Tyragetia

7-27

Authors: Aurel Zanoci

For the time interval between the second half of the 12th century BC and early 8th century BC, in the space between Tisa and Dniester Rivers have been discovered about 140 fortifications. Most of them (121) are concentrated in the cultural area of Gáva-Holihrady culture and the rest, a smaller number, are known in cultures: Vârtop, Chişinău-Corlăteni, Babadag, Cozia-Saharna and Insula Banului. Regardless of cultural belonging, early Hallstatt fortifications have a number of common features: the location in strategic places, the presence of artificial defensive elements (“wallum”, ditch, etc.), the adaptation to the specific land defense system on which they are located, etc. Along with defensive constructions, the entrance method to the sites represent an important element of every fortification. The ways of access had to be easy for the residents and difficult for the enemy. Of all the defensive elements that were endowed, the gate remains the most vulnerable part. Hence the resulting increased attention paid to the access system in all times, including during the Hallstatt.

51-55

Authors: Guram Chkhatarashvili

In this paper we discussed ancient art and its origin as well as some interesting samples from Georgian Stone Age sites. One of them is the earliest sample of jewelry discovered so far on the territory of Georgia and dates back to 22-21 thousand years BP. Besides there are other interesting samples, such as beads, tools in the form of a fish, adornments and so on. So, according to the Paleolithic art materials, Georgia can be characterized as one of the oldest places of origin and development of Paleolithic art in Europe.

79-90

Authors: John Chapman, Bisserka Gaydarska

The AHRC-funded Anglo-Ukrainian Project ”Early urbanism in prehistoric Europe?: the case of the Tripillia mega-sites“ (2012-2016) is a joint project organized between Durham University (Professor John Chapman) and The Kiev Institute of Archaeology (Dr. Mikhail Yu. Videiko). The international travelling exhibition which has now arrived in Chisinau has already been on display in Ukraine (Kirovograd Historical Museum) and Bulgaria (Varna rchaeological Museum) and will then travel to Hungary (Eötvös Lórand University, Budapest) and Germany (Kiel University) before reaching home in England (Durham University) in April 2016.

123-130

Authors: Yuri Boyko

The article is devoted to analysis of the results of archaeological investigations undertaken in one of the barrows (in all there were discovered five tumuli) near the village of Bandyshovka, Vinnytsia region. The grave was robbed for several times, it was also partially destroyed as a result of extracting stones from its mound. Despite these interventions, it was possible to reconstruct the burial rite. Few finds indicate the development of intercultural relations between nomadic communities in the northern Black Sea region and forrest-steppe at the turn of the 9th - 8th centuries BC.

145-150

Authors: Vladimir Fomenko

This publication introduces into the scientific use a metal vessel of the pre-Scythian period, which entered the collection of the Kabardino-Balkar Institute of Humanistic Studies in 2012. There are given the shape and size of the vessel as well as its analogies in the surrounding regions. The vessel is dated from the 8th - early 6th centuries BC.

161-166

Authors: Natalia Mateevici, Mihaela Iacob, Dorel Paraschiv

The paper presents an analysis of the fragments of Greek amphorae collected during archaeological investigations in Western Dobrogea (Romania), in an area called Peceneaga. The study of amphora fragments revealed the presence of ceramic containers in the barbaric world of Getae in the 4th century BC. These vessels belong to several Greek poleis-manufacturers, which actively traded with this region – Thasos, Heraclea Pontica, Chios, Mende, Sinope, and to the hitherto undefined center, known in the literature as the Murighiol type. The fact that most of the amphora fragments refer to Thasos is a typical picture for the region located in the immediate vicinity of the ancient fortress of Istria – a known transit point for the Thasos imports.

183-208

Authors: Vitalii Sinika, Nicolae Telnov

The article analyzes the place of the lamps in the funeral practice of the Scythians of the Northern Black Sea littoral. Metal (bronze and iron), as well as wheel made and hand-made lamps are examined. It is indicated that the bronze and wheel made lamps are Greek imports; iron lamps are products of local blacksmiths; hand-made lamps are imitations of Greek wheel made models. A typology that takes into account the morphological features of all vessels is done for hand-made lamps. The wide spread of the lamps in Scythian burial complexes in the North Black Sea littoral in 3rd-2nd centuries BC in comparison with the previous time, testifies about transition to a sedentary way of life of Scythian population at this time and about Greek influence on its funeral practice and material culture.

