Starinar

Primary tabs

Pages

Notes on the Dolichenian monument from Pincum/Veliko Gradište
Notes on the Dolichenian monument from Pincum/Veliko Gradište
A small inscribed statuette base, found in Pincum (Veliko Gradište), and belonging to the antiquities collector Imre Pongrácz, was rediscovered recently in the deposits of the Banat Museum. This fact put in a new light all that we have known so far about this object, which was thought to be lost. The inscription is dedicated to Dulcenus, a form of the name of the deity Iuppiter Dolichenus, by two standard-bearers of the legio VII Claudia. In the upper part of the stone can be seen traces of the four hooves of an ox and the central quadrangular support by which the animal’s body was sustained. The ex voto can be determined chronologically, by the style of the letters and the form of the message, to the 3rd century AD.
Nouvelle nécropole des Grandes migrations de Singidunum
Nouvelle nécropole des Grandes migrations de Singidunum
(francuski) Les auteurs publient une nouvelle nécropole des Grandes migrations mise au jour à Singidunum. Il est question de trois tombes dont la dernière dégagée (2/2006) a apporté, grâce à son mobilier funéraire conservé intact, d'importantes données sur l'installation des barbares à Singidunum importante place romaine du limes danubien. Le rituel d'inhumation, avec dépôt dans la tombe des armes brisées du défunt, a été rapproché des pratiques des Germains danubiens. Cette sépulture, et plus largement l'ensemble de la nécropole en question où ont été inhumés des guerriers, est datée de l'époque de la domination des Huns.
O jednom novijem nalazu iz gvozdenog doba u Sremu
O jednom novijem nalazu iz gvozdenog doba u Sremu
Rad se bavi prilozima iz ženskog groba sa lokaliteta Beljnjača u Šidu. Grob je, na osnovu nalaza sarkofaga u neposrednoj blizini, datiran u kasnoantički period. Samostrelne fibule sa životinjskom glavicom povijenom unazad, nož povijenog sečiva i niska perli određuju ovaj nalaz kao kasnohalštatski (Ha D3), iz IV veka pre n. e.
Obsidian deposits in the central Balkans?
Obsidian deposits in the central Balkans?
Finds of obsidian artefacts on sites distant from the presumed primary source have often received a romantic note in the history of archaeology manifested in the idea about local exploitation as a form of procurement and archaeologists’ search for as yet undetected deposits of this raw material. In due course, such concepts have found their way into Serbian archaeology as well. The main objective of this contribution, therefore, is to reconsider the current knowledge about obsidian in the central and north Balkans, to test how well founded the idea about the use of local sources is, as well as to indicate some possible directions for future research.
On the influence of Vatin and Verbicioara cultures in the finds of the Gamzigrad cultural group
On the influence of Vatin and Verbicioara cultures in the finds of the Gamzigrad cultural group
The Timočka Krajina region has not been sufficiently investigated archaeologically, which coupled with the fact that a very small number of metal finds and remains have been discovered, makes the reconstruction of the start and end of the Bronze Age that much more difficult. Identification work in the area around Romuliana on two occasions in 2001 and 2008 led to the discovery of another 10 predominantly multi-layered sites dating back to the Bronze Age, of which 7 are highland settlements while 3 are lowland settlements located in the immediate vicinity of the Timok river or its tributaries. The discovered sites 1. Varsari, 2. Đokin Vis, 3. Kravarnik, 4. Mustafa, 5. Nikolov Savat, 6. Njiva Zore Brzanović, 7. Petronj, 8. Potes-Petronj, 9. Strenjak and 10. Zvezdan; bare the characteristics of the material culture of the »Gamzigrad group« of the Middle Iron Age. Besides known ceramic forms and characteristic ornamentation of this culture, there is a visibly strong influence of the Vatin (Crvenka-Cornesþi) and Verbicioara elements to a greater extent, and Paraćin cultural elements to a lesser extent. Given that this material was collected during identification work, we are now aware of the stratigraphic relations between these elements, and have devoted more attention to common characteristics and interconnections from which certain conclusions can be drawn. Based on the finds from archaeological sites that have been excavated it can be concluded that the distribution of sites with Gamzigrad cultural characteristics is limited to a very small area, i.e. only to the vicinity of the Crni Timok river. Nearly at all sites, both highland and lowland, Vatin and Verbicioara elements are strongly visible on the ceramic materials. The geographic position of the Crni Timok, which is located in the area where the Paraćin, Vatin and Verbichoar cultures connected and overlapped, could contribute to shedding light on the origin and characteristics of this phenomenon of the Middle Bronze Age in Eastern Serbia.
