- Parthian Archaeology, Parthian Kingdoms, Parthian Empire, Archaeology of Central Asia, Hatra, Small Finds, and 50 moreNear Eastern Archaeology, Central Asian Studies, Parthian Pottery, Archaeological GIS, Turkmenistan, Pottery (Archaeology), Iranian Archaeology, Archaeology of Central Asia in Parthian, Kushan and Sasanian times, Hellenistic and Parthian Central Asia, Hellenistic and Parthian Mesopotamia, Silk Road Studies, Archaeology of the Silk Road, Bactria (Archaeology), Sasanian Archaeology, Achaemenid archaeology, Old Nisa, Sasanian Pottery, Early Islamic Archaeology, Silk Road Archaeology, Seleucid Empire, Hellenistic Pottery, Hellenistic Bactria, Iranian Studies, Parthia, Parthians, Parthian Art, History of Khurasan (Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia), Archaeology of Khorasan, Art & Archaeology of Iran and Central Asia, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Pottery, Pottery technology and function, Pottery studies, Islamic pottery, Ancient Near East, Near Eastern Studies, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Roman Near East, Material Culture Studies, Material Culture, Bukhara, Sogdian, Sogdian Archaeology, Sogdian Culture, Sogdiana, Sogdian art, Consumption and Material Culture, and Material Culture & Materialityedit
VOLUME I: Il territorio e gli scavi VOLUME II: La ceramica e i materiali Tūlūl al-Baqarat (Iraq) si trova circa 200 km a sud-est di Baghdad e rappresenta un’antichissima area di insediamento. Dal 2013 una missione archeologica... more
VOLUME I: Il territorio e gli scavi
VOLUME II: La ceramica e i materiali
Tūlūl al-Baqarat (Iraq) si trova circa 200 km a sud-est di Baghdad e rappresenta un’antichissima area di insediamento. Dal 2013 una missione archeologica italiana del Centro Scavi di Torino e dell’Università di Torino conduce studi sul territorio antico, intraprendendo ricognizioni e scavi in alcuni settori dell’area. Le ricerche, tuttora in corso, hanno portato all’identificazione di una delle colline archeologiche con l’antico santuario sumerico di Keš dedicato, almeno a partire dal III millennio a.C., alla grande dea Nin-ḫur-saĝ; esso era già noto dalle fonti cuneiformi, ma la sua identificazione sul terreno era fino a oggi sfuggita. Poco lontano da questo importante centro religioso sorge un altro insediamento che, in base ai risultati finora raccolti, si può datare ai primi secoli del IV millennio, un periodo cruciale e finora poco noto che precede la nascita delle prime città nel sud della Mesopotamia.
VOLUME II: La ceramica e i materiali
Tūlūl al-Baqarat (Iraq) si trova circa 200 km a sud-est di Baghdad e rappresenta un’antichissima area di insediamento. Dal 2013 una missione archeologica italiana del Centro Scavi di Torino e dell’Università di Torino conduce studi sul territorio antico, intraprendendo ricognizioni e scavi in alcuni settori dell’area. Le ricerche, tuttora in corso, hanno portato all’identificazione di una delle colline archeologiche con l’antico santuario sumerico di Keš dedicato, almeno a partire dal III millennio a.C., alla grande dea Nin-ḫur-saĝ; esso era già noto dalle fonti cuneiformi, ma la sua identificazione sul terreno era fino a oggi sfuggita. Poco lontano da questo importante centro religioso sorge un altro insediamento che, in base ai risultati finora raccolti, si può datare ai primi secoli del IV millennio, un periodo cruciale e finora poco noto che precede la nascita delle prime città nel sud della Mesopotamia.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Puschnigg, G., and Bruno, J. (2024). Chapter 4 Pottery. In The Oasis of Bukhara, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. Available From: Brill https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004693999_006 This chapter presents an overview and initial evaluation of... more
Puschnigg, G., and Bruno, J. (2024). Chapter 4 Pottery. In The Oasis of Bukhara, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. Available From: Brill https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004693999_006
This chapter presents an overview and initial evaluation of the ceramic material found at sites that were excavated by the MAFOUB in the Bukhara Oasis between 2011 and 2018. Assessments and findings are preliminary but nonetheless reflect on the major typo-chronological features and technological variations of the pottery within the oasis. The chronological depth of the material, as well as its spatial distribution, allow us to gain important insights into the dynamics of economic and cultural development, which currently has not been subject to a single systematic study.
This chapter presents an overview and initial evaluation of the ceramic material found at sites that were excavated by the MAFOUB in the Bukhara Oasis between 2011 and 2018. Assessments and findings are preliminary but nonetheless reflect on the major typo-chronological features and technological variations of the pottery within the oasis. The chronological depth of the material, as well as its spatial distribution, allow us to gain important insights into the dynamics of economic and cultural development, which currently has not been subject to a single systematic study.
Research Interests: Pottery (Archaeology), Material Culture Studies, Medieval Pottery, Central Asia, Consumption and Material Culture, and 15 moreArchaeology of Central Asia, Sogdian Archaeology, Material Culture, Islamic pottery, Central Asian Archaeology, Pottery, Hellenistic Pottery, Pottery technology and function, Ancient Pottery Analysis, Pottery studies, Early islamic pottery, Bukhara, Art & Archaeology of Iran and Central Asia, Archaeology of Central Asia in Parthian, Kushan and Sasanian times, and Pre-Islamic and Islamic archaeology of Central Asia
Ceramic assemblages from the Bukhara Oasis show an interesting mix of vessel forms and decorative styles, specifically in pre-Islamic times. Some elements of the tableware bear resemblance to material from adjacent regions in the... more
Ceramic assemblages from the Bukhara Oasis show an interesting mix of vessel forms and decorative styles, specifically in pre-Islamic times. Some elements of the tableware bear resemblance to material from adjacent regions in the south-west and south-east, including Margiana and Bactria, while others, specifically the storage vessels, appear to be inspired by the north-west or eastern areas, such as Khoresm and Chach. Surface coatings and slip paint proved to be highly significant in identifying these distinct cultural links. Drawing upon samples from the recent excavations by the MAFOUB project, this paper will trace the various cultural strains through analyzing the use of slip and slip-paint as an exemplary feature in the ceramic assemblages of the Bukhara Oasis from antiquity to the early Islamic period. Individual decorative patterns appear to be restricted to certain parts of the vessel repertoire. While coated vessels firmly belong to the tableware inventory, cursory applied slip paint with drizzling effects is mostly observed on containers and storage jars. Some slip painted decorations illustrate the considerable variation this technique enjoyed within the Bukhara Oasis. Our diachronic study highlights these diversities and follows the implied cultural alliances to shed light on Bukhara's position and role within the Central Asian neighborhood.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in... more
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in the central, north-western, and eastern sectors of the oasis, respectively. Within these assemblages, we select some individual shapes, surface treatments, and decorations that have proved to be significant in the ceramic data recorded so far. This selection can provide an overview of the characteristics of the ceramic complexes used/re-used over time in the different sectors of the oasis.
