During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanta has purchased a ... more During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanta has purchased a number of iron plough coulters and blades. Among them seven pieces have drawn our attention; by shape and dimensions they seem to date from the medieval epoch beginning. The lack of archaeological context, a situation often to be found in cases of purchased pieces, determined us in this case also to appeal to specialty bibliography and to analogies identification as references for our objects chronological framing. The plough coulters described at positions no. 1-3 in the catalogue seem to correspond with this kind of discoveries from Garvăn, Tulcea county )length 18 cm, maximum width 9.2 cm), dated to the 11 th century and Dodesti (Vaslui county) - with an earlier dating to the 5 th - 7 th centuries. The coulter from Ghenci (Căuas com., Satu Mare county) - 16 cm long and 9 cm wide - dated to the 8 th - 9 th centuries can also be framed here. The piece at position no. 4 would frame among...
During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanța has purchased a ... more During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanța has purchased a number of iron plough coulters and blades. Among them seven pieces have drawn our attention; by shape and dimensions they seem to date from the medieval epoch beginning. The lack of archaeological context, a situation often to be found in cases of purchased pieces, determined us in this case also to appeal to specialty bibliography and to analogies identification as references for our objects chronological framing. The plough coulters described at positions no. 1‐3 in the catalogue seem to correspond with this kind of discoveries from Garvăn, Tulcea county) length 18 cm, maximum width 9.2 cm), dated to the 11th century and Dodeşti (Vaslui county) – with an earlier dating to the 5th – 7th centuries. The coulter from Ghenci (Căuaş com., Satu Mare county) – 16 cm long and 9 cm wide – dated to the 8th – 9th centuries can also be framed here. The piece at position no. 4 would frame among the ...
Orbis Mediaevalis II. Inter tempora. The Chronology of the Early Medieval Period. Issues, Approaches, Results, 2019
The author believes that the data provided by the archaeological discoveries indicate that the ea... more The author believes that the data provided by the archaeological discoveries indicate that the early medieval sites from Dobrudja (South-East Romania) contain pottery categories and types that can be constituted in chronological benchmarks and can contribute to establishing the relative chronology of certain complexes, layers, and even sites. This is possible due to the transformations that took place in time inside pottery categories and types. The author envisages both the progressive changes determined by the addition of new elements to pre-existing models and the introduction of shapes and characteristics novel to the area under analysis, i.e. innovations or influences, that most often lasted for only brief periods of time. As for the argumentation, the author focuses on several ceramic categories (fine-fabric pottery, pottery made of kaolin-type clay decorated with paint, glazed pottery), mentioning their period of existence and on some types of pots included in these categories (single-handle jugs, amphora-shaped jugs, bucket-shaped pots, bowls, cauldrons, amphorae), stressing their transformations in terms of shape and decoration. The coexistence of two or more such categories and types can help specialists determine with greater precision the dating of some archaeological contexts. Special, thus rarer shapes and types with a lower frequency among the finds and with shorter periods of existence can contribute to this. The decoration techniques, the manner of associating the decorative motifs, the introduction and disappearance of certain elements that beautified the body of pots can also contribute to obtaining viable chronological moments, considering that pottery can be reasonably employed to set the relative chronology of sites, especially those lacking discoveries with more precise chronological value (jewelry items and dress accessories, coins, seals etc.).
Autoarea consideră că datele oferite de descoperirile arheologice ne arată că în siturile medieval-timpurii din Dobrogea (sud-estul României) există categorii și tipuri ceramice care se pot constitui în repere cronologice și care pot contribui la stabilirea cronologiei relative a unor complexe, straturi sau chiar situri. Acest lucru este posibil datorită transformărilor care au avut loc în timp în cadrul categoriilor și tipurilor ceramice. Este vorba atât de acele schimbări progresive determinate de adăugarea unui element nou la tiparul deja existent, cât și de apariția unor forme sau caracteristici nemaiîntâlnite în zona supusă atenției, reprezentând inovații sau influențe, care de cele mai multe ori au o perioadă scurtă de existență. Pentru argumentare, se oprește asupra câtorva categorii ceramice (din pastă fină, din argilă caolinitică și decorată cu vopsea, ceramica cu smalț), precizând perioada lor de existență, și a unor tipuri de vase din cadrul acestora (urcior cu o toartă, urcior amforoidal, vasul cu formă de găleată, castron, căldare, amforă), evidențiind schimbări ale lor în formă și decor. Coexistența a două sau mai multor astfel de categorii și tipuri poate ajuta la stabilirea cu mai multă precizie a datării unor contexte arheologice, o contribuție în acest sens putând avea și vasele cu forme mai deosebite și rare, tipuri ce cunosc o frecvență redusă în descoperiri și o existență limitată în timp. Tehnicile de ornamentare, modalitățile de asociere a motivelor decorative, apariția și dispariția unor elemente care înfrumusețează corpul vaselor își pot aduce și ele aportul la obținerea unor momente cronologice fiabile, considerând că este rezonabil ca ceramica să fie folosită la stabilirea cronologiei relative a siturilor, mai ales a celor în care nu beneficiem de descoperiri cu valoare cronologică mai exactă (piese de podoabă și de port, monede, sigilii etc.).
This paper presents the archaeological evidence of the presence of migratory populations in the t... more This paper presents the archaeological evidence of the presence of migratory populations in the territory delimited by the Danube and the Black Sea, known as Dobrudja, between the middle of the 6th century and the first decades of the 8th century. From the ethnic mosaic existing during the stated period in this territory, the Slavic and Avar populations are highlighted. In the first part, the attention is focused mainly on the situation of the citizens on the Danube limes, of the unfavorable moments generated by their raids and their allies, following the chronological identification according to the stratigraphic sequence. The second part presents the discoveries known at the moment, assimilated to the Slavic and Avar cultural environments, consisting of functional objects, elements of dress and military equipment.
Această lucrare prezintă dovezile arheologice ale prezenţei unor populaţii migratoare în teritoriul delimitat de Dunăre și Marea Neagră, cunoscut sub numele de Dobrogea, între mijlocul secolului al VI-lea și primele decenii ale secolului al VIII-lea. Din mozaicul etnic existent în perioada enunţată în acest teritoriu, sunt evidenţiate populaţiile slave și avarii. În prima parte atenţia este îndreptată cu precădere asupra situaţiei cetăţilor de pe limes-ul dunărean, a momentelor nefaste generate de raidurile acestora și de aliaţii lor, urmărindu-se identificarea cronologică conform succesiunii stratigrafice. În a doua parte sunt prezentate descoperirile cunoscute la acest moment, asimilate mediilor culturale slav și avar, constând în obiecte de uz funcţional, piese de port și de echipament militar.
В данной статье представлены археологические свидетельства присутствия отдельных групп некоторых варвар- ских народов Северного Причерноморья на территории между Дунаем и Черным морем (известной как Добруджа) в период между серединой VI и первыми десятилетиями VIII вв. В этнической мозаике, существовавшей на указанной территории в этот период времени, особенно выделяются славяне и авары. В первой части статьи рассматривается преимущественно ситуация в крепостях лимеса, критические моменты их истории, связанные с нашествиями славян, авар и их союзников, и отражение этих событий в археологических данных — с установлением затем их хронологиче- ской и стратиграфической последовательности. Во второй части рассматриваются известные на данные момент на- ходки вещей аварского и славянского происхождения с территории Добруджи: керамика, детали костюма и воинской экипировки.
Abstract: Begun to be researched in 2001, the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina – ”Ca... more Abstract: Begun to be researched in 2001, the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (Constanța County) offers numerous data that highlight it in the dobrudjan archaeological landscape through novelties and specific features compared to what has been investigated so far. Among the many pieces discovered here are those used to decorate clothing accessories, small objects which, by application or sewing, offered another aspect of clothes, belts, bags, shoes and other objects that could be embellished with their help. The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered in the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina -„Capul dealului”. The batch consists of 31 apliques and 3 strap ends. The pieces come from the systematic research and from the collection of the Museum of National History and Archeology from Constanța, the latter representing random discoveries before the opening of the archaeological site. The general characteristics of many of the belt ornaments discovered at Oltina attributed them to the groups of objects specific to the Danube area. The analogies, the presence of lead models and molds in the artistic metalworking centers located south of Preslav, limit, for many pieces, the territory to the first Bulgarian Czardom and its area of influence. From a chronological point of view, the pieces of the presented group belong broadly to the 8th - 11th centuries. Most belong to the middle period of the specified interval, 9th -10th centuries. In some situations, the discovery of similar pieces in contexts dating back to the 8th-9th centuries, respectively the 8th-10th centuries, determine us to a greater attention in the analysis of the discoveries, the respective pieces being possible indications of the foundation of the settlement in the second half of the 8th century, which, however, remain theoretical only, and they must be argued with clear situations that emerge during the research. The belt ornaments discovered at Oltina contribute to the completion of the information regarding the fashion of the respective times, the production of jewelry, the area of their spread and, implicitly, the shaping of the image of the area during the early medieval period. Rezumat: Începută a fi cercetată în anul 2001, așezarea fortificată medievală timpurie de la Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (jud. Constanța) oferă numeroase date care o evidențiază în peisajul arheologic dobrogean prin inedit și trăsături specifice, comparativ cu ceea ce s-a cercetat până acum. Printre numeroasele piese descoperite aici se află și acelea folosite ca accesorii vestimentare, obiecte de mici dimensiuni care, aplicate sau cusute, ofereau un alt aspect hainelor, curelelor, genților, încălțămintei și altor obiecte ce puteau a fi înfrumusețate cu ajutorul lor. Prezentul studiu aduce în atenție un lot de obiecte din bronz descoperite în așezarea medievală timpurie fortificată de la Oltina-„Capul dealului”. Acesta este compus din 31 aplice și 3 capete de curea. Piesele provin din cercetarea arheologică sistematică și din descoperiri întâmplătoare, anterioare deschiderii șantierului arheologic, și fac parte din colecția Muzeului de Istorie Națională și Arheologie din Constanța. Caracteristicile generale ale multora dintre ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina le atribuie grupelor obiectelor specifice zonei dunărene. Analogiile, prezența unor modele din plumb și a unor tipare în centrele de prelucrare artistică a metalelor aflate la sud de Preslav, restrâng, pentru numeroase piese, teritoriul la Primul țarat bulgar și aria lui de influență. Din punct de vedere cronologic, piesele din lotul prezentat se datează, larg, în secolele VIII – XI. Cele mai multe aparțin perioadei de mijloc a intervalului precizat, secolelor IX-X. În câteva situații, descoperirea unor piese similare în contexte datate în secolele VIII-IX, respectiv în secolele VIII-X, determină o atenție sporită din partea noastră în analiza descoperirilor, piesele respective putând reprezenta posibile indicii de fundare a așezării în a doua jumătate a veacului al VIII-lea, care însă rămân doar teoretice, ele trebuind argumentate cu situații clare rezultate în timpul cercetării. Ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina contribuie la completarea informațiilor referitoare la moda timpurilor respective, la producția de bijuterii, aria răspândirii acestora și, implicit, la conturarea imaginii zonei în perioada medievală timpurie.
PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. About an early medieval settlement in the south of ancient Tomis. ... more PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. About an early medieval settlement in the south of ancient Tomis. The author makes a brief presentation of the discoveries from the tenth-eleventh century on the territory of Constanța (Constanța County, Romania; Pl. 1: 1), in the perimeter of the ancient settlement of Tomis. Based on these discoveries, it has been assumed until the present the existence of an early medieval settlement named Constantia, approximately within the same limits mentioned in the Byzantine literary sources. Related to the results of new discoveries in 2017, and comparing Tomis archaeological area with the discoveries in the researched site, we suggest a new location of the settlement of Constantia. It lies near a castellum of the stone vallum, in a protected area by the defensive line. Probably the new location of the settlement determined the reason for the Byzantine literary sources to mention it with a new name and not with the former toponym Tomis. Abstrakt: PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. O včasnostredovekom osídlení na juh od an-tického mesta Tomis. Autorka podáva krátku prezentáciu nálezov z 10. až 11. storočia na úze-mí dnešného mesta Konstanca (župa Konstanca, Rumunsko; Pl. 1: 1), na hranici niekdajšie-ho antického osídlenia mesta Tomis. Na základe týchto objavov sa do dneška predpokladá existencia včasnostredovekého osídlenia, nazývaného Constancia, približne v rámci rovna-kých hraníc, ako sú uvedené v byzantských písomných prameňoch. Nové výsledky objavov z roku 2017 a porovnanie archeologického priestoru mesta Tomis s objavmi na skúmanom nálezisku naznačujú možné nové umiestnenie osídlenia nazývaného Constantia. Ono ležalo blízko jednej z pevnôstok (castellum) kamenného opevnenia (vallum), na ploche chránenej obrannou líniou. Nové umiestnenie osídlenia pravdepodobne ovplyvnilo i dôvod, prečo ho byzantské písomné pramene spomínajú pod jeho novým meno a už nie pod niekdajším to-ponymom Tomis.
Studia Romana et Mediævalia Europænsia. Miscellanea in honorem annos LXXXV peragentis Professoris emeriti Dan Gh. Teodor oblata, 2018
The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered at Tufani (Independenț... more The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered at Tufani (Independența, Constanța County, Romania). The batch consists of 16 appliques and 3 strap ends. The last pieces were also presented on another occasion, but we found it necessary to take them back to this context in order to complete the information. All pieces are fortuitous discoveries and are part of the archaeological collection of the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanța. Generally, the pieces date back to the 10th century and the first half of the 11th century. An exception is one strap end that belongs to the 7th century. The new discoveries from Tufani are important in shaping the area's image during the early medieval period. Overall, they supplement the information on clothing accessories, early medieval fashion, to jewelry production and the area of their spread.
Starting with 2010, the Museum of National History and Archaeology
from Constanţa marked in its w... more Starting with 2010, the Museum of National History and Archaeology from Constanţa marked in its work plan to extend the excavations from Ulmetum also in extra muros area, one objective being to identify a possible Early Medieval settlement. The urgent beginning of the research in the new sector, conventional called ”Cartaş-cuptor Panaitescu” and situated S-W of the Roman-Byzantine fortress, was determined by the state of the land, which was presenting as a shore rift that slowly broke down due to rainwater and frost, the fallen earth containing archeological artefacts. In the three campaigns of systematic research from this sector, for Early Medieval period were recorded two dwellings and a household waste deposit area. The density of material discovered here determined us, in this stage of the research, to consider that in this period here was a settlement, of which exact location remains to be established in the future. Most of the material discovered is represented by pottery, divided in four main categories: I - pottery made of common paste, oxidant burned (the majority of findings); II - pottery made of fine paste, oxidant burned; III - pottery made of kaolin, oxidant burned; IV - pottery made of fine paste, reductant burned. On categories, were identified the following shapes of pottery: I - pot without handle and buckets with interior handles; II - jug with handles which ends with an extension in relief, jug with handle with two raised grooves and bowl with spheroidal body; III - pot without handle, buckets with interior handles and bowl; IV - pot without handle, pot with handles, provision pot, jug with trilobite mouth and bucket. Besides pottery, were also discovered a spindle whorl burned reductant, a bone awl, small disks made from the wall of reductant and oxidant burned pottery, bigger disks made of bricks or from the wall of large supply vessel, circular weights made of antic bricks, sandstone, a few iron objects (knife blades and arrowheads), horns and bones of animals. The characteristics of the ceramic material, supported by similar findings, but also by the existence of other elements (like the bucket fragment, the trilobite rim from the grey jar, base of the handle of pink-orange jar, which ends with an extension in relief, rim from a bowl with a spheroidal body, reddish-brown, fragments from buckets with interior handles) or the lack of others (as ceramics with olive green enamel; impressions made with toothed wheel, amphorae or monetary pieces) determine us to propose, as a provisional date, subject to future researches, the end of 8th century A.D. as the inferior limit, respectively, probably, first part of 10th century A.D., as the superior limit of habitation for the settlement from Pantelimonu de Sus.
Studia mediaevalia Europaea et orientalia : miscellanea in honorem professoris emeriti Victor Spinei oblata, 2018
The authors present three fibulae found in the Museum of National History and Archeology of Const... more The authors present three fibulae found in the Museum of National History and Archeology of Constanța. The first is a silver fibulae with a semicircular upper plate and a lower pentagonal one. The piece has the best analogies in the discoveries belonging to the cultural complex Sântana de Mureş – Cernjakhov. The next two fibulae are from the migration period and are part of the curved-fibulae category. One has a lower plate ornamented with spirals, the other is a zoo-anthropomorphic fibula with a smooth surface. The three fibulae newly discovered in Dobruja complement the existing data for the south-eastern territory of Romania in the 4th–7th centuries, thus diversifying the types and variants known to date. Their provenance from fortuitous discoveries deprived us of the presentation of an archaeological context. Such objects are not frequent discoveries in the territory of Dobruja, so we considered it important to bring them to the attention of specialists.
An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, ... more An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, dated to the 10th-11th century CE, was subjected to archaeometric investigations in order to reveal the raw materials and manufacturing techniques employed by the potters from the Lower Danube zone during the Byzantine ruling. The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing. The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.
Confirming the archaeological data and the ethnographical information, the author presents the re... more Confirming the archaeological data and the ethnographical information, the author presents the reconstitution of an 8 th-12 th centuries potter workshop (structure, inventory, working area etc), to identify minimum of necessary time to produce the quantity of vessels (from the discovery of the clay source up to the burning process), some workshops production capacity and the spreading area of their production. Rezumat: Coroborând datele arheologice cu cele etnografice, autoarea urmăreşte reconstituirea unui atelier de olar din sec. VIII-XII (structură, inventar, suprafaţă de lucru etc.), să identifice un minim de timp necesar pentru producerea unei cantităţi date de vase (de la descoperirea depozitului de lut până la procesul de ardere), capacitatea de producţie a unor ateliere şi aria de răspândire a mărfurilor acestora. Key words: the 8 th-12 th century, pottery workshops, the production capacity. Cuvinte cheie: sec. VIII-XII, ateliere de olari, capacitate de producţie. The impressive quantity of pottery found in the 8 th-12 th century settlements permit the supposition the pottery art had an essential role for the economic activity of that period, the products being requested sufficiently by the community. As pottery is the most frequent material in the early medieval sites, sometimes the only one, we might believe there are no news about it, that all about ceramics is already known. But, one can easily see there are a lot of unknown aspects in connection with the pottery skill itself, as well as with this material circulation, aspects we are going to analyse in the next lines, but no pretending to finalize the disscussion. It is possible, we expected or wished to see also more often, during the researches, workshops and specific installations for this trade, based on which to be able to suggest hypotheses on the production capacity of such a " centre ". Retrospectively, taking into consideration the researches of the last seven decades, we record six pottery workshops and 29 kilns for burning pots, on the present territory of Romania 1. There is no doubt the small number of these complexes results from the extension of the inhabited areas, being already known the fact that working areas were situated, usually, at the outskirts of the settlements, both for practical reasons (the neighbourhood with different primary necessary resources) and the protection of the houses, understanding by that avoiding fires, or, in the situation of other trades, avoiding the remains with pestilential smells. The phenomenum is current mainly for large settlements or towns. Or, it can be possible in a later period, even during a modern one. Many workshops were near a water course. The changing of its direction or an increased output could be causes not permitting those complexes to last until our time. Not last, the research still incomplete of some sites or not knowing others can represent other causes, and, obviously, not the last ones.
