On the classification and interpretation of ancient graffiti and dipinti (based on the materials of the excavations of the settlement «Lenina»)

The article analyzes a collection of 39 finds with graffiti and dipinti from the excavations of the “Lenina” settlement dating from 2nd quarter of the VI to 1st third of the II centuries BC in the chora of ancient Gorgippia. 15 of the finds are graffiti on raw clay (potters’ marks) on amphorae of Aeolia, Miletus and Chios (2nd quarter of the VI – 3rd quarter of the V centuries BC), Ikion (2nd quarter of the IV century BC), Heraclea of Pontus, Sinope, Tauric Chersonese (from the IV to the beginning of the III centuries BC) and also on several fragments of circular red clay dishes of unindentified origin. Almost all of the graffiti are alphabetic and de facto served as stamps, in some cases specifying the name of the potter and/or astinome (Aeolia, Heraclea, Sinope, Chersonese, tableware), and in other cases – probably the intended nature or the capacity of the contents (Chios, Miletus, Ikion). A unique graffiti in the shape of a bow with a straight bowstring and a loaded arrow to the right was applied to the middle part of the body of the Chios amphora «with protocap toe» (the end of the V century BC). Another 13 finds are represented by graffiti drawn on the hard surface of various products from the 2nd quarter of the VI to the IV centuries BC: for the most part they are schematic and have unclear content. This indicates that the local villagers who applied the graffiti were not familiar with the Greek alphabet, and that a few amphorae and a lead weight with drawn letters came to them from Greek merchants. Only a few simple graffiti from the initial phase of colonization, including letters (on the amphora of Theos and the Ionian vessel with lacquer stripes), may reflect some aspects of the adaptation of the Greeks to the alien environment. Of the 14 finds with lacquer dipinti, 13 are dated to the IV century BC: 7 of them are single-letter (amphorae of Heraclea of Pontus, Mende and Thasos), 1 – in the form of two separate letters on different sides of the neck (amphora of Ikion), 1 – two-letter (amphora of Thasos), 2 – monograms (amphorae of Ikion and Heraclea), 1 – a symbol (a jug of Heraclea?) and 1 – a large brushstroke (an amphora of Heraclea). Single-letter and symbolic dipinti, apparently, denoted the type of the product, its grade, quality or place of origin, and also served for clarification of two- and three-letter dipinti (including ligatures and monograms), which indicated the name of the manufacturer or customer. Dipinti of unclear content (large stripes, spots, smears and, probably, the ring color of the necks under the rim) could be used as a marker confirming the quality of the goods or the fact of its inspection, and also as an indication of the secondary use of the container or other contents unrelated to the center of its production. The greatest distribution and diversity of such dipinti on the amphorae of Heraclea may indicate that they served to designate sampler amphorae, sent to the customer before purchasing large quantities of the goods.