Research Interests:
Blue-and-white porcelains produced in China were exported to Central Asia by the mid- 14th century, and during the 15th century they became objects for diplomatic gift exchanges between China and the Timurid empire. The rarity and the... more
Blue-and-white porcelains produced in China were exported to Central Asia by the mid- 14th century, and during the 15th century they became objects for diplomatic gift exchanges between China and the Timurid empire. The rarity and the appreciation of these wares led to the development of a local alternative in glazed earthenware and fritware, which imitated the Chinese porcelain’s shapes, colours and decorations. This paper aims to provide a general survey of Chinese porcelain and its Timurid imitations with a focus on the archaeological excavations in Turkmenistan.
Research Interests: Pottery (Archaeology), Central Asian Studies, Silk Road Studies, Yuan Dynasty, Timurids (Islamic History), and 13 moreCentral Asia, Islamic pottery, Central Asian Archaeology, Porcelain, Turkmenistan, Archaeology of the Silk Road, Chinese Porcelain in Foreign Countries, Mughal and Ilkhanid/Timurid Art & Architecture, Chinese Porcelain, Mongol and Timurid Period In the History of Iran, Yuan and Ming Dynasty China, Old Nisa, and Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain
This report presents some preliminary results from the trial archaeological excavations in Ovlia-depe conducted from April 18 to May 19, 2011, by the researchers of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan’s Institute of Archaeology and... more
This report presents some preliminary results from the trial archaeological excavations in Ovlia-depe conducted from April 18 to May 19, 2011, by the researchers of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan’s Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography.
During the excavation, a small amount of pottery was found. Most of the pottery can be classified as wheel-made common ware, produced of medium-fine clay and fired in an oxidizing atmosphere, with the characteristic orange-red colouring of cores and surfaces. Only two fragments of grey-black ware have been found during the excavations. The different vessel types demonstrate a close resemblance with similar vessels found in the main Parthian period sites of the Turkmen foothills of the Kopet Dagh and permit a tentative dating to the 2nd-1st centuries BC.
During the excavation, a small amount of pottery was found. Most of the pottery can be classified as wheel-made common ware, produced of medium-fine clay and fired in an oxidizing atmosphere, with the characteristic orange-red colouring of cores and surfaces. Only two fragments of grey-black ware have been found during the excavations. The different vessel types demonstrate a close resemblance with similar vessels found in the main Parthian period sites of the Turkmen foothills of the Kopet Dagh and permit a tentative dating to the 2nd-1st centuries BC.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in... more
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in the central, north-western, and eastern sectors of the oasis, respectively. Within these assemblages, we select some individual shapes, surface treatments, and decorations that have proved to be significant in the ceramic data recorded so far. This selection can provide an overview of the characteristics of the ceramic complexes used/re-used over time in the different sectors of the oasis.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Geography and Archaeology
Ceramic assemblages from the Bukhara Oasis show an interesting mix of vessel forms and decorative styles, specifically in pre-Islamic times. Some elements of the tableware bear resemblance to material from adjacent regions in the... more
Ceramic assemblages from the Bukhara Oasis show an interesting mix of vessel forms and decorative styles, specifically in pre-Islamic times. Some elements of the tableware bear resemblance to material from adjacent regions in the south-west and south-east, including Margiana and Bactria, while others, specifically the storage vessels, appear to be inspired by the north-west or eastern areas, such as Khoresm and Chach. Surface coatings and slip paint proved to be highly significant in identifying these distinct cultural links. Drawing upon samples from the recent excavations by the MAFOUB project, this paper will trace the various cultural strains through analyzing the use of slip and slip-paint as an exemplary feature in the ceramic assemblages of the Bukhara Oasis from antiquity to the early Islamic period. Individual decorative patterns appear to be restricted to certain parts of the vessel repertoire. While coated vessels firmly belong to the tableware inventory, cursory applied slip paint with drizzling effects is mostly observed on containers and storage jars. Some slip painted decorations illustrate the considerable variation this technique enjoyed within the Bukhara Oasis. Our diachronic study highlights these diversities and follows the implied cultural alliances to shed light on Bukhara's position and role within the Central Asian neighborhood.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in... more
In this paper, we focus on the corpus of pottery found in the recent excavations of the Franco-Uzbek archaeological mission in the Bukhara oasis and, in particular, in the sites of Ramitan, Site 250, Kakishtuvan, and Iskijkat, located in the central, north-western, and eastern sectors of the oasis, respectively. Within these assemblages, we select some individual shapes, surface treatments, and decorations that have proved to be significant in the ceramic data recorded so far. This selection can provide an overview of the characteristics of the ceramic complexes used/re-used over time in the different sectors of the oasis.
Research Interests:
The excavations conducted by the Italian-Turkmen Archaeological Expedition to Parthian Nisa between 2007 and 2019 have provided new data on the architecture and the internal organisation of the citadel of Old Nisa. In particular, the... more
The excavations conducted by the Italian-Turkmen Archaeological Expedition to Parthian Nisa between 2007 and 2019 have provided new data on the architecture and the internal organisation of the citadel of Old Nisa. In particular, the archaeological investigations carried out in the south-western area of the site brought to light an important architectural complex formed by the South-Western Building and the Eastern building, in which a fair amount of pottery was recovered. The analysis of this material allows to deepen the current knowledge of the Nisean pottery production, offering further insights into the ceramic assemblages of southern Turkmenistan during the early Parthian period.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Hellenistic History, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Archaeology of Central Asia, Parthia, Parthian Pottery, and 10 moreAchaemenid archaeology, Parthian Empire, Achaemenian Empire, Hellenistic period, Achaemenids, Parthians, Archaeology of Central Asia in Parthian, Kushan and Sasanian times, Parthian Archaeology, Hellenistic and Parthian Central Asia, and Old Nisa
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In the framework of the Agreement signed between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino (crast), the work on the field of the joint Italian-Turkmen Archaeological Expedition to Nisa... more
In the framework of the Agreement signed between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino (crast), the work on the field of the joint Italian-Turkmen Archaeological Expedition to Nisa was resumed in September 2019. Four areas were investigated: two soundings were opened near the southern corner of the site (Area K), excavation works were resumed in pit US667 (south-western corner of the site), and a small trench was excavated between the Red Building and the South-Western Complex (Area L) and a trench previously dug by the JuTAKE (season 1956) in the northern corner of the site was expanded with a new sounding.
