Dobroudja
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Recent papers in Dobroudja
In the spring of 2011, a clay pot was found in a field nearby the village Stizhok (Shumsk district, Ternopil’ region,Ukraine). The pot contained about 2500 silver coins struck in the Golden Horde, Crimean Khanate, Caffa, Principalities of... more
In the spring of 2011, a clay pot was found in a field nearby the village Stizhok (Shumsk district, Ternopil’ region,Ukraine). The pot contained about 2500 silver coins struck in the Golden Horde, Crimean Khanate, Caffa, Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, and Lithuania. The significant part of oriental coins bears the Tartar, Moldavian and Lithuanian countermarks. Most likely, the treasure was hidden during the Tartar military expansion atthe end of 15th and beginning of 16th centuries.
Keywords. Numismatics, medieval numismatics, coin hoard, Genoese colonies in Crimea, Genoese history, Poland, Ukraine, Golden Horde, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Wallachia, Asprokastron, 15th century, Vladislav II, Svidrigailo."
Keywords. Numismatics, medieval numismatics, coin hoard, Genoese colonies in Crimea, Genoese history, Poland, Ukraine, Golden Horde, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Wallachia, Asprokastron, 15th century, Vladislav II, Svidrigailo."
Coins bearing the legend ΜΕΛΣΑ first came to notice in the 1990s; since then this numismatic riddle offered quite a challenge for research, regarding the identity of the issuing authority. Quite recently valuable information became... more
Coins bearing the legend ΜΕΛΣΑ first came to notice in the 1990s; since then this numismatic riddle offered quite a challenge for research, regarding the identity of the issuing authority. Quite recently valuable information became available for several stray finds reportedly coming from an area near Shabla (in north-eastern Bulgaria). A reappraisal of the whole matter was due, tackling first with problems of historical topography; in the vicinity of the reported concentration area, the place name Καρῶν λιμήν or Portus Caria is attested in literary sources.
It has to be noted that a limen (harbour), similarly to a polichnion or a fort, would not have been in the position to issue its own coins. Even if such an option might be considered, the omission of the ethnic name on the coins is hard to explain. Then, by using a process of elimination, the attribution of the ΜΕΛΣΑ coins to a city turns out to be highly unlikely (taking into account the territory borders of Kallatis, Dionysopolis and Bizone). In a similar fashion, the possibility for an unknown dynast to have struck the coins under discussion appears to be quite scarce, as the coin types do not seem to imply a ruler’s issue.
The name Melsas is apparently of Thracian origin and provides a plausible connection to the mythical founder of Mesembria Pontike. Moreover, it seems preferable to adhere to the only known Melsas (the mythical figure) than to hypothesize the arguable existence of a historical person of that name. The filleted bull’s head employed for this coin issue is a significant element, linked with animal sacrifice and probably hinting to a founder hero. A logical solution would be to assume that this may be the coinage of a sanctuary, perhaps a non-urban sanctuary which, under circumstances that called for the use of currency, produced coins of a commemorative character.
The chronology of the coins is addressed particularly on the basis of stylistic analysis and the testimony of overstrikes (ΜΕΛΣΑ specimens struck over pieces of Philip II, Alexander III and Kassander). It can be argued that such pieces may fit better in a “time of troubles” and that they could have been minted sometime in the period from c. 313 BC to c. 304 BC, alongside the rebellion of certain West Pontic cities against Lysimachos and the events that followed. An alternative dating, in the first decade of the 3rd century BC, would be also possible, framed within the historical context of the hostilities between Lysimachos and Dromichaites.
Some further insights are put forward in brief, such as ritual practices related to local cults in the area under spotlight, as well as the Dorian connection(s) in a wider context. A possible clue may additionally emerge in association with the horothesia inscription of Dionysopolis, where an intriguing point of reference might hint at a conspicuous monument (a heroon?) of importance in broadening perspective.
