TRADITIONAL FORMS OF CRIMEAN TATAR CERAMIC VESSELS FOR MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS AND THEIR DECORATION

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive examination of five types of traditional Crimean Tatar ceramic vessels used for milk and dairy products. Specifically, the study addresses the following vessel forms: sütlük (süt bardagi) – a jug for storing fresh milk; qatiq bardagi – a vessel for fermenting fermented dairy products; çeltek – a ceramic strainer-colander for draining whey; may bardagi – a vessel for storing clarified butter; and quza – a thick-walled container for long-term storage of brined cheese and other dairy products. Drawing upon A. Ibrahimova’s classification scheme, the results of I. Teslenko’s archaeological studies, descriptions of 18 ceramic forms from the Zincir project by R. Skybin and Yu. Guro-Tair, as well as materials by A. Zaatov, a typological characterization of each form has been carried out and the relationship between the method of surface treatment and the vessel’s functional purpose has been established. The concept of a “technological chain” within this segment of traditional Crimean Tatar ceramics has been proposed: the five investigated vessel types constitute an integral functional cycle of dairy processing – from collecting raw milk to preparing and longterm storage of finished dairy products. It has been established that the key structural and decorative characteristic is a differentiated approach to glazing: full glaze coating ensures impermeability for liquid and fat-based products (sütlük, may bardagi); the deliberate absence of glaze creates micro-aeration for lactic acid fermentation (qatiq bardagi); partial glazing with mandatory interior coating guarantees acid resistance in contact with whey or brine (çeltek, quza). It has been demonstrated that the decorative treatment of dairy vessels is governed by the principle of functional expediency: decoration was applied only where it did not conflict with utilitarian requirements, which fundamentally distinguishes these forms from the vivid polychrome tableware ceramics of Solkhat and Kaffa.