Research Interests:
The Atrek valley, in present-day north-eastern Iran, close to the border with Turkmenistan, has always been a border zone of considerable agricultural and economic potential lying between two different but freely communicating areas, the... more
The Atrek valley, in present-day north-eastern Iran, close to the border with Turkmenistan, has always been a border zone of considerable agricultural and economic potential lying between two different but freely communicating areas, the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia. Between 1976 and 1978, several surveys were conducted by the Università of Torino in the upper Atrek valley. During these researches the entire continuum of human settlement in the valley was studied in order to reconstruct the historical evolution of the area up to the present time. The preliminary studies of the pottery found during the surveys show that the material
culture of the Atrek valley during the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age is very similar to that of southern Central Asia. During the Achaemenid period, the upper Atrek valley and the area located on the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range became part of the Achaemenid Parthava. The pottery dating to this period (here Jaz II-III) continues the trend of the ceramic production of the Iron Age and therefore seems to belong to the Central Asian horizon. This Central Asian “cultural” border seems to run somewhere south and south-west of the upper Atrek valley; further west, the Caspian regions are characterized by the so-called “Archaic Dehistan complex” while, further south the other region of north-eastern Iran belongs to the cultural horizon of the Plateau.
culture of the Atrek valley during the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age is very similar to that of southern Central Asia. During the Achaemenid period, the upper Atrek valley and the area located on the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range became part of the Achaemenid Parthava. The pottery dating to this period (here Jaz II-III) continues the trend of the ceramic production of the Iron Age and therefore seems to belong to the Central Asian horizon. This Central Asian “cultural” border seems to run somewhere south and south-west of the upper Atrek valley; further west, the Caspian regions are characterized by the so-called “Archaic Dehistan complex” while, further south the other region of north-eastern Iran belongs to the cultural horizon of the Plateau.
Research Interests:
A seguito dell’impresa di Alessandro il Grande, il mondo occidentale, greco, e quello orientale, iranico, s’incontrano e si compenetrano nei vasti territori ad est del Mediterraneo. Sotto gli Achemenidi, queste regioni avevano già... more
A seguito dell’impresa di Alessandro il Grande, il mondo occidentale, greco, e quello orientale, iranico, s’incontrano e si compenetrano nei vasti territori ad est del Mediterraneo. Sotto gli Achemenidi, queste regioni avevano già conosciuto l’arte greca e accolto alcuni influssi occidentali nella loro produzione artistica. Ora, con la formazione di nuove dinastie di origine macedone nelle aree che un tempo componevano le satrapie dell’impero achemenide, l’influsso dell’arte, dell’architettura e della cultura greca ellenistica si fa più forte e pervasivo. Con i successori di Alessandro si assiste in Asia a una codificazione del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano attraverso l’uso di elementi forniti dalla lingua franca dell’arte ellenistica. Tale tipologia di ritratto ufficiale, insieme al linguaggio artistico ellenistico, verrà acquisita ed utilizzata anche dalle altre dinastie che si affacceranno nel corso del III secolo a.C. sul panorama orientale. In particolare, sotto i Parti Arsacidi si assisterà a un fecondo incontro fra l’ellenismo ed elementi iranici o centro asiatici da un lato ed elementi vicino orientali dall’altro.
L’intervento proposto, partendo dagli elementi delineati nel saggio di E. Castelnuovo, si concentrerà sull’analisi del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano nell’Asia ellenistica e partica. In particolare, attraverso gli importati casi studio forniti dalla produzione artistica di Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica e Dura Europos verranno analizzate le caratteristiche di tali ritratti, i messaggi veicolati e l’orizzonte culturale, sociale e artistico in cui si inseriscono.
L’intervento proposto, partendo dagli elementi delineati nel saggio di E. Castelnuovo, si concentrerà sull’analisi del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano nell’Asia ellenistica e partica. In particolare, attraverso gli importati casi studio forniti dalla produzione artistica di Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica e Dura Europos verranno analizzate le caratteristiche di tali ritratti, i messaggi veicolati e l’orizzonte culturale, sociale e artistico in cui si inseriscono.
Research Interests:
The former Achaemenid satrapy of Parthava, located along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range, between present-day Turkmenistan and Iran, was under the authority of the Seleucids until the mid-3rd century BC when it was... more
The former Achaemenid satrapy of Parthava, located along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range, between present-day Turkmenistan and Iran, was under the authority of the Seleucids until the mid-3rd century BC when it was conquered by the first Parthian-Arsacid king Arsaces I.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, this area has been investigated by several archaeological expeditions, leading to a better knowledge of the material culture and occupation of the central part of the Kopet Dagh piedmont before the Islamic conquest. Surveys and excavations were conducted along the upper Atrek valley (NE Iran, Khorāsān) and in the Nisa district (SW Turkmenistan, Ahal) by the University of Torino and the Centro di Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino per il Medio Oriente e l’Asia (CRAST).
This paper aims an evaluation of the ceramic production of the Parthian period along the central part of the Kopet Dagh mountain range based primarily on the results of the Italian Missions in Old Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley and on their comparison with the results of the Russian and Turkmen excavations in south-western Turkmenistan.
This work will focus on the cultural horizon of the Parthian ceramic complexes of these regions, analysing their different influences, traditions and cultural contacts through the study of pottery. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of the degree of Hellenistic influence in the ceramic repertoire.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, this area has been investigated by several archaeological expeditions, leading to a better knowledge of the material culture and occupation of the central part of the Kopet Dagh piedmont before the Islamic conquest. Surveys and excavations were conducted along the upper Atrek valley (NE Iran, Khorāsān) and in the Nisa district (SW Turkmenistan, Ahal) by the University of Torino and the Centro di Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino per il Medio Oriente e l’Asia (CRAST).
This paper aims an evaluation of the ceramic production of the Parthian period along the central part of the Kopet Dagh mountain range based primarily on the results of the Italian Missions in Old Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley and on their comparison with the results of the Russian and Turkmen excavations in south-western Turkmenistan.
This work will focus on the cultural horizon of the Parthian ceramic complexes of these regions, analysing their different influences, traditions and cultural contacts through the study of pottery. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of the degree of Hellenistic influence in the ceramic repertoire.
Research Interests: Pottery (Archaeology), Iranian Archaeology, Archaeology of Central Asia, Parthian Pottery, Central Asian Archaeology, and 8 moreHellenistic Pottery, Ancient Iran, Parthian Empire, Archaeology of Central Asia in Parthian, Kushan and Sasanian times, Parthian Archaeology, Hellenistic and Parthian Central Asia, Parthia, Old Nisa, and Old Nisa
Research Interests: Geology, Archaeometry, Mortars, Plasters, Seals, and 4 moreGypsum Mortars, Nisa Turkmenistan, Elsevier, and Old Nisa
The present paper stems from the research activities carried out within the framework of EU funded project "EDUU - Educational and Cultural Heritage Enhancement for Social Cohesion in Iraq" (EuropeAid CSO-LA/2016/382-631). EDUU... more
The present paper stems from the research activities carried out within the framework of EU funded project "EDUU - Educational and Cultural Heritage Enhancement for Social Cohesion in Iraq" (EuropeAid CSO-LA/2016/382-631). EDUU is an international project funded by the European Union. EDUU consists of an EU-Iraqi partnership in the area of education and cultural heritage enhancement, connecting Universities, secondary schools, and museums. This consortium operates with the aim of enhancing the pluralism of Iraqi civil society, raising awareness on the diverse and multicultural past of Iraq via developing initiatives for the promotion of the pre-Islamic cultural heritage.