In this study is presented the amphoral material discovered in the southern half of Dobrudja (Rom... more In this study is presented the amphoral material discovered in the southern half of Dobrudja (Romania) in the last few decades. These come especially from the archeological researches, but for a more complete we add the amphorae from fortuity findings, some subaquatic from the last few years. We consider that the presented batch of amphorae represents an important vector in the study of economic and commercial links of settlements fromhere with centers fromnorth and south of the Black Sea. The 14 points in which were discovered amphorae from 10th-14th century A.D. were presented after their location in the Istro- Pontic territory, starting with the settlements situated on the Danube’s line, continuing with the findings fromthe Black Sea shore and ending with those inland of the analyzed territory. After shape and characteristics, the Byzantine amphorae from southern Dobrudja can be framed in five big typological groups: I – conic-elongated amphorae; II – spheroidal amphorae; III – piriform amphorae with collar; IV – piriform amphorae with over raised handles;V- spheroidal amphorae with short neck and over raised handles.
This paper completes the information regarding the glazed pottery from 10th—11th century from the... more This paper completes the information regarding the glazed pottery from 10th—11th century from the western region of the Black Sea, from Dobrudja. Majority of the new discoveries belongs to the group with monochrome glaze (green-olive), rarely polychrome (green-olive with yellow; greenish-yellow on a chestnut background). The material, mostly fragmentary, comes from jugs, pots and cups of diff erent sizes. Among other fi nds, a glazed clay egg was discovered at Hârşova. Glazed pottery from the two analyzed settlements represents local productions and imports, several fragments were studied by using archaeometric analysis, some data regarding the glaze are presented at the end of the article.
Поливная керамика раннего средневековья из укреплений Хыршова и Олтина в юго-восточной Румынии Настоящая статья дополняет сведения о поливной керамике X—XI веков, найденной в западной части Причерно- морья — в Добрудже. Новые находки по большей части принадлежат к группе монохромной поливы (зелено-оливковой), редко полихромной (оливково-зеленой с желтым; зеленовато-желтой на каштановом фоне). Материал представляет собой в основном фрагменты различного размера кувшинов, горшков и чашек. В Хыршове было также найдено глиняное полив- ное яйцо. Поливная керамика с двух изученных поселений является как местным производством, так и импортом. Несколь- ко фрагментов были подвергнуты археометрическому исследованию, результаты которых представлены в конце статьи.
Considerations Regarding the Types of Early Medieval Dwellings in Dobrudja
Archaeological researc... more Considerations Regarding the Types of Early Medieval Dwellings in Dobrudja Archaeological researches performed on the territory of Dobrudja have brought to the attention of the scientific community numerous relevant data regarding the habitation areas of the Early Medieval Period. Almost every archaeological excavation envisaging the period between the 8th and the 12th century has brought contributions to the topic and the accumulated pieces of information have allowed for the periodic formulation of conclusions. The increase, over the last decade, of the number of sites with early medieval habitation layers, mostly due to preventive excavations and completed by the opening of new systematic archaeological sites have determined a widening of the existing database and due to this specialists must verify this database through comparisons and, when needed, through completion.The present study brings back to attention the dwellings from the settlements in Dinogetia-Garvăn, Capidava and Păcuiul lui Soare, landmarks without which analyses of the Istro-Pontic area would not be veridical, but the article shall mainly stress the new discoveries, among which those in Oltina-“Capul dealului”, Hârșova (both in the fortified settlement and in the un-fortified one), Pantelimonu de Sus, Valu lui Traian, Cernavodă etc. By correlating the old and new data, the author performs a classification of the types of dwellings, attempting to reconstruct each type, and makes observations on the anteriority or posteriority of these types according to site(where such relations could be noted). The construction of a dwelling can be determined by numerous factors (climate, possibilities provided by the surrounding environment, technical means, the owner’s economical means, the intended use, fashion etc.) and can be influenced by other factors (the manner in which the construction is adapted to the terrain from a geographic perspective or the manner in which it is adapted to the area inside a settlement etc.) A dwelling’s main function is to provide shelter, but there are also situations in which this function was correlated with an economical-household-type valorization of space, in general strictly according to the needs of the inhabitants, up to the point where it becomes a workshop. No doubt this shall be a temporary report, but evaluating the progress made so far is necessary even if only to establish what is significant and must be followed in the future.
During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanta has purchased a ... more During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanta has purchased a number of iron plough coulters and blades. Among them seven pieces have drawn our attention; by shape and dimensions they seem to date from the medieval epoch beginning. The lack of archaeological context, a situation often to be found in cases of purchased pieces, determined us in this case also to appeal to specialty bibliography and to analogies identification as references for our objects chronological framing. The plough coulters described at positions no. 1-3 in the catalogue seem to correspond with this kind of discoveries from Garvăn, Tulcea county )length 18 cm, maximum width 9.2 cm), dated to the 11 th century and Dodesti (Vaslui county) - with an earlier dating to the 5 th - 7 th centuries. The coulter from Ghenci (Căuas com., Satu Mare county) - 16 cm long and 9 cm wide - dated to the 8 th - 9 th centuries can also be framed here. The piece at position no. 4 would frame among...
During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanța has purchased a ... more During the last decade the Museum for National History and Archaeology Constanța has purchased a number of iron plough coulters and blades. Among them seven pieces have drawn our attention; by shape and dimensions they seem to date from the medieval epoch beginning. The lack of archaeological context, a situation often to be found in cases of purchased pieces, determined us in this case also to appeal to specialty bibliography and to analogies identification as references for our objects chronological framing. The plough coulters described at positions no. 1‐3 in the catalogue seem to correspond with this kind of discoveries from Garvăn, Tulcea county) length 18 cm, maximum width 9.2 cm), dated to the 11th century and Dodeşti (Vaslui county) – with an earlier dating to the 5th – 7th centuries. The coulter from Ghenci (Căuaş com., Satu Mare county) – 16 cm long and 9 cm wide – dated to the 8th – 9th centuries can also be framed here. The piece at position no. 4 would frame among the ...
Orbis Mediaevalis II. Inter tempora. The Chronology of the Early Medieval Period. Issues, Approaches, Results, 2019
The author believes that the data provided by the archaeological discoveries indicate that the ea... more The author believes that the data provided by the archaeological discoveries indicate that the early medieval sites from Dobrudja (South-East Romania) contain pottery categories and types that can be constituted in chronological benchmarks and can contribute to establishing the relative chronology of certain complexes, layers, and even sites. This is possible due to the transformations that took place in time inside pottery categories and types. The author envisages both the progressive changes determined by the addition of new elements to pre-existing models and the introduction of shapes and characteristics novel to the area under analysis, i.e. innovations or influences, that most often lasted for only brief periods of time. As for the argumentation, the author focuses on several ceramic categories (fine-fabric pottery, pottery made of kaolin-type clay decorated with paint, glazed pottery), mentioning their period of existence and on some types of pots included in these categories (single-handle jugs, amphora-shaped jugs, bucket-shaped pots, bowls, cauldrons, amphorae), stressing their transformations in terms of shape and decoration. The coexistence of two or more such categories and types can help specialists determine with greater precision the dating of some archaeological contexts. Special, thus rarer shapes and types with a lower frequency among the finds and with shorter periods of existence can contribute to this. The decoration techniques, the manner of associating the decorative motifs, the introduction and disappearance of certain elements that beautified the body of pots can also contribute to obtaining viable chronological moments, considering that pottery can be reasonably employed to set the relative chronology of sites, especially those lacking discoveries with more precise chronological value (jewelry items and dress accessories, coins, seals etc.).
Autoarea consideră că datele oferite de descoperirile arheologice ne arată că în siturile medieval-timpurii din Dobrogea (sud-estul României) există categorii și tipuri ceramice care se pot constitui în repere cronologice și care pot contribui la stabilirea cronologiei relative a unor complexe, straturi sau chiar situri. Acest lucru este posibil datorită transformărilor care au avut loc în timp în cadrul categoriilor și tipurilor ceramice. Este vorba atât de acele schimbări progresive determinate de adăugarea unui element nou la tiparul deja existent, cât și de apariția unor forme sau caracteristici nemaiîntâlnite în zona supusă atenției, reprezentând inovații sau influențe, care de cele mai multe ori au o perioadă scurtă de existență. Pentru argumentare, se oprește asupra câtorva categorii ceramice (din pastă fină, din argilă caolinitică și decorată cu vopsea, ceramica cu smalț), precizând perioada lor de existență, și a unor tipuri de vase din cadrul acestora (urcior cu o toartă, urcior amforoidal, vasul cu formă de găleată, castron, căldare, amforă), evidențiind schimbări ale lor în formă și decor. Coexistența a două sau mai multor astfel de categorii și tipuri poate ajuta la stabilirea cu mai multă precizie a datării unor contexte arheologice, o contribuție în acest sens putând avea și vasele cu forme mai deosebite și rare, tipuri ce cunosc o frecvență redusă în descoperiri și o existență limitată în timp. Tehnicile de ornamentare, modalitățile de asociere a motivelor decorative, apariția și dispariția unor elemente care înfrumusețează corpul vaselor își pot aduce și ele aportul la obținerea unor momente cronologice fiabile, considerând că este rezonabil ca ceramica să fie folosită la stabilirea cronologiei relative a siturilor, mai ales a celor în care nu beneficiem de descoperiri cu valoare cronologică mai exactă (piese de podoabă și de port, monede, sigilii etc.).
