces may be securely dated to the 11th–12th centuries, while several examples represent later developments of the 14th–15th centuries.
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