Epoca bronzului de-o parte și de alta a Carpaților. Studii în onoarea lui Tudor Soroceanu la 80 de ani, 2024
During the transition period from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the Eastern Carpathi... more During the transition period from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the Eastern Carpathian area manifests a cultural diversity determined by western, southern, as well as eastern influences. In this manner, after the evolution of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities ended, the Gava-Holihrady Grănicești and Chișinău-Corlăteni cultures are attested in the forest steppe region, while the Belozerka culture spread over the steppe region. At the same time, the differentiation of a horizon with incised pottery, known as the Tămăoani - Holercani - Balta or the Babadag I - Tămăoani - Holercani - Balta group, complemented the cultural phenomena from the beginning of the Early Iron Age. In the Prut-Dniester area, it was O. Levițki (1994) who wrote down this cultural manifestation, naming it the Holercani-Hansca group and locating it in the border region between the steppe and the forest steppe. Later research demonstrated that this group’s geographic extent stretched to the north, reaching the Middle Dniester region, where, at this moment, there are seven documented settlements of this type (Rașcov XI, Rașcov XII, Solonceni “Hlinaia”, Saharna “Țiglău”, Saharna Mică, Saharna Mare /“Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”). Based on the bronze items of western origin, an early dating (BrD - HaA1) was presumed for the beginning of this cultural group in the Middle Dniester region, a fact that is confirmed by the recent absolute dating results, as well.
Artifacts, Technology and Raw Material in the Tisza-Dniester region in the Iron Age. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium Saharna, July 27th - July 30th 2023, 2023
The vestiges of over 100 fortifications, dated, generally, from the 4th-3rd centuries BC, are kno... more The vestiges of over 100 fortifications, dated, generally, from the 4th-3rd centuries BC, are known in the area between Prut and Dniester. Most of these sites were investigated through unintrusive field surveys, and only some – through archaeological excavations, 30 of which benefited from having their defensive lines sectioned. Despite this situation, however, we possess some information regarding the ways in which the defensive constructions were built during this period. In the majority of cases, wood, soil of different types, and stone were used to erect the ramparts. Older excavations, but especially the recent ones, revealed a less known method of using stone in defensive structures – masonry. Up to this point, stonework was documented at seven Getic hillforts in the area between Prut and Dniester: Rudi “La Șanțuri”, Cosăuți “La Zamcă”, Saharna Mare, Saharna Mică, Saharna “La Șanţ” I, Horodiște “La Șanţ” and Butuceni. Stone wall building techniques are different and vary from one site to another. Despite this variety, there are some common criteria, which led to the identification of four types of defensive constructions in which masonry was utilized.
Located on the northeastern outskirts of the village of Horodiște (Rezina district), an archaeolo... more Located on the northeastern outskirts of the village of Horodiște (Rezina district), an archaeological site with the same name was discovered in the second half of the 1940s and attributed to the hillforts of the late Iron Age. Surveys carried out in 2013 provided the first information on the chronology of this site, revealing two Iron Age cultural layers: the Saharna culture and the Getae culture. In 2019, the surface of the site was investigated using geophysical methods, which made it possible to identify numerous anomalies associated with human activity and the presence of underground archaeological structures. One of the anomalies on the La Cot plateau, believed to be the remains of a ditch, was intrusively explored in 2021. Excavations confirmed the presence of a ditch, trapezoidal in section, with a mouth width of about 3.50 m, a width at the bottom of 1.40 m and a depth of 0.90 m.
Behind it, the remains of a “wall” 1.20-1.50 m wide were found, consisting of two wooden frames, between which a filling of earth and stone was compacted. The fragments of pottery recovered from the ditch and from the filling of the “wall” are characteristic of the Saharna culture, dating back to the Early Iron Age.
During archaeological excavations in 2022, a “rampart” and a defensive ditch on the south-eastern side of the La Șanț promontory were explored. As a result of the work, it was established that the “rampart” was the remains of a wall about 4 m wide, the outer frame of which was stone and the inner frame was wooden, the space between them was filled with clay soil, gravel and crushed stone. At a distance of about 4.0 m from the wall, a V-shaped ditch was explored, with a mouth width of about 5.30 m and a depth of about 2.40 m. Artifacts discovered during excavations of the “rampart” and ditch allow us to date this defensive line to the 4th-3rd centuries BC.
Thus, archaeological investigations in 2021-2022 confirmed the presence of two phases of habitation at the Horodiște site: the Early Iron Age – the Saharna culture, and the Late Iron Age – the Getic culture.
Bericht der Römisch-Germanischen Kommission 101/102 (2020/2021), 2023
This paper presents a preliminary report on a field survey at HorodişteŢipova carried out in 2019... more This paper presents a preliminary report on a field survey at HorodişteŢipova carried out in 2019. During three days of field work, nearly 30 ha of the site agglomeration were prospected with a 14-channel magnetic system. At the same time, three drone flights and twelve drillings were carried out. Based on the results presented here and the upcoming investigations and excavations, we plan to implement a research project that places our results in a wider area in the Eastern Carpathian region. The results of the magnetic survey indicate a large, fortified and structured settlement, and a smaller, open village. Analysis of aerial images suggests that we should expect a complex structured site agglomeration with different dependencies. The soil samples show that the measured values of phosphate and the usage of the spur in recent times need to be taken into consideration. This paper presents the base for our future investigations and presents the concept of our research. We focus on questions of the spatial, social and economic organization of the Iron Age communities in the Horodişte-Ţipova area, as well as in the transition zone between forest steppe and steppe, respectively in the fluvial systems of Dniester and Prut.