Research Interests:
This preliminary report concerns the archaeological activities of the Italian Expedition on the mounds n.7 and 8 (TB7, TB8) in the area of Tūlūl al Baqarat (Kut, Wasit). TB7-TB8 are the most ancient sites among the Tūlūl al Baqarat... more
This preliminary report concerns the archaeological activities of the Italian Expedition on the mounds n.7 and 8 (TB7, TB8) in the area of Tūlūl al Baqarat (Kut, Wasit).
TB7-TB8 are the most ancient sites among the Tūlūl al Baqarat mounds. They appear as flat and rounded tells, close to each other and most likely part of the same archaeological settlement. An intensive survey was conducted on the sites followed by the opening of four soundings in the central and north-western parts of TB7. In the central sector of the site (S1, S2, S4), the excavations revealed the evidence of an artificial terrace with side rooms and jutting walls while in the north-western sector (S3) the remains of a multifunctional building (Building A) were investigated. The
materials collected so far in the different trenches suggest a main chronological frame of the site within the Early Uruk period.
TB7-TB8 are the most ancient sites among the Tūlūl al Baqarat mounds. They appear as flat and rounded tells, close to each other and most likely part of the same archaeological settlement. An intensive survey was conducted on the sites followed by the opening of four soundings in the central and north-western parts of TB7. In the central sector of the site (S1, S2, S4), the excavations revealed the evidence of an artificial terrace with side rooms and jutting walls while in the north-western sector (S3) the remains of a multifunctional building (Building A) were investigated. The
materials collected so far in the different trenches suggest a main chronological frame of the site within the Early Uruk period.
Research Interests:
Four seasons of excavations have been carried out by the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Hatra between 1987-1989 and 1995, directed by Prof. Roberta Venco Ricciardi. The excavations brought to light a large house – Building A – and... more
Four seasons of excavations have been carried out by the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Hatra between 1987-1989 and 1995, directed by Prof. Roberta Venco Ricciardi. The excavations brought to light a large house – Building A – and part of the Northern Street running from the Temenos to the city's Northern gate. Hundreds of metal, bone and stone items were also found, mostly tools and equipment for daily use, arms and armours, jewels and other kinds of furniture. This large and heterogeneous corpus draws parallels to the archaeological findings from the sites nearby and from other cities of Northern Mesopotamia and Syria. Beside items of local production, some objects of Western provenance were also found. This corpus resembles Hatra itself: a city of the Parthian period, situated in the Jazirah, on the fringe of the Roman Near East. The paper aims to focus on some categories of small finds that show the complexity and hybrid character of the Hatrene material culture. These small finds have great value as they clearly hint to the contacts and cultural exchange between Hatra and the cities in the Fertile Crescent. Moreover, these finds come mostly from levels dated from the end of the 2 nd century AD and the first half of the 3 rd century AD. Therefore, these items offer an image of the everyday life and material culture of Hatra in the years before the Sasanian conquest.
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A multitechnique (SEM-EDX, XRD, TGA) characterization was performed on several materials and artefacts from Old Nisa excavated during the recent Italian–Turkmen archaeological expedition, which involved a large building in the SW corner... more
A multitechnique (SEM-EDX, XRD, TGA) characterization was performed on several materials and artefacts from Old Nisa excavated during the recent Italian–Turkmen archaeological expedition, which involved a large building in the SW corner of the citadel, formed by rooms utilized as warehouses and workshops. Polygenic conglomer-ates archaeologically classified as anhydrites were examined and proved to be highly compatible with all the studied architectural artefacts (a plaster, a mortar, and a mould), making strongly plausible their identification as raw materials. Besides, several pigments at different stages of the manufacturing process were examined. A very complex situation emerged, suggesting the existence of different productive processes. At last, a black cylindrical object, identified as a seal, but almost completely devoid of engravings, turned out to be made of graphite and obtained by turning. The results of the analyses on these materials shed a new light on the complexity of the manufacturing processes carried out in Old Nisa in connection with the production of decorative elements for the monumental complex located inside the citadel.
Research Interests:
Re-Search. Archaeology in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Berlino, 4th-5th June 2019 OLD NISA – MITHRADATKERT Jacopo Bruno PhD, Università degli Studi di Torino Keywords: Old Nisa, Parthia, Arsacids, Parthian period The... more
Re-Search. Archaeology in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Berlino, 4th-5th June 2019
OLD NISA – MITHRADATKERT
Jacopo Bruno PhD, Università degli Studi di Torino
Keywords: Old Nisa, Parthia, Arsacids, Parthian period
The archaeological area of Nisa, near Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, consists of the two mounds of Old Nisa and New Nisa and is traditionally identified with the “Parthaunisa” - Parthian Nisa - mentioned by Isidore of Charax. Old Nisa – Mithradatkert was, in the beginning, the fortified residence of the Arsacid sovereigns; the very name of Mithradatkert, meaning “Fortress of Mithradates”, would suggest it was a royal foundation of Mithradates I. The urban area, instead, was hypothetically located on the nearby hill of New Nisa.
It is likely that after the death of its founder, Old Nisa underwent a major construction phase with the erection of a monumental complex in the central part of the site, along with a modification in the appearance and destination of the entire citadel whose layout was now transformed in order to make room for the construction activities devoted to the commemoration and celebration of the Arsacid royal family.
The excavation works carried out in Old Nisa since the 1930s by Soviet, Russian, Turkmen and Italian archaeological expeditions allowed the identification of the main architectonic complexes of the site, even if it is thought that more or less the whole surface of the citadel had been interested by building activities during the Parthian period.
Old Nisa is considered one of the main sites of the ancient region of Parthia in southern Turkmenistan and it is the only one that has been extensively investigated. The information provided by this site clearly shows the fruitful contacts between Greek-Hellenistic, Iranian and Central Asian traditions in that peculiar phase of transition that sees the rise of the Parthian power from a peripheral kingdom to a supra-regional empire.
OLD NISA – MITHRADATKERT
Jacopo Bruno PhD, Università degli Studi di Torino
Keywords: Old Nisa, Parthia, Arsacids, Parthian period
The archaeological area of Nisa, near Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, consists of the two mounds of Old Nisa and New Nisa and is traditionally identified with the “Parthaunisa” - Parthian Nisa - mentioned by Isidore of Charax. Old Nisa – Mithradatkert was, in the beginning, the fortified residence of the Arsacid sovereigns; the very name of Mithradatkert, meaning “Fortress of Mithradates”, would suggest it was a royal foundation of Mithradates I. The urban area, instead, was hypothetically located on the nearby hill of New Nisa.
It is likely that after the death of its founder, Old Nisa underwent a major construction phase with the erection of a monumental complex in the central part of the site, along with a modification in the appearance and destination of the entire citadel whose layout was now transformed in order to make room for the construction activities devoted to the commemoration and celebration of the Arsacid royal family.
The excavation works carried out in Old Nisa since the 1930s by Soviet, Russian, Turkmen and Italian archaeological expeditions allowed the identification of the main architectonic complexes of the site, even if it is thought that more or less the whole surface of the citadel had been interested by building activities during the Parthian period.
