Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 6. (Budapest, 1963)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ferenczy, László: Daghestan Bronze Cauldrons

represented by the products of several centres, pervaded the various branches of industrial art. The surrounding villages were influenced by the masters of Kubachi both economically and artistically. The inhabitants of the village of Amuzgi manufactured e. g., blades for the Kubachi weapons. It may be of interest to mention some local customs connected with the cauldrons. Kubachi cauldrons were highly regarded; they were used for the cooking of food on festive occasions, such as weddings etc. In the last century it was usual in the village of Gidatlini for the bride, entering the bridegroom's house for the first time during the wedding ceremony, to step on a Kubachi cauldron, placed upside down on the threshold and covered with fur, thereby joining the bridegroom's family. In the Avar village of Tchoh the relatives of the deceased went from house to house with a Kubachi cauldron containing cooked rice.

21 Until the end of the last century Kubachi cauldrons belonged to the traditional objects of the Daghestan population, and research into the customs of festive meals led to the discovery of a special cauldron cult. The use of cups and other vessels made of precious metals as part of ritual feasting and as gifts for the participants was a long-established tradition in Iran and neighbouring territories. This custom is described several times in the Shah-Name by Firdausi and in ,,The Man in the Panther's Skin" by Rustaveli. A good idea of such festive meals is given by the wall-paintings recently discovered at Piandjikent

22 and Balalyk-Tepe. From this point of view the latter site is of special interest, as the entire series of wall-paintings represents feudal nobles partaking in such a ritual feast, holding the most elaborate metal vessels. In conclusion we should like to mention some unsolved problems regarding the origin and the remote past of the Daghestan cauldrons. Several decades ago scholars believed in the Sasanian origin of the Daghestan bronzes. To-day they agree that these were produced mostly locally, only their decorations are related to the art motifs used in the Sasanid period. We may ultimately state that a degree of cultural unity existed in these neighbouring territories. It is quite unnecessary to suppose the importation of cauldrons since there are relatively numerous statements, literary and otherwise, revealing the extraordinary high standard of local metallurgy; and as it is known, the territory of Albania was rich in ore. Regarding the history of the Daghestan cauldrons, their continuous development may be presently traced back as far as the 13th century. But since at that time they were fully developed specimens with a fine and rich decoration, a longer previous evolution must be supposed. In this respect not only the traditions of metallurgy must be taken into consideration. The kourgan graves uncovered at Mingechaur, on the right bank of the Kura river yielded interesting material. In the side of one kourgan, dated from the 11th to 9th centuries B. C, several hollowed-out graves were found. They originate from various ages, all being much later than the main grave. One of these graves yielded a small three-legged earthen vessel; another grave at Mingechaur, found in a level dated to the period between the first century B. C. and the first century A. D., yielded an earthen vessel with a side bending upwards and three supports, reminding us of the later cauldrons.

23 We possess both material and literary data as to the distribution of the metal cauldrons among the Transcaucasian peoples. Small-size bronze cauldrons with hemispherical bottoms and sides narrowing somewhat as they near the