The paper presents six samples originating from archaeologically investigated contexts in the Ear... more The paper presents six samples originating from archaeologically investigated contexts in the Early Iron Age site of Saharna–Țiglău. Three samples were collected, after anthropological analysis, from funerary features excavated in 2022, and the remaining samples were taken from pits within the settlement. Calibration of the six AMS radiocarbon data places the chronological sequence with a 95.4% probability in the range calBC 1284-797. From the association of the data, it is almost obvious to conclude that one of the earliest known dates for an Early Iron Age context with stamped pottery in the Carpathian-Balkan area has been recorded at Saharna–Țiglău.
Inventory, offerings and rituals in the pre-Christian temples and sacred places of continental Europe and Mediterranean area (7th c. BC-2nd c. AD). Proceedings of the 3rd International Colloquium “Iron Age Sanctuaries and Cult Places at the Thracians and their Neighbours” (Alun / Romania, 16th-19..., 2023
The article brings back for discussion an old find from Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare”, a Late Iron A... more The article brings back for discussion an old find from Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare”, a Late Iron Age site in the Old Orhei microregion. Here, in 2001, in a non-funerary context on the edge of the Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare” settlement, two clay hearths were discovered, one of which completely covered the skeleton of an infant, with a biological age of about 2-3 years. Although this feature, unusual for the Eastern Carpathians, has benefited of special attention among scholars, one particular aspect of this find has remained less explored.
(Eds. P. Delev et al.) Ancient Thrace: Myth and Reality. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Congress of Thracology (Kazanlak, September 3-7, 2017), vol. 1, Sofia: St. Kliment Ohridski University Press, 2022
The transitional stage from the late Bronze Age to the first phase of the Iron Age in the Balkan-... more The transitional stage from the late Bronze Age to the first phase of the Iron Age in the Balkan-Carpathian-Pontic area is a subject of a series of serious and often controversial discussions. Long-term systematic archaeological investigations at several sites, which have been carried out from the late 19th c. to the beginning of the 21st c., provided archaeological record, the analysis of which propels new corrections, and in some cases new visions on the evolution of the material culture of the communities that inhabited these regions at the end of the 2nd millennium and the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archaeology of the Iron Age in the Tisa-Dniester area. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium (Juli 28th - 31th 2022), 2022
During the relocation of some museum collections kept in the storage of the National Museum of Hi... more During the relocation of some museum collections kept in the storage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, an assemblage of pottery found in the village of Păpăuţi, Rezina District, came into the field of our attention. In the spring of 2022, ground surveys were carried out in the area of this village in order to locate the site where the artifacts were found and to clarify the archaeological context. The field investigations revealed several occupation layers of the Iron Age, as well as archaeological finds of the medieval period. Our study considers archaeological objects related to the Iron Age, namely fragments of local hand-made pottery, as well as fragments of an Ikos amphora and of a black-glazed vessel. Based on the materials found, the habitation of the Early Iron Age can be attributed to the Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC), and the habitation of the Late Iron Age belongs to the Getae culture.
Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archaeology of the Iron Age in the Tisa-Dniester area. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium (Juli 28th - 31th 2022), 2022
During the geopedological research carried out in the 2018-2021 period at the archaeological site... more During the geopedological research carried out in the 2018-2021 period at the archaeological sites in the Saharna microregion (Saharna “Ţiglău”, Saharna Mare / “Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”), we asked ourselves a question: what are the rocks present in cultural layer and in its proximity that Iron Age human communities would have contacted and used? Following the investigations, the presence of a spectrum of rocks was found in the given sites, which were divided according to the criterion of the geographical origin of the rocks in relation to the limits of the archaeological sites. According to this criterion, the following are highlighted: 1) rocks of in situ autochthonous origin, represented by clay, sand, loess, limestone, marl, psephite, diluvial and alluvial deposits, altered material etc., which serve as the parent rock (parent material) of the soil in the archaeological sites, as well as a building material and raw material; 2) rocks of ex situ allochthonous origin (sandstone, flint, crystalline schist, jasper etc.), which arrived in the researched layer as a result of natural processes (erosion, disaggregation, denudation etc.) or with human involvement. All the listed rocks have some utility for man and could be used for various purposes by human communities of different periods, including the Iron Age, both in their raw state and after processing.
Until recently, on the high terrace of the Dniester in the area of Socola village, only one site ... more Until recently, on the high terrace of the Dniester in the area of Socola village, only one site with traces of Iron Age habitation was known (point “Craina”). In the spring of 2022, a team of researchers from the Ion Niculiță Archaeological Center of the Moldova State University carried out new field surveys in the area, which resulted in the discovery of three more Late Iron Age sites. Thus, two fortifications (Socola III and Socola IV) with settlements in the immediate vicinity were discovered on the two promontories that rise above the Dniester riverbed by about 150-160 m. Two other settlements, Socola I “Craina” and Socola V, are located to the west, at a distance of about 1.40 km and 2.50 km, respectively. As a result of surface surveys, materials, especially pottery sherds, characteristic of the Getic culture were collected from the surface of the sites, which makes it possible to attribute this “agglomeration” of settlements to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. Such an arrangement of fortifications and nearby settlements dating back to that period is often found in the Middle Dniester Basin, especially in the Saharna microregion.