It has to be noted that a limen (harbour), similarly to a polichnion or a fort, would not have been in the position to issue its own coins. Even if such an option might be considered, the omission of the ethnic name on the coins is hard to explain. Then, by using a process of elimination, the attribution of the ΜΕΛΣΑ coins to a city turns out to be highly unlikely (taking into account the territory borders of Kallatis, Dionysopolis and Bizone). In a similar fashion, the possibility for an unknown dynast to have struck the coins under discussion appears to be quite scarce, as the coin types do not seem to imply a ruler’s issue.
The name Melsas is apparently of Thracian origin and provides a plausible connection to the mythical founder of Mesembria Pontike. Moreover, it seems preferable to adhere to the only known Melsas (the mythical figure) than to hypothesize the arguable existence of a historical person of that name. The filleted bull’s head employed for this coin issue is a significant element, linked with animal sacrifice and probably hinting to a founder hero. A logical solution would be to assume that this may be the coinage of a sanctuary, perhaps a non-urban sanctuary which, under circumstances that called for the use of currency, produced coins of a commemorative character.
The chronology of the coins is addressed particularly on the basis of stylistic analysis and the testimony of overstrikes (ΜΕΛΣΑ specimens struck over pieces of Philip II, Alexander III and Kassander). It can be argued that such pieces may fit better in a “time of troubles” and that they could have been minted sometime in the period from c. 313 BC to c. 304 BC, alongside the rebellion of certain West Pontic cities against Lysimachos and the events that followed. An alternative dating, in the first decade of the 3rd century BC, would be also possible, framed within the historical context of the hostilities between Lysimachos and Dromichaites.
Some further insights are put forward in brief, such as ritual practices related to local cults in the area under spotlight, as well as the Dorian connection(s) in a wider context. A possible clue may additionally emerge in association with the horothesia inscription of Dionysopolis, where an intriguing point of reference might hint at a conspicuous monument (a heroon?) of importance in broadening perspective.
Deschidem în istoria Dobrogei veacurilor XV -XIX o temă nouă, mai puţin cunoscută, aceea a evoluţiei fortificaţiilor otomane. Analiza problematicii localizării cetăţilor şi fortificaţiilor realizate de otomani pe teritoriul Dobrogei ne-a... more
Deschidem în istoria Dobrogei veacurilor XV -XIX o temă nouă, mai puţin cunoscută, aceea a evoluţiei fortificaţiilor otomane.
Analiza problematicii localizării cetăţilor şi fortificaţiilor realizate de otomani pe teritoriul Dobrogei ne-a permis, în ultimii ani, o amplă documentare, având ca principal obiectiv aprofundarea bibliografiei, cercetarea arheologică, studierea şi interpretarea izvoarelor istorice, incluzând şi surse cartografice. Astfel, prin proiectul Cartografia cetăţilor medievale dispărute , am valorificat într-un întreg datele obţinute, pe parcursul mai multor decenii, în urma cercetărilor arheologice, a izvoarelor istorice descoperite recent şi a celor în care sunt descrise sau apar informaţii despre cetăţile şi fortificaţiile otomane din Dobrogea. Descoperirea unor planuri şi pros-pecte, aflate în arhivele de la Kiev şi Moscova, permite o analiză amplă a trecutului cetăţilor otomane situate de-a lungul frontierei dunărene, istoricii şi nu numai având acum la îndemână surse care arată, printre altele, mult mai clar evoluţia fortificaţiilor otomane de la Hârşova, Măcin, Isaccea, Tulcea, Babadag, Constanţa şi Mangalia. Pe parcursul derulării proiectului, am apelat la tehnicile moderne utilizate în cartografie, prin folosi-rea intensă a investigaţiilor non-invazive, care implică fotografii aeriene, prospecţiuni geomagnetice, georadar, rezistivitate electrică sau studiul imaginilor satelitare .
