Terminology and classification in archeology: the problem of criteria (on the example of one type of vessels)

The purpose of the article is to study the question of classification criteria for high liquids vessels forming a fuzzy set. The sources for the study were images of vessels belonging to the archaeological era in the catalogues of Russian and foreign museums. In addition, dictionaries and dictionary products in various European modern and ancient languages were used as sources of linguistic information. In the course of the study, the design and shape of individual elements of those types of vessels that can be attributed to the named fuzzy set are considered. A comparative analysis of their names in different languages is carried out. This work is multidisciplinary in nature. It is carried out at the intersection of history and linguistics on the example of one group of vessels and their names. This work is relevant, since it raises the question of the unambiguity of terminology. It is important to use information technologies in linguistics, ethnology, and anthropology. The question of the need to organize the terminology of these vessels in ethnographic, anthropological and archaeological research is raised for the first time in this work. For this purpose, the definitions of pitcher-shaped vessels in different European languages are given. Such signs of vessels that can be attributed to pitchers as stability were identified. It is provided by the expansion of the body downwards and a concave bottom. Sometimes additional elements are used. They are: pallets, footrests, legs with footrests, several legs. The jug should have a massive handle. It is attached so that the jug is easy to hold and turn. In modern vessels, two lateral dents are sometimes replaced. To make it convenient to pour liquid from the jug, a whisk or spout is attached. The liquid that pours out of the jug does not spread over the outer surface thanks to the whisk or spout. The ancient oinohoya deserves special attention in this regard. It is a jug for pouring wine with a mouth that ended with three wide bends of the upper edge outward. This allowed the person who poured the liquid not to change the position of the hand pour wine from the oinohoya into three bowls arranged in a triangle. Conclusions are drawn about the determining importance of the shape details of individual parts of vessels, identified by changing the contour, and the quality of the manufacturing material. The classification of vessel shapes is performed. The dictionary definitions in different languages of these vessel forms are analyzed. One of the important conclusions is the provision that the forms and their names are not separated in everyday use. The result of the work is the formulation of features that would help to indicate certain names for certain forms, which can help to turn them into terms. The reason for the existing terminological diversity was the fact that the jug is structurally close to the container, and according to etymology is structurally close to drinking vessels. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

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