The Role and Importance of Pottery in The Ustrushana Craft

Abstract

The study of pottery investigates the evolution of pottery throughout history in the Ustrushana region, showcasing ceramic production as microcosm of the advancement of technologies and lifestyles from the neolithic to the early middle-ages. While there has been considerable research done on pottery in Central Asia more broadly, investigation into the way Ustrushana’s local ceramic traditions functioned amongst surrounding cultural influences is absent. Using comparative archaeology, this research studies different vessel types (khums, cauldrons, water jugs, bowls, saucers, lamps and ritual isirigdons) with typological classification and ethnographic interpretation. How they were shaped, their purpose, how they were made, the cultural contexts from which they came were the items these were analyse at major archaeological sites. The results indicate that pottery met basic needs such as cooking, food storage, water transport and lighting and at the same time, reflects innovation and cultural diffusion. The characteristic forms, whether raised jug handles or bowls influenced by Greek shapes, reflect robust local craftsmanship and, also, production under external influences. According to the study, the pottery of Ustrushana is one of the most important sources of economic life, the structure of settlements, and technological evolution in this region. It emphasizes the role of pottery as a fundamental source for reconstructing cultural history and enhancing our understanding of early societies in Central Asia.