PECULIARITIES OF THE FIRING OF VESSELS OF THE SURGUT VARIANT OF THE KULAI CULTURAL-HISTORICAL COMMUNITY (BASED ON THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS DATA)

Abstract

The Barsova Gora is a unique landscape object where a great number of archaeological sites from the Neolithic to the modern period have been discovered. One of the most studied cultural formations is the Surgut variant of the Kulai cultural-historical community. Pottery firing skills among potters of various archaeological cultures are of particular interest for studying. By the present time on a wide range of archaeological ceramics the thermogravimetric method allowing to receive the data about intensity and quality of firing has been tested. Ceramics from seven sites of Surgut variant of the Kulai cultural-historical community (50 samples in total) served as a source base. According to the results of the ceramics thermogravimetric analysis, all sites can be divided into three groups depending on intensity of firing. Group 1 (two sites) — the pottery of this group was exposed to the most intensive firing compared to the pottery from other sites. This means that the vessels of this group were fired at a higher temperature and/or for a longer time. Group 2 (three sites) — it includes vessels from the sites, which firing intensity is intermediate between the indicators of groups 1 and 3. Group 3 (two sites) — the pottery from the sites of this group has greater porosity, indicating that it was subjected to less intensive firing than the dishes of all other groups. This means that the vessels of this group were fired at a lower temperature than on the other sites and/or for a shorter period of time. The groups highlighted reflect the significant differences between the intensity of firing on different sites. This points to the presence of heterogeneity of firing traditions among the Kulai cultural-historical community potters at different settlements and differentiation of their skills.