In the Middle Dniester Basin, from the 1940s to the present, several archaeological sites dating ... more In the Middle Dniester Basin, from the 1940s to the present, several archaeological sites dating back to the Iron Age have been discovered and explored. In the past two decades, a team of researchers from the Moldova State University has been engaged in archaeological research in the Saharna microregion, where several fortifications and open settlements dating from both the Early and the Late Iron Age have been studied. Among them, the Saharna “Rude” site stands out, where, non-destructive surveys, as well as archaeological excavations were carried out in 2018-2021. As a result, traces of three phases of habitation were found at the Saharna “Rude” site. According to the discovered artifacts, the first phase of habitation can be attributed to the Early Iron Age (middle of the 12th century – 11th century BC), which corresponds to the Holercani-Hansca horizon. At the next stage, a circular enclosure was built in the northern part of the plateau, to the south of which there was an extensive settlement belonging to the Cozia-Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC). The discovery of fragments of Greek amphoras, as well as handmade pottery specific to the Getic culture, indicates that this territory was also inhabited during the Late Iron Age (4th-3rd centuries BC). Therefore, the situation attested at Saharna “Rude” is similar to the one on the promontory opposite the Saharna Mare and comes to confirm the intense habitation of the Saharna microregion by human communities in the period from the middle of the 12th to the end of the 3rd century BC.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27/2 Supplement, 2021
In the Saharna microregion (Rezina district, Republic of Moldova), four settlements and one buria... more In the Saharna microregion (Rezina district, Republic of Moldova), four settlements and one burial attributed to the Holercani-Hansca culture are currently known. In the settlements Saharna Mare / “Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”, a bronze hairpin of Ösennadel type and a crescent pendant with vertically perforated shank were recently discovered. Both objects have many analogies in Transylvania as well as in Central Europe, being dated within the period Bz D - Ha A1. Along with the finds from Saharna microregion, in the area of the Holercani-Hansca culture, in the sites of Calfa, Holercani, Coșnița and others, other bronze artifacts are known, also of Western origin and having the same chronological markers. Thus, the presence of these objects denotes the connections of the communities from the Prut-Dniester area with Transylvania and Central Europe.
The Late Bronze Age crisis is one of the most significant events in human history an had occurred... more The Late Bronze Age crisis is one of the most significant events in human history an had occurred in about 1200 BCE. The aridization was one the reasons of a decline of agriculture, migrant expansion and the transition to nomadic style of life. In Eastern Mediterranean the collapse of the advanced civilizations such as the Mycenaean, Hittite, Canaanite, Akkadian occurred in this time. The reconstruction of cultural-historical processes at the turn of the Bronze-Early Iron Ages and environment during this “critical” period of 13th–9th centuries BCE in the Northern Black Sea region is important for understanding this event. Interdisciplinary investigations of the paleoclimatic reconstructions and the cultural traditions have been carried out at the key archaeological sites located in the North-Western Pontic region (Saharna Mică, Saharna Mare, Glinjeni II-La Șanț, Dikiy Sad sites and Cazaclia necropolis). For reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions and anthropogenic activity, the m...
The radiocarbon data recently obtained for the site from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii offer the... more The radiocarbon data recently obtained for the site from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii offer the opportunity of the first analysis of the chronological framework of the Early Iron Age in this area through the correlation between the relative chronology and absolute chronology. The paper presents eight radiocarbon data obtained for the habitation levels from the beginning of the Early Iron Age. Regarding the absolute chronology of the Holercani-Hansca culture, the radiocarbon data from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii place the earliest habitation phase towards the end of the 12th c. BC, and the evolution of this cultural group in the interval 1100-1000 cal BC. In general, the absolute data obtained from contexts of the Saharna culture have not affected the already existing chronological perspective, the Bayesian modelling indicating a chronological framework between 1000-815 cal BC.
Epoca bronzului de-o parte și de alta a Carpaților. Studii în onoarea lui Tudor Soroceanu la 80 de ani, 2024
During the transition period from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the Eastern Carpathi... more During the transition period from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the Eastern Carpathian area manifests a cultural diversity determined by western, southern, as well as eastern influences. In this manner, after the evolution of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities ended, the Gava-Holihrady Grănicești and Chișinău-Corlăteni cultures are attested in the forest steppe region, while the Belozerka culture spread over the steppe region. At the same time, the differentiation of a horizon with incised pottery, known as the Tămăoani - Holercani - Balta or the Babadag I - Tămăoani - Holercani - Balta group, complemented the cultural phenomena from the beginning of the Early Iron Age. In the Prut-Dniester area, it was O. Levițki (1994) who wrote down this cultural manifestation, naming it the Holercani-Hansca group and locating it in the border region between the steppe and the forest steppe. Later research demonstrated that this group’s geographic extent stretched to the north, reaching the Middle Dniester region, where, at this moment, there are seven documented settlements of this type (Rașcov XI, Rașcov XII, Solonceni “Hlinaia”, Saharna “Țiglău”, Saharna Mică, Saharna Mare /“Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”). Based on the bronze items of western origin, an early dating (BrD - HaA1) was presumed for the beginning of this cultural group in the Middle Dniester region, a fact that is confirmed by the recent absolute dating results, as well.
