Резюме

Abstract

The article is focused on the collection of vessels
belonging to the category of askoi in the Varna Regional Museum of
History’s depot. Most of the materials originate from settlements dating
from the Early Bronze Age, explored near Ezerovo and Arsenala,
Varna Region, while a small number are of unknown origin.

The study presents 21 whole vessels and 6 fragments, of which
17 vessels and 6 fragments are from Ezerovo, 3 vessels are from
Arsenala and 1 is unknown. The vessels (and fragments) are
made by hand, all of which are thin-walled (0.00 – 0.50 cm) and
belong to the group of fine ceramics. Askoi are gray to gray-black,
beige or gray-beige. On the surface of all vessels there are spots
of different colors – black, brown, gray and beige. For the time
being, it is difficult to determine whether these stains are the result
of the primary firing of the vessels or are the result of secondary
combustion/heating. The outer surface of all vessels is smoothed to varying degrees. Characteristics of very well-smoothed surface
have the marks of smoothing (made with a solid object) in the form
of vertical and longitudinal lines along the longitudinal part of the
vessel. The very well smoothed vessels were covered with an engobe
in a color identical to the original underlying fabric. According to
the data presented, the most common elements of the askoi category
are circular or elliptical body shape (horizontal section); tapered
mouth, and rounded mouth; conical neck, spherical body profile
(vertical section) and flat base. All vessels have vertical handles that
extend high above the mouth. At the upper part they are attached to
the mouth edge, and at the lower part – to the section of the transition
between the neck and the body. Diversity is observed in the crosssection of the handles (flat, circular, irregularly oval, elliptical,
irregularly polygonal, flat-elliptical), with the predominance of those
with flat, circular and irregular oval cross-sections. The askoi with
decoration are few. Where it is present it may be embossed – ribs,
edges located on the neck and body of the vessels, or represented by
incisions surrounding the neck of the askoi.

The data for the vessels examined can be divided into three groups:
First group: 0.00 – 0.10 L (0.02 – 0.08 L – 4 examples); Second group:
0.50 – 1.50 L (0.43 – 1.27 L – 12 examples); Third group: 2.00 – 3.00 L
(2.19 – 3.07 L – 4 examples). The vessels of the second group, which
cover the range between 0.50 and 1.50 L, are the most numerous.
Observations on the lack of correlation between volume and formal
typological characteristics are confirmed in the other two groups.

Chronologically the askoi from the Early Bronze Age settlements
near Varna are dated between the 1st and the 2nd phase of the epoch.

The askoi from the Varna Regional Museum of History are a
representative sample of this category of vessels, with the Ezerovo
specimens being the second largest collection, after that of Yunatsite
tell, Pazardzhik Region. The examples presented illustrate the diversity
of form in the vessels, observing some overlap in the modeling of the
elements of a certain number of the presented samples. However,
it is impossible to make a typological analysis and design of each
of the types and variants of the materials in question. Similarities
are observed in vessel volumes. This is probably a testament to the
identical function they performed, regardless of their differences in typology. For now, unanswered questions remain regarding their
brief chronological presence during the early phase of the epochs,
their uneven distribution in the sites within present day Bulgarian
lands, and also what influenced these trends.