LATEST ARTICLES IN STUDIA ANTIQUA ET ARCHAEOLOGICA

A forgotten cemetery at the edge of Lake Brateş. Funerary finds unearthed in the area of Vînători-La Jolică archaeological site

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2)-Supplement: 84-103 Tudor MANDACHE, Adrian ADAMESCU, Sorin Cristian AILINCĂI DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-3-5 ABSTRACT This paper presents the preliminary study of a cemetery, dated between the second half of the XVIth century and the beginning of the XVIIth century, uncovered in the northern part of the Vînători-La Jolică archaeological site area. The site was first excavated in 1972-1974 by archaeologists M. Florescu and M. Nicu, when, among other discoveries, they managed to identify a previously unknown “feudal” necropolis. Unfortunately, none of these findings have ever been rigorously published, only mentioned. The present article strives to continue the effort of publishing inedited materials and archaeological contexts that are part of the new excavations carried out in the Vînători-La Jolică dig site which refer, at this time, to the Late Mediaeval/premodern period.   KEYWORDS Vînători-La Jolică, Galați County, cemetery, grave goods, Late Medieval period, premodern period.   FULL ARTICLE Download(…)

Hortfund – Einzelfund – Einstückhort. Versuch einer Begriffsschärfung anhand des Beispiels der rumänischen Tüllenbeile

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2)-Supplement: 71-83 Oliver DIETRICH DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-3-4 ABSTRACT Single finds have so far often been neglected by archaeologists. This is partly based on a terminological fuzziness: the category ‘single find‘ is often not clearly differentiated from artefacts without information on find circumstances. The present paper used the Bronze Age socketed axes from Romania as a case study to show the potential value of real single finds (i.e. artefacts that have securely been found isolated). Mapping of single finds and hoards with socketed axes results in a complementary spatial patterning – regions with single finds and hoards exclude one another. This speaks clearly against an interpretation of single axes as lost objects. The find contexts of some single finds further sustain another interpretation, that of depositions of a single object.   KEYWORDS Bronze Age, hoard, single find, socketed axe   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

The early metal daggers in the Carpathian-Danubian area: contexts, significance, and functionality

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2)-Supplement: 61-70 Radu BĂJENARU DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-3-3 ABSTRACT The author discusses the problem of prehistoric metal daggers discovered in the Carpathian-Danubian area. Particular attention is paid to the contexts from which these daggers come, observing a certain differentiation during the Chalcolithic, Bronze and early Iron Age. Thus, in the Chalcolithic, early and middle Bronze Age, most daggers come from settlements and graves, a very small number being found in hoards and single depositions. On the contrary, in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, the ratio changes significantly, with most daggers being found in hoards and single finds. It is very likely that this differentiation will also reflect changes in the meaning and functionality of daggers within those prehistoric societies.   KEYWORDS Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Romania, Metal Daggers, Contexts, Significance, Functionality   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

On the Churches and the Fortresses of Dracula

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2)-Supplement: 31-60 Alexandru SIMON DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-3-2 ABSTRACT Two weeks, before the predictable, yet unexpected death of King Matthias Corvinus (April 6, 1490), the great crusader congress of Christendom began in Rome (March 25, 1490), after a year’s delay. From the speeches delivered at the congress, at whose abrupt end (triggered by the war for the Hunyadi successions), the Dacians were seated after the Hungarians and the Poles among the Eastern forces of the crusader project, time – rightfully – recorded the oration of Filippo Buonaccorsi Callimachus, the envoy of Casimir IV Jagiello, the king of Poland. “Enchanted adversary” and “jealous admirer” of the late king of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, but also of Dacia (according to Pope Pius II in March 1462, at least), Callimachus twice mentioned the long deceased Vlad III (VladislavDracula for the Italian humanist, as well as for many of his contemporaries), Vlad(…)

Contumatz Pricske. A study of Historical Archaeology

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2)-Supplement: 1-30 Andrea DEMJÉN, Florin GOGÂLTAN DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-3-1 ABSTRACT This article presents some theoretical aspects related to historical archaeology and mountain landscape archaeology research domains. There were noted various research projects from Transylvania that involved archaeological discoveries found at altitudes above 800 m. Regarding historical archaeology in Romania, the concept and methodology of approaching the recent past, is a field of research that includes only a few recent projects. That is why the Contumaz Pricske project was synthetically presented, for researching a quarantine that operated between 1732-1808 in eastern Transylvania, on the border between the Habsburg Empire and Moldova. This research involved the exploitation of documentary sources from various archives, the use of cartographic sources and conducting archaeological excavations.   KEYWORDS Transylvania, Contumatz Pricske, historical archaeology, quarantine institution, 18th -19th century.   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