Origin and distribution of slightly biconical bowls with facetted or channeled rim from the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages on the Balkan peninsula
Origin and distribution of slightly biconical bowls with facetted or channeled rim from the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages on the Balkan peninsula
Slightly biconical shaped bowls, the upper cone (rim and shoulder) of which is decorated with horizontal and slanted facets or slanted channels, as well as semi-globular bowls of inverted rim decorated with horizontal facets or slanted channels are characteristic of the end of Bronze Age and mark the beginning of Iron Age in many cultural groups within the Balkan Peninsula. Problem of their origin, chronology and distribution is present in archaeological literature for a long time. Many authors perceived the significance of this ceramic shape for the chronological, ethnic and cultural interpretation of the Late Bronze, that is, of the Early Iron Ages within the territory of the Balkans. Pottery from the burned layers in Vardina and Vardaroftsa sites in the north of Greece, among which there were bowls with inverted, slanted channeled rim, was designated way back by W. Heurtley as Danubian pottery or Lausitz ware, connecting its origin with the Danube Basin. Anumber of conclusions have been reached upon the study of finds of slightly biconical bowls and bowls of inverted rim, decorated with channels or facets, from several indicative sites from Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages within the Balkan Peninsula and south part of the Middle Europe. It has been stated that the bowls appear first within the southwest Slovakia and northwest Hungary in the Br D period, to spread very fast, already in the Br D/Ha A1 period, from its home territory to the east, to the northeast Hungary and northwest Romania. Namely, this first spreading wave into these territories brought along only variety Ia bowls, which were further distributed to the south, during the Ha A1 period, to the central parts of the Balkan Peninsula and consequently it can be concluded that these bowls are somewhat older than other varieties. In the period Br D - Ha A1, in north Hungary, under the influence of Gava Culture, on one hand, and Čaka Culture, on the other, appear also variety IIa bowls (turban dish), distributed to the east with a new migration wave, in the same manner as was the case with the first migration wave, but also to the south, along the Bakonjska Range, to the present day Croatia and Slovenia, where, in the Ha A1/A2 periods, were stated exclusively variety IIa bowls. Representatives of the variety Ia bowls remained in the Pomoravlje region and Južna Morava Basin, as confirmed by a large number of these bowls and also by other ceramic shapes of that stylistic and typological pattern, prevailing within this region in the Ha A1/A2 periods. First variety IIa bowls (Mediana, Kržince) appear only during the second migration wave coming from the north of the Balkans to the central part of the Balkan Peninsula (Ha A2 period). These bowls, however, are particularly characteristic of Macedonia and lower Povardarje, where variety Ia bowls were not stated at all. The second migration wave representatives, with turban dish bowls (variety IIa), were much more aggressive as witnessed by many burned settlements from that period in the Vranjska-Bujanovačka Valleys and Povardarje. During Ha B-C periods, bowls of both types (particularly variety IIa) became inevitable part of ceramic inventory of nearly all cultural groups in the Balkan Peninsula, which could be explained by the spread of cultural influence of the new stylistic trend, though, however, it could be possible that migrations, which at the time were numerous and of greater or lesser intensity, were one of the spreading causes of this ceramic shape into the east, south and west parts of the Balkan Peninsula in the Ha B period. Representatives of the mentioned migrations, which were carried out in at least two larger migration waves, bringing along bowls to the Balkan Peninsula, are protagonists of historically known migrations from that period, known under names of Doric and Aegean migrations. The assumed direction of these migrations coincides mainly with the distribution direction of bowl types I and II. Migrations spreading the bowl types I and II started in the south part of the Middle Europe, but were initiated by the representatives of the Urnenfelder cultural complex from the Middle Europe, as observed in certain ceramic shapes, stated together with type I bowls and originating from cultures of the Urnenfelder complex, and in numerous metal finds, which were produced in Middle European workshops. It is of interest to point out that bowl movements could be followed up to the northwest shores of the Aegean Sea, but they are not stated in the south Trace and in Troy, thus imposing conclusion that their representatives did not reach Troy. Consequently, their possible participation in destruction of VIIb2 layer settlements is utterly uncertain. The migrations, however, started chain reaction of ethnic movements in the Balkans, causing many ethnic and cultural changes within this territory which will lead to creation of new cultural groups to mark the developed Iron Age. To what extent bowls of this type, particularly variety IIa, left deep trace in the Iron Age Cultures in the central Balkans, is shown in the fact that survivals of this variety remained within these regions even several centuries later, in late phases of the Ha C period (VI/V century BC).
