Glazed Ceramics Decorated with Zoomorphic Ornamentation from the Kutaisi Historical Museum: An Artistic and Iconographic Analysis

Abstract

This study examines medieval glazed ceramics decorated with zoomorphic motifs preserved in the collection of the Kutaisi Historical Museum. The research aims to identify the typological, artistic, technological and iconographic characteristics of these artefacts, compare them with analogous materials from Georgia and abroad and reveal the cultural processes that shaped their decorative system. The study is based on an interdisciplinary methodology combining formal and morphological analysis, stylistic examination, iconographic interpretation and comparative historical research.

The results demonstrate that the museum collection includes both locally produced and imported glazed ceramic vessels. The surviving ceramic fragments preserve representations of predatory animals, particularly lions and leopards, rendered in painted, graffito and combined decorative techniques. Comparative analysis revealed close parallels with ceramic materials discovered in other regions of Georgia as well as with Byzantine, Iranian and European glazed ceramics. The iconographic analysis indicates that these zoomorphic representations fulfilled not only decorative purposes but also conveyed symbolic meanings associated with power, protection, courage and royal authority within the medieval Christian and Eastern cultural traditions.

The findings confirm that the potters of Kutaisi successfully combined local artistic traditions with broader international cultural influences while preserving distinctive regional stylistic and technological features. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of medieval Georgian glazed ceramics, refines the typology and iconography of zoomorphic ornamentation and provides a valuable basis for future interdisciplinary research, museum attribution and the scholarly interpretation of medieval ceramic heritage.