A Study of the Ornamentation of a Kutaisi Glazed Ceramic Bowl

The article discusses the ornamental motif – a heart shape – found on a glazed ceramic jar preserved at the N. Berdzenishvili Kutaisi State Historical Museum. The bowl was discovered during the archaeological excavations of medieval Kutaisi conducted between 1984 and 2010 and is currently held in the museum’s archaeological collection. The heart-shaped motif of the glazed ceramic jar is examined through stylistic, symbolic, and intercultural analysis. The novelty of the research lies in its interdisciplinary approach: it presents an analysis of the historical and artistic transformation of the heart-shaped leaf motif from antiquity through the Middle Ages, carried out through comparison with ceramic decoration from neighboring regions and by tracing parallels in miniature painting, stone reliefs, repoussé icons, decorative enamels, and textiles. As a result of the research, it has become evident that the work of medieval Georgian masters of ceramic art was not isolated from the production centers of neighboring countries; their connections and, more broadly, intercultural influences are apparent. It is proposed that the origin of the heart-shaped leaf motif is linked to the stylization of the ivy leaf, which in the cultures of different peoples possesses not only decorative but also distinct symbolic meaning. The painter of the Kutaisi ceramic jar, however, offers his own original artistic vision and interpretation.