CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL OF 4TH – 7TH CENTURIES AD FROM THE SOUTH-WESTERN GEORGIA

Abstract

The present paper deals with the Ceramic building material (CBM) of 4th-7th centuries AD found as a result of archaeological works, carried out on different archaeological monuments of south-western Georgia. We are discussing the significance of the CBM as an archaeological source. It is known that this group of ceramic goods can give a certain idea about the local cultural identity and thus is important in terms of investigation of the urban forms as well. In the present paper we will touch the main groups of CBM discovered recently in Petra Tsikhisdziri, Gonio-Apsaros and the remains of Avgia church, discuss their main characteristics, scope of use, places and techniques of its manufacturing. On the basis of study of materials preserved in the museum funds we managed to determine the main local types and shapes of the flat roof tiles with bent edges and compare them with the contemporary materials. When determining the typology of the flat roof tiles with bent edges, unearthed in the studied region, we mainly followed the principle, already accepted by researchers: the tiles were grouped according to their shapes and sizes of edges. We considered such pronounced characteristics as colour of the pan tile, its structure and dimensions. Considering these characteristics two main groups and four main types of roof tiles have been singled out: type I – high-edge rectangular roof-tiles; II – low-edge rectangular roof-tiles; III - blunt-angle rooftiles with straight sides; IV - blunt-angle roof-tiles with bent edge. The studied samples differ from each other by the outline of the bent edge, colour, structure and dimensions of the pan tile. This proves that they have been manufactured at different times in different workshops.
Common characteristics of roof-tiles united by us in particular types and forms, resemble each other. In our opinion a major part of the studied materials should have been manufactured locally. Based on the processing of archaeological  materials the conclusions on dating of particular types of CBM were drawn.