Ancient Taraz is one of the largest centers of pottery on the Great Silk Road. Archaeological excavations carried out at the Taraz settlement have yielded magnificent samples of ceramic products reflecting the successive style of medieval potters.The results obtained during archaeological excavations indicate the existence of entire quarters of craftsmen who settled in the suburb - rabad, who made both everyday household products and unique products that were bought by merchants from different countries.It is no coincidence that medieval travelers in their road books gave a brief description of Taraz, calling it "the city of merchants and artisans."

The ceramics of ancient Taraz is distinguished by artistic and technical perfection, as evidenced by the high quality of shards, glazes and paints, the completeness of the forms and decoration of products.The dishes made were open and closed forms, made both by the technique of hand molding and with the help of a potter's wheel. The decoration of the products is characterized by grace and a subtle sense of color.Various techniques were used to apply ornamentation - stamping, carving, adhesion and indentation.The ancient masters highly artistically depicted plant and geometric figures, stylized images of animals, birds and people, thus, the language of symbols reflected the rich local symbolism and folklore representations of the ancient inhabitants of Taraz.A unique phenomenon in Central Asian ceramics was the epigraphic ornament based on the Arabic script, which was formed during the "Muslim Renaissance" (9th-12th centuries).

Medieval ceramics are a rich, extensive and multifaceted archaeological source, which, in fact, serves as a cultural and chronological marker, demonstrates the level of both material and spiritual development of the inhabitants of the ancient city of Kazakhstan.This publication presents unique samples of ceramic products made by medieval Taraz craftsmen.