Volume 04 Issue 11-2024
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ABSTRACT
In this article, the study of pan vessels recorded as a result of the research conducted in the Djarkutan monument of
the Sopolli culture of the Bronze Age, the size, functions, stages of development, distribution geography of these
types of vessels is compared with the findings of the Bronze and later periods of other cultures, and at the same time,
their In addition to making brief comments about the periodic dates, it was mentioned that pans were the same, i.e.
circular, in all stages of the Sopolli culture, and pans, like pots, did not change in shape at all stages of the Sopolli
culture.
KEYWORDS
Central Asia, Southern Bactria, Northern Turkmenistan, Burguluk culture, Sopolly culture, Djarkutan, Kuzali, Mulali,
Altintepa.
INTRODUCTION
Life in the Sopollitepa settlement lasted about two
hundred years, and the population of the village
increased from year to year. When there was a
shortage of water for irrigation of lands and crops,
some of the population of the settlement moved to the
lower reaches of the present Sherabad River in search
of new lands.
The monument Djarkutan is located at the foot of the
mountain Bustonsoy in Sherabad district, its total area
is about 100 hectares. The first excavations in the
territory of the monument began in 1973 and continue
until now.
The monument was the object of many years of
scientific research by A.A. Askarov. The first
explanation that Djarkutan is a monument of early
agricultural culture, characteristic of the ancient
Eastern civilization (Askarov, 1977). As a result of
research work carried out in subsequent years on the
monument, interprets Dzharkuton as the first city
(Askarov, Shirinov, 1993).
Research Article
ABOUT THE DISHES OF THE MONUMENT DJARKUTAN
Submission Date:
November 02, 2024,
Accepted Date:
November 07, 2024,
Published Date:
November 12, 2024
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ijhps/Volume04Issue11-05
Rakhimov K.A.
Samarkand Institute of Archaeology, named after Y. Gulyamov, senior researcher at the Institute, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ijhps
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
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In subsequent years, Sh.B. Shaidullaev proposed to call
the monuments of the Sopolli culture as pictographic
records of symbols found on clay vessels and records
that they seem to have 47 different types (Shaidullaev,
2009. P. 26). The pictographic signs-records, which
according to the Djarkutan materials are considered to
be the main sign of early civilization, look different, and
they indicate that the first cities and states in Bactria
were formed at the same time (Shaidullaev, 2009. P.
48).
The information telling about Sopolli culture,
information about several types, variants and their
functions (Askarov, 1973. pp. 71-85; author Sh.Sh.A.,
1977; Askarov, Abdullaev, 1983.; Askarov, Shirinov,
1993.; Rakhmanov, 1987.; Ionesov, 1990.; Sirinov,
2002). According to the analysis, the ceramics
belonging to all stages of this culture were handmade,
mainly pottery, as well as kitchen utensils, hum and
some other items.
In this article, we would like to reflect on the form, size,
function, as well as their absolute periodic dates, which
are considered as one of the kitchen utensils belonging
to the different stages of the Sopolli culture.
The kitchen utensils of the Sopolli culture consist of
several types, which include cauldrons, pots and
dishes. These vessels were made of special refractory
clay, which includes sand, crushed stone particles,
gypsum, quartz and other elements.
Depending on the shape and size of the vessels, they
were used for cooking various dishes. For example,
dough dishes such as stew, bread, cottage cheese, and
pastries were cooked in pots, while food, water, and
milk were boiled in cauldrons for small families, and
cauldrons were used to feed large families (Askarov,
1973; Rakhimov). , 2010, pp. 30-32; 2011, pp. 16-17).
All ceramics of the Sopollitepy culture, A.A. Askarov
divided into two groups, potter's wheel and handmade
ceramics. Handmade ceramics includes pots, cauldrons
and kettles, and accounts for 1.5-3% of the total
production.