Old Nisa is considered one of the main sites of the ancient region of Parthia in southern Turkmenistan and it is the only one that has been extensively investigated. The information provided by this site clearly shows the fruitful contacts between Greek-Hellenistic, Iranian and Central Asian traditions in that peculiar phase of transition that sees the rise of the Parthian power from a peripheral kingdom to a supra-regional empire.
Research Interests:
The First International Scientific Conference of the College of Fine Arts, University of Al-Qadisiyah (Iraq), 17th-18th April 2019
Research Interests:
Archaeological Landscapes of Ancient Iraq between Prehistory and Islamic Period.
Formation, Transformation, Protection and Enhancement
International Workshop, January 15-16, 2019
Palazzo Toppo Wassermann, Aula 5
Formation, Transformation, Protection and Enhancement
International Workshop, January 15-16, 2019
Palazzo Toppo Wassermann, Aula 5
Research Interests:
IL RITRATTO DEL SOVRANO NELL’ARTE DELL’ORIENTE ELLENISTICO E PARTICO Keywords: ritratto regale, arte ellenistica, arte partica, Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica, Dura Europos. A seguito dell’impresa di Alessandro il Grande, il mondo... more
IL RITRATTO DEL SOVRANO NELL’ARTE DELL’ORIENTE ELLENISTICO E PARTICO
Keywords: ritratto regale, arte ellenistica, arte partica, Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica, Dura Europos.
A seguito dell’impresa di Alessandro il Grande, il mondo occidentale, greco, e quello orientale, iranico, s’incontrano e si compenetrano nei vasti territori ad est del Mediterraneo. Sotto gli Achemenidi, queste regioni avevano già conosciuto l’arte greca e accolto alcuni influssi occidentali nella loro produzione artistica. Ora, con la formazione di nuove dinastie di origine macedone nelle aree che un tempo componevano le satrapie dell’impero achemenide, l’influsso dell’arte, dell’architettura e della cultura greca ellenistica si fa più forte e pervasivo. Con i successori di Alessandro si assiste in Asia a una codificazione del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano attraverso l’uso di elementi forniti dalla lingua franca dell’arte ellenistica. Tale tipologia di ritratto ufficiale, insieme al linguaggio artistico ellenistico, verrà acquisita ed utilizzata anche dalle altre dinastie che si affacceranno nel corso del III secolo a.C. sul panorama orientale. In particolare sotto i Parti Arsacidi si assisterà a un fecondo incontro fra l’ellenismo ed elementi iranici o centro asiatici da un lato ed elementi vicino orientali dall’altro.
L’intervento proposto, partendo dagli elementi delineati nel saggio di E. Castelnuovo, si concentrerà sull’analisi del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano nell’Asia ellenistica e partica. In particolare, attraverso gli importati casi studio forniti dalla produzione artistica di Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica e Dura Europos verranno analizzate le caratteristiche di tali ritratti, i messaggi veicolati e l’orizzonte culturale, sociale e artistico in cui si inseriscono.
Keywords: ritratto regale, arte ellenistica, arte partica, Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica, Dura Europos.
A seguito dell’impresa di Alessandro il Grande, il mondo occidentale, greco, e quello orientale, iranico, s’incontrano e si compenetrano nei vasti territori ad est del Mediterraneo. Sotto gli Achemenidi, queste regioni avevano già conosciuto l’arte greca e accolto alcuni influssi occidentali nella loro produzione artistica. Ora, con la formazione di nuove dinastie di origine macedone nelle aree che un tempo componevano le satrapie dell’impero achemenide, l’influsso dell’arte, dell’architettura e della cultura greca ellenistica si fa più forte e pervasivo. Con i successori di Alessandro si assiste in Asia a una codificazione del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano attraverso l’uso di elementi forniti dalla lingua franca dell’arte ellenistica. Tale tipologia di ritratto ufficiale, insieme al linguaggio artistico ellenistico, verrà acquisita ed utilizzata anche dalle altre dinastie che si affacceranno nel corso del III secolo a.C. sul panorama orientale. In particolare sotto i Parti Arsacidi si assisterà a un fecondo incontro fra l’ellenismo ed elementi iranici o centro asiatici da un lato ed elementi vicino orientali dall’altro.
L’intervento proposto, partendo dagli elementi delineati nel saggio di E. Castelnuovo, si concentrerà sull’analisi del ritratto ufficiale del sovrano nell’Asia ellenistica e partica. In particolare, attraverso gli importati casi studio forniti dalla produzione artistica di Seleucia al Tigri, Nisa Partica e Dura Europos verranno analizzate le caratteristiche di tali ritratti, i messaggi veicolati e l’orizzonte culturale, sociale e artistico in cui si inseriscono.
Research Interests: Hellenistic History, Seleucid Empire, Dura Europos, Parthian Kingdoms, History of the Hellenistic World (Focus: Seleucid Empire), and 13 moreParthian Empire, Seleucid coins, Ancient Parthian Numismatics, Hellenistic art, Parthians, Parthian Art, Parthian Seals, Seleucia on the Tigris, Parthian Archaeology, Hellenistic and Parthian Mesopotamia, Hellenistic and Parthian Central Asia, Parthian Ideology, and Old Nisa
HELLENISTIC CENTRAL ASIA: CURRENT RESEARCH, NEW DIRECTIONS University of Reading, 15-17 April 2016. "Ceramics of the Parthian Homeland: new data about the ceramic production of the early Arsacid period from the Italian excavations in Old... more
HELLENISTIC CENTRAL ASIA:
CURRENT RESEARCH, NEW DIRECTIONS
University of Reading, 15-17 April 2016.
"Ceramics of the Parthian Homeland: new data about the ceramic production of the early Arsacid period from the Italian excavations in Old Nisa (Turkmenistan)".
Keywords: Old Nisa, Parthia, Hellenism, Turkmenistan, pottery
The former Achaemenid satrapy of Parthava, located along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range, between the present-day Turkmenistan and Iran, was under control of the Seleucid authority until the mid-3rd century BC when it gained the independence under the first Arsacid (Parthian) king Arsaces I.
This area was investigated since the beginning of the 20th century by several archaeological mission that led to a better knowledge of the material culture and occupation of the central part of the Kopet Dagh piedmont before the Islamic conquest. The still ongoing researches in the site of Old Nisa (near the present-day Ashgabat, Turkmenistan), conducted by the Centro Scavi Archeologici of Torino are of outstanding importance for our understanding of the early Arsacid period (2nd century BC – 1st century AD) and of the degree of Hellenistic influence in this area. Here, the Italian mission started in 2007 the excavation of new monumental buildings located in the SW corner of the rampart of Old Nisa, firstly devoted to storage and productive activities but probably also to representative functions.
This paper aims to an evaluation of the ceramic production of the Parthian period in the SW Turkmenistan (Ahal) based primarily on the results of the recent Italian excavation in Old Nisa and on the results of the Russian and Turkmen excavations in Khyrly-depe, Yanyk-depe, Garry-Kjariz, Koša-depe, Anau, Koša-Haudan, Čakan-depe.
