Coins of the Lower Danube Region in a Hoard of the Late 14th Century — a Source for the Initial History of Moldovan Statehood (Preliminary Report)

The scientific literature has been enriched with new very interesting information about the hoards of the late 14th century found in the Republic of Moldova. The purpose of this preliminary communication is to offer for scientific discussion several types of Juchid coins found in a large treasure hoard in the south of Moldova. One type of coins is dirhams of Kilia 770/1368—1369, the second type is dirhams without indication of a mint and anonymous, with the year 1371. The article contains photos of coins, their catalog description, as well as classification. In addition, the authors offer a brief historical reference and a retrospective of the finds of treasures from the end of the 14th century on the territory of Moldova and in neighboring lands.

The Ryazan Pendant Seals from I. N. Parusimov’s Collection

The article is the last one in a series of publications on Old Rus’ pendant seals from the collection of the Rostov archaeologist I. N. Parusimov. It reproduces and comments on 75 pendant seals originating from the territory of Ryazan Oblast. These objects were partly published by the owner of the collection. This article offers clarifications to previous suggestions. In I. N. Parusimov’s collection, pendant seals originating from Ryazan Oblast are the most representative series. It seems that, by the present time, no pendant seals impressed by similar matrices have been found in other regions of Old Rus. In this collection, there are 13 seal-types among Ryazan pendant seals. All these belong to common sphragistic groups. The majority of signs are attributed to already known Old Rus’ princely signs. However, signs of four types are encountered for the first time. Among the signs from the Ryazan seals, there are multiple images of bidents with one prong pointing outwards. No narrow dating is available for the signs on the Ryazan seals from I. N. Parusimov’s collection. It can be confidently maintained that the objects carrying the depictions of similar signs date to pre-Mongolian time. Definitely certain are only the dates of the bidents attributed to Vladimir Monomakh (†1125) and his eldest son Mstislav the Great (†1132).

Budzhak Population: an experience of a fugitive review of 18th-century observations

Budzhak (in modern Moldova and Ukraine) is the western part of the Eurasian steppe, the natural character of which had determined the ways of the local life for centuries. The Ottoman and the Russian Empires had clashed here in the eighteenth century, on the eve of the European Enlightenment. This fight was to determine further prospects for development, while many contemporaries and eyewitnesses tried to guess any signs of these prospects. A profound social crisis in south-eastern Europe contributed to political and ethnic and confessional changes and was changing the natural landscape. The Turkic Muslim population had to leave these lands under the growing pressure of these changes, and the new population was predominantly Christian. Now the Christians determined the way of life in Budzhak, even its flora and fauna.

Coin Finds in 14th-Century Burials in Saryarka (Central Kazakhstan)

Excavations of two significant archaeological sites were carried out in 2020 in Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions of Kazakhstan. The mausoleum of Janibek and the mausoleum on Kyzyloba site were examined. Brief descriptions and characteristics of these archaeological sites are given. Only the found Juchid coins are considered in detail in this paper. The analysis of numismatic material showed: 1. the burial in Janibek’s mausoleum contains 13 coins of the 14th century and dates from the first half of the 760s/1360s; 2. the burial in Kyzyloba’s mausoleum contains 4 coins of Khan Uzbek and dates from the second half of the 730s/1330s. The authors compare the coins with similar finds from other graves of the 14th century in Central Kazakhstan. The obtained data indicate a possibly different dynamics and scale of the spread of plague in Saryarka compared to the Volga region. A larger statistics of coin finds in 14th-century burials is required for relevant conclusions.

Composition of Alloy of Taurian Chersonesos Silver Coins

The paper offers the first complete picture of the changing in the alloy composition of silver coins of the ancient Tauric Chersonesos. Coins from two largest collections were examined: the State Hermitage and the State Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve “Tauric Chersonesos”. In total, about 190 Chersonesean silver coins were studied by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The results obtained made it possible to determine the stages of functioning of fool metallic value silver coins and to reveal the time of their transformation into conventional or credit coins. This happened at the end of the autonomous period of Chersonesos, after which silver coins were no longer minted in Chersonesos, with the exception of an episodic and controversial issue during the period of the influence of Mithridates VI.