This paper presents the archaeological evidence of the presence of migratory populations in the t... more This paper presents the archaeological evidence of the presence of migratory populations in the territory delimited by the Danube and the Black Sea, known as Dobrudja, between the middle of the 6th century and the first decades of the 8th century. From the ethnic mosaic existing during the stated period in this territory, the Slavic and Avar populations are highlighted. In the first part, the attention is focused mainly on the situation of the citizens on the Danube limes, of the unfavorable moments generated by their raids and their allies, following the chronological identification according to the stratigraphic sequence. The second part presents the discoveries known at the moment, assimilated to the Slavic and Avar cultural environments, consisting of functional objects, elements of dress and military equipment.
Această lucrare prezintă dovezile arheologice ale prezenţei unor populaţii migratoare în teritoriul delimitat de Dunăre și Marea Neagră, cunoscut sub numele de Dobrogea, între mijlocul secolului al VI-lea și primele decenii ale secolului al VIII-lea. Din mozaicul etnic existent în perioada enunţată în acest teritoriu, sunt evidenţiate populaţiile slave și avarii. În prima parte atenţia este îndreptată cu precădere asupra situaţiei cetăţilor de pe limes-ul dunărean, a momentelor nefaste generate de raidurile acestora și de aliaţii lor, urmărindu-se identificarea cronologică conform succesiunii stratigrafice. În a doua parte sunt prezentate descoperirile cunoscute la acest moment, asimilate mediilor culturale slav și avar, constând în obiecte de uz funcţional, piese de port și de echipament militar.
В данной статье представлены археологические свидетельства присутствия отдельных групп некоторых варвар- ских народов Северного Причерноморья на территории между Дунаем и Черным морем (известной как Добруджа) в период между серединой VI и первыми десятилетиями VIII вв. В этнической мозаике, существовавшей на указанной территории в этот период времени, особенно выделяются славяне и авары. В первой части статьи рассматривается преимущественно ситуация в крепостях лимеса, критические моменты их истории, связанные с нашествиями славян, авар и их союзников, и отражение этих событий в археологических данных — с установлением затем их хронологиче- ской и стратиграфической последовательности. Во второй части рассматриваются известные на данные момент на- ходки вещей аварского и славянского происхождения с территории Добруджи: керамика, детали костюма и воинской экипировки.
Abstract: Begun to be researched in 2001, the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina – ”Ca... more Abstract: Begun to be researched in 2001, the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (Constanța County) offers numerous data that highlight it in the dobrudjan archaeological landscape through novelties and specific features compared to what has been investigated so far. Among the many pieces discovered here are those used to decorate clothing accessories, small objects which, by application or sewing, offered another aspect of clothes, belts, bags, shoes and other objects that could be embellished with their help. The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered in the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina -„Capul dealului”. The batch consists of 31 apliques and 3 strap ends. The pieces come from the systematic research and from the collection of the Museum of National History and Archeology from Constanța, the latter representing random discoveries before the opening of the archaeological site. The general characteristics of many of the belt ornaments discovered at Oltina attributed them to the groups of objects specific to the Danube area. The analogies, the presence of lead models and molds in the artistic metalworking centers located south of Preslav, limit, for many pieces, the territory to the first Bulgarian Czardom and its area of influence. From a chronological point of view, the pieces of the presented group belong broadly to the 8th - 11th centuries. Most belong to the middle period of the specified interval, 9th -10th centuries. In some situations, the discovery of similar pieces in contexts dating back to the 8th-9th centuries, respectively the 8th-10th centuries, determine us to a greater attention in the analysis of the discoveries, the respective pieces being possible indications of the foundation of the settlement in the second half of the 8th century, which, however, remain theoretical only, and they must be argued with clear situations that emerge during the research. The belt ornaments discovered at Oltina contribute to the completion of the information regarding the fashion of the respective times, the production of jewelry, the area of their spread and, implicitly, the shaping of the image of the area during the early medieval period. Rezumat: Începută a fi cercetată în anul 2001, așezarea fortificată medievală timpurie de la Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (jud. Constanța) oferă numeroase date care o evidențiază în peisajul arheologic dobrogean prin inedit și trăsături specifice, comparativ cu ceea ce s-a cercetat până acum. Printre numeroasele piese descoperite aici se află și acelea folosite ca accesorii vestimentare, obiecte de mici dimensiuni care, aplicate sau cusute, ofereau un alt aspect hainelor, curelelor, genților, încălțămintei și altor obiecte ce puteau a fi înfrumusețate cu ajutorul lor. Prezentul studiu aduce în atenție un lot de obiecte din bronz descoperite în așezarea medievală timpurie fortificată de la Oltina-„Capul dealului”. Acesta este compus din 31 aplice și 3 capete de curea. Piesele provin din cercetarea arheologică sistematică și din descoperiri întâmplătoare, anterioare deschiderii șantierului arheologic, și fac parte din colecția Muzeului de Istorie Națională și Arheologie din Constanța. Caracteristicile generale ale multora dintre ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina le atribuie grupelor obiectelor specifice zonei dunărene. Analogiile, prezența unor modele din plumb și a unor tipare în centrele de prelucrare artistică a metalelor aflate la sud de Preslav, restrâng, pentru numeroase piese, teritoriul la Primul țarat bulgar și aria lui de influență. Din punct de vedere cronologic, piesele din lotul prezentat se datează, larg, în secolele VIII – XI. Cele mai multe aparțin perioadei de mijloc a intervalului precizat, secolelor IX-X. În câteva situații, descoperirea unor piese similare în contexte datate în secolele VIII-IX, respectiv în secolele VIII-X, determină o atenție sporită din partea noastră în analiza descoperirilor, piesele respective putând reprezenta posibile indicii de fundare a așezării în a doua jumătate a veacului al VIII-lea, care însă rămân doar teoretice, ele trebuind argumentate cu situații clare rezultate în timpul cercetării. Ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina contribuie la completarea informațiilor referitoare la moda timpurilor respective, la producția de bijuterii, aria răspândirii acestora și, implicit, la conturarea imaginii zonei în perioada medievală timpurie.
PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. About an early medieval settlement in the south of ancient Tomis. ... more PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. About an early medieval settlement in the south of ancient Tomis. The author makes a brief presentation of the discoveries from the tenth-eleventh century on the territory of Constanța (Constanța County, Romania; Pl. 1: 1), in the perimeter of the ancient settlement of Tomis. Based on these discoveries, it has been assumed until the present the existence of an early medieval settlement named Constantia, approximately within the same limits mentioned in the Byzantine literary sources. Related to the results of new discoveries in 2017, and comparing Tomis archaeological area with the discoveries in the researched site, we suggest a new location of the settlement of Constantia. It lies near a castellum of the stone vallum, in a protected area by the defensive line. Probably the new location of the settlement determined the reason for the Byzantine literary sources to mention it with a new name and not with the former toponym Tomis. Abstrakt: PARASCHIV-TALMAŢCHI, Cristina. O včasnostredovekom osídlení na juh od an-tického mesta Tomis. Autorka podáva krátku prezentáciu nálezov z 10. až 11. storočia na úze-mí dnešného mesta Konstanca (župa Konstanca, Rumunsko; Pl. 1: 1), na hranici niekdajšie-ho antického osídlenia mesta Tomis. Na základe týchto objavov sa do dneška predpokladá existencia včasnostredovekého osídlenia, nazývaného Constancia, približne v rámci rovna-kých hraníc, ako sú uvedené v byzantských písomných prameňoch. Nové výsledky objavov z roku 2017 a porovnanie archeologického priestoru mesta Tomis s objavmi na skúmanom nálezisku naznačujú možné nové umiestnenie osídlenia nazývaného Constantia. Ono ležalo blízko jednej z pevnôstok (castellum) kamenného opevnenia (vallum), na ploche chránenej obrannou líniou. Nové umiestnenie osídlenia pravdepodobne ovplyvnilo i dôvod, prečo ho byzantské písomné pramene spomínajú pod jeho novým meno a už nie pod niekdajším to-ponymom Tomis.
Studia Romana et Mediævalia Europænsia. Miscellanea in honorem annos LXXXV peragentis Professoris emeriti Dan Gh. Teodor oblata, 2018
The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered at Tufani (Independenț... more The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered at Tufani (Independența, Constanța County, Romania). The batch consists of 16 appliques and 3 strap ends. The last pieces were also presented on another occasion, but we found it necessary to take them back to this context in order to complete the information. All pieces are fortuitous discoveries and are part of the archaeological collection of the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanța. Generally, the pieces date back to the 10th century and the first half of the 11th century. An exception is one strap end that belongs to the 7th century. The new discoveries from Tufani are important in shaping the area's image during the early medieval period. Overall, they supplement the information on clothing accessories, early medieval fashion, to jewelry production and the area of their spread.
Starting with 2010, the Museum of National History and Archaeology
from Constanţa marked in its w... more Starting with 2010, the Museum of National History and Archaeology from Constanţa marked in its work plan to extend the excavations from Ulmetum also in extra muros area, one objective being to identify a possible Early Medieval settlement. The urgent beginning of the research in the new sector, conventional called ”Cartaş-cuptor Panaitescu” and situated S-W of the Roman-Byzantine fortress, was determined by the state of the land, which was presenting as a shore rift that slowly broke down due to rainwater and frost, the fallen earth containing archeological artefacts. In the three campaigns of systematic research from this sector, for Early Medieval period were recorded two dwellings and a household waste deposit area. The density of material discovered here determined us, in this stage of the research, to consider that in this period here was a settlement, of which exact location remains to be established in the future. Most of the material discovered is represented by pottery, divided in four main categories: I - pottery made of common paste, oxidant burned (the majority of findings); II - pottery made of fine paste, oxidant burned; III - pottery made of kaolin, oxidant burned; IV - pottery made of fine paste, reductant burned. On categories, were identified the following shapes of pottery: I - pot without handle and buckets with interior handles; II - jug with handles which ends with an extension in relief, jug with handle with two raised grooves and bowl with spheroidal body; III - pot without handle, buckets with interior handles and bowl; IV - pot without handle, pot with handles, provision pot, jug with trilobite mouth and bucket. Besides pottery, were also discovered a spindle whorl burned reductant, a bone awl, small disks made from the wall of reductant and oxidant burned pottery, bigger disks made of bricks or from the wall of large supply vessel, circular weights made of antic bricks, sandstone, a few iron objects (knife blades and arrowheads), horns and bones of animals. The characteristics of the ceramic material, supported by similar findings, but also by the existence of other elements (like the bucket fragment, the trilobite rim from the grey jar, base of the handle of pink-orange jar, which ends with an extension in relief, rim from a bowl with a spheroidal body, reddish-brown, fragments from buckets with interior handles) or the lack of others (as ceramics with olive green enamel; impressions made with toothed wheel, amphorae or monetary pieces) determine us to propose, as a provisional date, subject to future researches, the end of 8th century A.D. as the inferior limit, respectively, probably, first part of 10th century A.D., as the superior limit of habitation for the settlement from Pantelimonu de Sus.