Making handmade pottery also required special
knowledge, experience and skills from potters. All pots
belonging to the Sopolli culture were polished and
molded on the outside on a potter's wheel after being
made by hand, but the inside, especially the lower parts
inaccessible to the potter, remained rough. The
technology of making kitchen utensils remained
unchanged until the late Middle Ages, only their shapes
and compositions changed.
A total of 12 handmade ovens were found at
Sopollitepe. Their clay contains fireclay, fine rock
particles, gypsum and sand. The exterior of these
vessels is covered with black soot from exposure to
fire, although their sizes vary, they are all typical of the
same type. They were made not too high, round, flat in
shape, with the sides slightly bent outwards.
The pot has a flat bottom and the transition from the
base to the side wall is like a groove, the height of the
side wall is 4-5 cm, the diameter of the side wall is 30
cm. at least, the thickness of their base part is 2-2.5 cm,
and the thickness of the side walls is 1-1.5 cm.
The side wall of some trays is slightly bent outward,
and there is a cornice at the transition to the side wall
from the bottom to the circumference. The diameter
of the sides of these containers is 30-50 cm, height - 11
cm. The thickness of the tagdon wall is 3 cm. The clay
from which they are made consists of crushed quartz
stone (Rakhmanov, 1987. P.71).
U.V. Rakhmonov believes that the form of large-sized
tableware belonging to the early stage of the Sopolli
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culture, in particular, pots, pots and other types of
kitchen utensils, remained practically unchanged
throughout all periods of this stage (Rakhmanov, 1987.
p.71). This situation is manifested in the fact that
Sollitepa trays do not differ from each other in shape
and manufacturing technology. That is, the general
appearance of the trays is the same, the flange circle
has a round shape, and the side wall is bent outward.
A.A. Askarov noted that among the complex of
ceramics at the Djarkutan stage there were not many
handmade trays, the outer surface of which was
covered with black soot (Askarov, 1977, p. 83).
Scientific studies conducted by researchers to this day
have provided data on the trays of the Sopolli stage,
but no data on the shape, tray variant, and other
characteristics of the trays of this culture from the
Djarkutan, Kuzali, and Mulal stages.
Dozens of fragments of Sopolli pottery of Djarkutan
culture stage were found, which can be divided into
one type and five categories.
1. Not too high flat-shaped circle with the sides slightly
bent to the outside of the trays. The base of the trays
appears flat, with the top of the rim cut aslant on one
side in the trim (Figure 1-4). The diameter of the flange
of vessels of this category is 42-44 cm, the diameter of
the base is 41-42 cm, the height of the side wall is 4 cm,
and the thickness of the bottom is about 1.5-2 cm.
2. Not too tall, flat-shaped circle with side walls slightly
curved outward from the trays. The base appears flat
and the transition from the base to the side wall (1.5
cm) is steeper, with the side wall having a semicircular
shape at the top of the ridge (Fig. 1, 9-11). The height of
dishes in this category is 5 cm. The diameter of the rim
is 40-42 cm, the diameter of the bottom is 38-40 cm,
the side wall is 1.2-1.5 cm thick, and the bottom is 2-2.5
cm thick.
3- Not too high circle, flat in shape, it has a steeper side
wall and the top of the rim looks flat on the ridge. The
bottom of the ware is flat (Fig. 1, 6-8), height 3.2-3.5 cm,
rim diameter 30-36 cm, base diameter 29-35 cm, side
wall thickness 0.8-1.4 cm, bottom thickness 1.3-2 cm.
4. Height medium, round, flat in shape, side wall is
more steep, trays are formed by a ledge at the
transition from the base to the side wall. The bottom
of the container is flat, 40-42 cm in diameter, the
bottom is 39-41 cm, the thickness of the side walls is 1.2-
2 cm, the thickness of the bottom is 1.5 cm.
composition (Fig.1,12).
5. Not too tall round flat trays with side walls slightly
protruding outwards and a passage from the base to
the side wall (1.5) that looks vertical (Fig.1,5). The
flange diameter of containers of this category is 40-46
cm, the diameter of the bottom part is 38.5-44.5 cm,
the height is 3.8-4.2 cm, the thickness of the side wall is
1.2-2 cm, and the thickness of the lid is 1.6 cm.
