Glass Vessels from Kurul Kalesi
Authors : Emine Akkuş Koçak
Pages : 39-53
View : 57 | Download : 70
Publication Date : 2024-04-08
Article Type : Research
Abstract :In this study the glass vessels found during the excavations of Kurul Kalesi in the Eastern Black Sea Region (Ordu Province, Bayadı Village) in the years 2010-2022 will be examined within the context of their typological features and archaeological contexts. Although a couple of small finds dating to earlier times (4th century BC) have been discovered in the fortress, the strongest settlement phase belongs to the reign of Mithradates VI Eupator (120-63 BC) before the town was abandoned after the Roman defeat in c. 65-64 BC. The fact that the settlement had cultic as well as military areas presents a rich collection of small finds including many glass vessels. Among the glass finds found in the fortress, luxury products such as core-formed bott- les, undecorated colourless cast bowl/plate (?), opaque blue bowl fragments, reticella and mosaic bowls stand out. However, grooved bowls, which were distributed over a wide geography in the Late Hellenistic Period, are also among the finds as typical forms of the period. It can be concluded that the glass vessels found in the fortress consisting mostly of luxury glasses of their time are the productions of the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Islands. The findspots where the glass finds are unearthed can be listed as the Inner Fortress, the Northern Terrace, Storage Rooms, the cultic area where the famous marble statue of Kybele was found representing the goddess sitting on her throne within a niche and its surroundings, Dionysus Sanctuary, the area under a pile of stones (an area covered with stacked stones after losing its cultic function, including votive items inside it) and Administrative Buildings Area. In addi- tion to glass vessels, many glass beads of different colours and shapes are among the glass finds of the fortress. Some of the glass vessels as well as the beads were votive objects offered to Kybele and especially Dionysus. This situation reveals that most of the glass objects found in Kurul Kalesi did not have any function in daily life but were votive objects. These glasses include some vessels that have never been recorded in the Eastern Black Sea coast of Anatolia until the excavations in Kurul Kalesi. For this reason, glass vessel dating back to the Hellenistic period found in the excavations in Kurul Kalesi is extremely important for helping us to determine the distribution areas of these glass products and reveal new information.Keywords : Hellenistik Dönem, Kurul Kalesi, Antik Dönemde Cam, Mozaik Cam, Millefiori, Reticella.