Artifacts, Technology and Raw Material in the Tisza-Dniester region in the Iron Age. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium Saharna, July 27th - July 30th 2023, 2023
The vestiges of over 100 fortifications, dated, generally, from the 4th-3rd centuries BC, are kno... more The vestiges of over 100 fortifications, dated, generally, from the 4th-3rd centuries BC, are known in the area between Prut and Dniester. Most of these sites were investigated through unintrusive field surveys, and only some – through archaeological excavations, 30 of which benefited from having their defensive lines sectioned. Despite this situation, however, we possess some information regarding the ways in which the defensive constructions were built during this period. In the majority of cases, wood, soil of different types, and stone were used to erect the ramparts. Older excavations, but especially the recent ones, revealed a less known method of using stone in defensive structures – masonry. Up to this point, stonework was documented at seven Getic hillforts in the area between Prut and Dniester: Rudi “La Șanțuri”, Cosăuți “La Zamcă”, Saharna Mare, Saharna Mică, Saharna “La Șanţ” I, Horodiște “La Șanţ” and Butuceni. Stone wall building techniques are different and vary from one site to another. Despite this variety, there are some common criteria, which led to the identification of four types of defensive constructions in which masonry was utilized.
Located on the northeastern outskirts of the village of Horodiște (Rezina district), an archaeolo... more Located on the northeastern outskirts of the village of Horodiște (Rezina district), an archaeological site with the same name was discovered in the second half of the 1940s and attributed to the hillforts of the late Iron Age. Surveys carried out in 2013 provided the first information on the chronology of this site, revealing two Iron Age cultural layers: the Saharna culture and the Getae culture. In 2019, the surface of the site was investigated using geophysical methods, which made it possible to identify numerous anomalies associated with human activity and the presence of underground archaeological structures. One of the anomalies on the La Cot plateau, believed to be the remains of a ditch, was intrusively explored in 2021. Excavations confirmed the presence of a ditch, trapezoidal in section, with a mouth width of about 3.50 m, a width at the bottom of 1.40 m and a depth of 0.90 m.
Behind it, the remains of a “wall” 1.20-1.50 m wide were found, consisting of two wooden frames, between which a filling of earth and stone was compacted. The fragments of pottery recovered from the ditch and from the filling of the “wall” are characteristic of the Saharna culture, dating back to the Early Iron Age.
During archaeological excavations in 2022, a “rampart” and a defensive ditch on the south-eastern side of the La Șanț promontory were explored. As a result of the work, it was established that the “rampart” was the remains of a wall about 4 m wide, the outer frame of which was stone and the inner frame was wooden, the space between them was filled with clay soil, gravel and crushed stone. At a distance of about 4.0 m from the wall, a V-shaped ditch was explored, with a mouth width of about 5.30 m and a depth of about 2.40 m. Artifacts discovered during excavations of the “rampart” and ditch allow us to date this defensive line to the 4th-3rd centuries BC.
Thus, archaeological investigations in 2021-2022 confirmed the presence of two phases of habitation at the Horodiște site: the Early Iron Age – the Saharna culture, and the Late Iron Age – the Getic culture.
Bericht der Römisch-Germanischen Kommission 101/102 (2020/2021), 2023
This paper presents a preliminary report on a field survey at HorodişteŢipova carried out in 2019... more This paper presents a preliminary report on a field survey at HorodişteŢipova carried out in 2019. During three days of field work, nearly 30 ha of the site agglomeration were prospected with a 14-channel magnetic system. At the same time, three drone flights and twelve drillings were carried out. Based on the results presented here and the upcoming investigations and excavations, we plan to implement a research project that places our results in a wider area in the Eastern Carpathian region. The results of the magnetic survey indicate a large, fortified and structured settlement, and a smaller, open village. Analysis of aerial images suggests that we should expect a complex structured site agglomeration with different dependencies. The soil samples show that the measured values of phosphate and the usage of the spur in recent times need to be taken into consideration. This paper presents the base for our future investigations and presents the concept of our research. We focus on questions of the spatial, social and economic organization of the Iron Age communities in the Horodişte-Ţipova area, as well as in the transition zone between forest steppe and steppe, respectively in the fluvial systems of Dniester and Prut.
The paper presents six samples originating from archaeologically investigated contexts in the Ear... more The paper presents six samples originating from archaeologically investigated contexts in the Early Iron Age site of Saharna–Țiglău. Three samples were collected, after anthropological analysis, from funerary features excavated in 2022, and the remaining samples were taken from pits within the settlement. Calibration of the six AMS radiocarbon data places the chronological sequence with a 95.4% probability in the range calBC 1284-797. From the association of the data, it is almost obvious to conclude that one of the earliest known dates for an Early Iron Age context with stamped pottery in the Carpathian-Balkan area has been recorded at Saharna–Țiglău.
Inventory, offerings and rituals in the pre-Christian temples and sacred places of continental Europe and Mediterranean area (7th c. BC-2nd c. AD). Proceedings of the 3rd International Colloquium “Iron Age Sanctuaries and Cult Places at the Thracians and their Neighbours” (Alun / Romania, 16th-19..., 2023
The article brings back for discussion an old find from Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare”, a Late Iron A... more The article brings back for discussion an old find from Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare”, a Late Iron Age site in the Old Orhei microregion. Here, in 2001, in a non-funerary context on the edge of the Mașcăuți “Dealul cel Mare” settlement, two clay hearths were discovered, one of which completely covered the skeleton of an infant, with a biological age of about 2-3 years. Although this feature, unusual for the Eastern Carpathians, has benefited of special attention among scholars, one particular aspect of this find has remained less explored.
