History of pottery in Iran
The Iranian plateau is one of the most important regions in West Asia, which has contributed to the emergence and expansion of the pottery industry. Many pottery objects have been found in the archeological excavations of Iran, which date back to eight to ten thousand years BC. Some archaeologists know the beginning of pottery from Iran; According to the artifacts discovered from pottery from 8,000 BC, this conclusion has been reached in Central Alborz and the Bakhtiari Mountains. The main feature of pottery in the Iranian plateau is red pottery and engraved with beautiful and unique roles. This type of pottery is completely handmade and is made of a dough mixed with clay, sand powder and chopped plant. The main area where this type of pottery has been found is Cheshmeh Ali, Ismail Abad, Zagheh hill, Shahriar hill, Hesar and Silk hill.
It should be noted that in the excavation of Silk Hill, red and cooked pottery was found in the primary kilns. The pottery excavated from Silk Hill is more delicate and engraved with images of birds and wild animals, which are depicted on black pottery. Images of mountain goats, horses, the sun and regular geometric shapes can be seen on the pottery.
Silk Hill pottery is generally more transparent and orderly than other discovered areas, which could indicate the invention of the pottery wheel. Of course, the pottery wheel was originally a thin board that was turned by hand. So far, no pottery of this kind has been found in any region of the world, compared to the mentioned period, and it can be said that the Iranian tribes created a change in this industry by inventing the pottery wheel.
Pottery in different periods of Iran
Compared to the third millennium BC, a type of pottery called gray pottery was created as a result of working with pottery wheels. This type of pottery was baked in large ovens using more advanced technology in special kilns. In these furnaces, it was possible to control the temperature and the amount of active oxidation, creating a glossy gray pottery. Gray pottery has been excavated mainly in the Yanik area of Ardabil hill, Hesar Damghan hill and Turang hill of Gorgan.
The Iranian Archaeological Research Center said in its research: “The most important type of processing in Iranian pottery is related to the material era, which led to the manufacture of glazed dishes.” Works related to this period have been excavated in Gilan, Malayer, Biston and Kurdistan.
During the Achaemenid period, pottery was decorated with engraved surfaces, and in the excavations of Persepolis and Susa, the walls of palaces and glazed bricks are engraved with images of soldiers and animals.
Archaeological excavations by Professor Arthur Opham led to the discovery of Parthian pottery, which consisted of two types of glazed and unglazed pottery.
Gorgan Plain, Gilan, Kangavar, Hegmataneh and Sistan were the centers of these excavations. The pottery from the Sassanid period was large jars and bowls; It has been excavated in Siraf, Kangavar, Gorgan plain, Varang Tang, Takht-e Soleiman hill, Takht-e-Abu Nasr in Fars province and Qabira near Kerman, and the pottery is painted in turquoise blue and turquoise green.
