Books by Krassimira Luka
https://bgheritage.bg/publi_terrasigillata.php
This book presents the results of research conduc... more https://bgheritage.bg/publi_terrasigillata.php
This book presents the results of research conducted by the author in 2008-2011. Due to the exact date provided by the terra sigillata shards and teen-walled pottery, some conclusions are made concerning the earliest ages of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria and the military unit settled in this place. The book presents also evidence of the earliest in the region local center for the production of pottery connected with the Italian atelies.
РИМСКА КЕРАМИКА ОТ СТРАТИФИЦИРАНИ ОБЕКТИ В СЕВЕРОЗАПАДНА БЪЛГАРИЯ, 2022
https://bgheritage.bg/publi_pottery.php
This book presents five archaeological sites, three of w... more https://bgheritage.bg/publi_pottery.php
This book presents five archaeological sites, three of which this author has personally participated in their excavation. Additionally, three of these sites, Mezra Kaleto, Iakimovo Gradishteto and Iakimovo Nad Urvata, have never before appeared in any previous publications until now. The ceramics from Altimir Bresta and Conbustica have been published, but the documentation of the former is unsatisfactory, while the emphasis in the existing literature on Conbustica is on their technical characteristics. In this work, the ceramic materials from these sites will be synthesized into a single typological sequence, which will allow a summary of the technology, decoration and chronology of this material as well as the specific characteristics of the local ceramic production in the region studied.
RATIARIA SEMPER FLOREAT, 2014
Papers by Krassimira Luka
Доклад на заседание на Гражданския съвет към Висшия съдебен съвет, 2019
Археологическият обект, станал известен като „Скаптопара“, е разположен до град Благоевград. Той ... more Археологическият обект, станал известен като „Скаптопара“, е разположен до град Благоевград. Той е най-големият, разкриван по време на строителството на магистрали в България. Неговото проучване е финансирано от Агенция пътна инфраструктури (АПИ) със средства на Оперативна програма „Транспорт“ (ОПТ) и достига сумата от 3 101 866 лева. Впоследствие беше извършено преместване на две от античните сгради, които попадат под трасето на магистралата, за което бяха отпуснати още над 1 500 000 лева от бюджета на АПИ.
Понастоящем „Скаптопара“ е почти изцяло унищожена – древните останки са разглобени и струпани на купчина, със съвременни материали (бетон и арматурно желязо) се изграждат техни подобия, антична керамика, тухли и водопроводни тръби са пръснати навсякъде около обекта.
Състоянието на Скаптопара днес може да се опише като „Погром!“. Изхарчената огромна сума бюджетни и европейски средства, участието на държавни институции като Министерството на културата и Националния археологически институт към БАН, поставят редица въпроси, които ще бъдат изложени в настоящия доклад, най-важните от които са:
1. Съдържа ли законодателството, свързано с археологическото наследство текстове, които предпоставят и позволяват злоупотреба с публични средства?
2. Каква е системата за мониторинг и контрол върху археологическите проучвания, когато те са обект на обществени поръчки.
3. До каква степен стопанисването на археологическите обекти като обществено значим елемент (публична държавна собственост) отговаря на обществения интерес и съществува ли съответния регулационен механизъм.
Случаят „Скаптопара“ концентрира наболели обществени проблеми, най-същественият от които е унищожаването на българската историческа памет. В последните десет години Законът за културното наследство е променян над 20 пъти, факт, който ясно показва неговата неадекватност. В частта „Археологическо наследство“ са допуснати текстове, които противоречат на ратифицирани от България европейски конвенции и генерират корупционни практики. В тази връзка в заключителната част на доклада ще бъдат направени и конкретни предложения за промяна в законодателството, свързани с администрирането, мониторингът и стопанисването на културните паметници.
