TY - JOUR

T1 - D.G. Messerschmidt’s Cups

AU - Mitko, O. A.

N1 - This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 20-18-00111). The author expresses his gratitude to S.A. Komissarov and M.A. Kudinova for consultations and translation of Chinese papers.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - We describe two metal vessels, procured by looters and offered to D.G. Messerschmidt, who in 1722 traveled across southern Krasnoyarsk Territory. A bronze cup, judging by a description in researcher’s journal and by the accompanying drawing, resembled Old Turkic specimens. However, the hunting scene engraved on its body suggests Chinese provenance. A silver vessel from the vestry of Fort Karaulny church is peculiar to 7th–10th century Sogdian toreutics. It evidently belongs to a group of vessels with polygonal bodies, specifically to type 1—octagonal. Having been manufactured in Sogd, polygonal vessels were exported to China. Chinese jewelers copied the form of “wine cups” and adorned them with traditional floral designs and various scenes. An octagonal silver cup with an Uyghur inscription, found in 1964 in a kurgan at a medieval cemetery Nad Polyanoi, was likewise manufactured by Tang artisans. Other polygonal silver cups are listed—heptagonal and sexagonal. It is concluded that vessels made of precious metals testify to stable trade relations that emerged in 700–1100 and connected Siberia with Sogd and the Tang Empire.

AB - We describe two metal vessels, procured by looters and offered to D.G. Messerschmidt, who in 1722 traveled across southern Krasnoyarsk Territory. A bronze cup, judging by a description in researcher’s journal and by the accompanying drawing, resembled Old Turkic specimens. However, the hunting scene engraved on its body suggests Chinese provenance. A silver vessel from the vestry of Fort Karaulny church is peculiar to 7th–10th century Sogdian toreutics. It evidently belongs to a group of vessels with polygonal bodies, specifically to type 1—octagonal. Having been manufactured in Sogd, polygonal vessels were exported to China. Chinese jewelers copied the form of “wine cups” and adorned them with traditional floral designs and various scenes. An octagonal silver cup with an Uyghur inscription, found in 1964 in a kurgan at a medieval cemetery Nad Polyanoi, was likewise manufactured by Tang artisans. Other polygonal silver cups are listed—heptagonal and sexagonal. It is concluded that vessels made of precious metals testify to stable trade relations that emerged in 700–1100 and connected Siberia with Sogd and the Tang Empire.

KW - Altai-Sayan

KW - Kyrgyz

KW - Sogdians

KW - Tang Age

KW - large metal vessels

KW - octagonal cup

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85161041135&origin=inward&txGid=3a9916442f25159f96014ee2faad82ad

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/69d95f90-9159-374a-8099-fdec97352602/

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.1.138-145

DO - 10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.1.138-145

M3 - Article

VL - 51

SP - 138

EP - 145

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 1

M1 - 14

ER -