HELLENISTIC MOULD MADE RELIEF BOWLS FROM ORDU-FATSA CINGIRT KAYASI EXCAVATIONS

Cıngırt Kayası is located in Yapraklı Village, Town of Fatsa, City of Ordu and is thus in the area that was called Pontos in ancient times. Based on excavations, predominantly focused on the summit, it is suggested that the settlement can be dated back earliest to the Late Hellenistic Period and that it bears characteristics of a Phrourion founded by Mithradates VI in the region. Mould made relief bowls are among the prominent forms of the Hellenistic Period. These bowls, which were found in almost each Hellenistic settlement, had hemispherical bodies, without handles or foot, and produced by a mould. They were used as drinking cups, with their exterior surfaces decorated with reliefs. Shortly after mid-3rd century B.C, these bowls were first seen in Athens as drinking vessels, taking over the function formerly served by the kantharos. These forms were seen to be produced under the influence of metalwork. This study aims to share archaeological data obtained from Cıngırt Kayası excavations on the shores of Eastern Black Sea region of Anatolia and to contribute to the studies related to mould made relief bowls through the Black Sea Basin. We observed the following four main categories in Cıngırt Kayası: Rim Pattern band and Calyx, long petal bowls, pinecone bowls, and imbrecate bowls. The bowls studied in this piece were either produced locally in Black Sea Region, or were imported.