The paper discusses the dates concerning the arterial road Ratiaria - Conbustica, part of the rou... more The paper discusses the dates concerning the arterial road Ratiaria - Conbustica, part of the route Ratiaria - Lissus, which connects the Danubian limes with the Adriatic coast (Fig.2). Represented are all published archaeological finds known from the valley of river Archaritsa. On the basis of their concentration is outlined the presumable trace of the main road (Fig.3. During the period 2009-2011 in this region were located twelve new ancient sites situated around the road, and is detected part of its route (Fig.17). A secondary road was also documented in the area. The pottery originating from those sites was comprehensively analyzed, which allow pre-dating of the villages in the valley of Archaritsa. On the basis of this dating is proposed a scheme of development of the urban structure in the region during the different periods (Fig. 15) and is concluded that the tracing of the road Ratiaria - Conbustica had been made in the first decades of the Roman expansion in the Balkans, mainly with military purpose.
The present paper is published in Arheologia mileniului I p. Chr. 2012. Unfortunately the author ... more The present paper is published in Arheologia mileniului I p. Chr. 2012. Unfortunately the author don't possess a copy of the printed edition. For any further information (the exact bibliography of the article) please refer to Mr. Bogdan Ciupercă - Muzeul Judeţean de Istorie şi Arheologie Prahova
This article presents the results of rescue excavations carried out at funeral tumulus situated i... more This article presents the results of rescue excavations carried out at funeral tumulus situated in vicinities of Harmanly, South-Eastern Bulgaria (Fig. 1). The main goal of the studies was to clarify the circumstances of which a year ago a big pottery hoard was discovered by treasure hunters at the same place (Fig. 11). The "pottery hoard" in question represents more then 100 vessels produced in two different techniques: made on a potter's wheel (Tabl. I-XV) and hand-made (Tabl. XVI-XXIV). Together with the pottery shards the looters dug also some metal find among them perfect preserved Roman spear (Fig. 14-15). The funeral mound (No 4) is part of the necropolis of 4 tumuli (Fig. 2) and between them is the smallest one (diameter 25 m and high 1.30 m). Big part of the mound was destroyed by looters but in its North-Western part were studied part of burial place and in its South-Eastern corner was discovered structure made by stones (Fig.3, 9-10). All these evidences shows that at this place have been implemented cremation and that the tomb should be interpret as body burning at place (bustum). The analysis of pottery gives clear data about its connection with Hellenistic and pre-Roman production as well as with the Early Roman terra sigillata vessels known by the Roman legionary forts in North Bulgaria. Part of the forms but not at all shows similarity with the funerary gifts in the region but the quantity of the vessels coming from the mound No 4 proves a different ritual, probably much earlier in time. All this evidences together with the date given by the metal artifact (used in the Roman army in the time between the reign of Emperors Augustus and Hadrian) allow us to date the grave in mound No 4 in the period AD 45 - AD 138. The grave belongs to a Thracian soldier and gives very interesting information concerning the adaptation of the local societies to the newcomer Roman order and "imperial" culture.
Ratiaria and its Territory, Vol. I, 50-64
RATIARIA SEMPER FLOREAT, т. I, "Рациария и нейната територия", 284-330
Technological characteristics of the pottery from Early Roman military dwelling and Late Roman le... more Technological characteristics of the pottery from Early Roman military dwelling and Late Roman levels in Conbustica (Combustica) near the village of Kladorub, Dimovo Municipality
The excavations in Conbustica were carried out between 2008 and 2011 and revealed a stone fortification wall with dimensions 110 x 140 m (Tabl. I/1) and three periods: an Early Roman military camp - Level 1 (third - fourth quarter of 1st c. AD), a level dated back to the second half of the 4th c. AD connected to the building of the stone fortification (Level 2) and a period when the wall was destroyed in the middle of the 5th c. AD (Level 3). The paper discusses the pottery found in Trench No 3 - the only place at the site which remains unaffected by treasure-hunters’ invasion (Fig. 1, Tabl. II). The pottery from Trench 3 is divided in several technological groups (TG) as follow:
TG I: Thin-walled red-slip pottery - registered only in Level 1 (the Early Roman level).
TG II: Thin-walled black-slip pottery (terra nigra).
