The technological and morphological study of clay vessel rims from the 11th century assemblage (Smolensk, excavations of 2015)

The paper is dedicated to the technological and morphological study of the wheel-made vessels, which were found in Smolensk (excavations of 2015 led by N. A. Krenke) at the site associated with remains of a jewelry workshop. On the basis of the items made from non-ferrous metals the assemblage is dated to the second half of the 11th century. This pottery assemblage (rims from 58 various vessels) apparently reflects a specific stage in the history of pottery-making in medieval Smolensk. Five morphological groups were singled out based on identity or similarity of the production schemes used to make the rims. Group 1 predominates totally in the assemblage (65.5 % of the vessels). These vessels have a rim with a smoothly everted neck and the same model of the edge finishing. There is a rib at the exterior side of the rim base. The rims may be used as markers to identify assemblages of the similar type. The vessels from the discussed assemblage are characterized by white color of the paste, incomplete firing in an oxidizing atmosphere, artificial temper, i.e. grog with the grain size ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 mm (Table 1).