The ceramic production technology of the Kulai culture in Vasyugan (based on materials from the Stepanovskoye I and IV settlements)

This article presents the results of a technical and technological analysis of Kulai ceramics from the Stepanovskoye I and IV settlements. The analysis establishes that the pottery from Stepanovskoye I is characterized by consistent manufacturing practices. A different situation was observed at Stepanovskoye IV, where two groups utilizing distinct pottery traditions coexisted. The analyzed ceramics differ in their characteristics from pottery found at other Vasyugan sites. Instead, close analogues can be identified in materials from the Sarov settlement. The ceramics from Stepanovskoye I demonstrate uniformity in the selection of raw materials, the composition of molding pastes, and surface treatment. Most items were made from slightly sandy, ferruginous clays, possibly pre-crushed. The sole identified paste recipe was a mixture of clay and sand. One vessel's base was formed using a bottom-and-container technique. Two methods for constructing the vessel body were identified: applying patches to a base mold and using strips with a lateral overlap. Firing was conducted in a reducing or semi-reducing environment at temperatures ranging from 550-650°C to 900-1100°C. In contrast, the Stepanovskoye IV settlement utilized four different clay subtypes. Three of these were combined with specific tempering compounds: Clay 2 was used exclusively with a mixture of clay and sand, while Clays 3 and 4 were used with a non-mixed paste containing fireclay. This site thus features three distinct paste recipes, including two non-mixed (with sand and with fireclay) and one mixed recipe incorporating both mineral additives. Overall, this research reveals new technical aspects of pottery production, confirming the existence of two ceramic types within the Kulai culture: Vasyugan and Sarov. The Stepanovskoye IV settlement appears to represent a specific transition from one stage to another. Deviations from the general technological pattern were primarily dependent on local raw material characteristics and individual potters' skills. The continuation of comprehensive research into pottery production technologies across various Early Iron Age archaeological cultures in Siberia and adjacent territories will help to expand existing data on ceramic production specifics, clarify historical and cultural processes, map population migrations, identify trade routes, and determine patterns of intercultural interaction. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Keywords

Authors

References