TRANSPARENT TURQUZE GLAZED UNDERGLAZE DECORATED VESSEL PIECES MOTIF RESTITUTION IN ADIYAMAN MUSEUM (SAMSAT)

Abstract

Samsat, one of the easiest places to cross the Euphrates River, has been an important center throughout history due to its location on military and commercial routes. The immense mound, situated in the district of Adıyaman province's old settlement of Samsat, was uncovered prior to the Atatürk Dam's waters rising, owing to the excavations that began in 1964 and the Middle East Technical University's 1978 rescue excavations project. During these excavations, high-quality ceramic artifacts from the Artuqid and Ayyubid Periods, dating to the 12th and 13th centuries, were discovered. The majority of these ceramics are in fragments, and only a few are complete or almost complete. Ceramic pieces from the 12th and 13th centuries were studied in the Adıyaman Museum warehouse, and glazed and ornamented examples were chosen. Rakka type ceramics, which have an underglaze decoration and a transparent turquoise glaze, were studied by focusing on the body and glaze structure and choosing examples whose motifs could be completed. Following the definition of these examples, CorelDRAW, a vector-based graphic design application, was used to sketch, finish, and color the motifs on the fractured pieces. The broken fragments of these ceramics that left their mark on a time are expected to be identified, and the restitution of the motifs on them will be compared with similar motifs and used as a reference for their reproduction. The restoration of the motifs on these items, which are only visible in the publications, will bring the themes to light, inspire artists aspiring to work in this field, and benefit the community and the museum.