Urartian Red Burnished Ware in local context: An archaeometric study of the assemblage from Metsamor (Armenia, South Caucasus)

Abstract

This paper presents a case study on Urartian Red Burnished Ware (URBW) distribution within a provincial Urartian Kingdom settlement through the use of geochemical and petrographic analyses in a comparison of local ceramics. This pottery assemblage study is based on joint Armenian-Polish excavations in Metsamor, specifically from its so-called “outer town” sector. The stratigraphic and chronological evidence indicates that URBW was distributed in the settlement—in small quantities—from 760 to 600 BCE. This analysis proves that URBW was produced in workshops located ∼ 2–3 days travel from the settlement. The intent of importing such vessels was not so much for their functionality but was more likely in response to their individual character. Results suggest that URBW could not be imitated by local potters. Their inability to replicate lustrous red slip was primarily due to technological barriers related to a failure to attain a fully controlled firing process.