The importation of Late Rom an red slip wares into Bosporus (Kerch)

Abstract

Recent excavations in Kerch (ancient Pantikapaion, Bosporus) revealed new archaeological complexes of the Late Roman
period. There are four manufacturing groups of the red slip ware in the second half of the 4th to the first half of the 7th
centuries AD: Pontic Red Slip, African Red Slip, Late Roman C / Phocean Red Slip and Late Roman Light-Colored. In the
late 4th–early 6th century the Black Sea regional trade played the main role and Bosporus had the closest relations with
the South Pontic centers. PRS ware prevailed in Bosporan complexes and only isolated fragments of other red slip ware
groups reached the city during this period. The import from the Mediterranean centers sharply increased from the second
quarter of the 6th century. LRC/PhRS vessels in Bosporan complex reached on average approximately 70 %. However after
the middle of the 6th century the Phocean import drastically curtailed. Currently Bosporan complexes of the first half of
the 7th century have not yet been discovered. Nevertheless rare imported finds in Bosporus indicate a continuation of some
traditional trade relations and some red slip ware supplies to the city from the Mediterranean centers at least until the
middle of the 7th century.