Sphero-conical vessels from dig CLXV at Bolgar fortified settlement

The authors examine a new set of sphero-conical vessels found at Bolgar fortified settlement, which is known to have had local production of this ceramic type in the second half of 13th – 14th centuries. Thus, its territory yielded several kilns that were used to produce, among other types, the sphero-conical vessels. Presently, the archaeologists have found over five thousand sphero-conical vessels at the settlement through all years of research, and thus they were able to produce their detailed classification. However, one question is still unresolved, i.e. the function of such vessels. In this connection, it is necessary to pay more attention to those places on the studied sites, which had biggest concentrations of the sphero-conical vessels. One such concentration was found at dig CLXV in 2011. The paper presents a comparative typology of 18 sphero-conical vessels, complemented by the data on the chemical composition of their core and glazing on one of the three glazed items found at dig CLXV.