(Eds. P. Delev et al.) Ancient Thrace: Myth and Reality. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Congress of Thracology (Kazanlak, September 3-7, 2017), vol. 1, Sofia: St. Kliment Ohridski University Press, 2022
The transitional stage from the late Bronze Age to the first phase of the Iron Age in the Balkan-... more The transitional stage from the late Bronze Age to the first phase of the Iron Age in the Balkan-Carpathian-Pontic area is a subject of a series of serious and often controversial discussions. Long-term systematic archaeological investigations at several sites, which have been carried out from the late 19th c. to the beginning of the 21st c., provided archaeological record, the analysis of which propels new corrections, and in some cases new visions on the evolution of the material culture of the communities that inhabited these regions at the end of the 2nd millennium and the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archaeology of the Iron Age in the Tisa-Dniester area. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium (Juli 28th - 31th 2022), 2022
During the relocation of some museum collections kept in the storage of the National Museum of Hi... more During the relocation of some museum collections kept in the storage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, an assemblage of pottery found in the village of Păpăuţi, Rezina District, came into the field of our attention. In the spring of 2022, ground surveys were carried out in the area of this village in order to locate the site where the artifacts were found and to clarify the archaeological context. The field investigations revealed several occupation layers of the Iron Age, as well as archaeological finds of the medieval period. Our study considers archaeological objects related to the Iron Age, namely fragments of local hand-made pottery, as well as fragments of an Ikos amphora and of a black-glazed vessel. Based on the materials found, the habitation of the Early Iron Age can be attributed to the Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC), and the habitation of the Late Iron Age belongs to the Getae culture.
Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archaeology of the Iron Age in the Tisa-Dniester area. Proceedings of the Saharna Summer Colloquium (Juli 28th - 31th 2022), 2022
During the geopedological research carried out in the 2018-2021 period at the archaeological site... more During the geopedological research carried out in the 2018-2021 period at the archaeological sites in the Saharna microregion (Saharna “Ţiglău”, Saharna Mare / “Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”), we asked ourselves a question: what are the rocks present in cultural layer and in its proximity that Iron Age human communities would have contacted and used? Following the investigations, the presence of a spectrum of rocks was found in the given sites, which were divided according to the criterion of the geographical origin of the rocks in relation to the limits of the archaeological sites. According to this criterion, the following are highlighted: 1) rocks of in situ autochthonous origin, represented by clay, sand, loess, limestone, marl, psephite, diluvial and alluvial deposits, altered material etc., which serve as the parent rock (parent material) of the soil in the archaeological sites, as well as a building material and raw material; 2) rocks of ex situ allochthonous origin (sandstone, flint, crystalline schist, jasper etc.), which arrived in the researched layer as a result of natural processes (erosion, disaggregation, denudation etc.) or with human involvement. All the listed rocks have some utility for man and could be used for various purposes by human communities of different periods, including the Iron Age, both in their raw state and after processing.
Until recently, on the high terrace of the Dniester in the area of Socola village, only one site ... more Until recently, on the high terrace of the Dniester in the area of Socola village, only one site with traces of Iron Age habitation was known (point “Craina”). In the spring of 2022, a team of researchers from the Ion Niculiță Archaeological Center of the Moldova State University carried out new field surveys in the area, which resulted in the discovery of three more Late Iron Age sites. Thus, two fortifications (Socola III and Socola IV) with settlements in the immediate vicinity were discovered on the two promontories that rise above the Dniester riverbed by about 150-160 m. Two other settlements, Socola I “Craina” and Socola V, are located to the west, at a distance of about 1.40 km and 2.50 km, respectively. As a result of surface surveys, materials, especially pottery sherds, characteristic of the Getic culture were collected from the surface of the sites, which makes it possible to attribute this “agglomeration” of settlements to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. Such an arrangement of fortifications and nearby settlements dating back to that period is often found in the Middle Dniester Basin, especially in the Saharna microregion.
In the Middle Dniester Basin, from the 1940s to the present, several archaeological sites dating ... more In the Middle Dniester Basin, from the 1940s to the present, several archaeological sites dating back to the Iron Age have been discovered and explored. In the past two decades, a team of researchers from the Moldova State University has been engaged in archaeological research in the Saharna microregion, where several fortifications and open settlements dating from both the Early and the Late Iron Age have been studied. Among them, the Saharna “Rude” site stands out, where, non-destructive surveys, as well as archaeological excavations were carried out in 2018-2021. As a result, traces of three phases of habitation were found at the Saharna “Rude” site. According to the discovered artifacts, the first phase of habitation can be attributed to the Early Iron Age (middle of the 12th century – 11th century BC), which corresponds to the Holercani-Hansca horizon. At the next stage, a circular enclosure was built in the northern part of the plateau, to the south of which there was an extensive settlement belonging to the Cozia-Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC). The discovery of fragments of Greek amphoras, as well as handmade pottery specific to the Getic culture, indicates that this territory was also inhabited during the Late Iron Age (4th-3rd centuries BC). Therefore, the situation attested at Saharna “Rude” is similar to the one on the promontory opposite the Saharna Mare and comes to confirm the intense habitation of the Saharna microregion by human communities in the period from the middle of the 12th to the end of the 3rd century BC.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27/2 Supplement, 2021
In the Saharna microregion (Rezina district, Republic of Moldova), four settlements and one buria... more In the Saharna microregion (Rezina district, Republic of Moldova), four settlements and one burial attributed to the Holercani-Hansca culture are currently known. In the settlements Saharna Mare / “Dealul Mănăstirii” and Saharna “Rude”, a bronze hairpin of Ösennadel type and a crescent pendant with vertically perforated shank were recently discovered. Both objects have many analogies in Transylvania as well as in Central Europe, being dated within the period Bz D - Ha A1. Along with the finds from Saharna microregion, in the area of the Holercani-Hansca culture, in the sites of Calfa, Holercani, Coșnița and others, other bronze artifacts are known, also of Western origin and having the same chronological markers. Thus, the presence of these objects denotes the connections of the communities from the Prut-Dniester area with Transylvania and Central Europe.
