Classification and Typology of Pottery of the Parthian Cemetery of Veliran, Damavand

Abstract
The pottery of the Parthian Empire exhibited considerable variation throughout its extensive territory, resulting in several unique cultural regions. A significant archaeological site in Iranian Central Plateau is Veliran, which underwent exploration during two seasons in 2006 and 2007. Among the primary cultural artifacts discovered at this location, especially from its burial sites and particularly the cellar grave were both intact vessels and potsherds. This study is fundamentally oriented and employs a descriptive-analytical methodology. The approach integrates library research with field investigations. The principal aim of the study is to perform both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the Parthian pottery unearthed at Veliran. This encompasses the classification and typology of the ceramics, along with the establishment of their relative chronology. Consequently, this research aims to evaluate the morphology of Veliran pottery and, by comparing it with analogous examples, to establish a model that characterizes Parthian pottery within Iranian Central Plateau. The typological analysis is designed to identify the distribution patterns of Parthian ceramics in this area this constitutes the primary inquiry of the study. The results of the research reveal that the predominant types of pottery unearthed during the two excavation seasons at the Veliran Parthian cemetery comprise rhytons, pilgrim flasks, cups, oil lamps, bowls, jugs, measuring vessels, plates, chalices, and carafes. Based on these comparisons, the cultural sphere of Veliran shows the greatest similarities with the western, northeastern, and northern regions of Iran, respectively. In particular, its ceramic assemblage closely aligns with that of the Parthian sites at Qumis, Qaleh-I Yazdigird, and the Bisutun cemetery. Accordingly, the Veliran cemetery may be considered a significant Parthian site within the Damavand region, reflecting the ceramic traditions characteristic of this historical period.
Keywords: Classification, Typology, Pottery, Parthian Cemetery of Veliran, Damavand.
 
Introduction
Two seasons of excavation and investigation on the eastern hills of the Tar River, near the village of Veliran in Damavand County, led to the identification of a significant archaeological site dating to the Parthian and Sasanian periods. The site yielded a diverse array of cultural materials that are considered unique within the Iranian context. Excavations uncovered numerous cultural features and artifacts, including four human burials, bone remains, potsherds, metal objects, glass fragments, coins, wood, and architectural remains. Given the central role of pottery in the study of cultural interactions and chronology, this paper focuses on the classification and typological analysis of the Parthian ceramics recovered from the Veliran cemetery.
The primary research questions addressed in this study are as follows:
1. To which chronological phase of the Parthian period does the ceramic assemblage from the Veliran belong? 2. With which cultural regions do the pottery from Veliran demonstrate affinities? 3. What are the prevalent pottery types within the Veliran assemblage and their associated technological characteristics?
Based on archaeological evidence and comparative analysis, the examined ceramics are attributed to the middle phase of the Parthian period. The presence of clinky ware, a type characteristic of Parthian period in western Iran [specifically northwestern Iran?], suggests cultural connections between Iranian Central Plateau and western regions of Iran. The studied pottery assemblage consists predominantly of plain, unglazed vessels. The predominant forms include rhyton (takuk), cup, pilgrim flask, oil lamp, bowl, jar, measuring vessel, plate, carafe, and chalice.
Research data were collected through library research and fieldwork, followed by qualitative analysis. Field activities comprised archaeological excavation, followed by processing and documentation of ceramic samples: washing, registration of sample information, selection of diagnostic specimens, illustration, and photography. Subsequently, the typological results were compared with analogous studies of Parthian ceramics from other ancient sites, enabling the relative dating of this ceramic assemblage.
 
