Insights into Seljuk-Period Stonepaste Ceramics from Azerbaijan: Evidence from SEM Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30546/679523.2.2025.066Keywords:
Azerbaijan, Stonepaste, SEM analysis, Seljuk, Glaze, Lusterware, MinaiAbstract
This study presents the results of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses conducted on stonepaste samples excavated from the medieval urban sites of Beylagan and Ganja in Azerbaijan. Until now, the provenance of stonepaste materials discovered in Azerbaijani medieval settlements has remained uncertain. In some earlier studies, researchers attempted to determine the origin of these ceramics merely by the colour of their bodies. The present research, however, provides a scientific basis for understanding their technological and compositional characteristics. SEM analyses revealed that the stonepaste samples from Beylagan and Ganja differ significantly in their microstructural composition. This suggests that the raw materials employed in Ganja’s stonepaste production were distinct from those used in Beylagan, indicating that the two sites represent separate production centres. These findings contribute to a clearer understanding of medieval Azerbaijani ceramic technology and regional production traditions within the broader context of Islamic art and industry.
References
Aghalarov, M. (2025). Silhouette stone paste wares of Azerbaijan: Typology and issues of origin. Archaeology of Kazakhstan, 27(1), 314–325.
Ahmadov, G. (1979). The medieval city of Beylagan [Orta əsr Beyləqan şəhəri]. Baku: Elm Publishing House. (in Azerbaijani)
Ahmadov, G. (1997). Ancient Beylagan [Qədim Beyləqan]. Baku: Azerbaijan State Press. (in Azerbaijani)
Allan, J. W. (1973). Abu’l-Qasim’s treatise on ceramics. Iran, 11, 111–120.
Jafarzadeh, I. M. (1949). Historical and archaeological essay on Old Ganja [Историко-археологический очерк Старой Гянджи]. Baku: Elm Press. (in Russian)
Dostiyev, T. (2017). About the production of stonepaste vessels in the medieval city of Shamkir [Orta əsr Şəmkir şəhərində fayans qablar istehsalına dair]. Bakı Universitetinin Xəbərləri – Humanitar Elmlər Seriyası, 1, 105–113. (in Azerbaijani)
Dostiyev, T. M. (2005). Urbanization in the Muslim East during the Seljuk period and urban culture in Azerbaijan [Selçuklular döneminde Müslüman Doğusunda kentleşme durumları ve Azerbaycan’da şehir kültürü]. In XIV. Türk Tarih Kongresi, 09–13 September 2002, Ankara (Vol. 1, pp. 453–458). Ankara. (in Turkish)
İbrahimov, F. (1965). About the lustre-patterned stonepaste vessels found in Orangala [Örənqaladan tapılan zər naxışlı fayans qablar haqqında]. Azərbaycanın Maddi Mədəniyyəti, 6, 119–123. (in Azerbaijani)
Leviatov, V. N. (1940). Ceramics of Old Ganja [Керамика Старой Гянджи]. Baku: Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. (in Russian)
Mason, R. B. (1997). Medieval Iranian lustre-painted and associated wares: Typology in a multidisciplinary study. Iran, 35(1), 103–135.
Mason, R., & Tite, M. S. (1994). The beginnings of Islamic stonepaste technology. Archaeometry, 36(1), 77–91.
Najafova, N. (1961). Artistic glazed domestic ceramics of the 12th–15th centuries from the cities and settlements of Azerbaijan [Художественно-поливная бытовая керамика XII–XV вв. из городов и поселений Азербайджана] (Unpublished Candidate of Art Studies dissertation). Baku. (in Russian)
Pradell, T., Molera, J., Molina, G., & Tite, M. S. (2013). Analysis of Syrian lustre pottery (12th–14th centuries AD). Applied Clay Science, 82, 106–112.
Pradell, T., Molera, J., Smith, A. D., & Tite, M. S. (2008). Early Islamic lustre from Egypt, Syria and Iran (10th to 13th century AD). Journal of Archaeological Science, 35(9), 2649–2662.
Ramazanli, H. (2001). Sources and technological factors of stonepaste raw materials in Northern Azerbaijan [Şimali Azərbaycanda fayans xammal mənbələri və texnoloji amillər]. Elmi Axtarışlar, 5, 238–243. (in Azerbaijani)
Shelkovnikov, B. (1959). Lustre-painted stonepastes on white opaque glaze from Oren-Kala [Фаянсы расписанные люстром по белой непрозрачной глазури из Орен-кала]. Материалы и исследования по археологии СССР, 67(1), 303–323. (in Russian)
Tite, M. S., Wolf, S., & Mason, R. B. (2011). The technological development of stonepaste ceramics from the Islamic Middle East. Journal of Archaeological Science, 38, 570–580.
Watson, O. (1985). Persian lusterware. London: Faber and Faber.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