Oscilacije nivoa Crnog Mora i kulturni razvoj Jugoistočne Evrope u vrijeme srednjeg holocena ca. 6000-3000 bc
Oscilacije nivoa Crnog Mora i kulturni razvoj Jugoistočne Evrope u vrijeme srednjeg holocena ca. 6000-3000 bc
(nemački) Der Autor präsentiert die Untersuchungsergebnisse zur Entwicklung des Schwarzen Meeres während des Holozäns, die in der letzten Zeit im Gebiet des ehemaligen Sowjetunion, Rumänien, Bulgarien und in der Türkei erzielt worden sind und diskutiert sie vom archäologischen Standpunkt aus. Dabei wird hervorgehoben, daß die Kulturentwicklung im Gebiet Südost­europas während der Urgeschichtsperiode und vor allem in der Zeit des mittleren Holozäns durch die Umwandlung des heutigen Schwarzen Meeres aus dem sogenannten neoeuxinischen Süßwassersee in das halbmarine Becken im wesentlichem beeinflußt wurde. Die Forscher sind sich weitgehend einig, daß diese Marineumwandlung als Ergebnis des glazioeustatischen Anstiegs der Weltozeane während des älteren Holozäns geschah. Bezüglich des Ablaufes dieses Prozesses sind jedoch unterschiedliche Standpunkte anzutreffen. So ist bereits die Zeitstellung des ersten Meerwassereinbruchs in die Schwarz­meerdepression umstritten. Nach A. L. Chepalyga wäre die erste mit der ältesten Meeresfauna und Salzwasser begleitete Transgression, die gleichzeitig den Einbruch des Meerwassers durch den Bosporus in das Schwarze Meer markiert, an den Anfang des Holozäns bzw. in die Periode 1053±180 BP anzusetzen. G. A. Jones und A. R. Gagnon setzen zwar die erste Verbindung zwischen Schwarzmeer und Mittelmeer beinahe in der gleichen Zeit bzw. um 9800 BP an. Ihrer Auffassung nach sollte es sich jedoch dabei um die Wasserströmung vom Schwarzen Meer ins Mittelmeer und nicht entgegengesetzt handeln. Zum gleichen Schluß kommen A. E. Aksu, R. N. Hiscott und D. YaÕar die den ersten Kontakt zwischen diesen beiden Becken als Einbruch frischen Wassers ins Mittelmeer um 9500 BP ansehen. Die beidseitigen Wasserströmungen und das Auftauchen des Salzwassers im Schwarzen Meer können demnach erst in die Zeit um 7150 BP datiert werden. Einen abweichenden Standpunkt vertreten die amerikani­schen Geologen W. Ryan und W. Pitman. Nach ihren Aus­führungen kann dieser Kontakt als ein massiver Einbruch des Salzwassers in das Schwarze Meer über den Bosporus, der erst um 5.600 v.Chr. zu Stande kam angesehen werden. Diese Naturkatastrophe brachte eine weitreichende kulturelle Verwüstung mit sich, die nach diesen Forschern als biblische Sintflutgeschichte erkannt wurde. Nach der russischen Literatur ist dahingegen über eine starke Transgression, die vergleichbare Auswirkung hätte aufweisen können, erst im 4. Jt. v.Chr. zu rechnen. Diese Umwandlung wird die erste Neuschwarzmeer-Transgression bzw. Fedorov-Transgression genannt. Archäologischen Angaben zu Folge kann von einer kataklysmischen Entwicklung während des 6. Jt.v.Chr., die dem Szenario von Rayan und Pitman entspräche, keine Rede sein. Dahingegen weisen die Kultureinheiten aus dieser Zeit eine zunehmende Weiterentwicklung auf, die zu