Pottery of the Kalinkino Culture from the Barsov Gorodok III/2 Settlement: Technical and Technological Characteristics

Abstract

Purpose. Barsova Gora is a unique archaeological and landscape site located in the Tyumen Region (West Siberia) of the Russian Federation. The technical and technological analysis of Kalinkino ceramics from the Barsov gorodok III/2 settlement (25 vessels) was performed in accordance with the method developed by A. A. Bobrinsky.Results. For the manufacture of vessels at the Barsov gorodok III/2 settlement, ferruginous clays were selected. Five subspecies of clay have been identified, differing in the sandiness degree and natural impurities composition. The most common subspecies of clay is weakly sandy clay with natural inclusions of brown ironstone. Three recipes for molding compond were defined: 1) clay + chamotte (21 vessels); 2) clay + chamotte + sand (3 vessels); 3) clay + sand (1 vessel). Vessels were made using patchwork molding, presumably on a base mold. Surfaces of vessels were processed by mechanical smoothing and glossing. There are 10 variants of combining different tools. The most common variant is smoothing vessel both surfaces using a serrated tool. Firing of pottery could take place in reducing or semireducing gas environment.Conclusion. A comparison of pottery traditions of the Kalinkino culture from the Barsov gorodok III/2 settlement and the Barsova Gora III/20 settlement revealed their similarity. It is manifested in the selection of weakly sandy ferruginous clays for vessels production. The dominant recipe for molding compound on both sites is clay + chamotte. Vessels were made using patchwork overlay. There are differences in the range of artificial additives used in the ceramic production, recipes for molding compound, surface treatment options. Pottery of the Kalinkino culture from the Barsov Gorodok III/2 settlement demonstrates similarity with the Barsovo culture products. The similarity is manifested in the use of weakly sanded ferruginous clays and the use of chamotte as the main mineral impurity. It also converges with the pottery of the Surgut variant of the Kulay cultural-historical community due to use of chamotte and patchwork overlay. However, there are significant differences between ceramics of the Surgut variant of the Kulay cultural-historical community and the Kalinkino culture from the Barsov gorodok III/2 settlement manifested: it lies in the use of shadings and flap veneer in the Kulay pottery.