The Late Bronze Age crisis is one of the most significant events in human history an had occurred... more The Late Bronze Age crisis is one of the most significant events in human history an had occurred in about 1200 BCE. The aridization was one the reasons of a decline of agriculture, migrant expansion and the transition to nomadic style of life. In Eastern Mediterranean the collapse of the advanced civilizations such as the Mycenaean, Hittite, Canaanite, Akkadian occurred in this time. The reconstruction of cultural-historical processes at the turn of the Bronze-Early Iron Ages and environment during this “critical” period of 13th–9th centuries BCE in the Northern Black Sea region is important for understanding this event. Interdisciplinary investigations of the paleoclimatic reconstructions and the cultural traditions have been carried out at the key archaeological sites located in the North-Western Pontic region (Saharna Mică, Saharna Mare, Glinjeni II-La Șanț, Dikiy Sad sites and Cazaclia necropolis). For reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions and anthropogenic activity, the m...
The radiocarbon data recently obtained for the site from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii offer the... more The radiocarbon data recently obtained for the site from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii offer the opportunity of the first analysis of the chronological framework of the Early Iron Age in this area through the correlation between the relative chronology and absolute chronology. The paper presents eight radiocarbon data obtained for the habitation levels from the beginning of the Early Iron Age. Regarding the absolute chronology of the Holercani-Hansca culture, the radiocarbon data from Saharna Mare–Dealul Mănăstirii place the earliest habitation phase towards the end of the 12th c. BC, and the evolution of this cultural group in the interval 1100-1000 cal BC. In general, the absolute data obtained from contexts of the Saharna culture have not affected the already existing chronological perspective, the Bayesian modelling indicating a chronological framework between 1000-815 cal BC.
The theme of the volume, “Artifacts, Technology and Raw Material in the Tisza-Dniester area in th... more The theme of the volume, “Artifacts, Technology and Raw Material in the Tisza-Dniester area in the Iron Age”, is a coherent continuation of the previous colloquia’s topics, which touched upon aspects of interdisciplinary archaeological research, cross-cultural interactions, economic activity, etc. Nevertheless, the subjects related to the acquisition and processing of raw materials, the geographical spread of technologies and artifacts, the individual mobility (including craftsmens), the transfer of ancient technologies and knowledge over time, and the role of the collective experience, thematically individualize present proceedings.
The 2022 colloquium “Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archeology of the Iron Age in the ... more The 2022 colloquium “Old discoveries and new approaches to the Archeology of the Iron Age in the Tisza-Dniester area” was dedicated to the memory of Professor Ion Niculiţă. Presentations by well-known specialists from Romania, Germany and the Republic of Moldova highlighted archival and new materials, the resumption of some historiographical discussions and an interdisciplinary approach to old discoveries.
This topic aimed at the interdisciplinary approach to the results of archaeological research, wit... more This topic aimed at the interdisciplinary approach to the results of archaeological research, with an emphasis on the interaction between man and nature. Among the issues discussed there were those related to the production of pottery, metal tools and utensils, building defensive constructions, processing agricultural products, and so on. There were also discussions about the impact of these activities on the health of people of that period, as well as on the environment. Thus, this volume aims to highlight the latest results of scientific research obtained by specialists from universities of Chișinău, Berlin, Jena, and Marburg, as well as from specialized institutions of Bucharest, Iași, Deva, Pitești, and others.
Specialists in the field, representatives of various scientific centers in Romania and the Republ... more Specialists in the field, representatives of various scientific centers in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, have contributed to this volume, bringing to the public a number of unpublished artifacts or reinterpreting some older finds based on the current state of knowledge in the field of intercultural relations. Through the volume Cross-Cultural Interaction in the Tisza-Dniester Region in the Iron Age we may try to contribute to elucidate, perhaps even to solving the problems associated with contacts between communities in this area, as well as the influence of these contacts on their economic, sociopolitical and cultural development.
Man, culture, and society from the Copper Age until the Early Iron Age in Northern Eurasia (Contr... more Man, culture, and society from the Copper Age until the Early Iron Age in Northern Eurasia (Contributions in honour of the 60th anniversary of Eugen Sava)
The book A Millennium of Civilization. Iron Age in the Middle Dniester Basin continues the series... more The book A Millennium of Civilization. Iron Age in the Middle Dniester Basin continues the series of publications dedicated to the prehistory of this region. Along with the presentation of the researches and the historiographical approaches , the core of the monograph is a catalog of the 115 sites identified until 2023. The volume is completed by studies dedicated to landscape, non-invasive, pedological, anthropological and archaeozoological research / Lucrarea Un mileniu de civilizație. Epoca fierului în bazinul Nistrului de Mijloc continuă seria publicațiilor dedicate preistoriei acestei regiuni. Alături de prezentarea cercetărilor și a parcursului istoriografic, nucleul monografiei îl constituie un catalog al celor 115 situri identificate până în anul 2023. Volumul este completat cu studii dedicate peisajului, cercetărilor non-invazive, pedologice, antropologice și arheozoologice.
