Charpeh Ware: Introducing a Type of Dichrome Pottery on the Western Bank of Sefidrud, Gilan, Iran

The Sefidrud valley in Rudbar is host to a wealth of ancient mounds, cemeteries and settlements of varying sizes. Survey programs between 2006‒2016 recorded and revisited 45 sites, most notable among them being Charpeh, a major site on the west bank of the Sefidrud. In the present study, the pottery sample from the site was classified as three distinct pottery types: red pottery (red-slipped), red and dark dichrome pottery (Charpeh Ware), and gray pottery. In the sample considered here, the second type (Charpeh Ware) was represented by 10 specimens (out of the total of 23 such surface finds) from the site of Charpeh and 7 instances from the excavated assemblage from Sharef. These examples were compared with dichrome and monochrome materials excavated from the Iron Age contexts of Rudbar, notably at Pilaghaleh of Marlik and Jamshidabad. The sample mainly consisted of polished pieces, dominated by rim sherds. Technical characteristics of the dichrome Charpeh ware and its comparison to the assemblages from the surrounding areas suggested it to be a distinctive type whose publication would contribute to the Iron Age pottery chronology of Gilan in general. Thus, the ceramics were categorized into six classes before examining their characteristics in terms of paste, temper, decoration, and form. Petrographic analyses on the dichrome pieces proved their manufacture from local soil sources. The dichromatic appearance of this ware was presumably meant to serve as decoration, and the high frequency of the material at Charpeh suggested the site a potential manufacturing center for the ware.