Rezultatele obţinute în urma interpretării izvoarelor istorice recent descoperite şi a celor cunos-cute istoriografiei române, dar şi a datelor cercetărilor arheologice, aduc în atenţia celor interesaţi, deocamdată, fortificaţiile de la Hârşova. Cetatea otomană a Hârşovei poate fi identificată cu peri-metrul rezervat de pe Dealul Cetăţii, intrat în conştiinţa publică sub numele de „cetatea Carsium”. Atât datele noi referitoare la distrugerile şi refacerile succesive din perioada conflictelor ru-so-otomane din a doua jumătate a secolului al XVIII-lea şi prima parte a secolului al XIX-lea, cât şi elementele de fortificaţie, inclusiv cele aparţinând cetăţii bastionare, redate fidel pe planurile ru-seşti, oferă o nouă perspectivă nu numai asupra istoriei Hârşovei medievale, dar şi asupra evoluţiei cetăţilor otomane din Dobrogea. /
We open a new, less known theme in the history of Dobrogea of the 15th–19th centuries, that of the evolution of the Ottoman fortifications.
The analysis of the issue of the location of the fortresses and fortifications made by the Otto-mans on the territory of Dobrogea has allowed us, in recent years, an extensive documentation, having as main objective the deepening of the bibliography, of the archaeological research, study and interpretation of historical sources, including cartographic ones. Thus, through the project Cartography of extinct medieval fortresses , we have fully exploited the data obtained over several decades, following archaeological research, the recently discovered historical sources and those that describe or contain information about the Ottoman fortresses and fortifications in Dobrogea. The discovery of plans and leaflets in the archives of Kiev and Moscow allows a comprehensive analysis of the past of Ottoman fortresses along the Danube border, historians and not only them, now having at hand sources that show, among other things, much more clearly, the evolution of the Ottoman fortifications from Hârşova, Măcin, Isaccea, Tulcea, Babadag, Constanţa and Manga-lia. During the project, we resorted to modern techniques used in cartography, through the intense use of non-invasive investigations, which involve aerial photography, geomagnetic prospecting, georadar, electrical resistivity or the study of satellite images.
The results obtained following the interpretation of the recently discovered historical sources and those known to Romanian historiography, but also of the data of the archaeological research-es, bring to the attention of those interested, for the time being, the fortifications from Hârşova. The Ottoman fortress of Hârşova can be identified with the reserved perimeter on Dealul Cetăţii (Citadel Hill), which entered the public consciousness under the name of “Carsium fortress”. Both the new data on the successive destructions and restorations during the Russo Ottoman conflicts of the second half of the 18th century and the first part of the 19th century, and the elements of fortification, including those belonging to the bastion fortress, faithfully rendered on the Russian plans offer a new perspective not only on the history of medieval Hârşova, but also on the evolution of the Ottoman fortresses in Dobrogea.
Analiza problematicii localizării cetăţilor şi fortificaţiilor realizate de otomani pe teritoriul Dobrogei ne-a permis, în ultimii ani, o amplă documentare, având ca principal obiectiv aprofundarea bibliografiei, cercetarea arheologică, studierea şi interpretarea izvoarelor istorice, incluzând şi surse cartografice. Astfel, prin proiectul Cartografia cetăţilor medievale dispărute , am valorificat într-un întreg datele obţinute, pe parcursul mai multor decenii, în urma cercetărilor arheologice, a izvoarelor istorice descoperite recent şi a celor în care sunt descrise sau apar informaţii despre cetăţile şi fortificaţiile otomane din Dobrogea. Descoperirea unor planuri şi pros-pecte, aflate în arhivele de la Kiev şi Moscova, permite o analiză amplă a trecutului cetăţilor otomane situate de-a lungul frontierei dunărene, istoricii şi nu numai având acum la îndemână surse care arată, printre altele, mult mai clar evoluţia fortificaţiilor otomane de la Hârşova, Măcin, Isaccea, Tulcea, Babadag, Constanţa şi Mangalia. Pe parcursul derulării proiectului, am apelat la tehnicile moderne utilizate în cartografie, prin folosi-rea intensă a investigaţiilor non-invazive, care implică fotografii aeriene, prospecţiuni geomagnetice, georadar, rezistivitate electrică sau studiul imaginilor satelitare .