This work will be focused on the cultural horizon of the Parthian ceramic complex of Ahal, analyzing the different influences, traditions and cultural contacts that spread from the study of pottery. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of the degree of Hellenistic influence in the ceramic repertoire coming from these excavation.
CURRENT RESEARCH, NEW DIRECTIONS
University of Reading, 15-17 April 2016.
"Ceramics of the Parthian Homeland: new data about the ceramic production of the early Arsacid period from the Italian excavations in Old Nisa (Turkmenistan)".
Keywords: Old Nisa, Parthia, Hellenism, Turkmenistan, pottery
The former Achaemenid satrapy of Parthava, located along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range, between the present-day Turkmenistan and Iran, was under control of the Seleucid authority until the mid-3rd century BC when it gained the independence under the first Arsacid (Parthian) king Arsaces I.
This area was investigated since the beginning of the 20th century by several archaeological mission that led to a better knowledge of the material culture and occupation of the central part of the Kopet Dagh piedmont before the Islamic conquest. The still ongoing researches in the site of Old Nisa (near the present-day Ashgabat, Turkmenistan), conducted by the Centro Scavi Archeologici of Torino are of outstanding importance for our understanding of the early Arsacid period (2nd century BC – 1st century AD) and of the degree of Hellenistic influence in this area. Here, the Italian mission started in 2007 the excavation of new monumental buildings located in the SW corner of the rampart of Old Nisa, firstly devoted to storage and productive activities but probably also to representative functions.
This paper aims to an evaluation of the ceramic production of the Parthian period in the SW Turkmenistan (Ahal) based primarily on the results of the recent Italian excavation in Old Nisa and on the results of the Russian and Turkmen excavations in Khyrly-depe, Yanyk-depe, Garry-Kjariz, Koša-depe, Anau, Koša-Haudan, Čakan-depe.
This work will be focused on the cultural horizon of the Parthian ceramic complex of Ahal, analyzing the different influences, traditions and cultural contacts that spread from the study of pottery. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of the degree of Hellenistic influence in the ceramic repertoire coming from these excavation.
Research Interests:
The Achaemenid Horizon in the Light of Ceramic Data: Production-related Issues and Cultural Interactions from the Ancient Near East to Central Asia. Naples, 25th January, 2016. Between the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia: the ceramic... more
The Achaemenid Horizon in the Light of Ceramic Data:
Production-related Issues and Cultural Interactions from the Ancient Near East to Central Asia. Naples, 25th January, 2016.
Between the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia: the ceramic complex of the upper Atrek valley during the Achaemenid period.
Keywords: Atrek valley, Parthava, pottery, Iran, Turkmenistan, Achaemenid period.
The Atrek valley, situated in the present-day province of Khorassan in Iran, near the border with Turkmenistan, it has always been a frontier zone of considerable agricultural potential lying between two different bur freely communicating culture areas, the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia.
Between 1976 and 1978, several surveys were conducted by the University of Torino in the upper Atrek valley. During these researches the entire continuum of human settlement in the valley from Neolithic to recent times was studied, with the aim of reconstructing the historical evolution of the area from all possible points of view.
The preliminary studies of the pottery found during the surveys show that the material culture of the Bronze Age and of the beginning of the Iron Age is almost identical in the upper Atrek valley and in Central Asia. The sites investigated have Bronze Age and Iron Age material similar to that of the Namazga Depe and Jaz Depe horizons in southern Turkmenistan, not to Iranian assemblages.
During the Achaemenid period the upper Atrek valley and the area along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range were part of the Achaemenid Parthava. The pottery dated to this period (here Jaz III) continue the trend of the ceramic production of the Iron Age, and therefore seems to belong to the Central Asia cultural area.
The paper will be focused on the ceramics production of the Achaemenid and post-Achaemenid period in the upper Atrek valley, trying to delineate a picture of the ceramic repertoire of Parthava inside the cultural horizon of the Central Asian ceramic complex.
Production-related Issues and Cultural Interactions from the Ancient Near East to Central Asia. Naples, 25th January, 2016.
Between the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia: the ceramic complex of the upper Atrek valley during the Achaemenid period.
Keywords: Atrek valley, Parthava, pottery, Iran, Turkmenistan, Achaemenid period.
The Atrek valley, situated in the present-day province of Khorassan in Iran, near the border with Turkmenistan, it has always been a frontier zone of considerable agricultural potential lying between two different bur freely communicating culture areas, the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia.
Between 1976 and 1978, several surveys were conducted by the University of Torino in the upper Atrek valley. During these researches the entire continuum of human settlement in the valley from Neolithic to recent times was studied, with the aim of reconstructing the historical evolution of the area from all possible points of view.
The preliminary studies of the pottery found during the surveys show that the material culture of the Bronze Age and of the beginning of the Iron Age is almost identical in the upper Atrek valley and in Central Asia. The sites investigated have Bronze Age and Iron Age material similar to that of the Namazga Depe and Jaz Depe horizons in southern Turkmenistan, not to Iranian assemblages.
During the Achaemenid period the upper Atrek valley and the area along the lower slopes of the Kopet Dagh mountain range were part of the Achaemenid Parthava. The pottery dated to this period (here Jaz III) continue the trend of the ceramic production of the Iron Age, and therefore seems to belong to the Central Asia cultural area.
The paper will be focused on the ceramics production of the Achaemenid and post-Achaemenid period in the upper Atrek valley, trying to delineate a picture of the ceramic repertoire of Parthava inside the cultural horizon of the Central Asian ceramic complex.
Research Interests:
International Scientific Conference on “Dialogue of Cultures on the Great Silk Road”, Ashgabat, 11-13 November 2015 Along the Silk Road: cultural and material contacts between the northern and southern slopes of Kopet Dagh in... more
International Scientific Conference on “Dialogue of Cultures on the Great Silk Road”, Ashgabat, 11-13 November 2015
Along the Silk Road: cultural and material contacts between the northern and southern slopes of Kopet Dagh in antiquity.
Since the twentieth century the northern and the southern slopes of the Kopet Dagh range were the subject of many archaeological investigations that have led to a better knowledge of the history and the material culture of these regions before Islam. Especially in the area of Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley the research has provided a huge number of data that help to reconstruct the historical evolution of the ancient Parthia. The southern Turkmenistan was the birthplace of the Parthian empire and as well as home to major sites related to the Parthian kingship.
This paper focuses on the pottery production in the area of Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley in antiquity. The study of the pottery will show the cultural contacts between the two regions (north and south of the Kopet Dagh range) in today's southern Turkmenistan and north-eastern Iran. These regions had regular contacts during the prehistoric and the historical period, especially during the Parthian period, when important trade routes crossed the mountain valleys of the Kopet Dagh along the route that linked the Mediterranean Sea to the borders of India described by Isidore of Charax in the Parthian Stations. These trade routes became the crossroads of the contacts between the Eastern and the Western world.