Studia mediaevalia Europaea et orientalia : miscellanea in honorem professoris emeriti Victor Spinei oblata, 2018
The authors present three fibulae found in the Museum of National History and Archeology of Const... more The authors present three fibulae found in the Museum of National History and Archeology of Constanța. The first is a silver fibulae with a semicircular upper plate and a lower pentagonal one. The piece has the best analogies in the discoveries belonging to the cultural complex Sântana de Mureş – Cernjakhov. The next two fibulae are from the migration period and are part of the curved-fibulae category. One has a lower plate ornamented with spirals, the other is a zoo-anthropomorphic fibula with a smooth surface. The three fibulae newly discovered in Dobruja complement the existing data for the south-eastern territory of Romania in the 4th–7th centuries, thus diversifying the types and variants known to date. Their provenance from fortuitous discoveries deprived us of the presentation of an archaeological context. Such objects are not frequent discoveries in the territory of Dobruja, so we considered it important to bring them to the attention of specialists.
An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, ... more An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, dated to the 10th-11th century CE, was subjected to archaeometric investigations in order to reveal the raw materials and manufacturing techniques employed by the potters from the Lower Danube zone during the Byzantine ruling. The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing. The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.
Confirming the archaeological data and the ethnographical information, the author presents the re... more Confirming the archaeological data and the ethnographical information, the author presents the reconstitution of an 8 th-12 th centuries potter workshop (structure, inventory, working area etc), to identify minimum of necessary time to produce the quantity of vessels (from the discovery of the clay source up to the burning process), some workshops production capacity and the spreading area of their production. Rezumat: Coroborând datele arheologice cu cele etnografice, autoarea urmăreşte reconstituirea unui atelier de olar din sec. VIII-XII (structură, inventar, suprafaţă de lucru etc.), să identifice un minim de timp necesar pentru producerea unei cantităţi date de vase (de la descoperirea depozitului de lut până la procesul de ardere), capacitatea de producţie a unor ateliere şi aria de răspândire a mărfurilor acestora. Key words: the 8 th-12 th century, pottery workshops, the production capacity. Cuvinte cheie: sec. VIII-XII, ateliere de olari, capacitate de producţie. The impressive quantity of pottery found in the 8 th-12 th century settlements permit the supposition the pottery art had an essential role for the economic activity of that period, the products being requested sufficiently by the community. As pottery is the most frequent material in the early medieval sites, sometimes the only one, we might believe there are no news about it, that all about ceramics is already known. But, one can easily see there are a lot of unknown aspects in connection with the pottery skill itself, as well as with this material circulation, aspects we are going to analyse in the next lines, but no pretending to finalize the disscussion. It is possible, we expected or wished to see also more often, during the researches, workshops and specific installations for this trade, based on which to be able to suggest hypotheses on the production capacity of such a " centre ". Retrospectively, taking into consideration the researches of the last seven decades, we record six pottery workshops and 29 kilns for burning pots, on the present territory of Romania 1. There is no doubt the small number of these complexes results from the extension of the inhabited areas, being already known the fact that working areas were situated, usually, at the outskirts of the settlements, both for practical reasons (the neighbourhood with different primary necessary resources) and the protection of the houses, understanding by that avoiding fires, or, in the situation of other trades, avoiding the remains with pestilential smells. The phenomenum is current mainly for large settlements or towns. Or, it can be possible in a later period, even during a modern one. Many workshops were near a water course. The changing of its direction or an increased output could be causes not permitting those complexes to last until our time. Not last, the research still incomplete of some sites or not knowing others can represent other causes, and, obviously, not the last ones.
In this study is presented the amphoral material discovered in the southern half of Dobrudja (Rom... more In this study is presented the amphoral material discovered in the southern half of Dobrudja (Romania) in the last few decades. These come especially from the archeological researches, but for a more complete we add the amphorae from fortuity findings, some subaquatic from the last few years. We consider that the presented batch of amphorae represents an important vector in the study of economic and commercial links of settlements fromhere with centers fromnorth and south of the Black Sea. The 14 points in which were discovered amphorae from 10th-14th century A.D. were presented after their location in the Istro- Pontic territory, starting with the settlements situated on the Danube’s line, continuing with the findings fromthe Black Sea shore and ending with those inland of the analyzed territory. After shape and characteristics, the Byzantine amphorae from southern Dobrudja can be framed in five big typological groups: I – conic-elongated amphorae; II – spheroidal amphorae; III – piriform amphorae with collar; IV – piriform amphorae with over raised handles;V- spheroidal amphorae with short neck and over raised handles.
This paper completes the information regarding the glazed pottery from 10th—11th century from the... more This paper completes the information regarding the glazed pottery from 10th—11th century from the western region of the Black Sea, from Dobrudja. Majority of the new discoveries belongs to the group with monochrome glaze (green-olive), rarely polychrome (green-olive with yellow; greenish-yellow on a chestnut background). The material, mostly fragmentary, comes from jugs, pots and cups of diff erent sizes. Among other fi nds, a glazed clay egg was discovered at Hârşova. Glazed pottery from the two analyzed settlements represents local productions and imports, several fragments were studied by using archaeometric analysis, some data regarding the glaze are presented at the end of the article.
Поливная керамика раннего средневековья из укреплений Хыршова и Олтина в юго-восточной Румынии Настоящая статья дополняет сведения о поливной керамике X—XI веков, найденной в западной части Причерно- морья — в Добрудже. Новые находки по большей части принадлежат к группе монохромной поливы (зелено-оливковой), редко полихромной (оливково-зеленой с желтым; зеленовато-желтой на каштановом фоне). Материал представляет собой в основном фрагменты различного размера кувшинов, горшков и чашек. В Хыршове было также найдено глиняное полив- ное яйцо. Поливная керамика с двух изученных поселений является как местным производством, так и импортом. Несколь- ко фрагментов были подвергнуты археометрическому исследованию, результаты которых представлены в конце статьи.
Considerations Regarding the Types of Early Medieval Dwellings in Dobrudja
Archaeological researc... more Considerations Regarding the Types of Early Medieval Dwellings in Dobrudja Archaeological researches performed on the territory of Dobrudja have brought to the attention of the scientific community numerous relevant data regarding the habitation areas of the Early Medieval Period. Almost every archaeological excavation envisaging the period between the 8th and the 12th century has brought contributions to the topic and the accumulated pieces of information have allowed for the periodic formulation of conclusions. The increase, over the last decade, of the number of sites with early medieval habitation layers, mostly due to preventive excavations and completed by the opening of new systematic archaeological sites have determined a widening of the existing database and due to this specialists must verify this database through comparisons and, when needed, through completion.The present study brings back to attention the dwellings from the settlements in Dinogetia-Garvăn, Capidava and Păcuiul lui Soare, landmarks without which analyses of the Istro-Pontic area would not be veridical, but the article shall mainly stress the new discoveries, among which those in Oltina-“Capul dealului”, Hârșova (both in the fortified settlement and in the un-fortified one), Pantelimonu de Sus, Valu lui Traian, Cernavodă etc. By correlating the old and new data, the author performs a classification of the types of dwellings, attempting to reconstruct each type, and makes observations on the anteriority or posteriority of these types according to site(where such relations could be noted). The construction of a dwelling can be determined by numerous factors (climate, possibilities provided by the surrounding environment, technical means, the owner’s economical means, the intended use, fashion etc.) and can be influenced by other factors (the manner in which the construction is adapted to the terrain from a geographic perspective or the manner in which it is adapted to the area inside a settlement etc.) A dwelling’s main function is to provide shelter, but there are also situations in which this function was correlated with an economical-household-type valorization of space, in general strictly according to the needs of the inhabitants, up to the point where it becomes a workshop. No doubt this shall be a temporary report, but evaluating the progress made so far is necessary even if only to establish what is significant and must be followed in the future.
Cappadocia and Cappadocians in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine periods. Proceedings of an international video conference held on May 14-15, 2020 on Zoom, 2022
This current draft is a preliminary version of the proceedings of a video conference on Cappadoci... more This current draft is a preliminary version of the proceedings of a video conference on Cappadocia and Cappadocians that was held on May 1415, 2020 on Zoom and therefore page numbers are subject to change. We should note that after producing an e-book, we will have a second and refined print-out version of the proceedings which will likely be published in Oxford in 2022. In this last version we will not include any abstracts any longer and it will only contain full papers. The YouTube links of the e-conference can be found below. The conference committee kindly requests that you alert any persons within your research community by forwarding following links who would be interested in viewing our YouTube links.