TG III: Rad-slip pottery (Fig. 8) with 3 subgroups (TSG) divided on the basis of firing and color of the shards. Generally, the amount of red-slip pottery found in Trench 3 is not great (Fig. 5-7). The shards found in the Early Roman level are of better quality (TSG III/1). In the later periods the amount of red-slip fragments increases and is registered an extensive use of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG IV: Plain Roman pottery (not slipped pottery) (Fig. 9) with 4 subgroups. This kind of pottery was in most intensive use in the three registered levels. Once again, the better quality shards are found in the earlier level. Typical for the Late Roman levels (4th-5th c.) are poorly fired shards (TSG IV/2) and the presence of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG V: Pottery made by sandy clay with two subgroups. This kind of pottery is registered only in the Late Roman levels.
TG VI: Gray pottery (Fig. 10). This refers to the so called „burnished pottery“ but not all vessels of this group were decorated. That’s why the group is divided on the basis of the quality of the shards, respectively light gray poorly fired pottery (TSG VI/1) and dark gray to black well fired pottery (TSG VI/2). Most shards of the first subgroup are not burnished. This group was in use in all periods registered at the site.
TG VII: Glazed pottery. The group is registered in level 1 and 3 in small quantity (only two shards).
TG VIII: Coarse pottery (Fig. 11). This group is typical again for all periods but in the Early Roman level it is with greatest thickness of the walls and 33 % of the shards were probably made by using pottery wheel.
TG IX: Tare (imported amphorae).
On the basis of the statistical analysis of the pottery the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. The technological diversity of red slip and plain red pottery (TG III and IV) in the earlier period shows that this vessels were produced in some big pottery center, i.e. they can be interpreted rather as imported than as local production.
2. There is no clear evidence for use of „local pottery“ by the Roman military troops in Moesia in the 1st century AD. The so called „local pottery made on potter’s wheel“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 1994-1995: 75, 83-84, Кат. №№ 38-41) and „burnished pottery“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 96-105; Вагалински, Л. 2002: 76) that belong to the Early Roman period, in fact represent two variants of a single technological group which was used, according to the stratigraphic data, during the 1st c. AD. At the only place where this group is dated to the Late Iron Age - Castra Martis (30 km away from Conbustica, the modern town of Kula), the stratigraphic evidence shows that such period does not exist.
3. After the beginning of the 4th century, a local deposit of kaolin clay was used extensively. The vessels made of kaolin clay are obviously local production and the definitions „fine light-clay pottery“ and „Late Roman light sandy pottery“ used by Geragana Kabakchiva for the same group in Castra Martis are not correct.
4. There is great discrepancy between the information coming from Conbustica and that from Castra Martis concerning the quantity of the glazed pottery. The use of this technological group in Conbustica is only 0,3 % for the entire site. According to Georgi Kuzmanov, the glazed pottery predominates in the latest layers in Castra Martis (Кузманов, Г. 2005: 152). This mismatch can be explained with the methodology used for the pottery from Castra Martis, i.e. with tendentious selection of the glazed shards. Not very precise approach to the pottery material in Castra Martis can be seen also in the presence of lots of shards dated in the 4th and 5th century in the chapter „Roman and burnished pottery“, pretending to represent the material dated to the 2nd and 3rd century AD (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 85, К. № 6-14; 87, Кат. № 19-20; 88, Кат. № 21-22; 89, Ка. № 24, 25-26; 90, Кат. № 29; 93, Кат. № 34-35; 945, кат. № 37-38; 95, Кат. № 39-40, 42; 96, Кат. № 44; 102, Кат. № 64; 103, Кат. № 68-71; 104, Кат. № 73-80, 82). That brings us to the conclusion that the pottery from Castra Martis was artificially divided into two periods and that, compared to the materials from Conbustica, the published pottery from Castra Martis in fact belongs to one single period - the 4th and the beginning of the 5th century AD.