Zahlreiche archäologische und numismatische Entdeckungen der letzten Jahre ergaben die Möglichkei... more Zahlreiche archäologische und numismatische Entdeckungen der letzten Jahre ergaben die Möglichkeit uns in größerem Maß und umfassender über die historische Entwicklung der Geto-Daker zu informieren. Der gegenwärtige Stand der Forschung kann nur in wenigen Punkten die ganze Struktur dieser Zivilisation aufzeigen. Das Studium der Befestigungen aus der Zeit zwischen dem 6. und 3. Jh. v. Chr. erbringt in dieser Hinsicht wichtige Angaben zur militärischen, wirtschaftlichen, sozialen und politischen Entwicklung der geto-dakischen Gesellschaft. Die untersuchte Periode umfaßt die Zeitspanne zwischen dem Anfang des 6. und dem Ende des 3. Jh. v. Chr. Die Entstehung der geto-dakischen Festungen außerhalb des karpatischen Raumes ist das Hauptmerkmal des ersten Zeitabschnitts; der Wiederaufbau nach den Erfordernissen der Zeit und das Auflassen der Befestigungen sind die Merkmale des letzten Zeitabschnitts. Diese chronologischen Grenzen wurden nicht immer streng eingehalten. Auch die vorausgehenden und nachfolgenden Belege waren Teil des Studiums. Der geographische Raum umfaßt einerseits die Gebiete zwischen den Ostkarpaten und dem Dnjestr und andererseits diejenigen zwischen den Südkarpaten, der Donau und dem Schwarzen Meer. Dieses Gebiet erweist sich aufgrund der Überreste von 138 geto-dakischen Befestigungen, die in die oben angegebene Periode datieren, als sehr bedeutsam.
The monograph presents the results of the archaeological investigations carried out in 2008-2016 ... more The monograph presents the results of the archaeological investigations carried out in 2008-2016 in the Saharna micro-zone, Rezina District, Republic of Moldova. There are published exhaustively the objects from the sites of Saharna Mare / “Dealul Mănăstirii”, Saharna Mică and Saharna “La Şanț” researched by the means of systematic archaeological excavations, as well as the results of the archaeological surveys carried out at the sites of Saharna “La Şanț” I, Saharna “La Şanț” II, Saharna “Dealul Grimidon”, Saharna “La Vile”, Saharna-Ţiglău “Cetate”, Stohnaia III and Buciușca. It also presents the diachronic evolution and significance of sites in the Saharna micro-zone during the Iron Age. The work contains 464 pages of text, five tables, and 278 color and black and white figures.
The authors of this study make available for specialists remains collected during archaeological ... more The authors of this study make available for specialists remains collected during archaeological excavations in the sites near the village of Saharna (Rezina District, Republic of Moldova).
The work contains 218 pages of text, 173 figures, 30 colour photos, 9 tables and is divided in Preface, Introduction, 4 chapters, Conclusion, Catalogue of Finds, Bibliography, Abstract (in English), List of Illustrations, and Annex.
The Excel-Sheet contains information (location of the site, chronological position, type of site,... more The Excel-Sheet contains information (location of the site, chronological position, type of site, archaeological culture, literature, photographies and drawings, analysis made, results of the analysis, etc.) about the samples taken in the Volkswagen Fond Project no. 90 216 "Early mounted nomads and their vessels Ceramic analysis project aimed at supporting the reconstruction of socio-economic conditions in mobile populations north of the Black Sea between 1100 and 600 BC".
The project itself focuses on contacts and interactions between groups with different material culture remains in two vegetation zones to the north of the Black Sea.The investigation takes a complex archaeometric approach to characterise the pottery of communities that lived in the forest steppe zone and steppe zone to the north of the Black Sea between the Dniester and Dnieper rivers between 1100 and 600 BC. By using an multidisciplinary approach to study the material culture of these communities with mobile lifeways, this project will allow the comparison of the natural science and archaeological data for the first time.
The Excel-Sheet presents the results of various analyses performed during the project and serves as the database for publications of the project members.
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Papers by Aurel Zanoci
Behind it, the remains of a “wall” 1.20-1.50 m wide were found, consisting of two wooden frames, between which a filling of earth and stone was compacted. The fragments of pottery recovered from the ditch and from the filling of the “wall” are characteristic of the Saharna culture, dating back to the Early Iron Age.
During archaeological excavations in 2022, a “rampart” and a defensive ditch on the south-eastern side of the La Șanț promontory were explored. As a result of the work, it was established that the “rampart” was the remains of a wall about 4 m wide, the outer frame of which was stone and the inner frame was wooden, the space between them was filled with clay soil, gravel and crushed stone. At a distance of about 4.0 m from the wall, a V-shaped ditch was explored, with a mouth width of about 5.30 m and a depth of about 2.40 m. Artifacts discovered during excavations of the “rampart” and ditch allow us to date this defensive line to the 4th-3rd centuries BC.
Thus, archaeological investigations in 2021-2022 confirmed the presence of two phases of habitation at the Horodiște site: the Early Iron Age – the Saharna culture, and the Late Iron Age – the Getic culture.
Long-term systematic archaeological investigations at several sites, which have been carried out from the late 19th c. to the beginning of the 21st c., provided archaeological record, the analysis of which propels new corrections, and in some cases new visions on the evolution of the material culture of the communities that inhabited these regions at the end of the 2nd millennium and the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
out in 2018-2021.