Results of Archaeoparasitological and Palynological Analyzes of the Contents of the Sewage Drain of the Chorgun Tower (South-Western Crimea)

The article presents the results of an archaeoparasitological and palynological study of a sample taken from the sewage drain of the Chorgun Tower. This is a fortification on the territory of the village of Chernorechie (South-Western Crimea). According to archaeological research, the construction of the keep dates back to the third quarter of the 15th century. Four types of eggs of intestinal parasites infecting humans and synanthropic animals were identified in the sample. Regarding parasitic and infectious gastrointestinal diseases, human whipworm and roundworm eggs found in the sample are indicative of relatively unfavorable sanitary conditions of the fortification. Based on the features of the archaeoparasitological spectrum, it can be concluded that anthelminthic agents were used or food with antiparasitic effects against roundworms was consumed. The difficult sanitary and epidemiological situation was also complicated by synanthropic rodents, such as rats and domestic mice, which could be a constant source of dangerous infections in the Chorgun Keep. A palynological study of the contents of the sewage runoff made it possible to obtain additional information on the nutrition of people who used the latrine facilities in the Chorgun Keep. What is equally important is that the study demonstrates the possibilities of methods for the study of canalization as a source of bioarchaeological information.

One More Step to the Completion of the Discussion on the Chronology of the Decree in Honour of Protogenes

Numerous interrelated prosopographic information about the historical persons of the decree in honour of Protogenes, as well as their ancestors, descendants and contemporaries, was obtained from objects of ceramic, magic epigraphy and numismatics. They confirm the previously proposed chronology of the events of the decree by the second-third quarter of the 3 rd century BC. The Protogenes decree was adopted at the same time as the wall-building inscription of Cleombrot Pantaclus, of eponym 222 BC. Decree is absolute palaeographic counterpart this inscription (according to V. V. Latyshev). The threat of an invasion by the Sciro-Galatians mentioned in the decree was realized around 215 BC (but, not in the middle of the 3 rd century BC!). The invasion was accompanied by the destruction, among others, of the Right Bank Chora and burying of the “Borysthenes” treasures.

Precious Arks of the 18th century Russian State Seals: the evolution of the iconography and manufacturing technology

The article presents the results of the trace-wear analysis and elemental composition of the arks of the pendant seals of 1700—1801 from the charters of Russian Emperors Peter the Greate, Catherine I, Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, Elizabeth Petrovna, Catherine the Greate and Paul I. The objects were studied in terms of their iconography, technological features, and metal composition. Comparison with historical documents shows that in the manufacture of all the arks the masters followed the iconography, regulated by decrees, and in general the artifacts reflect heraldic innovations of different periods. The peculiarities of the technological methods of the master jewelers of different periods, used in the production of these status items, have been identified. The evolution of the technology of making Russian seal arks has been revealed. The earliest ark (1700) was identified as belonging to the European technological tradition. The other arks belong to a different technological tradition, inclined to a more decorative depiction and the use of small complex embossings. Two of the arks show signs of later surface plating with electroplated gilding.

Opportunities and Features of the Palynological Analysis Application on Various Types of Archaeological Sites

A wide variety of archaeological sites associated with various human activity has led to the emergence of a wide range of problems solved by archaeological palynology. On the example of the palynological materials accumulated in the Laboratory of Nature Sciences of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the opportunities and features of the palynological analysis application are considered both on classical objects for Russian archaeopalynology (cultural layer, buried soils, defensive ramparts, burial mounds, etc.) and on non-traditional ones (latrines, vessels, funerary objects, ceramics, etc.). It is shown that the reconstruction of the natural environment, generally accepted for palynology, is mainly possible for the materials from long timed sites of shepherds in caves and rock shelters and cultural layers of sites, settlements, hillforts. Materials obtained from other objects (ancient and medieval arable lands, storage pits, latrines, the contents of ritual objects, vessels, and the gastrointestinal tract of the buried) give an idea of very local and short-term environmental conditions or events usually associated with economic and/or daily activities of a person, with his food, funerary rites and traditions. In this regard, the possibilities of the palynological method and the purposes will be different for each specific research. Recommendations for the sampling for palynological analysis are given for each specific case.