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The hidden material culture of the Dark Ages. Early medieval ceramics at Sagalassos (Turkey): new evidence (ca AD 650–800)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Athanasios K. Vionis ,
Jeroen Poblome  and
Marc Waelkens
Athanasios K. Vionis
Affiliation:
Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Jeroen Poblome
Affiliation:
Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Marc Waelkens
Affiliation:
Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
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Abstract

On the basis of recent archaeological evidence unearthed in the course of systematic excavations by the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) in southwestern Turkey, this paper attempts to pull together different strings of ceramic data in order to bridge the era between late antiquity and the Middle Ages (mid seventh century to ninth century AD). Our aim is to present samples of the ceramic assemblages excavated at the site of ancient Sagalassos from layers that are most probably dated to the late seventh and eighth centuries. An attempt has been made to examine rigorously the stratigraphy and its contents that are admittedly completely different to the known ceramic forms of the late Roman/early Byzantine (fourth century to mid seventh century) and middle Byzantine (early tenth century to mid 13th century) periods at Sagalassos. Five different pottery types are presented, both kitchenwares and tablewares. The fact that all the ware types presented here are local products should not be seen necessarily as a result of a general decline in trade, rural and/or urban life, but rather as a local response to a generally changing economic system and an emerging local pottery tradition based on household-organised production. The shift from the Roman mass-produced and customised wares (that started to disappear from the market) to non-specialised local/regional production (that started to satisfy basic household needs) need not have been a sudden one. Our ultimate aim is to contribute to recent attempts to throw more light on the archaeologically ‘hidden’ material culture of the so-called ‘Dark Ages’.

Özet

Bu çalışma ile yakın geçmişte Türkiye'nin güneybatısında bulunan antik Sagalassos kentinde (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven tarafından) gerçekleştirilmiş olan sistematik kazılara dayanarak, keramiklerle ilgili pek çok değişik bulgu biraraya getirilecek ve Geç Antik dönem ve Orta Çağlar (MS 7. yüzyıl ortalarından 9. yüzyıla kadar) arasında bir köprü oluşturulmaya çalışılacaktır. Amacımız antik Sagalassos kentinde kazılmış olan ve büyük olasılıkla 7. ve 8. yüzyıllara tarihlenen katmanlardan çıkarılan keramik gruplarından örnekler sunmaktır. Stratigrafiyi ve içerdiklerini dikkatlice ve tamamen incelemek üzere bir çalışma yapılmış ve Sagalassos Geç Roma/Erken Bizans (4. yüzyıldan 7.yüzyılın ortalarına kadar) ve Sagalassos Orta Bizans (erken 10. yüzyıldan 13.yüzyıl ortalarına kadar) dönemlerinden tamamen farklı bir keramik grubu ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Hem mutfakta kullanılan eşyalardan, hem de sofrada kullanılan kaplardan oluşan beş değişik tipte keramik grubu sunulmaktadır. Burada sunulan keramik gruplarının hepsinin yerel üretime ait olması bizi ticarette, kırsal ve/veya şehir yaşamında genel bir düşüş olduğu yanılgısına düşürmemelidir. Bu durum daha ziyade değişen ekonomik sisteme bir tepki ve aileler tarafından kullanılacak yerel bir keramik üretim geleneğinin başlangıcı olarak algılanmalıdır. Roma dönemine ait topluca üretilmiş ve müşteriye yönelik eşyalardan (pazardan kaybolmaya başlamış olan) uzmanlaşmamış yerel/bölgesel üretime (ailelerin temel ihtiyacını karşılayan) geçişin ani bir geçiş olması şart değildir. Bizim başlıca amacımız ‘Karanlık Çağlar’ olarak adlandırılan döneme ait arkeolojik olarak ‘gizlenmiş’ maddi kültürü aydınlatmaya çalışmaktır.

Type
Research Article
Information
Anatolian Studies , Volume 59 , December 2009 , pp. 147 - 165
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute at Ankara 2009

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