Назначение и символика гончарных клейм средневековья
Purpose and Symbolism of Pottery Stamps of the Middle Ages (According to the materials of Saltov Culture)

Summary/Abstract: The work deals with the problems of existence of stamps on the bottoms of ceramic vessels of the VIII th – X th centuries on the territory of Saltovo-Majatskaja culture.The author comes to a conclusion that earthenware stamping is connected with the idea that divine beings, connected with fiery element, protected the process of ceramic production and baking. With this purpose potters did a number of magic actions, one of which was putting the sign of a divine being. In this work the author tries to connect the signs with the definite divine beings. While considering one of the pots from the whole number to be his own one, the protector provided the successful result of all the potter production. Now it is clear why not all earthenware was stamped, and the variety of stamp pictures, their tracing and variants are determined here. In the work there is a trying to determine the sense of each of the stamps which are met in Saltovo-Majatskaja culture, and correlation of symbols (stamps) with the definite divine being. The tradition to stamp vessels disappeared because of the changes in the ceramic production technique, connected with the usage of fast-revolving pottery circle and consolidation of Christianity on its territory.

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