Rezultatele obţinute în urma interpretării izvoarelor istorice recent descoperite şi a celor cunos-cute istoriografiei române, dar şi a datelor cercetărilor arheologice, aduc în atenţia celor interesaţi, deocamdată, fortificaţiile de la Hârşova. Cetatea otomană a Hârşovei poate fi identificată cu peri-metrul rezervat de pe Dealul Cetăţii, intrat în conştiinţa publică sub numele de „cetatea Carsium”. Atât datele noi referitoare la distrugerile şi refacerile succesive din perioada conflictelor ru-so-otomane din a doua jumătate a secolului al XVIII-lea şi prima parte a secolului al XIX-lea, cât şi elementele de fortificaţie, inclusiv cele aparţinând cetăţii bastionare, redate fidel pe planurile ru-seşti, oferă o nouă perspectivă nu numai asupra istoriei Hârşovei medievale, dar şi asupra evoluţiei cetăţilor otomane din Dobrogea. /
We open a new, less known theme in the history of Dobrogea of the 15th–19th centuries, that of the evolution of the Ottoman fortifications.
The analysis of the issue of the location of the fortresses and fortifications made by the Otto-mans on the territory of Dobrogea has allowed us, in recent years, an extensive documentation, having as main objective the deepening of the bibliography, of the archaeological research, study and interpretation of historical sources, including cartographic ones. Thus, through the project Cartography of extinct medieval fortresses , we have fully exploited the data obtained over several decades, following archaeological research, the recently discovered historical sources and those that describe or contain information about the Ottoman fortresses and fortifications in Dobrogea. The discovery of plans and leaflets in the archives of Kiev and Moscow allows a comprehensive analysis of the past of Ottoman fortresses along the Danube border, historians and not only them, now having at hand sources that show, among other things, much more clearly, the evolution of the Ottoman fortifications from Hârşova, Măcin, Isaccea, Tulcea, Babadag, Constanţa and Manga-lia. During the project, we resorted to modern techniques used in cartography, through the intense use of non-invasive investigations, which involve aerial photography, geomagnetic prospecting, georadar, electrical resistivity or the study of satellite images.
The results obtained following the interpretation of the recently discovered historical sources and those known to Romanian historiography, but also of the data of the archaeological research-es, bring to the attention of those interested, for the time being, the fortifications from Hârşova. The Ottoman fortress of Hârşova can be identified with the reserved perimeter on Dealul Cetăţii (Citadel Hill), which entered the public consciousness under the name of “Carsium fortress”. Both the new data on the successive destructions and restorations during the Russo Ottoman conflicts of the second half of the 18th century and the first part of the 19th century, and the elements of fortification, including those belonging to the bastion fortress, faithfully rendered on the Russian plans offer a new perspective not only on the history of medieval Hârşova, but also on the evolution of the Ottoman fortresses in Dobrogea.
The site currently identified as Zaldapa is the largest fortified Romano-Byzantine city – 25 ha intra muros – in the hinterland of present-day Dobrudja and North-eastern Bulgaria. Considering the size of Zaldapa, it is curious that it... more
The site currently identified as Zaldapa is the largest fortified Romano-Byzantine city – 25 ha intra muros – in the hinterland of present-day Dobrudja and North-eastern Bulgaria. Considering the size of Zaldapa, it is curious that it appears in only seven written sources, all from the sixth to eleventh centuries AD. Moreover, the site has been little explored in the last hundred years. Since 2014, however, a Bulgarian team has decided to resume field-work, which has led to the discovery of a new Christian basilica, larger than those previously known. Following that important discovery, the Bulgarian team invited French and Canadian scholars to visit them on the site, in order to evaluate its overall potential and to set up an international mission. During the summer of 2015, excavations in the sanctuary of Basilica ‘No 3’ allowed the release of a crypt and other interesting unknown structures. This paper describes the state of the art up to the end of the 2016 field season, as presented at the International Congress of Byzantine Studies by the above-mentioned French and Canadian scholars, together with the Bulgarian teams, as their first joint contribution. An appendix is added to this work, with the goal of briefly reporting the explorations up to 2019, as well as the beginning of the International Archaeological Mission at Zaldapa.