The analysis of the pottery production of these regions allows us to investigate the economic and cultural contacts that took place between the southern Turkmenistan and the Iranian plateau before Islam. Furthermore it allows us to evaluate the characteristics of these productions and the impact of Hellenistic culture on the local pottery tradition.
Along the Silk Road: cultural and material contacts between the northern and southern slopes of Kopet Dagh in antiquity.
Since the twentieth century the northern and the southern slopes of the Kopet Dagh range were the subject of many archaeological investigations that have led to a better knowledge of the history and the material culture of these regions before Islam. Especially in the area of Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley the research has provided a huge number of data that help to reconstruct the historical evolution of the ancient Parthia. The southern Turkmenistan was the birthplace of the Parthian empire and as well as home to major sites related to the Parthian kingship.
This paper focuses on the pottery production in the area of Nisa and in the upper Atrek valley in antiquity. The study of the pottery will show the cultural contacts between the two regions (north and south of the Kopet Dagh range) in today's southern Turkmenistan and north-eastern Iran. These regions had regular contacts during the prehistoric and the historical period, especially during the Parthian period, when important trade routes crossed the mountain valleys of the Kopet Dagh along the route that linked the Mediterranean Sea to the borders of India described by Isidore of Charax in the Parthian Stations. These trade routes became the crossroads of the contacts between the Eastern and the Western world.
The analysis of the pottery production of these regions allows us to investigate the economic and cultural contacts that took place between the southern Turkmenistan and the Iranian plateau before Islam. Furthermore it allows us to evaluate the characteristics of these productions and the impact of Hellenistic culture on the local pottery tradition.
Research Interests:
Daily life in a cosmopolitan world: pottery and culture during the Hellenistic period, International Association for Research on Pottery of the Hellenistic period, 2nd Conference, Lyon, 5th-8th November 2015. The material culture of the... more
Daily life in a cosmopolitan world: pottery and culture during the Hellenistic period, International Association for Research on Pottery of the Hellenistic period, 2nd Conference, Lyon, 5th-8th November 2015.
The material culture of the Nisa district (SW Turkmenistan) and the upper Atrek valley (NE Iran) during of the Hellenistic period.
La satrapia achemenide della Parthava, situata al confine fra Turkmenistan e Iran, rimase con alterne vicende sotto il controllo dei sovrani Seleucidi fino al III secolo a.C. quando, nell’area della pedemontana centrale del Kopet Dagh, emerse lo stato Partico.
Quest’area è stata oggetto a partire dal XX secolo di numerose indagini archeologiche che hanno portato a una migliore conoscenza della cultura materiale e del popolamento della regione fino all’avvento dell’Islam. In particolare, le ricerche condotte nell’area di Nisa e nell’alta valle dell’Atrek hanno prodotto numerosi dati che contribuiscono a ricostruire l’evoluzione storica dell’antica Parthia settentrionale.
Nonostante le molteplici indagini archeologiche compiute in questa regione, i dati archeologici sul periodo ellenistico sono ancora molto limitati. Maggiori informazioni su questo periodo si hanno dallo studio della ceramica rinvenuta negli scavi e nelle ricognizioni di superficie effettuate lungo il versante turkmeno e iraniano del Kopet Dagh. La ceramica proveniente da contesti archeologici databili fra IV e III secolo a.C. mostra come la cultura ceramica di questa regione sia ancora legata a tradizioni locali risalenti al periodo achemenide. Solo successivamente, alla fine del III secolo a.C. e in particolare nel corso del II a.C., si riscontra una maggiore influenza ellenistica. Questa influenza è riscontrabile anche in altri campi come appare evidente dallo studio dell’architettura e dei ritrovamenti di Nisa Vecchia dove si assiste al felice incontro di tradizioni ellenistiche, iraniche e centro asiatiche.
Questo studio si concentrerà sull’analisi dei materiali ceramici databili fra IV e I secolo a.C. rinvenuti nel corso delle ricerche nell’area di Nisa e nell’alta valle dell’Atrek cercando di delineare le caratteristiche di queste produzioni ceramiche e l’impatto della cultura ellenistica sulla tradizione ceramica locale fra la fine del dominio Seleucide e l’inizio di quello Partico.
The material culture of the Nisa district (SW Turkmenistan) and the upper Atrek valley (NE Iran) during of the Hellenistic period.
La satrapia achemenide della Parthava, situata al confine fra Turkmenistan e Iran, rimase con alterne vicende sotto il controllo dei sovrani Seleucidi fino al III secolo a.C. quando, nell’area della pedemontana centrale del Kopet Dagh, emerse lo stato Partico.
Quest’area è stata oggetto a partire dal XX secolo di numerose indagini archeologiche che hanno portato a una migliore conoscenza della cultura materiale e del popolamento della regione fino all’avvento dell’Islam. In particolare, le ricerche condotte nell’area di Nisa e nell’alta valle dell’Atrek hanno prodotto numerosi dati che contribuiscono a ricostruire l’evoluzione storica dell’antica Parthia settentrionale.
Nonostante le molteplici indagini archeologiche compiute in questa regione, i dati archeologici sul periodo ellenistico sono ancora molto limitati. Maggiori informazioni su questo periodo si hanno dallo studio della ceramica rinvenuta negli scavi e nelle ricognizioni di superficie effettuate lungo il versante turkmeno e iraniano del Kopet Dagh. La ceramica proveniente da contesti archeologici databili fra IV e III secolo a.C. mostra come la cultura ceramica di questa regione sia ancora legata a tradizioni locali risalenti al periodo achemenide. Solo successivamente, alla fine del III secolo a.C. e in particolare nel corso del II a.C., si riscontra una maggiore influenza ellenistica. Questa influenza è riscontrabile anche in altri campi come appare evidente dallo studio dell’architettura e dei ritrovamenti di Nisa Vecchia dove si assiste al felice incontro di tradizioni ellenistiche, iraniche e centro asiatiche.
Questo studio si concentrerà sull’analisi dei materiali ceramici databili fra IV e I secolo a.C. rinvenuti nel corso delle ricerche nell’area di Nisa e nell’alta valle dell’Atrek cercando di delineare le caratteristiche di queste produzioni ceramiche e l’impatto della cultura ellenistica sulla tradizione ceramica locale fra la fine del dominio Seleucide e l’inizio di quello Partico.
Research Interests:
Hatra, Palmira Edessa: Contacts and Cultural Exchange between Cities in the Fertile Crescent before Islam, ARAM Fortieth International Conference, Oxford 14th-16th july 2014 Some unpublished small finds from the Italian excavations at... more
Hatra, Palmira Edessa: Contacts and Cultural Exchange between Cities in the Fertile Crescent before Islam, ARAM Fortieth International Conference, Oxford 14th-16th july 2014
Some unpublished small finds from the Italian excavations at Hatra
Four seasons of excavations have been carried out by the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Hatra between 1987-1989 and 1995, directed by Prof. Roberta Venco Ricciardi. The excavations brought to light a large house – Building A – and part of the Northern road running from the temenos to the city’s Northern gate. Hundreds of metal, bone and stone items were also found, mostly tools and equipment for daily use, arms and armours, jewels and other kinds of furniture.