Arheologiâ, Jan 1, 2006
This paper considers four ceramic moulds for production of ware with applied decoration found on ... more This paper considers four ceramic moulds for production of ware with applied decoration found on a ritual hearth in the Kaleto fortress, near Mezdra. They were dated back by coins to the period between the 2nd and 5th decade of the 3rd century AD. These finds were amongst the few with a reliable archaeological context, not related to the large production centers situated near the present-day Butovo and Pavlikeni. Thus far, ancient Montana is the only site on the territory of present-day northwestern Bulgaria which has yielded finds that can be related to the functioning of a local atelier producing ware imitating terra sigillata. Apart from the thoroughly studied, highly specialized pottery centers near Butovo, Hotnitsa, and Pavlikeni, there is information indicating the existence of others which are not well known for the time being. The analysis of the pottery from Mezdra-Kaleto site and that of a chance find from the territory of the present-day town of Mezdra (remains of a destroyed kiln loaded with ware and a ceramic stamp seal for relief pottery decoration) testify for the existence of a specialized pottery production in the area of Mezdra as well. The four moulds from Mezdra-Kaleto were probably used in the pottery production. This find is another proof of the existence of a still unexplored large pottery center, which was functioning in the Mezdra area in the 3rd century AD.
Алтимир-Бреста култов комплекс и селище. Библиотека „Български Северозапад”, Серия „Научни изследвания”, 27, 2006, 116-130
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Books by Krassimira Luka
This book presents the results of research conducted by the author in 2008-2011. Due to the exact date provided by the terra sigillata shards and teen-walled pottery, some conclusions are made concerning the earliest ages of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria and the military unit settled in this place. The book presents also evidence of the earliest in the region local center for the production of pottery connected with the Italian atelies.
This book presents five archaeological sites, three of which this author has personally participated in their excavation. Additionally, three of these sites, Mezra Kaleto, Iakimovo Gradishteto and Iakimovo Nad Urvata, have never before appeared in any previous publications until now. The ceramics from Altimir Bresta and Conbustica have been published, but the documentation of the former is unsatisfactory, while the emphasis in the existing literature on Conbustica is on their technical characteristics. In this work, the ceramic materials from these sites will be synthesized into a single typological sequence, which will allow a summary of the technology, decoration and chronology of this material as well as the specific characteristics of the local ceramic production in the region studied.
Papers by Krassimira Luka
Понастоящем „Скаптопара“ е почти изцяло унищожена – древните останки са разглобени и струпани на купчина, със съвременни материали (бетон и арматурно желязо) се изграждат техни подобия, антична керамика, тухли и водопроводни тръби са пръснати навсякъде около обекта.
Състоянието на Скаптопара днес може да се опише като „Погром!“. Изхарчената огромна сума бюджетни и европейски средства, участието на държавни институции като Министерството на културата и Националния археологически институт към БАН, поставят редица въпроси, които ще бъдат изложени в настоящия доклад, най-важните от които са:
1. Съдържа ли законодателството, свързано с археологическото наследство текстове, които предпоставят и позволяват злоупотреба с публични средства?
2. Каква е системата за мониторинг и контрол върху археологическите проучвания, когато те са обект на обществени поръчки.
3. До каква степен стопанисването на археологическите обекти като обществено значим елемент (публична държавна собственост) отговаря на обществения интерес и съществува ли съответния регулационен механизъм.
Случаят „Скаптопара“ концентрира наболели обществени проблеми, най-същественият от които е унищожаването на българската историческа памет. В последните десет години Законът за културното наследство е променян над 20 пъти, факт, който ясно показва неговата неадекватност. В частта „Археологическо наследство“ са допуснати текстове, които противоречат на ратифицирани от България европейски конвенции и генерират корупционни практики. В тази връзка в заключителната част на доклада ще бъдат направени и конкретни предложения за промяна в законодателството, свързани с администрирането, мониторингът и стопанисването на културните паметници.
The excavations in Conbustica were carried out between 2008 and 2011 and revealed a stone fortification wall with dimensions 110 x 140 m (Tabl. I/1) and three periods: an Early Roman military camp - Level 1 (third - fourth quarter of 1st c. AD), a level dated back to the second half of the 4th c. AD connected to the building of the stone fortification (Level 2) and a period when the wall was destroyed in the middle of the 5th c. AD (Level 3). The paper discusses the pottery found in Trench No 3 - the only place at the site which remains unaffected by treasure-hunters’ invasion (Fig. 1, Tabl. II). The pottery from Trench 3 is divided in several technological groups (TG) as follow:
TG I: Thin-walled red-slip pottery - registered only in Level 1 (the Early Roman level).