der bekannten kulturellen und demographischen "Explosion" während des Spätneolithikums und Frühäneolithikums im Gebiet Sudost­europas führte. Eine Kulmination dieses Prozesses geschah in der zweiten Hälfte des 5. Jts. v.Chr. bzw. in der Zeit des ausgehenden spätatlantischen Klimaoptimums. Mit dem Ablauf der frühäneoltihischen Periode gegen Ende des 5. Jt. v.Chr. fanden die meisten entwickelten und metallführenden Kulturen Südosteuropas, wie zum Beispiel die Kulturen GumelniÛa, Varna und Karanovo VI ihr jähes Ende. Dem folgte ein Kulturuntergang bzw. Kulturhiatus, der die ersten Jahrhunderte des 4. Jt. prägte. Diese Zeit entspricht der Klimaverschlechte­rung in der frühen Subborealphase und der ankommenden Fedorov-Transgression, deren Maximum spätestes in der Mitte des 4. Jt. anzusetzen ist. Während dieser Transgression sollen die weiten Niederungen im West- und Nordpontus überflutet worden sein, sodaß alle in Küstennähe und am Flußufer liegenden Siedlungen verlassen werden mußten. Es ist davonauszugehen, daß diese Überschwemmungen nur die Schluß­phase einer langen und allmählichen Entwicklung darstellten, die sich durch die Erhöhung des Grundwasserspiegels und die Versumpfung umliegender Landflächen in einem noch größeren Umfang bemerkbar machte. Als Folge dieser klima­tischen Gegebenheiten verschlechterten sich allen Angaben nach die Lebensbedingungen nicht nur in unmittelbarer Näheder bereits von Überschwemmungen betroffenen Gebiete. Demnach sprechen sowohl archäologische als auch klima­tologische Forschungsergebnisse für eine durch den Wasser­anstieg bedingte Natur- und Kulturkatastrophe, die in der ersten Hälfte des 4. Jt. V. Chr. geschah. Folglich sind auch die in der Bibel beschriebenen Sintflutereignisse, falls sie überhaupt im Schwarzmeergebiet anzusiedeln sind, eher in dieser Periode als im 6. Jt. v. Chr. zu suchen.
Ostaci manastira Sv. Arhan|ela Mihaila na Prevlaci
Ostaci manastira Sv. Arhan|ela Mihaila na Prevlaci
U radu se saop{tavaju rezultati istra`ivawa ostataka manastira Sv. Arhan|ela Mihaila na poluostrvu Prevlaci u Boki Kotorskoj. Otkriveni su ostaci dveju crkava, starije i mla|e. Na ostacima starije crkve sagra|ena je mla|a, koja je tako|e razorena. Nema podataka kada su crkve razorene. Mla|a je bila hram zetske episkopije, koju je osnovao sveti Sava.
Paleolithic and mesolithic finds from profile of the Zemun loess
Paleolithic and mesolithic finds from profile of the Zemun loess
Segment of the material from these two sites was published already in 1984 Owing to circumstances two new Paleolithic sites discovered in the territory of Serbia in recent times have made possible placing of the finds from the sites 'Ekonomija 13 maj' and Beljarica in the new context. This work, by revising already published material and also by presenting the artifacts discovered in the meantime, expands the data base related to the human settlements on the fringes of the Pannonian basin, i.e. in the territory of present-day Serbia during Middle and Late Paleolithic but also during Mesolithic period.