This large and heterogeneous inventory finds comparisons with the archaeological findings from the sites nearby and from other cities of Northern Mesopotamia and Syria. Furthermore, beside items of local production, some objects of Western provenance were also found. The inventory reflects therefore the features of Hatra itself: a city of the Parthian period, situated in the Jazirah, on the fringe of the Roman Near East.
The paper aims to focus on some categories of small finds that show the complexity and hybrid character of the Hatrene material culture. These small finds have great value as they may clearly hint to the contacts and cultural exchange between Hatra and the cities in the Fertile Crescent. Moreover, these finds come mostly from levels dated from the end of the 2nd century AD and the first half of the 3rd century AD. Therefore these items offer an image of the everyday life and material culture of Hatra in the years right before the Sasanian conquest.
Some unpublished small finds from the Italian excavations at Hatra
Four seasons of excavations have been carried out by the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Hatra between 1987-1989 and 1995, directed by Prof. Roberta Venco Ricciardi. The excavations brought to light a large house – Building A – and part of the Northern road running from the temenos to the city’s Northern gate. Hundreds of metal, bone and stone items were also found, mostly tools and equipment for daily use, arms and armours, jewels and other kinds of furniture.
This large and heterogeneous inventory finds comparisons with the archaeological findings from the sites nearby and from other cities of Northern Mesopotamia and Syria. Furthermore, beside items of local production, some objects of Western provenance were also found. The inventory reflects therefore the features of Hatra itself: a city of the Parthian period, situated in the Jazirah, on the fringe of the Roman Near East.
The paper aims to focus on some categories of small finds that show the complexity and hybrid character of the Hatrene material culture. These small finds have great value as they may clearly hint to the contacts and cultural exchange between Hatra and the cities in the Fertile Crescent. Moreover, these finds come mostly from levels dated from the end of the 2nd century AD and the first half of the 3rd century AD. Therefore these items offer an image of the everyday life and material culture of Hatra in the years right before the Sasanian conquest.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
CALL FOR PAPERS - EAA Annual Meeting, Rome, August 2024 Session #676 "Pots in Transition: Resilience, Change, and Revival in Central Asia and Its Neighbourhood from the Perspective of Ceramics Research". We invite all colleagues and... more
CALL FOR PAPERS - EAA Annual Meeting, Rome, August 2024
Session #676 "Pots in Transition: Resilience, Change, and Revival in Central Asia and Its Neighbourhood from the Perspective of Ceramics Research".
We invite all colleagues and students interested in Central Asian ceramics to contribute to this session at the 30th EAA Annual Meeting in Rome to be held from 28 to 31 August 2024.
https://submissions.e-a-a.org/eaa2024/
Deadline: 8 February 2024.
For further information, check the SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME at https://www.e-a-a.org/eaa2024
Session #676 "Pots in Transition: Resilience, Change, and Revival in Central Asia and Its Neighbourhood from the Perspective of Ceramics Research".
We invite all colleagues and students interested in Central Asian ceramics to contribute to this session at the 30th EAA Annual Meeting in Rome to be held from 28 to 31 August 2024.
https://submissions.e-a-a.org/eaa2024/
Deadline: 8 February 2024.
For further information, check the SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME at https://www.e-a-a.org/eaa2024
Research Interests:
NTORNO AL RITRATTO: Origini, sviluppi e trasformazioni Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016 La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta di... more
NTORNO AL RITRATTO: Origini, sviluppi e trasformazioni
Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016
La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta di invitare studiosi delle diverse discipline umanistiche a un convegno dedicato al ritratto. L’iniziativa nasce da un ciclo di incontri seminariali in cui si è riflettuto sul saggio che al tema ha dedicato Enrico Castelnuovo, Il significato del ritratto pittorico nella società, 1973, recentemente riedito. L’approccio metodologico di questo testo costituisce la trama sulla quale si intendono aggiungere nuovi contributi.
Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016
La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta di invitare studiosi delle diverse discipline umanistiche a un convegno dedicato al ritratto. L’iniziativa nasce da un ciclo di incontri seminariali in cui si è riflettuto sul saggio che al tema ha dedicato Enrico Castelnuovo, Il significato del ritratto pittorico nella società, 1973, recentemente riedito. L’approccio metodologico di questo testo costituisce la trama sulla quale si intendono aggiungere nuovi contributi.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Modern History, Roman History, Portraits, Art History, and 61 morePerforming Arts, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Art, Art Theory, Medieval History, Photography, Hagiography, Early Modern History, Medieval Studies, Contemporary Art, Hellenistic History, Contemporary History, Modern Art, Performance Art, Contemporary Arts, Medieval Portraiture, Byzantine Studies, Portraiture, Byzantine History, History of Art, Byzantine Iconography, Modern and contemporary crafts (Art), Italian Renaissance Art, Ancient Near East, Self Portraiture, Medieval Art, Visual Arts, 18th-20th century Modern/Comtemporary Art, Photographic Portraiture, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Renaissance Portrait Medal, Self-Portraits, Portrait, Modern and Contemporary Art, Medieval Art History, Ancient Portraiture, Hellenistic art, Portrait painting, Performative Photographic Portraiture, Elizabethan portraiture, Parthian Art, Hellenistic and Roman Art, Roman Art, Byzantine art, Greek and Roman Portraiture, Roman Imperial Portraits, Self-Portraiture, Byzantine and Post Byzantine Art, Art and Photography, Medioevo, 16th Century Portraiture, Hellenistic and Parthian Mesopotamia, Hellenistic and Parthian Central Asia, Renaissance Portraiture, Roman Portraiture, Byzantine and Medieval Art, Imperial Portraiture, Portrait Statues, Portraiture and the Problematic of Representation, and Post-mortem Portraiture
INTORNO AL RITRATTO: Origini, sviluppi e trasformazioni Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016 La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta... more
INTORNO AL RITRATTO: Origini, sviluppi e trasformazioni
Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016
La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta di invitare studiosi delle diverse discipline umanistiche a un convegno dedicato al ritratto. L’iniziativa nasce da un ciclo di incontri seminariali in cui si è riflettuto sul saggio che al tema ha dedicato Enrico Castelnuovo, Il significato del ritratto pittorico nella società, 1973, recentemente riedito. L’approccio metodologico di questo testo costituisce la trama sulla quale si intendono aggiungere nuovi contributi.
Università degli Studi di Torino, 1 - 2 dicembre 2016
La Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Archeologiche, Storiche e Storico-Artistiche dell’Università degli Studi di Torino è lieta di invitare studiosi delle diverse discipline umanistiche a un convegno dedicato al ritratto. L’iniziativa nasce da un ciclo di incontri seminariali in cui si è riflettuto sul saggio che al tema ha dedicato Enrico Castelnuovo, Il significato del ritratto pittorico nella società, 1973, recentemente riedito. L’approccio metodologico di questo testo costituisce la trama sulla quale si intendono aggiungere nuovi contributi.