Merw vase
| Merw vase |
|---|
| 6th century AD |
| Ceramics |
| Ashgabat National Museum ; Ashgabat |
The Merw vase is one of the most famous archaeological finds in Turkmenistan and is believed to date from the 6th century .
Location
The vase was found in Merw , the then Giaur Kale, which gained national importance during the Sassanid period . There the Merw vase was built into the wall of a Buddhist stupa in the southeast of the city. In the same Buddhist monastery complex in which the Merw vase was found, other important archaeological finds were made, including the head of a large Buddha statue .
description
The vase is about half a meter high and richly decorated with figural paintings. A total of four scenes can be identified, each of which depicts the same man. The four scenes reflect various events in this man's life: a hunting scene in which the man is depicted with a bow and arrow on horseback, a second scene depicting a wedding ceremony, third the death of the man and fourth the man's corpse a stretcher, presumably on the way to a burial site. Based on this representation, experts argue that the vase was used in the context of funerals.
meaning
The Merw vase is one of the most important finds from Merw and is the subject of many scientific articles and lectures. Particularly unusual is the diverse representation of figures and the height, which is considerable compared to other ceramics that have been preserved. In terms of art history, the vase can be assigned to Sassanid art .
supporting documents
- Matteo Compareti: The painted Vase of Merw , Venice 2011
- Gabriele Puschnigg: Ceramics of the Merw Oasis , Left Coast Press
- Manfred Nawroth and Matthias Wemhoff: The Archeology of Turkmenistan and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Nisa and Merw