Mixobarbarii din Dobrogea în contextul lumii bizantine (Secolele VI-XIII). Catalog de expoziţie / Mixobarbaroi from Dobruja in the context of the bzyantine world (6th-13th century). Exhibition catalog, Oct 14, 2020
Marci de olar (secolele VII-XVI). Consideratii si catalog pentru teritoriul carpato-danubiano-pontic, 2006
A controversial subject, the problem of the potter’s marks has generally determined the specialis... more A controversial subject, the problem of the potter’s marks has generally determined the specialists to treat it with great prudence or only to cite it. The making of the present repertory is trying to create a viable way of approaching the respective phenomenon, of offering certain criteria and categories that would lead to a better understanding of the process of the ceramic production of the 7th – 11th centuries first and foremost, as the period of interest to us, of the economic and spiritual life, as well as the social and economic category from the framework of the community that was engaged into such a craftsman’s activity; we hope that some things that were only intuited until recently will be confirmed from the point of view of the documents, following the analysis of the batch of 1513 discovered potter’s marks, most of them during the last half century, and it only remains that, at a future completion of this batch with new items, to which we did not have access during the present stage, they will represent a standard of analysis and comparison in a problem to which some valuable partial and local contributions have been brought.
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Papers by Cristina Talmatchi
time inside pottery categories and types. The author envisages both the progressive changes determined by the addition of new elements to pre-existing models and the introduction of shapes and characteristics novel to the area under analysis, i.e. innovations or influences, that most often lasted for only brief periods of time. As for the argumentation, the author focuses on several ceramic categories (fine-fabric pottery, pottery made of kaolin-type clay decorated with paint, glazed pottery), mentioning their period of existence and on some types of pots included in these categories (single-handle jugs, amphora-shaped jugs, bucket-shaped pots, bowls, cauldrons, amphorae), stressing their transformations in terms of shape and decoration. The coexistence of two or more such categories and types can help specialists determine with greater precision the dating of some archaeological contexts. Special, thus rarer shapes and types with a lower frequency among the finds and with shorter periods of existence can contribute to this. The decoration
techniques, the manner of associating the decorative motifs, the introduction and disappearance of certain elements that beautified the body of pots can also contribute to obtaining viable chronological
moments, considering that pottery can be reasonably employed to set the relative chronology of sites, especially those lacking discoveries with more precise chronological value (jewelry items and dress accessories,
coins, seals etc.).
Autoarea consideră că datele oferite de descoperirile arheologice ne arată că în siturile medieval-timpurii din Dobrogea (sud-estul României) există categorii și tipuri ceramice care se pot constitui în repere cronologice și care pot contribui la stabilirea cronologiei relative a unor complexe, straturi sau chiar situri. Acest lucru este posibil datorită transformărilor care au avut loc în timp în cadrul categoriilor și tipurilor ceramice. Este vorba atât de acele schimbări progresive determinate de adăugarea unui element nou la tiparul deja existent, cât și de apariția unor forme sau caracteristici nemaiîntâlnite în zona supusă atenției, reprezentând inovații sau influențe, care de cele mai multe ori au o perioadă scurtă de existență. Pentru argumentare, se oprește asupra câtorva categorii ceramice (din pastă fină, din argilă caolinitică și decorată cu vopsea, ceramica cu smalț), precizând perioada lor de existență, și a unor tipuri de vase din cadrul acestora (urcior cu o toartă, urcior amforoidal, vasul cu formă de găleată, castron, căldare, amforă), evidențiind schimbări ale lor în formă și decor. Coexistența a două sau mai multor astfel de categorii și tipuri poate ajuta la stabilirea cu mai multă precizie a datării unor contexte arheologice, o contribuție în acest sens putând avea și vasele cu forme mai deosebite și rare, tipuri ce cunosc o frecvență redusă în descoperiri și o existență limitată în timp. Tehnicile de ornamentare, modalitățile de asociere a motivelor decorative, apariția și dispariția unor elemente care înfrumusețează corpul vaselor își pot aduce și ele aportul la obținerea unor momente cronologice fiabile, considerând că este rezonabil ca ceramica să fie folosită la stabilirea cronologiei relative a siturilor, mai ales a celor în care nu beneficiem de descoperiri cu valoare cronologică mai exactă (piese de podoabă și de port, monede, sigilii etc.).
by the Danube and the Black Sea, known as Dobrudja, between the middle of the 6th century and the first decades of the
8th century. From the ethnic mosaic existing during the stated period in this territory, the Slavic and Avar populations are
highlighted. In the first part, the attention is focused mainly on the situation of the citizens on the Danube limes, of the
unfavorable moments generated by their raids and their allies, following the chronological identification according to the
stratigraphic sequence. The second part presents the discoveries known at the moment, assimilated to the Slavic and Avar
cultural environments, consisting of functional objects, elements of dress and military equipment.
Această lucrare prezintă dovezile arheologice ale prezenţei unor populaţii migratoare în teritoriul delimitat de Dunăre și
Marea Neagră, cunoscut sub numele de Dobrogea, între mijlocul secolului al VI-lea și primele decenii ale secolului al VIII-lea.
Din mozaicul etnic existent în perioada enunţată în acest teritoriu, sunt evidenţiate populaţiile slave și avarii. În prima parte
atenţia este îndreptată cu precădere asupra situaţiei cetăţilor de pe limes-ul dunărean, a momentelor nefaste generate de
raidurile acestora și de aliaţii lor, urmărindu-se identificarea cronologică conform succesiunii stratigrafice. În a doua parte
sunt prezentate descoperirile cunoscute la acest moment, asimilate mediilor culturale slav și avar, constând în obiecte de uz
funcţional, piese de port și de echipament militar.
В данной статье представлены археологические свидетельства присутствия отдельных групп некоторых варвар-
ских народов Северного Причерноморья на территории между Дунаем и Черным морем (известной как Добруджа)
в период между серединой VI и первыми десятилетиями VIII вв. В этнической мозаике, существовавшей на указанной
территории в этот период времени, особенно выделяются славяне и авары. В первой части статьи рассматривается
преимущественно ситуация в крепостях лимеса, критические моменты их истории, связанные с нашествиями славян,
авар и их союзников, и отражение этих событий в археологических данных — с установлением затем их хронологиче-
ской и стратиграфической последовательности. Во второй части рассматриваются известные на данные момент на-
ходки вещей аварского и славянского происхождения с территории Добруджи: керамика, детали костюма и воинской
экипировки.
The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered in the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina -„Capul dealului”. The batch consists of 31 apliques and 3 strap ends. The pieces come from the systematic research and from the collection of the Museum of National History and Archeology from Constanța, the latter representing random discoveries before the opening of the archaeological site.
The general characteristics of many of the belt ornaments discovered at Oltina attributed them to the groups of objects specific to the Danube area. The analogies, the presence of lead models and molds in the artistic metalworking centers located south of Preslav, limit, for many pieces, the territory to the first Bulgarian Czardom and its area of influence.
From a chronological point of view, the pieces of the presented group belong broadly to the 8th - 11th centuries. Most belong to the middle period of the specified interval, 9th -10th centuries. In some situations, the discovery of similar pieces in contexts dating back to the 8th-9th centuries, respectively the 8th-10th centuries, determine us to a greater attention in the analysis of the discoveries, the respective pieces being possible indications of the foundation of the settlement in the second half of the 8th century, which, however, remain theoretical only, and they must be argued with clear situations that emerge during the research.
The belt ornaments discovered at Oltina contribute to the completion of the information regarding the fashion of the respective times, the production of jewelry, the area of their spread and, implicitly, the shaping of the image of the area during the early medieval period.
Rezumat: Începută a fi cercetată în anul 2001, așezarea fortificată medievală timpurie de la Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (jud. Constanța) oferă numeroase date care o evidențiază în peisajul arheologic dobrogean prin inedit și trăsături specifice, comparativ cu ceea ce s-a cercetat până acum. Printre numeroasele piese descoperite aici se află și acelea folosite ca accesorii vestimentare, obiecte de mici dimensiuni care, aplicate sau cusute, ofereau un alt aspect hainelor, curelelor, genților, încălțămintei și altor obiecte ce puteau a fi înfrumusețate cu ajutorul lor.
Prezentul studiu aduce în atenție un lot de obiecte din bronz descoperite în așezarea medievală timpurie fortificată de la Oltina-„Capul dealului”. Acesta este compus din 31 aplice și 3 capete de curea. Piesele provin din cercetarea arheologică sistematică și din descoperiri întâmplătoare, anterioare deschiderii șantierului arheologic, și fac parte din colecția Muzeului de Istorie Națională și Arheologie din Constanța.
Caracteristicile generale ale multora dintre ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina le atribuie grupelor obiectelor specifice zonei dunărene. Analogiile, prezența unor modele din plumb și a unor tipare în centrele de prelucrare artistică a metalelor aflate la sud de Preslav, restrâng, pentru numeroase piese, teritoriul la Primul țarat bulgar și aria lui de influență.
Din punct de vedere cronologic, piesele din lotul prezentat se datează, larg, în secolele VIII – XI. Cele mai multe aparțin perioadei de mijloc a intervalului precizat, secolelor IX-X. În câteva situații, descoperirea unor piese similare în contexte datate în secolele VIII-IX, respectiv în secolele VIII-X, determină o atenție sporită din partea noastră în analiza descoperirilor, piesele respective putând reprezenta posibile indicii de fundare a așezării în a doua jumătate a veacului al VIII-lea, care însă rămân doar teoretice, ele trebuind argumentate cu situații clare rezultate în timpul cercetării.
Ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina contribuie la completarea informațiilor referitoare la moda timpurilor respective, la producția de bijuterii, aria răspândirii acestora și, implicit, la conturarea imaginii zonei în perioada medievală timpurie.
collection of the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanța. Generally, the pieces date back to the 10th century and the first half of the 11th century. An exception is one strap end that belongs to the 7th century. The new discoveries from Tufani are important in shaping the area's image during the early medieval period. Overall, they supplement the information on clothing accessories, early medieval
fashion, to jewelry production and the area of their spread.
from Constanţa marked in its work plan to extend the excavations from Ulmetum also in extra muros area, one objective being to identify a possible Early Medieval settlement. The urgent beginning of the research in the new sector, conventional called ”Cartaş-cuptor Panaitescu” and situated S-W of the Roman-Byzantine fortress, was determined by the
state of the land, which was presenting as a shore rift that slowly broke down due to rainwater and frost, the fallen earth containing archeological artefacts. In the three campaigns of systematic research from this sector, for Early Medieval period were recorded two dwellings and a household waste deposit area. The density of material discovered here determined us, in this stage of the research, to consider that in this period here was a settlement, of which exact location remains to be established in the future. Most of the material discovered is represented by pottery, divided in four main categories: I - pottery made of common paste, oxidant burned (the majority of findings); II - pottery made of fine paste, oxidant burned; III - pottery made of kaolin, oxidant burned; IV -
pottery made of fine paste, reductant burned. On categories, were identified the following shapes of pottery: I - pot without handle and buckets with interior handles; II - jug with handles which ends with an extension in relief, jug with handle with two raised grooves and bowl with spheroidal body; III - pot without handle, buckets with interior handles and bowl; IV - pot without handle, pot with handles, provision pot, jug with trilobite mouth and bucket. Besides pottery, were also discovered a spindle whorl burned reductant, a bone awl, small disks made from the wall of reductant and oxidant burned pottery, bigger disks made of bricks or from the wall of large supply vessel, circular weights made of antic bricks, sandstone, a few iron objects (knife blades and arrowheads), horns and bones of animals. The characteristics of the ceramic material, supported by similar findings, but also by the existence of other elements (like the bucket fragment, the trilobite rim from the grey jar, base of the handle of pink-orange jar, which ends with an extension in relief, rim from a bowl with a spheroidal body, reddish-brown, fragments from buckets with interior handles) or the lack of others (as ceramics with olive green enamel; impressions made with toothed wheel, amphorae or monetary pieces) determine us to propose, as a provisional date, subject to future researches, the end of 8th century A.D. as the inferior limit, respectively, probably, first part of 10th century A.D., as the superior limit of habitation for the settlement from Pantelimonu de Sus.
The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing.
The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.
Black Sea, from Dobrudja. Majority of the new discoveries belongs to the group with monochrome glaze (green-olive), rarely polychrome
(green-olive with yellow; greenish-yellow on a chestnut background). The material, mostly fragmentary, comes from jugs,
pots and cups of diff erent sizes. Among other fi nds, a glazed clay egg was discovered at Hârşova. Glazed pottery from the two
analyzed settlements represents local productions and imports, several fragments were studied by using archaeometric analysis,
some data regarding the glaze are presented at the end of the article.
Поливная керамика раннего средневековья из укреплений Хыршова и Олтина в юго-восточной Румынии
Настоящая статья дополняет сведения о поливной керамике X—XI веков, найденной в западной части Причерно-
морья — в Добрудже. Новые находки по большей части принадлежат к группе монохромной поливы (зелено-оливковой),
редко полихромной (оливково-зеленой с желтым; зеленовато-желтой на каштановом фоне). Материал представляет собой
в основном фрагменты различного размера кувшинов, горшков и чашек. В Хыршове было также найдено глиняное полив-
ное яйцо. Поливная керамика с двух изученных поселений является как местным производством, так и импортом. Несколь-
ко фрагментов были подвергнуты археометрическому исследованию, результаты которых представлены в конце статьи.
Archaeological researches performed on the territory of Dobrudja have brought to the attention of the scientific
community numerous relevant data regarding the habitation areas of the Early Medieval Period. Almost
every archaeological excavation envisaging the period between the 8th and the 12th century has brought contributions
to the topic and the accumulated pieces of information have allowed for the periodic formulation of conclusions.
The increase, over the last decade, of the number of sites with early medieval habitation layers, mostly due
to preventive excavations and completed by the opening of new systematic archaeological sites have determined a
widening of the existing database and due to this specialists must verify this database through comparisons and,
when needed, through completion.The present study brings back to attention the dwellings from the settlements in Dinogetia-Garvăn, Capidava
and Păcuiul lui Soare, landmarks without which analyses of the Istro-Pontic area would not be veridical, but
the article shall mainly stress the new discoveries, among which those in Oltina-“Capul dealului”, Hârșova (both
in the fortified settlement and in the un-fortified one), Pantelimonu de Sus, Valu lui Traian, Cernavodă etc.
By correlating the old and new data, the author performs a classification of the types of dwellings, attempting
to reconstruct each type, and makes observations on the anteriority or posteriority of these types according to site(where such relations could be noted). The construction of a dwelling can be determined by numerous factors
(climate, possibilities provided by the surrounding environment, technical means, the owner’s economical means,
the intended use, fashion etc.) and can be influenced by other factors (the manner in which the construction is
adapted to the terrain from a geographic perspective or the manner in which it is adapted to the area inside a
settlement etc.) A dwelling’s main function is to provide shelter, but there are also situations in which this function
was correlated with an economical-household-type valorization of space, in general strictly according to the needs
of the inhabitants, up to the point where it becomes a workshop.
No doubt this shall be a temporary report, but evaluating the progress made so far is necessary even if only to
establish what is significant and must be followed in the future.
time inside pottery categories and types. The author envisages both the progressive changes determined by the addition of new elements to pre-existing models and the introduction of shapes and characteristics novel to the area under analysis, i.e. innovations or influences, that most often lasted for only brief periods of time. As for the argumentation, the author focuses on several ceramic categories (fine-fabric pottery, pottery made of kaolin-type clay decorated with paint, glazed pottery), mentioning their period of existence and on some types of pots included in these categories (single-handle jugs, amphora-shaped jugs, bucket-shaped pots, bowls, cauldrons, amphorae), stressing their transformations in terms of shape and decoration. The coexistence of two or more such categories and types can help specialists determine with greater precision the dating of some archaeological contexts. Special, thus rarer shapes and types with a lower frequency among the finds and with shorter periods of existence can contribute to this. The decoration
techniques, the manner of associating the decorative motifs, the introduction and disappearance of certain elements that beautified the body of pots can also contribute to obtaining viable chronological
moments, considering that pottery can be reasonably employed to set the relative chronology of sites, especially those lacking discoveries with more precise chronological value (jewelry items and dress accessories,
coins, seals etc.).
Autoarea consideră că datele oferite de descoperirile arheologice ne arată că în siturile medieval-timpurii din Dobrogea (sud-estul României) există categorii și tipuri ceramice care se pot constitui în repere cronologice și care pot contribui la stabilirea cronologiei relative a unor complexe, straturi sau chiar situri. Acest lucru este posibil datorită transformărilor care au avut loc în timp în cadrul categoriilor și tipurilor ceramice. Este vorba atât de acele schimbări progresive determinate de adăugarea unui element nou la tiparul deja existent, cât și de apariția unor forme sau caracteristici nemaiîntâlnite în zona supusă atenției, reprezentând inovații sau influențe, care de cele mai multe ori au o perioadă scurtă de existență. Pentru argumentare, se oprește asupra câtorva categorii ceramice (din pastă fină, din argilă caolinitică și decorată cu vopsea, ceramica cu smalț), precizând perioada lor de existență, și a unor tipuri de vase din cadrul acestora (urcior cu o toartă, urcior amforoidal, vasul cu formă de găleată, castron, căldare, amforă), evidențiind schimbări ale lor în formă și decor. Coexistența a două sau mai multor astfel de categorii și tipuri poate ajuta la stabilirea cu mai multă precizie a datării unor contexte arheologice, o contribuție în acest sens putând avea și vasele cu forme mai deosebite și rare, tipuri ce cunosc o frecvență redusă în descoperiri și o existență limitată în timp. Tehnicile de ornamentare, modalitățile de asociere a motivelor decorative, apariția și dispariția unor elemente care înfrumusețează corpul vaselor își pot aduce și ele aportul la obținerea unor momente cronologice fiabile, considerând că este rezonabil ca ceramica să fie folosită la stabilirea cronologiei relative a siturilor, mai ales a celor în care nu beneficiem de descoperiri cu valoare cronologică mai exactă (piese de podoabă și de port, monede, sigilii etc.).
by the Danube and the Black Sea, known as Dobrudja, between the middle of the 6th century and the first decades of the
8th century. From the ethnic mosaic existing during the stated period in this territory, the Slavic and Avar populations are
highlighted. In the first part, the attention is focused mainly on the situation of the citizens on the Danube limes, of the
unfavorable moments generated by their raids and their allies, following the chronological identification according to the
stratigraphic sequence. The second part presents the discoveries known at the moment, assimilated to the Slavic and Avar
cultural environments, consisting of functional objects, elements of dress and military equipment.
Această lucrare prezintă dovezile arheologice ale prezenţei unor populaţii migratoare în teritoriul delimitat de Dunăre și
Marea Neagră, cunoscut sub numele de Dobrogea, între mijlocul secolului al VI-lea și primele decenii ale secolului al VIII-lea.
Din mozaicul etnic existent în perioada enunţată în acest teritoriu, sunt evidenţiate populaţiile slave și avarii. În prima parte
atenţia este îndreptată cu precădere asupra situaţiei cetăţilor de pe limes-ul dunărean, a momentelor nefaste generate de
raidurile acestora și de aliaţii lor, urmărindu-se identificarea cronologică conform succesiunii stratigrafice. În a doua parte
sunt prezentate descoperirile cunoscute la acest moment, asimilate mediilor culturale slav și avar, constând în obiecte de uz
funcţional, piese de port și de echipament militar.
