Early Medieval Pithos-Jugs Discovered in the Volga Delta

The paper introduces into scientific discourse the details of early medieval ceramic containers discovered in the course of studies by the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve and the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted at the Semibugorinsky archaeological complex in 2021, and deposited at the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve. The studied vessels belong to the so-called pithos-jugs of the Saltovo-Mayaki circle of the 8th–10th centuries. Such ceramic products are widely known from the Khazar monuments of the North Caucasus, in the lower reaches of the Don, the Don area and in the Crimea, found both in the form of whole items and numerous fragments. The paper examines in detail the morphology of the published vessels and their dimensional parameters, and outlines the circle of the closest analogies for each of the items. The issues of the chronology of container ware are discussed. Taking into account the evolution of pottery traditions, mainly related to the process of firing ceramics, which led to a change in its color from gray-clay to red-clay, the authors date the presented red-clay unpolished pithos-jugs the late 9th – early beginning 10th centuries. The assumptions about their manufacture by local artisans-potters are substantiated, as evidenced by numerous discovered fragments of red-clay thick-walled ware, defective ceramic products and ceramic slag. The published vessels expand the source base on the early medieval ceramics of the Volga delta.