Galieva Z. S.

Key words: spheroconical vessels, functional purpose, technology of manufacturing, distribution, chronology and typology, development of forms and ornaments.

The article analyses a special type of ceramic vessels, which by their form were called “spheroconical vessels” and were widely distributed in the 10th–15th centuries. The archaeological research of the medieval towns of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as the Golden Horde showed that spheroconical vessels were of mass ceramic products. The issues of the functional purpose of spheroconical vessels and a wide range of their application are also considered. Based on the study of the large number of such objects founded in archeological monuments of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, the author analyses the evolution of the development of their forms. These forms are rather well represented in the illustration to the article. At the same time the chronological sequence of the appearance of various ornaments in spheroconical vessels decoration is studied. The typology of the spheroconical vessels of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan is represented in this article the first time ever.