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Deconstructing the ‘Greekness’ of Bactrian pottery. On the Greek-Mediterranean influences on the local pottery production in Bactria during the Hellenistic period

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Junker K.

Studia Hercynia

2021

vol. 25

issue 2

42-63

It is often assumed that the Hellenistic pottery production in Bactria was highly influenced by Mediterranean ceramic shapes, a process, which was mainly caused by the settling of Greek immigrants. Nevertheless, the implementation of new pottery shapes is the result of a local transformation process, that had already begun before the Macedonian conquest. The first evidence of Greek -Mediterranean shapes and decoration techniques, which were produced in Bactrian pottery workshops, are dated to the Greco -Bactrian phase, most likely to the 2nd century BC. Since their number is limited in relation to the whole pottery collections, the assumed Greek influence should not have been too significant. Throughout the early Hellenistic phase (late 4th and 3rd centuryBC) new pottery shapes and techniques were introduced in Bactria, like the so -called fish -plate, which are thought to mark the Greek -Mediterranean influence on the local pottery production. Because of their morphological differences to Mediterranean types, these shapes cannot be identified as a Greek -Mediterranean vessel. Only with the emergence of the Greco -Bactrian dynasty does a Greek influenced pottery production appear to become observable at a few sites, mainly in Ai Khanoum (2nd century BC). One of these shapes is the mould -made relief bowl, also known as a Megarian bowl. It was produced first in Athens at the end of the 3rd century BC and appears in Bactria probably not earlier than the 2nd century BC. But the most frequent vessels stand in the local tradition, like the so -called Bactrian cup -bowl and attest the actual character of the Bactrian pottery. Consequently, the assumed strong Greek influence on the Bactrian pottery is in my opinion overstated in scholarly discourse.

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Deconstructing the ‘Greekness’ of Bactrian pottery. On the Greek-Mediterranean influences on the local pottery production in Bactria during the Hellenistic period