Sassanian Pottery of Tesmijan, Kashan: A Study of Surface Materials

Abstract

The historical site of Tesmijan, 300 hectares in area, is located northeast of Kashan city. According to archaeological data, this site was used during the Iron Age, Parthian, Sassanid, and early Islamic periods. According to the surface archaeological materials, the peak of settlement in Tesmijan was during the Sassanid period, during which the site has probably been a Sasanian city. The site is one of the few Sassanid sites in Kashan that has been expanded during the Parthian period. According to the quantity and quality of data, this site can help understand the Sassanid period in the Iranian Central Plateau. In the present study, we want to answer these questions: What are the basic characteristics of the Sassanid pottery typology and forms in the site; how does a comparative analysis of these forms with other Sassanid sites help to gain a better understanding of the archaeological processes in the region? What are the main arguments regarding the origin of stylistic forms and decorations of local types in this site? For this purpose, the ceramics were sampled through systematic survey and networking of the Tesmijan site to determine the typology and forms of Sassanid pottery in the site, and a comparative analysis of these forms with other Sasanian sites has been presented We have attempted to investigate the local origin of the pottery in the site; Although the cultural material of the site is comparable to various Sassanid sites, especially in western Iran. Some local forms are also identified and introduced in this research using descriptive-analytical methods.