221-248

Authors: Ion Tentiuc, Valeriu Bubulici, Angela Simalcsik

In 2011 the National Museum of History of Moldova came into possession of a lot of important archaeological pieces. The composition of the set of artifacts were - bronze situla, ceramic tureen-lid; iron sword and sheath; iron spearhead; iron shield umbo, circular in plan and pyramidal in section; double spiral iron bracelet with cufflinks terminations, an iron ring with side button to which was added an iron clamp – made us assume that they are part of the inventory of a cremation grave of a horseman warrior. Anthropological study of cremated bones made it clear that the tomb belonged to a young man of about 14-16 years.

261-274

Authors: Ivan Vlasenko, Tatiana Shcerbakova

In 1978, on a single-layer settlement of the Sântana de Mureş-Chernyakhov culture near the village of Ecaterinovca (Cimişlia District) rescue excavations were carried out. On an area of about 1,800 sq. m. there were identified three ground pillar structures, one of which served as a dwelling while the other two were of household destination, a dugout without heating facilities, two storage pits with burnt walls, garbage pits, many pits of poles, as well as a remote wattle-and-daub frame oven. In one of the storage pits there were found five whole vessels: three large seed vessels with the remnants of charred millet, a massive wide-necked red-figure amphora with fluted body and helmet bottom, and a narrow-necked gray-clay single-handed jug. The range of fine and cooking ware is common for sites of this culture. Fragments of rough and smooth gray wheel-made pottery prevail; there are fragments of amphorae made of red clay and light-colored clay. The percentage of hand-modeled ceramics is negligible. There were found individual objects made of clay, iron, stone, bone, glass, and bronze. Based on the dating of the widenecked amphora and a bronze fibula the Ecaterinovca settlement dates back to the 4th century.

287-298

Authors: Vasile Mărculeţ

In 1197 Ionitsa (Kaloyan) Asen came to the throne of the Second Bulgarian (or the Vlach-Bulgarian) Tsardom. Having ascended to the throne, he inherited strained relations with the Byzantine Empire. During the first two years of reign the new tsar did not engage in military actions against Byzantium. In this period of time he consolidated his internal positions, strengthened the relations with the Cumans and had made alliances with two other Vlach rulers, Dobromir Chrysos from Macedonia and Ivanko from Thrace, who rebelled against Byzantium. Around 1199 Ionitsa Asen resumed the war with the Empire, opposing her possessions in the north-west of the Balkan Peninsula, the Middle Danube and northern Macedonia. During these campaigns the Vlach-Bulgarian sovereign attached to his possessions lands lying between Vidin and Belgrade. Along with the resumption of hostilities against Byzantium in the north-west of the Balkan Peninsula, the allies of the ruler of Tarnovo – the Vlachs and the Cumans from Northern Danube attacked the Byzantine possessions in Thrace. Between 1199 and 1200/1201 they attacked this region for several times. In the spring of 1201 Ionitsa Asen started his own military campaign against Byzantine possessions in Thrace, during which he conquered the strongholds of Konstanteia and Varna. In March-April 1201 he signed a peace treaty with the Emperor Alexios III Angelos. Under this treaty, both sides defined the boundaries of their possessions. The treaty did not normalize relations between Tarnovo and Constantinople and they continued to be strained. Both sides violated it on various occasions.

315-322

Authors: Ana Boldureanu

The article presents the coin finds discovered in 2014 and in early 2015. One of the most important discoveries of 2014 is a hoard of drachmas from Histria found somewhere in the left bank of the Dniester River. The author cites data on 26 coins from the hoard. This finding is dated the middle of the 3rd century. There are presented several Roman coins issued by Marcus Aurelius (161-180), Elagabalus (218-222), and Philip the Arab, which were found at different times in and around the village of Sauca, Ocniţa District. During the spring field work in the village of Gârbovăţ (Anenii Noi District) there was found a siliqua issued by Constantius II, which was minted at Antioch and dates back to the period of time between September 9, 337 and the end of 347. This coin is a rarity, at least for Moldova. There are several findings dating to the Middle Ages, including five Moldavian coins of Alexander the Good (groschen and half groschen) and Stephen IV as well as a Polish shilling of John II Casimir, which were discovered near the village of Rădenii Vechi, Ungheni District; coin finds in the area of the Soroca fortress in 2014 and in the spring of 2015; coins found in the village of Ciuteşti, Nisporeni District, etc. Among the finds from the village Opriseni, Chernivtsi region (Ukraine) there is mentioned a groschen of Peter I Muşat (1375-1391) minted after 1386/1387.