Particular ceramic forms in the central Balkan and northern shores of the Aegean sea in the late bronze age
Particular ceramic forms in the central Balkan and northern shores of the Aegean sea in the late bronze age
This paper deals with the appearance and development of particular ceramic forms that were prevalent on the wider territory from the lower Danube to the northern shores of the Aegean sea during the middle and Late Bronze Age. These forms relate to globular beakers, pear shaped vessels with everted rims with arch shaped handles, cups with handles with plastic applications on their upper surface, etc. Particular attention is devoted to the phenomenon of globular beakers of the LBA in the valleys of Varder, Mesta and Struma rivers. All information collected primarily through analysis of stylistic-typological characteristics of ceramics of the middle and Late Bronze Age - that took into account ritual burials, layout of settlements, trade routes and climactic conditions during that period - points to population movements from the north to the south already by the LBA, i.e. in 15th century BC. These movements contributed to the creation of particular cultural groups in the LBA in the central Balkans, such as the Brnjica cultural group. However, these movements cannot be clearly linked to the so-called Aegean Migration, and for this reason their character and chronology are subject to debate. Ultimately it can be concluded that beakers of the Zimnicea -Cherkovna-Plovdiv type appeared in the late Bronze Age in the Vlasine depression and the Danube valley through the evolution of beaker forms of cultural groups of earlier periods. Almost contemporaneously, during LBA, a variant of this ceramic form, richly ornamented (mostly with spirals) and similar in manner to the cultural group Dubovac-Žuto Brdo-Grla Mare- Krna, appeared in the LBA culture in northern Greece. Clearly this stylistic mannerism, with spirals as characteristic elements, spread relatively quickly through successive migrations in the period of 15th-14th century BC, toward the south of the Balkan Peninsula, thus covering the wider territory from the southern tip of the Carpathian mountains down to the northern shores of the Aegean Sea. Participants in those migrations are in fact representatives of cultural groups that were created in the northern Balkan Peninsula during the 16th and 15th centuries BC through the breakdown of Vatic culture. As the result of pressures from the north and north-west they headed south, contributing to the creation and development of cultural groups on the territory of the central Balkans. The final destination of the migrations were the valleys of the Mesta, Struma and Vardar rivers where, starting in the 15th century BC, a noticeable foreign cultural influence can be felt that became most pronounced during 14th century BC. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177020: Arheologija Srbije: kulturni idenitet, integracioni faktori, tehnološki procesi i uloga centralnog Balkana u razvoju evropske praistorije]
Perforated coins from graves at the Viminacium necropolis of Pećine
Perforated coins from graves at the Viminacium necropolis of Pećine
A common problem that occurs when interpreting finds of perforated Roman coins is their function and whether they were perforated in Roman times or later. Hence, the specimens which originate from an undisturbed archaeological context, as is the case with finds from the Viminacium necropolis of Pećine, are indispensable. A total of 45 perforated coins were discovered at Pećine: 23 from graves and 22 from sacrificial areas. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 47018: Viminacium, roman city and military legion camp - research of material and non-material of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalization and 3D visualization]
Perforated coins from graves at the Viminacium necropolis of Više Grobalja
Perforated coins from graves at the Viminacium necropolis of Više Grobalja
A common problem that occurs when interpreting finds of perforated Roman coins is whether they had been perforated in Roman times or later. Hence, the specimens that originate from an undisturbed archaeological context, as is the case with finds from the Viminacium necropolis of Više Grobalja, are indispensable. A total of 47 perforated coins were discovered: 31 with a single and 16 with three perforations. The analysis of the context of the finds, in some specimens, allows the confident assertion that they had constituted a part of jewellery. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 47018: IRS - Viminacium, Roman city and military legion camp - research of the material and non-material culture of inhabitants using the latest technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalisation and 3D visualisation]

Pages