Trays are much rarer (4 pieces) in the Kuzalli cultural
layers of the Sopoll" stage than in other stages.
Depending on their shape, they can be divided into one
type, and this type into three categories.
1. Low, round, flat-shaped, the side walls are slightly
curved in different directions, the base has a flat tray-
like appearance. The upper part of the flange of the
containers is cut aslant to one side, the diameter of the
flange is 42 cm, the lower part is 40.5 cm in diameter,
the height is 4 cm, the thickness of the side wall is 1.2-
1.6 cm, the thickness of the bottom reaches 2 cm (Fig.
2. 1).
2. Low, round, flat-shaped ceilings standing on the side
walls. The upper part of the side wall of trays of this
variety looks flat on the finish, the diameter of their
edge is 38 cm, the diameter of the bottom is 37.5 cm,
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the height is 3.2 cm, the thickness of the side wall is 0.8-
1.4 cm, the thickness of the bottom reaches - 2 cm
(Fig.2, 2).
Figure 1. Pans of the Djarkutan stage.
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3. Low, round, made flat, side wall slightly bent
outward, passage from the bottom to the side wall is
made in the form of plumb trays (1-1.2 cm). The tops of
the side walls of the trays in this variety have a
semicircular cross-section, their edge diameter is 35-38
cm, bottom diameter is 33-36 cm, height is 3.5-4 cm,
side wall thickness is 1.2-1.5 cm, bottom thickness
reaches - 2-2.2 cm (Fig.2. 3,4).
A total of 10 items in the form of trays were found,
belonging to the "Mulali" period of the Sopolli culture.
They can be divided into one type and four categories
according to their shape and structure:
1. Low, the side wall is slightly bent outwards, the
upper edges of the flanges are also beveled to one
side. Part of the bottom in this category of dishes looks
flat, the diameter of the rim is 42 cm, the height is 3.2
cm, the diameter of the bottom is 41 cm, the thickness
of the side wall is 1.2-2 cm, the thickness of the part of
the bottom is - 1.6 cm.(Fig.2, 5).
2. Low, side walls are steeper, with flat trays in the
upper part. The bottom of dishes in this category is also
flat, the diameter of the rim is 32-38 cm, the diameter
of the bottom is 31-38 cm, the height is 3.2-3-6 cm, the
thickness of the side walls is 0.8-1.4 cm, the thickness
of the bottom part is 1.4-1.8 cm. (Fig.2, 6,7).
3. Relatively tall, the side wall is slightly curved
outward, and in the finish, the upper part of the side
wall is semi-circular, the tagdon looks like a flat tray.
The flange diameter of containers in this category is 40-
52 cm, the diameter of the bottom is 38-50 cm, and the
height is 5 cm. The thickness of the side wall is 1.5-2.5
cm, the thickness of the bottom part is - 2-2.4 cm. (Fig.2,
8,9).
4. Medium size, the div is slightly curved outward,
there is a notch at the transition from the part of the
tagdon to the side wall, the upper part of the side wall
is semicircular on the edge, and the part of the bottom
part is flat in appearance (Fig.2, 10,11). The diameter of
the flange of containers of this category is 36-40 cm,
the diameter of the tagdon is 34-38 cm, the height is 4-
4.6 cm, the thickness of the side walls is 1.2-2 cm, and
the thickness of the bottom wall is - 1.5-1.8 cm.
In all the monuments of Sopolli culture, cooking
utensils constitute the majority, they are divided into
one type and several variants.
Frying pans are mostly round in shape and their sides
are vertical and sloping outwards. They were
considered one of the most necessary dishes in the
household. A.A. Askarov noted that there were not
many man-made pots covered with black soot in the
ceramic complex of the Djarkuton period (Askarov,
1977, p. 83). It can be seen that at this stage there were
frying pans in the form of a frying pan, which were
covered with black soot from the inside due to the
impact of fire.
