Original scientific paper
THE FINDS OF HISPANO-MORESQUE MAJOLICA AT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF BRIBIR
Vedrana Delonga
; Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika HR -21000 Split
Abstract
In the article the ",uthoress deals with the group of Hispano-Moresque wares of the fifteenth century, fO'.lIld at the archaeological site of Bribir in the northern Dalmatia during the course of the archaeological excavations that ~ave been carl'ied out since 1959 by the Museum of the Croatian Arc!':iaeological Monuments in Split. This material represents a separate group of imported vessels of the specific origin and technique of their make, the so-called lustreware, made during the ISth century in the famous pottery wOl'kshops in Manises near Valencia in Spain. These ceramics were sold as highly valued products of the Oathalonian potters throughout the countries of the Mediterranean and the Middle Europe. Since now, maiolica of this type, found in the teritory of the Eastern Adriatic Coast, has been lelss disc'..ls, sed in literature. The nearest comparable pieces come from the coastal town of Zadar, where archaeological researches revealed the examples of such wares being found wit~in the ISth century layers. Less quantity of the lustre'Ware has been recorded among the ceramics of mediaeval Split and Trogir, while there are certain possibi'Iities to expect more similar finds in Dubrovnik (Ragusa) con.. sidering the developed -political and commercial contacts both between the ID'<!diae,'al state of DubroV'11l:k and the areas of Aragonese domination ·in the second half of the ISth century.
Fragments of vessels with lustre ornamentation found at Bribir reveal several different styles of decoratIion. Outstanding in the group has been the howl bearing the Gothic inscription AVE MARIA (No. 1). It represents a highly qualitate kind of vessel that excellent Spanish craftsmen had produced wit.'1 an emph~5ized Christian influence in the first half of 6e lSth century mainly for the needs of the western European markets. There are also remaiJnJS of a lustreware comprising the ornament of Islamic character with the motif of pseudo-Kufic script (No. 3). Then follow pieces of the mid-1Sth century: the so-called »encadenat« motif as well as the naturalistic ivy motifs and »bryony« leaves (No. 4, 5, 6).
T~e examination of the remains of H~spano-Moresque wares being found at the arohaeological site of Brihir, supports the view that the import of Spanish lustrcware to the Eastern Adriatic region followed the courses of economic relations t~at existed among the' mediaeval Adriatic ports and the possesions of the Aragonese kingdom and Catha,lonia as weN.
The occurence at Bribir of the f,ifteenth century Hispano-Moresque Iustre ware provides the' evidence that the Spani'S~ ceramics were not, however, restricted only to lithoral towns; such wares were both popular and available also in the rural settlements in the ·interior. Considering the resemblence with the similar comparable pieces from Zadar and the prox~mity of a port at Zadar, we can 'Suppose that the Spanish ceramics as well as the' other imported goods, were transported from the town to the .feudals and dignitaries in the rural district. In such a way the' attra· ctive Spanish lustreware had found their place in the inventory of the residentbl and monastery objects at Bribir, the site w~ch rapresented one of the most important centres of the feudal Croatian state ·in the Middle Ages.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
95980
URI
Publication date:
13.4.1987.
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