A local decoration style of glazed ceramics in pre-Mongolian Panjakent (Tajikistan)
During the six seasons (from 2015) of archaeological investigations of pre-Mongolian Panjakent, a large collection of objects of material culture has been obtained, of which a major part is constituted of glazed pottery of the 9th - early 13th century. The retrieved glazed ware of the 9th - early 11th century consisting of Samarkand types demonstrates a strong dependence from the Samarkand site situated 60 km to the east. Beginning from the second quarter of the 11th century, more diverse glazed vessels, including those of a local origin, appear in Panjakent. In terms of their artistic design they yield to the glazed ware of the 10th - early 11th centuries, however a degradation of the quality of the design of ceramics during that period is observed throughout the whole of Central Asia. The present study is devoted to one of the types of the Panjakent ware. It presents complete and reconstructed bowls (Figs. 1; 2, 1-6 ; 3, 1-6 ), saucers (Fig. 3, 7-9 ) and a cup (Fig. 2, 7 ). No vessels with analogous motifs of the painting (bands and rhombuses against a brown background) are found among the materials from Central-Asian centres and other synchronous sites.