TYPOLOGY AND CHRONOLOGY OF POTTERY OF THE 2ND-3RD CENTURIES AD FROM CHERSONESUS OF TAURICA

Elena Klenina

Systematic excavations at Chersonesus of Taurica began in 1888. The leader of the expedition, K.K. Koscushko-Waluzynich, was a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission. Unfortunately, only a small number of items have been analyzed in the last few years. The collection of local and imported ceramics dating to the Roman and early Byzantine periods from Chersonesus represents a rich typology with a significant number of forms. Most recently scholars working at Chersonesus have created an entire classification system based on modern ceramic studies. We have had no evidence about local kiln sites from the Roman period until now. Because of a significant amount of ceramic evidence in Chersonesus of Taurica we are going to represent some of the pottery types from a few well-dated assemblages. The assemblage is from a level of building destruction in a villa rustica near Chersonesus and represented whole basic types. The destruction level is dated to the late 2nd to the first half of the 3rd century AD. A Julia Domna coin was found in the level. Another assemblage presents material from the excavation of the Jupiter temple near Chersonesus found by legion I Italica. Whole pottery samples were divided into a few functional groups.

There are amphorae, tableware and (kitchen pottery) cooking ware, and lamps. The amphorae represent one significant ceramic group. Zeest type 72-73, the so-called "mirmeki" type, was widespread in the northwestern part of the Black Sea (Chersonesus, Olbia, Bosporos kingdom, Novae (Bulgaria), and Tomas (Rumania)). The light-brown amphorae, Shelov type C-D, represents a significant group of the 2nd to mid 3rd century, which were widespread in the region of the Black Sea, and Upper and Lower Moesia. There is a sample of the Foropopiliensi type of the late 2nd to mid 3rd century from eastern or central Italy. Generally speaking, amphorae found in Chersonesos were produced in Black Sea centers.
The various forms of tableware have been distinguished during excavations in Chersonesus. Recorded tableware items include terra sigillata from Gaulish workshops, glazed pottery from Pannonia, and Thin-walled plates and bowls with barbotine decoration produced in Asia Minor. Kitchen pottery is represented by pots, frying pans, jugs and basins. Two pot types with a biconical or oval body and two handles were common in the Black Sea and the eastern Mediterranean in the 2nd-3rd centuries.

Study of the abundant ceramic evidence can help to clarify problems concerning ceramic production and distribution, both at issue when establishing the economic structure and activities in the northern Black Sea region.

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