Defining cultural boundaries on the Silk Road – a Sasanian pottery assemblage from North Eastern Iran

The Sasanian Empire (225-640 C.E.) was one of the most influential dynasties in the ancient world and as the “Middle Kingdom” between Rome and China, its cultural and economic influence was felt throughout the Silk Road. Yet this important epoch is not as well understood due to the lack of historical records and the general absence of archaeological interest.
What generally characterises the ceramic traditions during the Sasanian period is that pottery is highly regionalised, which has complicated the making of a general typology