Le site actuellement identifié comme Zaldapa est la plus grande ville romano-byzantine fortifiée – 25 ha intra-muros – de l’arrière-pays des actuelles Dobroudja et Bulgarie du Nord-Est. Compte tenu de la taille de Zaldapa, il est curieux qu’elle ne soit mentionnée que dans sept sources écrites, qui sont toutes des VIe-XIe siècles. De plus, le site a été peu exploré dans les cent dernières années. Depuis 2014, une équipe bulgare a, toutefois, décidé de reprendre le travail sur le terrain, ce qui a mené à la découverte d’une nouvelle basilique chrétienne, plus grande que celles connues jusqu’alors. À la suite de cette découverte importante, l’équipe bulgare a invité des chercheurs français et canadiens à venir leur rendre visite sur le site, afin de mettre en place une mission internationale. Pendant l’été 2015, des fouilles dans le choeur de la basilique 3 ont permis le dégagement d’une crypte et d’autres structures intéressantes. Cet article propose l’état de la question jusqu’à la fin de la campagne de 2016, présenté au Congrès international des études byzantines, par lesdits chercheurs français et canadiens, avec l’équipe bulgare, comme première contribution conjointe. Un appendice est ajouté à ce travail, avec pour objectif de rendre compte brièvement des explorations jusqu’en 2019, de même que du début de la Mission archéologique internationale à Zaldapa.
Le site actuellement identifié comme Zaldapa est la plus grande ville romano-byzantine fortifiée – 25 ha intra-muros – de l’arrière-pays des actuelles Dobroudja et Bulgarie du Nord-Est. Compte tenu de la taille de Zaldapa, il est curieux qu’elle ne soit mentionnée que dans sept sources écrites, qui sont toutes des VIe-XIe siècles. De plus, le site a été peu exploré dans les cent dernières années. Depuis 2014, une équipe bulgare a, toutefois, décidé de reprendre le travail sur le terrain, ce qui a mené à la découverte d’une nouvelle basilique chrétienne, plus grande que celles connues jusqu’alors. À la suite de cette découverte importante, l’équipe bulgare a invité des chercheurs français et canadiens à venir leur rendre visite sur le site, afin de mettre en place une mission internationale. Pendant l’été 2015, des fouilles dans le choeur de la basilique 3 ont permis le dégagement d’une crypte et d’autres structures intéressantes. Cet article propose l’état de la question jusqu’à la fin de la campagne de 2016, présenté au Congrès international des études byzantines, par lesdits chercheurs français et canadiens, avec l’équipe bulgare, comme première contribution conjointe. Un appendice est ajouté à ce travail, avec pour objectif de rendre compte brièvement des explorations jusqu’en 2019, de même que du début de la Mission archéologique internationale à Zaldapa.
Ce huitième titre de la série MONNAIES BYZANTINES DÉCOUVERTES EN DOBROUDJA, initiée par l'auteur en 2010, présente, en deux volumes (vol. I – texte, bibliographie, tables) ; vol. II. – catalogue et planches en couleurs) la documentation... more
Ce huitième titre de la série MONNAIES BYZANTINES DÉCOUVERTES EN DOBROUDJA, initiée par l'auteur en 2010, présente, en deux volumes (vol. I – texte, bibliographie, tables) ; vol. II. – catalogue et planches en couleurs) la documentation actuelle, du point de vue archéologique et numismatique, concernant les rapports du territoire de la Dobroudja avec l'Empire byzantin pendant l'intervalle chronologique mentionné. Les trois chapitres du premier volume traîtent de : I. La situation politique. La Dobroudja de Nord aux XIe-XIIIe siècles (1092-1204). Les départements de Tulcea et Constanța ; II. Découvertes archéologiques et numismatiques en Dobroudja de Nord. Les départements de Tulcea et Constanța ; III. Considérations sur les émissions monétaires ayant circulé en Dobroudja de Nord aux XIe-XIIIe siècles (1092-1204. Chaque chapitre est suivi par un ample résumé en français.
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