В данной статье представлены археологические свидетельства присутствия отдельных групп некоторых варвар-
ских народов Северного Причерноморья на территории между Дунаем и Черным морем (известной как Добруджа)
в период между серединой VI и первыми десятилетиями VIII вв. В этнической мозаике, существовавшей на указанной
территории в этот период времени, особенно выделяются славяне и авары. В первой части статьи рассматривается
преимущественно ситуация в крепостях лимеса, критические моменты их истории, связанные с нашествиями славян,
авар и их союзников, и отражение этих событий в археологических данных — с установлением затем их хронологиче-
ской и стратиграфической последовательности. Во второй части рассматриваются известные на данные момент на-
ходки вещей аварского и славянского происхождения с территории Добруджи: керамика, детали костюма и воинской
экипировки.
The present study brings to attention a batch of bronze objects discovered in the early medieval fortified settlement of Oltina -„Capul dealului”. The batch consists of 31 apliques and 3 strap ends. The pieces come from the systematic research and from the collection of the Museum of National History and Archeology from Constanța, the latter representing random discoveries before the opening of the archaeological site.
The general characteristics of many of the belt ornaments discovered at Oltina attributed them to the groups of objects specific to the Danube area. The analogies, the presence of lead models and molds in the artistic metalworking centers located south of Preslav, limit, for many pieces, the territory to the first Bulgarian Czardom and its area of influence.
From a chronological point of view, the pieces of the presented group belong broadly to the 8th - 11th centuries. Most belong to the middle period of the specified interval, 9th -10th centuries. In some situations, the discovery of similar pieces in contexts dating back to the 8th-9th centuries, respectively the 8th-10th centuries, determine us to a greater attention in the analysis of the discoveries, the respective pieces being possible indications of the foundation of the settlement in the second half of the 8th century, which, however, remain theoretical only, and they must be argued with clear situations that emerge during the research.
The belt ornaments discovered at Oltina contribute to the completion of the information regarding the fashion of the respective times, the production of jewelry, the area of their spread and, implicitly, the shaping of the image of the area during the early medieval period.
Rezumat: Începută a fi cercetată în anul 2001, așezarea fortificată medievală timpurie de la Oltina – ”Capul dealului” (jud. Constanța) oferă numeroase date care o evidențiază în peisajul arheologic dobrogean prin inedit și trăsături specifice, comparativ cu ceea ce s-a cercetat până acum. Printre numeroasele piese descoperite aici se află și acelea folosite ca accesorii vestimentare, obiecte de mici dimensiuni care, aplicate sau cusute, ofereau un alt aspect hainelor, curelelor, genților, încălțămintei și altor obiecte ce puteau a fi înfrumusețate cu ajutorul lor.
Prezentul studiu aduce în atenție un lot de obiecte din bronz descoperite în așezarea medievală timpurie fortificată de la Oltina-„Capul dealului”. Acesta este compus din 31 aplice și 3 capete de curea. Piesele provin din cercetarea arheologică sistematică și din descoperiri întâmplătoare, anterioare deschiderii șantierului arheologic, și fac parte din colecția Muzeului de Istorie Națională și Arheologie din Constanța.
Caracteristicile generale ale multora dintre ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina le atribuie grupelor obiectelor specifice zonei dunărene. Analogiile, prezența unor modele din plumb și a unor tipare în centrele de prelucrare artistică a metalelor aflate la sud de Preslav, restrâng, pentru numeroase piese, teritoriul la Primul țarat bulgar și aria lui de influență.
Din punct de vedere cronologic, piesele din lotul prezentat se datează, larg, în secolele VIII – XI. Cele mai multe aparțin perioadei de mijloc a intervalului precizat, secolelor IX-X. În câteva situații, descoperirea unor piese similare în contexte datate în secolele VIII-IX, respectiv în secolele VIII-X, determină o atenție sporită din partea noastră în analiza descoperirilor, piesele respective putând reprezenta posibile indicii de fundare a așezării în a doua jumătate a veacului al VIII-lea, care însă rămân doar teoretice, ele trebuind argumentate cu situații clare rezultate în timpul cercetării.
Ornamentele de centură descoperite la Oltina contribuie la completarea informațiilor referitoare la moda timpurilor respective, la producția de bijuterii, aria răspândirii acestora și, implicit, la conturarea imaginii zonei în perioada medievală timpurie.
collection of the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanța. Generally, the pieces date back to the 10th century and the first half of the 11th century. An exception is one strap end that belongs to the 7th century. The new discoveries from Tufani are important in shaping the area's image during the early medieval period. Overall, they supplement the information on clothing accessories, early medieval
fashion, to jewelry production and the area of their spread.
from Constanţa marked in its work plan to extend the excavations from Ulmetum also in extra muros area, one objective being to identify a possible Early Medieval settlement. The urgent beginning of the research in the new sector, conventional called ”Cartaş-cuptor Panaitescu” and situated S-W of the Roman-Byzantine fortress, was determined by the
state of the land, which was presenting as a shore rift that slowly broke down due to rainwater and frost, the fallen earth containing archeological artefacts. In the three campaigns of systematic research from this sector, for Early Medieval period were recorded two dwellings and a household waste deposit area. The density of material discovered here determined us, in this stage of the research, to consider that in this period here was a settlement, of which exact location remains to be established in the future. Most of the material discovered is represented by pottery, divided in four main categories: I - pottery made of common paste, oxidant burned (the majority of findings); II - pottery made of fine paste, oxidant burned; III - pottery made of kaolin, oxidant burned; IV -
pottery made of fine paste, reductant burned. On categories, were identified the following shapes of pottery: I - pot without handle and buckets with interior handles; II - jug with handles which ends with an extension in relief, jug with handle with two raised grooves and bowl with spheroidal body; III - pot without handle, buckets with interior handles and bowl; IV - pot without handle, pot with handles, provision pot, jug with trilobite mouth and bucket. Besides pottery, were also discovered a spindle whorl burned reductant, a bone awl, small disks made from the wall of reductant and oxidant burned pottery, bigger disks made of bricks or from the wall of large supply vessel, circular weights made of antic bricks, sandstone, a few iron objects (knife blades and arrowheads), horns and bones of animals. The characteristics of the ceramic material, supported by similar findings, but also by the existence of other elements (like the bucket fragment, the trilobite rim from the grey jar, base of the handle of pink-orange jar, which ends with an extension in relief, rim from a bowl with a spheroidal body, reddish-brown, fragments from buckets with interior handles) or the lack of others (as ceramics with olive green enamel; impressions made with toothed wheel, amphorae or monetary pieces) determine us to propose, as a provisional date, subject to future researches, the end of 8th century A.D. as the inferior limit, respectively, probably, first part of 10th century A.D., as the superior limit of habitation for the settlement from Pantelimonu de Sus.
The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing.
The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.
Black Sea, from Dobrudja. Majority of the new discoveries belongs to the group with monochrome glaze (green-olive), rarely polychrome
(green-olive with yellow; greenish-yellow on a chestnut background). The material, mostly fragmentary, comes from jugs,
pots and cups of diff erent sizes. Among other fi nds, a glazed clay egg was discovered at Hârşova. Glazed pottery from the two
analyzed settlements represents local productions and imports, several fragments were studied by using archaeometric analysis,
some data regarding the glaze are presented at the end of the article.
Поливная керамика раннего средневековья из укреплений Хыршова и Олтина в юго-восточной Румынии
Настоящая статья дополняет сведения о поливной керамике X—XI веков, найденной в западной части Причерно-
морья — в Добрудже. Новые находки по большей части принадлежат к группе монохромной поливы (зелено-оливковой),
редко полихромной (оливково-зеленой с желтым; зеленовато-желтой на каштановом фоне). Материал представляет собой
в основном фрагменты различного размера кувшинов, горшков и чашек. В Хыршове было также найдено глиняное полив-
ное яйцо. Поливная керамика с двух изученных поселений является как местным производством, так и импортом. Несколь-
ко фрагментов были подвергнуты археометрическому исследованию, результаты которых представлены в конце статьи.
Archaeological researches performed on the territory of Dobrudja have brought to the attention of the scientific
community numerous relevant data regarding the habitation areas of the Early Medieval Period. Almost
every archaeological excavation envisaging the period between the 8th and the 12th century has brought contributions
to the topic and the accumulated pieces of information have allowed for the periodic formulation of conclusions.
The increase, over the last decade, of the number of sites with early medieval habitation layers, mostly due
to preventive excavations and completed by the opening of new systematic archaeological sites have determined a
widening of the existing database and due to this specialists must verify this database through comparisons and,
when needed, through completion.The present study brings back to attention the dwellings from the settlements in Dinogetia-Garvăn, Capidava
and Păcuiul lui Soare, landmarks without which analyses of the Istro-Pontic area would not be veridical, but
the article shall mainly stress the new discoveries, among which those in Oltina-“Capul dealului”, Hârșova (both
in the fortified settlement and in the un-fortified one), Pantelimonu de Sus, Valu lui Traian, Cernavodă etc.
By correlating the old and new data, the author performs a classification of the types of dwellings, attempting
to reconstruct each type, and makes observations on the anteriority or posteriority of these types according to site(where such relations could be noted). The construction of a dwelling can be determined by numerous factors
(climate, possibilities provided by the surrounding environment, technical means, the owner’s economical means,
the intended use, fashion etc.) and can be influenced by other factors (the manner in which the construction is
adapted to the terrain from a geographic perspective or the manner in which it is adapted to the area inside a
settlement etc.) A dwelling’s main function is to provide shelter, but there are also situations in which this function
was correlated with an economical-household-type valorization of space, in general strictly according to the needs
of the inhabitants, up to the point where it becomes a workshop.
No doubt this shall be a temporary report, but evaluating the progress made so far is necessary even if only to
establish what is significant and must be followed in the future.
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