Discussion
The historical site of Veliran is positioned approximately 500 meters south of the village of Veliran, at the base of the hillside that marks the boundary between the villages of Veliran and Shalambeh. During two seasons of excavation at the Veliran site, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a small Sassanid castle, which measures 40×50 meters and is oriented from east to west. Within the Sassanid substratum, a cemetery dating back to the Parthian period was identified, featuring four types of graves that demonstrate different burial practices: 1) cellar (underground), 2) burning, 3) pit graves, and 4) stone graves. Among the cultural artifacts retrieved from these graves are both complete and fragmented pottery vessels; the technical features of these vessels will be scrutinized in the following stage of research. The most significant discovery from here consists of intact vessels and a limited number of pottery sherds. These ceramics were primarily found in a cellar grave within Trench O17, with an additional sample coming from a pit grave in Trench L13. The recovered pottery collection includes forms such as rhyton, cup, pilgrim flask, drinking cup, oil lamp, bowl, jar, measure ware, plate, carafe, chalice, and bead. In the initial phase of analysis, these pottery specimens are classified into two groups: closed-form and open-form vessels. The closed-form pottery from Veliran consists of pilgrim flasks, jars, carafes, cups, and rhytons. The open-form pottery includes oil lamps, bowls, drinking cups, chalices, and plates.
Regardless of the different types of pottery, there are several overarching characteristics. The pottery artifacts investigated in the Veliran cemetery consist of plain and decorated types. Some of these artifacts feature burnished surfaces while others show carved, added, and painted (geometric) motifs. The paste of these pottery items is characterized as buff, light reddish buff, red, brick red, scarlet, and gray hues. The ceramics examined were both wheel-made and hand-made, with certain fragments produced through a hybrid method that combines wheel-making and handcrafting, incorporating sand to enhance their durability. Most of the ceramics underwent adequate firing processes, resulting in high durability; nevertheless, in some instances, the firing temperature was insufficient, resulting in a blackened core within the pottery.
 
Conclusion
A comparative analysis of the pottery from the Parthian cemetery at Veliran reveals notable similarities in certain shapes with those found at Parthian sites in adjacent regions, including the Central Plateau (Kohan, Shemiran, and archaeological surveys of the Bueen Zahra Plain), northern Iran (Kelardasht, Dailaman, ShahPir, Noruzmahale), northeastern Iran (Tureng Tepe, Yarim Tepe, Shahr Tepe, Dargaz, Qumis, and archaeological survey of Damghan Plain), as well as the western and northwestern parts of Iran (Qaleh-I Yazdigird, Laodike Temple, Kangavar, Bisutun, Mahneshan, Sang-e Shir, Nush-I Jan, Ardabil, and archaeological surveys of the Qorveh Plain in Kurdistan), the southwestern region of Iran (Susa, Choga Mish, Masdjid-i Solaiman, Dastova, Shushtar), and even extending beyond the current borders of Iran (Nisa, Seleucia, Dura Europos, Uruk, Shamlu, Ashdod, Dijiran). Overall, the findings from the typological and comparative chronological analyses of the pottery samples from the Parthian cemetery at Veliran distinctly illustrate the resemblance of these samples to the pottery from adjacent and trans-regional areas. This resemblance is particularly pronounced with the regions of ‘western Iran’, ‘northeast Iran’, and ‘northern Iran’, as well as among the sites such as Qumis (Semnan Province), Qaleh-I Yazdigird, and the Bisutun Parthian cemetery (Kermanshah Province). Consequently, the Veliran Cemetery can be regarded as one of the Parthian sites within the Damavand region, showcasing pottery traditions from this era. However, in terms of technical attributes, there are limited similarities with the aforementioned cultural spheres. This suggests that there were connections between Veliran and the sites in these regions, indicating cultural interactions. Nonetheless, it is essential to consider the differences, innovations, and the influence of local factors on the ordinary pottery of the Veliran cemetery. Therefore, it appears that the ordinary pottery types from the Veliran site possess indigenous characteristics and are classified as local varieties produced in local kilns, while their shapes remain comparable to those from other cultural sites. Overall, the findings from the study and classification of pottery, along with their comparison to pottery from other archaeological sites and the dating of cultural regions, indicate that the pottery discovered at the Veliran cemetery in Damavand is associated with the mid-Parthian period. This conclusion is supported by additional artifacts unearthed from the same cemetery, which include Parthian coins attributed to Mithradates II (123-88 BCE), Phraat III (57.58-70 BCE), Mithradates III (54-57 BCE), Orodes I (80-90 BCE), and Orodes II (38-57 BCE).