Served on a Plate: A Late Medieval Ceramic Vessel with Sgraffito Decoration of a Sailing Ship from the Ropotamo Underwater Excavations, Black Sea, Bulgaria

Dragomir Garbov,Kroum Batchvarov

doi:10.3390/heritage5010010

Abstract

We report on the interpretation of a late medieval Eastern Mediterranean glazed ceramic vessel with sgraffito decoration depicting a sailing ship. The artefact represents a chance find that was recovered outside the excavation area of the Ropotamo underwater archaeological excavations on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in 2017. Fragments of late medieval sgraffito-decorated ceramics with depictions of sailing ships are rare. Complete examples can be considered exceptional. The Ropotamo artefact is of particular interest due to the freehand execution of its decoration, which suggests some understanding of contemporary ship proportions and seafaring practices on behalf of the artisan. The specimen is analyzed against similar artefacts and discussed in the context of maritime graffiti from the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean regions. The aim is to establish its potential for studying archaeological ceramics and evaluate the extent to which the decoration reflects aspects of Eastern Mediterranean maritime culture of the late Byzantine and early post-Byzantine periods. More research is required to appreciate the full potential of the Ropotamo artefact. A hypothesis for origin, dating and significance has been proposed. However, due to a shortage of published parallels, it may be subject to further refinements in the future in case more stratified similis are identified.

Highlights

This article is a report on the interpretation and significance of a complete late medievalEastern Mediterranean glazed ceramic vessel with sgraffito decoration depicting a lateenrigged sailing ship
The main distinguishing feature between the two specimens is the treatment of the sail, which in the Berlin example is displayed as sweeping towards the aft starboard side of the vessel, indicating that the ship is reaching on the port tack
The artefact from Ropotamo is a rare example of late medieval Eastern Mediterranean sgraffito-decorated pottery

Summary

Introduction

This article is a report on the interpretation and significance of a complete late medieval. The artefact is a chance find discovered in 2017 during an underwater archaeological campaign at the mouth of the river Ropotamo on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. While recovered during an archaeological investigation, the artefact was identified outside the study (excavation) area, exposed on the seabed among a scatter of mixed late medieval and post-medieval materials. It most likely represents an overboard discard from a ship. Fragments of late medieval Eastern Mediterranean sgraffito-decorated ceramics with depictions of sailing ships are rare. In 2017, the archaeological test excavations at the mouth of Ropotamo were re-initiated as part of the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (Black Sea MAP, www.blackseamap.com, accessed on 1 December 2021). As it often occurs in archaeological pursuit, one of the most interesting finds of the 2017 campaign was accidental and identified by chance outside the excavation area (Figure 2)

The Artefact

The Decoration in the Context of Maritime Graffiti

Analysis of Nautical Features

Comparison with Ship Graffiti

Discussion

Conclusions