TG II: Thin-walled black-slip pottery (terra nigra).
TG III: Rad-slip pottery (Fig. 8) with 3 subgroups (TSG) divided on the basis of firing and color of the shards. Generally, the amount of red-slip pottery found in Trench 3 is not great (Fig. 5-7). The shards found in the Early Roman level are of better quality (TSG III/1). In the later periods the amount of red-slip fragments increases and is registered an extensive use of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG IV: Plain Roman pottery (not slipped pottery) (Fig. 9) with 4 subgroups. This kind of pottery was in most intensive use in the three registered levels. Once again, the better quality shards are found in the earlier level. Typical for the Late Roman levels (4th-5th c.) are poorly fired shards (TSG IV/2) and the presence of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG V: Pottery made by sandy clay with two subgroups. This kind of pottery is registered only in the Late Roman levels.
TG VI: Gray pottery (Fig. 10). This refers to the so called „burnished pottery“ but not all vessels of this group were decorated. That’s why the group is divided on the basis of the quality of the shards, respectively light gray poorly fired pottery (TSG VI/1) and dark gray to black well fired pottery (TSG VI/2). Most shards of the first subgroup are not burnished. This group was in use in all periods registered at the site.
TG VII: Glazed pottery. The group is registered in level 1 and 3 in small quantity (only two shards).
TG VIII: Coarse pottery (Fig. 11). This group is typical again for all periods but in the Early Roman level it is with greatest thickness of the walls and 33 % of the shards were probably made by using pottery wheel.
TG IX: Tare (imported amphorae).
On the basis of the statistical analysis of the pottery the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. The technological diversity of red slip and plain red pottery (TG III and IV) in the earlier period shows that this vessels were produced in some big pottery center, i.e. they can be interpreted rather as imported than as local production.
2. There is no clear evidence for use of „local pottery“ by the Roman military troops in Moesia in the 1st century AD. The so called „local pottery made on potter’s wheel“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 1994-1995: 75, 83-84, Кат. №№ 38-41) and „burnished pottery“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 96-105; Вагалински, Л. 2002: 76) that belong to the Early Roman period, in fact represent two variants of a single technological group which was used, according to the stratigraphic data, during the 1st c. AD. At the only place where this group is dated to the Late Iron Age - Castra Martis (30 km away from Conbustica, the modern town of Kula), the stratigraphic evidence shows that such period does not exist.
3. After the beginning of the 4th century, a local deposit of kaolin clay was used extensively. The vessels made of kaolin clay are obviously local production and the definitions „fine light-clay pottery“ and „Late Roman light sandy pottery“ used by Geragana Kabakchiva for the same group in Castra Martis are not correct.
4. There is great discrepancy between the information coming from Conbustica and that from Castra Martis concerning the quantity of the glazed pottery. The use of this technological group in Conbustica is only 0,3 % for the entire site. According to Georgi Kuzmanov, the glazed pottery predominates in the latest layers in Castra Martis (Кузманов, Г. 2005: 152). This mismatch can be explained with the methodology used for the pottery from Castra Martis, i.e. with tendentious selection of the glazed shards. Not very precise approach to the pottery material in Castra Martis can be seen also in the presence of lots of shards dated in the 4th and 5th century in the chapter „Roman and burnished pottery“, pretending to represent the material dated to the 2nd and 3rd century AD (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 85, К. № 6-14; 87, Кат. № 19-20; 88, Кат. № 21-22; 89, Ка. № 24, 25-26; 90, Кат. № 29; 93, Кат. № 34-35; 945, кат. № 37-38; 95, Кат. № 39-40, 42; 96, Кат. № 44; 102, Кат. № 64; 103, Кат. № 68-71; 104, Кат. № 73-80, 82). That brings us to the conclusion that the pottery from Castra Martis was artificially divided into two periods and that, compared to the materials from Conbustica, the published pottery from Castra Martis in fact belongs to one single period - the 4th and the beginning of the 5th century AD.