As a result, traces of three phases of habitation were found at the Saharna “Rude” site. According to the discovered artifacts, the first phase of habitation can be attributed to the Early Iron Age (middle of the 12th century – 11th century BC), which corresponds to the Holercani-Hansca horizon. At the next stage, a circular enclosure was built in the northern part of the plateau, to the south of which there was an extensive settlement belonging to the Cozia-Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC). The discovery of fragments of Greek amphoras, as well as handmade pottery specific to the Getic culture, indicates that this territory was also inhabited during the Late Iron Age (4th-3rd centuries BC). Therefore, the situation attested at Saharna “Rude” is similar to the one on the promontory opposite the Saharna Mare and comes to confirm the intense habitation of the Saharna microregion by human communities in the period from the middle of the 12th to the end of the 3rd century BC.
Behind it, the remains of a “wall” 1.20-1.50 m wide were found, consisting of two wooden frames, between which a filling of earth and stone was compacted. The fragments of pottery recovered from the ditch and from the filling of the “wall” are characteristic of the Saharna culture, dating back to the Early Iron Age.
During archaeological excavations in 2022, a “rampart” and a defensive ditch on the south-eastern side of the La Șanț promontory were explored. As a result of the work, it was established that the “rampart” was the remains of a wall about 4 m wide, the outer frame of which was stone and the inner frame was wooden, the space between them was filled with clay soil, gravel and crushed stone. At a distance of about 4.0 m from the wall, a V-shaped ditch was explored, with a mouth width of about 5.30 m and a depth of about 2.40 m. Artifacts discovered during excavations of the “rampart” and ditch allow us to date this defensive line to the 4th-3rd centuries BC.
Thus, archaeological investigations in 2021-2022 confirmed the presence of two phases of habitation at the Horodiște site: the Early Iron Age – the Saharna culture, and the Late Iron Age – the Getic culture.
Long-term systematic archaeological investigations at several sites, which have been carried out from the late 19th c. to the beginning of the 21st c., provided archaeological record, the analysis of which propels new corrections, and in some cases new visions on the evolution of the material culture of the communities that inhabited these regions at the end of the 2nd millennium and the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
out in 2018-2021.
As a result, traces of three phases of habitation were found at the Saharna “Rude” site. According to the discovered artifacts, the first phase of habitation can be attributed to the Early Iron Age (middle of the 12th century – 11th century BC), which corresponds to the Holercani-Hansca horizon. At the next stage, a circular enclosure was built in the northern part of the plateau, to the south of which there was an extensive settlement belonging to the Cozia-Saharna culture (10th-9th centuries BC). The discovery of fragments of Greek amphoras, as well as handmade pottery specific to the Getic culture, indicates that this territory was also inhabited during the Late Iron Age (4th-3rd centuries BC). Therefore, the situation attested at Saharna “Rude” is similar to the one on the promontory opposite the Saharna Mare and comes to confirm the intense habitation of the Saharna microregion by human communities in the period from the middle of the 12th to the end of the 3rd century BC.
Thus, this volume aims to highlight the latest results of scientific research obtained by specialists from universities of Chișinău, Berlin, Jena, and Marburg, as well as from specialized institutions of Bucharest, Iași, Deva, Pitești, and others.
intercultural relations.
Through the volume Cross-Cultural Interaction in the Tisza-Dniester Region in the Iron Age we may try to contribute to elucidate, perhaps even to solving the problems associated with contacts between communities in this area, as well as the influence of these contacts on their economic, sociopolitical and cultural development.
Die untersuchte Periode umfaßt die Zeitspanne zwischen dem Anfang des 6. und dem Ende des 3. Jh. v. Chr. Die Entstehung der geto-dakischen Festungen außerhalb des karpatischen Raumes ist das Hauptmerkmal des ersten Zeitabschnitts; der Wiederaufbau nach den Erfordernissen der Zeit und das Auflassen der Befestigungen sind die Merkmale des letzten Zeitabschnitts. Diese chronologischen Grenzen wurden nicht immer streng eingehalten. Auch die vorausgehenden und nachfolgenden Belege waren Teil des Studiums.
Der geographische Raum umfaßt einerseits die Gebiete zwischen den Ostkarpaten und dem Dnjestr und andererseits diejenigen zwischen den Südkarpaten, der Donau und dem Schwarzen Meer. Dieses Gebiet erweist sich aufgrund der Überreste von 138 geto-dakischen Befestigungen, die in die oben angegebene Periode datieren, als sehr bedeutsam.
It also presents the diachronic evolution and significance of sites in the Saharna micro-zone during the Iron Age.
The work contains 464 pages of text, five tables, and 278 color and black and white figures.
The work contains 218 pages of text, 173 figures, 30 colour photos, 9 tables and is divided in Preface, Introduction, 4 chapters, Conclusion, Catalogue of Finds, Bibliography, Abstract (in English), List of Illustrations, and Annex.
The project itself focuses on contacts and interactions between groups with different material culture remains in two vegetation zones to the north of the Black Sea.The investigation takes a complex archaeometric approach to characterise the pottery of communities that lived in the forest steppe zone and steppe zone to the north of the Black Sea between the Dniester and Dnieper rivers between 1100 and 600 BC. By using an multidisciplinary approach to study the material culture of these communities with mobile lifeways, this project will allow the comparison of the natural science and archaeological data for the first time.
The Excel-Sheet presents the results of various analyses performed during the project and serves as the database for publications of the project members.