A Typology of Genre of Luristan Ware, Based on New Archaeological Survays in Luristan

The genre of Luristan ware, which was first emerged in the early first millennium BC, was distributed in the Pish-Koh region. The typology of this ware was not clear because of the lack of excavation and surveys on the first millennium BC site of the region. Only painted ceramics of genre of Luristan ware, known as Baba-Jan III, had been well introduced. Regarding the lack of comprehensive typology for the genre of Luristan ware, many suggested pottery typologies and relative dating for the first millennium BC sites of Luristan were unreliable. According to the results of the several new-excavated sites containing genre of Luristan ware and the author’s survey in the Pish-Koh region, it is possible to suggest a comprehensive typology for the genre of Luristan ware for the first time. Based on some factors such as manufacturing, forms, paintings, and hardness, genre of Luristan ware can be divided into three groups: rough ware, medium ware, and fine ware. These wares are mostly in simple and painted forms and some with application decorations. The result of the research showed that the tradition of genre of Luristan ware was common in the early first millennium BC in the Pish-Koh region. This research also indicated that the genre of Luristan ware was distributed on a broad scale. In this type of pottery, the shape, size and smallness of the designs best match the shape of the container. Hand-lit tea pots are found only in cemeteries that seem to have a ritual application. Jars are found in government areas such as Baba-Jan tape. Ordinary simple dishes are also more common in nomadic villages. Since the main and largest amount of the genre of Luristan ware has been documented from the royal place of Baba-Jan, it seems that this place was a center for distribution of this ware. The appearance of this ware may indicate a political-cultural unity in Pish-Koh during the early first millennium BC .