This book presents the results of research conducted by the author in 2008-2011. Due to the exact date provided by the terra sigillata shards and teen-walled pottery, some conclusions are made concerning the earliest ages of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria and the military unit settled in this place. The book presents also evidence of the earliest in the region local center for the production of pottery connected with the Italian atelies.
This book presents five archaeological sites, three of which this author has personally participated in their excavation. Additionally, three of these sites, Mezra Kaleto, Iakimovo Gradishteto and Iakimovo Nad Urvata, have never before appeared in any previous publications until now. The ceramics from Altimir Bresta and Conbustica have been published, but the documentation of the former is unsatisfactory, while the emphasis in the existing literature on Conbustica is on their technical characteristics. In this work, the ceramic materials from these sites will be synthesized into a single typological sequence, which will allow a summary of the technology, decoration and chronology of this material as well as the specific characteristics of the local ceramic production in the region studied.
Понастоящем „Скаптопара“ е почти изцяло унищожена – древните останки са разглобени и струпани на купчина, със съвременни материали (бетон и арматурно желязо) се изграждат техни подобия, антична керамика, тухли и водопроводни тръби са пръснати навсякъде около обекта.
Състоянието на Скаптопара днес може да се опише като „Погром!“. Изхарчената огромна сума бюджетни и европейски средства, участието на държавни институции като Министерството на културата и Националния археологически институт към БАН, поставят редица въпроси, които ще бъдат изложени в настоящия доклад, най-важните от които са:
1. Съдържа ли законодателството, свързано с археологическото наследство текстове, които предпоставят и позволяват злоупотреба с публични средства?
2. Каква е системата за мониторинг и контрол върху археологическите проучвания, когато те са обект на обществени поръчки.
3. До каква степен стопанисването на археологическите обекти като обществено значим елемент (публична държавна собственост) отговаря на обществения интерес и съществува ли съответния регулационен механизъм.
Случаят „Скаптопара“ концентрира наболели обществени проблеми, най-същественият от които е унищожаването на българската историческа памет. В последните десет години Законът за културното наследство е променян над 20 пъти, факт, който ясно показва неговата неадекватност. В частта „Археологическо наследство“ са допуснати текстове, които противоречат на ратифицирани от България европейски конвенции и генерират корупционни практики. В тази връзка в заключителната част на доклада ще бъдат направени и конкретни предложения за промяна в законодателството, свързани с администрирането, мониторингът и стопанисването на културните паметници.
The excavations in Conbustica were carried out between 2008 and 2011 and revealed a stone fortification wall with dimensions 110 x 140 m (Tabl. I/1) and three periods: an Early Roman military camp - Level 1 (third - fourth quarter of 1st c. AD), a level dated back to the second half of the 4th c. AD connected to the building of the stone fortification (Level 2) and a period when the wall was destroyed in the middle of the 5th c. AD (Level 3). The paper discusses the pottery found in Trench No 3 - the only place at the site which remains unaffected by treasure-hunters’ invasion (Fig. 1, Tabl. II). The pottery from Trench 3 is divided in several technological groups (TG) as follow:
TG I: Thin-walled red-slip pottery - registered only in Level 1 (the Early Roman level).
TG II: Thin-walled black-slip pottery (terra nigra).
TG III: Rad-slip pottery (Fig. 8) with 3 subgroups (TSG) divided on the basis of firing and color of the shards. Generally, the amount of red-slip pottery found in Trench 3 is not great (Fig. 5-7). The shards found in the Early Roman level are of better quality (TSG III/1). In the later periods the amount of red-slip fragments increases and is registered an extensive use of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG IV: Plain Roman pottery (not slipped pottery) (Fig. 9) with 4 subgroups. This kind of pottery was in most intensive use in the three registered levels. Once again, the better quality shards are found in the earlier level. Typical for the Late Roman levels (4th-5th c.) are poorly fired shards (TSG IV/2) and the presence of vessels made of kaolin clay.
TG V: Pottery made by sandy clay with two subgroups. This kind of pottery is registered only in the Late Roman levels.
