Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 29(2): 235-245 Iulian MOGA DOI: 10.47743/saa-2023-29-2-4 ABSTRACT The question of the Most High God is very difficult to address from many points of view. First, because of the disproportionality of ancient sources. Most sources are epigraphic in nature, including simple dedications or those resulting from a covenant, and contain rather little information that can be addressed in detail. The literary sources are four in number and raise serious problems of interpretation. The numismatic ones are completely missing from the context in the case of Hypsistos. Moreover, the way the subject has been treated in modern historiography, especially in relation to pagan sympathisers or God-fearers orbiting around the synagogue environment, makes this sensitive issue even more cautious. Finally, the perception itself of the identity of this Most High god, as well as the typology of the cult, its potential unitary character is another thorny issue. Two of(…)

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 29(2): 221-233 Ciprian-Cătălin LAZANU DOI: 10.47743/saa-2023-29-2-3 ABSTRACT The present study presents the analysis of the elemental composition of four bronze sickles, three with hooked handle and one with holes on the handle, two from the deposit at Valea lui Darie, Vaslui county, one from the bronze deposit at Ciorani, and one discovered in a dwelling from the settlement belonging to the Noua culture from Dodești, following systematic archaeological research. The sickles from the Valea lui Darie deposit belong to the Ghermănești type, the Ghermănești variant, the Ciorani sickle to the Ilișești variant of the Ghermănești type, and the Dodești sickle to the Heleșteni type. These types of sickles are characteristic for the Late Bronze Age east of the Carpathians, being chronologically placed between XII – X BC. The elemental composition of the four pieces was identified by employing non-invasive analysis with a mobile spectrometer, Thermo Niton(…)

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 29(2): 207-219 Radu-Ștefan BALAUR DOI: 10.47743/saa-2023-29-2-2 ABSTRACT The archaeological research carried out at Dâmbul Morii settlement led to the discovery of 15 dwellings. In their inventory, 30 pieces identified were made of clay. All artifacts that were not plastic representations were included in this category. In this study, we want to make a presentation of these artifacts, and the context of the discovery, to give us a picture of their functionality. Unfortunately, this task is hampered by the low number and fragmented state of the pieces. The artefacts discovered at Dambul Morii can be classified in the category of household items (clay weights, spindle whorls, clay balls, clay tokens), as well as ornament items (beads, clay disc, en violon idol, amulets, etc.). Some of them can also be used in some ritual activities, such as amulets, or clay balls, or for other purposes. REZUMAT Cercetările arheologice(…)

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 29(2): 189-206 Alina PATRICHE, Felix-Adrian TENCARIU DOI: 10.47743/saa-2023-29-2-1 ABSTRACT The article brings to the attention of both specialists and the general public two clay artifacts, quasi-conical, provided with holes and perforations, discovered in the Precucuteni II-III settlement at Isaiia-Balta Popii, Iasi County. Although objects with similar characteristics are rather rare, the authors have managed to find a few nearly exact analogies. This is all the more surprising as the analogies come from various Neolithic and Eneolithic cultural contexts in Central and Southeastern Europe, giving this object an archetypal character. Establishing its functionality, however, proved to be much more challenging, leading many archaeologists who discovered or approached similar artifacts to easily place them in the somewhat ambiguous sphere of symbolism and cult. Although this interpretation cannot be categorically ruled out, there are arguments supporting a surprising utilitarian functionality, albeit situated, in a sense, within the realm of(…)