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Figure 2. Pans belonging to the 1-4 Kuzali and 5-11- Mulali stages
Saucepan-shaped vessels, the inner side of which was
burnt by fire, have been found in Dashli I, III
monuments of the Bronze Age of ancient Bactria
(Sarianidi, 1974, p. 62; 1976. pp. 36, 77).
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Although pots are found in all monuments of the
Chalcolithic and Bronze Age in Central Asia,
researchers have not conducted sufficient studies of
their types.
I.S. Masimov in his research established that the flange
diameter of the trays found at Oltintepe was 30 cm.
Noting that they are not smaller, he divides them into
two variants. Some of them are evidenced by the fact
that they are covered with black soot on the inside and
some with black soot on the outside (Masimov, 1978.
p.7).
In the last stages of the Bronze Age the size of
tableware slightly increased. Perhaps, this can be
explained by the increase in the number of people
living in patriarchal families in the last stages of the
Sopolli culture.
In the first stage of the Sopolli culture, the diameter of
the bowls was at least 30 cm, and in later stages the
diameter of their flanges reached 30-50 cm. Grids with
low side walls are also found in the Dashli I monument
of Southern Bactria (Sarianidi, 1974. p. 62; 1976. p. 36;
1977). Their diameter is about 50 cm, and the inner part
of these vessels is covered with black soot.
In the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age monuments
Chirakchi and in the Burguliuk culture there are also
fryers with vertical side walls covered with black soot
(Duke, 1982, p.25).
Two different types of pots - round and rectangular -
were found and studied from the Chust monument
(Zadneprovsky, 1962, p.28). In the Early Iron Age
monument Kuyusay-2, located on the territory of
northern Turkmenistan, small pots with side walls with
traces of fire inside were noted by V.I. Vainberg
(Vainberg, 1977, pp. 42-43).
In our previous scientific work, we divided the cooking
utensils belonging to different stages of the Sopolli
culture, recorded in the monument Djarkutan, by their
purpose and used them for cooking thick dishes and
bread, which were burnt by fire from outside, and
thick-walled utensils were burnt from inside, i.e. for
cooking coals from grills, i.e. we mentioned that they
were used for space heating (Rakhimov, 2012, p. 130).
Based on the above considerations, we can say that
although in the monuments of the Chalcolithic and
Bronze Age tableware have the same shape, by the
Late Bronze Age their larger sizes appear.
This process is also observed in the Kuzali and Mulali
phases of the Sopolli culture. In our opinion, the inner
side of the large sized trays (42-52 cm) are covered with
black soot, which may have also served as a
sandalwood stove for heating the room, if it was not a
combustion tank or not. In our opinion, the inside of
the larger trays (42-52 cm) were covered inside with
black soot and may have served as smoldering coals or,
if not, as sandalwood stoves for space heating.
Because, if we take into account the low side walls and
the thickness of the bottom of vessels of this size, it
was impossible to cook food in these dishes. If we take
into account that the vessels of relatively small size (28-
40 cm) are covered with coal, we can assume that they
were used for cooking. Their side walls and base are
thinner compared to larger containers.
At all stages of the Sopolli culture the shape of pans is
conservative and did not change, only additives in their
clay composition differ.t the Mulali stage, a large
number of additives were added to the clay of this type
of pottery. Due to this, the size of vessels increased at
this stage. Although the types of vessels do not change
at all stages of the Sopolli culture, they differ in size and
in the fact that their side walls are made vertically or
laterally. The shape of the pots does not change at all
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stages of the Sopolli culture, but they differ in size and
clay content.
In conclusion, the vessels are the same, i.e. round in
shape, in one variant in the Sopolli phase, five variants
in the Djarkutan phase, three variants in the Kuzali
phase and four variants in the Mulali phase in all phases
of the Sopolli culture. Vessels, as well as pots, were
used in all phases without changing their shape in the
Sopolli culture.
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