HISTORICAL ORIGINS, CHRONOLOGY, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND STUDY OF INCISED POTTERY

Аннотация

The article is devoted to the historical origins of pottery with incised ornamentation, its chronological stages of development, geographical distribution, and the history of its study. Based on archaeological evidence and written sources, it is demonstrated that since the end of the 2 nd millennium BC, pottery with incised decoration became widespread in Central Asia, particularly in the Ferghana Valley, Sogdiana, Semirechye, and Eastern Turkestan. Special attention is paid to the technical features of the incised patterns, their geometric, vegetal, and zoomorphic motifs, as well as their symbolic and ritual meanings. The study emphasizes that these ornaments emerged as a result of local traditions and interregional cultural interactions. Drawing upon the results of 20th-century archaeological expeditions, the typology and regional dissemination of incised pottery are analyzed step by step. In conclusion, incised pottery is highlighted not only as an indicator of the high level of ancient pottery craftsmanship but also as valuable evidence of religious beliefs, socio-cultural relations, and international connections.