Les militaires provenant du milieu rural de la Mésie Inférieure dont l’origine est certaine: les cas des cohortes prétoriennes

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 467-477 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-13 Lucreţiu MIHAILESCU-BÎRLIBA ABSTRACT Our main goal here is not to peruse the development of the sanctuary or its relation to the political setting as this would be a topic for further analyses. We intend to present in this article some preliminary observations on the mantic techniques, their use, evolution and the credibility of some sources..   KEYWORDS Moesia Inferior, pretorian cohorts, rural milieu, Roman army.   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

Divine and Human Interactions. Talking to Gods at Dodona

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 459-466 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-12 Iulian MOGA ABSTRACT Our main goal here is not to peruse the development of the sanctuary or its relation to the political setting as this would be a topic for further analyses. We intend to present in this article some preliminary observations on the mantic techniques, their use, evolution and the credibility of some sources..   KEYWORDS Dodona, oracle, mantic techniques, selloi, peleiades.   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

Apuntes para una ideología de la guerra y la paz en época Antonina: ¿tradición o cambio?

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 425-466 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-11 Andrés Sáez GEOFFROY ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to analyse the conception of war ideology and peace during the Antonine dynasty (96-192) by using comparative criteria. To the elements which survived from the 1st century are added new aspects specific to the 2nd century. The analysis was built on two levels, first, the narrative construction of war ideals and peace, and second, the numismatic presence of some values such as peace and victory, reflected by the interests and ideals of Roman Emperors. We are going to show that during the 2nd century there was an ideological diversification of topics related to war and peace, keeeping nevertheless certain symbols and ideals from previous times, all issues which led to a renewal of the idea of pax romana.   KEYWORDS Ideología, pax romana, victoria romana, Antoninos.   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)

The iconographical and mythological contexts of serpent(s)-fighting scene on the Old Assyrian seal impression from Kültepe (the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts I 2 b 1591)

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 403-423 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-10 ANASTASIA YASENOVSKAYA, VLADIMIR SHELESTIN, ALEXANDRE NEMIROVSKY ABSTRACT An impression of an Old Assyrian seal from Kültepe from collection of Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow carries an image that was not recognized but by present authors and is of great interest as it depicts a scene of a hero’s battle with a serpent-like demonic character (most likely, this is a double or two-headed monster). Rarity of serpent-fighting scenes in the Ancient Near Eastern art makes it important to study the composition and plot of the impression in its traceable iconographical and mythological contexts, in order to establish its cultural connotations (Anatolian, Syrian, Mesopotamian), considering that Kültepe was the center of interaction and synthesis of several cultural traditions. It turns out that the closest iconographical and mythological parallels to the image in study can be found in Eastern Anatolia and its(…)

Understanding technological innovations through experiment. Construction and testing of Chalcolithic pottery kilns

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 387-401 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-9 Felix-Adrian TENCARIU, Radu BRUNCHI, Stanislav ȚERNA, Ana DROB, Maria-Cristina CIOBANU, Andreea VORNICU-ȚERNA, Casandra BRAȘOVEANU, Denisa ADUMITROAIEI ABSTRACT Besides its contribution to understanding the formation process of large settlements and complex social organization in the late period of Cucuteni-Trypillia, the site of Stolniceni (Republic of Moldova) provided new data on the construction and spatial distribution within the site of pottery kilns. The extensive magnetic surveys revealed a large settlement, with more than 350 burnt dwellings, hundreds of pits, ditches, paths, and 19 kilns. Of the latter, four were excavated during the 2016-2018 campaigns. Three kilns were more or less similar in terms of sizes and construction, belonging to the “simple”, dual chambered, updraught type. The best-preserved of them already served as model for a published experiment conducted in 2017 near the Stolniceni archaeological base. The fourth provided several surprising building features, like six(…)

Preliminary considerations on the decoration of the anthropomorphic plastic from the Cucuteni A-B settlement of Băiceni – Dîmbul Morii (com. Cucuteni, Iași county).

Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 375-386 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2021-27-2-8 Radu-Ștefan BALAUR ABSTRACT Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic plastics are often associated with complex manifestations of the spiritual life of Cucuteni communities. Therefore, knowledge and interpretation of anthropomorphic representations are necessary to have a better picture of the role played in the daily and spiritual life of prehistoric communities. The Cucuteni A-B settlement from Dâmbul Morii provides an important number of such pieces that will complete the data known so far. In this study, attention will be paid to plastic representations with painted, incised, and plastic decorations. Therefore, a batch of 27 anthropomorphic figurines was analyzed, some in a fragmentary state. Based on the decor analysis, a clear separation of figurines by gender was possible.   KEYWORDS Cucuteni culture, phase A-B, Dîmbul Morii, antropomorphic figurines, painted decoration.   FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)