TG VI: Gray pottery (Fig. 10). This refers to the so called „burnished pottery“ but not all vessels of this group were decorated. That’s why the group is divided on the basis of the quality of the shards, respectively light gray poorly fired pottery (TSG VI/1) and dark gray to black well fired pottery (TSG VI/2). Most shards of the first subgroup are not burnished. This group was in use in all periods registered at the site.
TG VII: Glazed pottery. The group is registered in level 1 and 3 in small quantity (only two shards).
TG VIII: Coarse pottery (Fig. 11). This group is typical again for all periods but in the Early Roman level it is with greatest thickness of the walls and 33 % of the shards were probably made by using pottery wheel.
TG IX: Tare (imported amphorae).
On the basis of the statistical analysis of the pottery the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. The technological diversity of red slip and plain red pottery (TG III and IV) in the earlier period shows that this vessels were produced in some big pottery center, i.e. they can be interpreted rather as imported than as local production.
2. There is no clear evidence for use of „local pottery“ by the Roman military troops in Moesia in the 1st century AD. The so called „local pottery made on potter’s wheel“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 1994-1995: 75, 83-84, Кат. №№ 38-41) and „burnished pottery“ (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 96-105; Вагалински, Л. 2002: 76) that belong to the Early Roman period, in fact represent two variants of a single technological group which was used, according to the stratigraphic data, during the 1st c. AD. At the only place where this group is dated to the Late Iron Age - Castra Martis (30 km away from Conbustica, the modern town of Kula), the stratigraphic evidence shows that such period does not exist.
3. After the beginning of the 4th century, a local deposit of kaolin clay was used extensively. The vessels made of kaolin clay are obviously local production and the definitions „fine light-clay pottery“ and „Late Roman light sandy pottery“ used by Geragana Kabakchiva for the same group in Castra Martis are not correct.
4. There is great discrepancy between the information coming from Conbustica and that from Castra Martis concerning the quantity of the glazed pottery. The use of this technological group in Conbustica is only 0,3 % for the entire site. According to Georgi Kuzmanov, the glazed pottery predominates in the latest layers in Castra Martis (Кузманов, Г. 2005: 152). This mismatch can be explained with the methodology used for the pottery from Castra Martis, i.e. with tendentious selection of the glazed shards. Not very precise approach to the pottery material in Castra Martis can be seen also in the presence of lots of shards dated in the 4th and 5th century in the chapter „Roman and burnished pottery“, pretending to represent the material dated to the 2nd and 3rd century AD (Кабакчиева, Г. 2005: 85, К. № 6-14; 87, Кат. № 19-20; 88, Кат. № 21-22; 89, Ка. № 24, 25-26; 90, Кат. № 29; 93, Кат. № 34-35; 945, кат. № 37-38; 95, Кат. № 39-40, 42; 96, Кат. № 44; 102, Кат. № 64; 103, Кат. № 68-71; 104, Кат. № 73-80, 82). That brings us to the conclusion that the pottery from Castra Martis was artificially divided into two periods and that, compared to the materials from Conbustica, the published pottery from Castra Martis in fact belongs to one single period - the 4th and the beginning of the 5th century AD.
The course combines practical work and presentations of main sources used by archaeologists to recover the past: the architecture remains, buildings and churches, fortification walls, etc. The students will be introduced to the development and characteristics of Late Antique civilizations. Through visiting to original monuments and architecture remains they will enrich their knowledge and will became familiar with the ancient culture.
Curators of the exhibition : Patrick Talleu and Aurélien Nicole.
Production and Design : Aurélien Nicole.
Scientific Coordination : Dominic Moreau (Univ. Lille/UMR 8164–HALMA), with the collaboration of Xavier Deru (Univ. Lille/UMR 8164–HALMA), Piotr Dyczek and Janusz Recław (Research Centre on Antiquity of Southeastern Europe of the University of Warsaw), Krassimira Luka (Bulgarian Archaeological Association), and Philip J.E. Mills (University of Leicester).
Глава от книгата "Римска керамика от стратифицирани обекти в Северозападна България"