CERAMIC ASSEMBLAGE FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF THE GOLDEN HORDE TIME IN THE VALLEY OF THE ARTEK RIVER (CRIMEA)

Abstract

The site was discovered by the Mountain–Crimean archaeological expedition of the FSBSI "IAC RAS" under the leadership of V. V. Maiko in 2016. The settlement is located in the left side of the valley of the river Artek, at the western foot of Ayu–Dag mountain (Southern Coast of Crimea). The most active phase of his life was from the 1330–s for the last third of the14th century, the less active continued until the third quarter of the 15th century. In the collection of ceramics from the excavations of medieval cultural layers, about 91,8% (4290 units) are fragments of the 14th–15th century’s wares. These are building materials (tiles), containers (pithos, amphoras), kitchen utensils (unglazed and glazed vessels, lids) and specialized purposes ware (baby pot, ceramic stand, disc made of the vessel wall). Nonglazed ceramics is 99% represented by wares of South–Western Crimea group. Among the glazed ceramics, the products of the workshops of the South-Eastern Crimea are absolutely dominant (96%); the products of the Alushta workshop (> 2%) and the late-byzantine imports (<2%) make up an insignifi cant part. Vessels of the typically "Golden Horde" varieties and groups (the moldmade ware and kashin) were not found during excavations. This fact indicates the absence of a stable connection between the Artek settlement and the urban centers of the Jochid state and the domination of the Genoese in local trade along the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula already from the second quarter of the 14th century.