Brooches of type Almgren Group VII, Series I, Variation with Headknob and Vertical Catchplate, from East and South-East Romania (the Barbarian World)

We attempt herein, based on archaeological finds, to analyse brooches of type Almgren VII, Series I, the headknob and external chord variation from territories east and south-east of Romania. The authors discuss a number of 46 such brooches. The typological analysis of the finds as well as the approach of the other issues these raise, also considered similar specimens diffused on a vast geographical area and a chronological time span comprised between the last decades of the 2nd century – early 4th century AD. Out of the total analysed exemplars, 35 were discovered in settlements and 11 in cemeteries, of which four were identified in inhumations. Out of the total brooches, only three are in silver, while with respect to the spring making type, 24 are single springed, five are provided with a double spring while in the case of 17 exemplars, it was impossible to say with certainty whether they had a single spring and chord inserted through the second hole of the support or were double-springed. Subsequent to the analysis of these type brooches and the contexts and features where they were discovered, the authors concluded that chronologically, the specimens date in the area under discussion mainly to stage C1b – early stage C3 (AD 230-320/330), though emerging in the late period of stage C1a. The authors noted, based on finds yielded by certain graves, that these were often worn in pairs, a custom specific mainly to the Germanic world, ascribing their wear to women. Based on the examination of the finds, the authors further noted that in the area discussed here it may be currently assumed that brooches of the sort were manufactured only at Bucharest-Străulești, reminding though both their making in several other sites within territories located outside the Roman empire and by possible travelling artisans. Also, it is mentioned again that these brooches of type Almgren, group VII, series I, emerged in the Przeworsk and Wielbark culture environments, where many such brooch finds are found, together with most numerous subvariants. The authors also conclude that the presence of these brooches may be related to the territories north and north-east of the Upper Dniester and that they are indicative, beside other artefacts, of the arrival and settlement in the discussed area, starting with the end phase of stage C1a – early stage C1b, of certain groups of Germanic populaces from the region of the Upper Dniester and territories north of it. Last but not least, the authors construe that in the current state of research, it is impossible to reach more definite conclusions on who were the bearers of these brooches, mentioning though that it is not excluded that their emergence is connected to the arrival of the bearers of the early stage (beginning) of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture on the territory east and south of the Carpathians.

Harness Fittings from the 7th– 8th Centuries Discovered in Transylvania. Stirrups and Horse Bits

On the territory of Transylvania I have recorded 15settlements where stirrups have been discovered (Tab. 1-2). I have recorded 13 settlements where bits were discovered. In four of them the bits were found in Gepidic-Avar cemeteries (Tab. 3-4). A series of items used for the distribution of harness straps and buckles for the harness leathers were discovered in horse graves or in graves with horses from 7th–8th century Transylvania that belonged to the Avars (Pl. 25). Fragments of iron sets and plates of various sizesfrom the metal structure of horse saddles had been deposited in the grave from Unirea 2/Veresmort (catalogue III. 5) and in the graves with horses from Șpălnaca(catalogue III.4.1). Horse saddles certainly existed in many more inhumation graves from Transylvania but have not been preserved. It should be noted that bothstirrups and bits were found in most graves that contained different types of weapons or other military equipment accessories.

The Coţofeni Discoveries on the Jidovu Mountain (Zlatna): Domestic or Ritual Context?

On the Jidovu mountain in Zlatna, the exploitation of an andesite extraction quarry recently destroyed a Coţofeni site. In 2014, from the area of the peak (952 m altitude), fragments of four ceramic vessels (a pitcher, an amphora, a mug and a cup) were recovered. Afterwards, in 2015, other fragments dispersed by the quarry explosions were also discovered. The presence of these materials is very important in the context of mountain archaeology. Two possible hypotheses were discussed, regarding the presence of certain large-capacity vessels (the 30 l pitcher, the 60 l amphora) on the mountaintop: the possible exploitation of andesite and a ritualistic deposit. The first hypothesis cannot be supported, since in the Coţofeni area, there are very few artefacts made of andesite. However, the much more plausible hypothesis is that of the existence of a ritualistic deposit, since similar associations of vessels also occurred in other places of worship, especially in the caves of the Apuseni Mountains. The possibility of the existence of a seasonal inhabitation is much smaller, given the conformation of the mountain. The Coţofeni site from Jidovu is part of a region in which many Coţofeni discoveries were made, in Zlatna and in the neighbouring areas, concentrated on the upper course of the Ampoi Valley. Unfortunately, the site was destroyed, in the absence of an archaeological survey, and no other data can be recovered.

Commodus restitutor commerciorum. The role of Palmyrene Trading Community at Porolissum

The author revisits an inscription found in 1986 in the shrine of the customs station at Porolissum (Jac village, Sălaj County, Romania). His new approach offers a new meaning to the epithet restitutor commerciorum addresed to emperor Commodus in the text of the inscription: commercium has in Latin written sources and in inscriptions also the sense of the place where barbarians were trading with the Romans in the vicinity of the Roman frontiers’ forts. The new interpretation is linked with the archaeological discovery at Porolissum, near the customs building of a marketplace identified by 129 coins and 43 barbarian brooches. Author’s conclusion in an earlier published book is that the brooches attest, very probable, a slave market. Another valuable merchandise recovered in the excavation is raw amber of Baltic Sea coast origin, proving the existence of a branch of the Amber Road, entering in the Empire at Porolissum. The next question approached by the author concerns the merchants able to support the distribution of these valuable goods across the Empire. He proposed as main candidate the Palmyrene civilian community recorded in the inscriptions at Porolissum. Then he explains the topographical position of the Palmyrene cult complex at Porolissum. The temple of Bel, the open=air altar and the banqueting hall were situated in the near neighbourhood of the customs building just because of the Palmyrene community’s economic interest. He argued his hypothesis with the example of the Palmyrene temple in Rome.

Social Identities in Roman Children’s Burials. Roman Cemetery at Apulum-Dealul Furcilor

The children’s graves from the cemetery at Apulum-Dealul Furcilor are a category of archaeological contexts that is worth studying because too little is known about the funerary treatments of the children from Roman Dacia. These graves contain the material remains of a number of practices that could indicate the perceived social identities of the child and the mourners. These coded identities can be deciphered by using statistical analyses, the process of understanding the archaeological assemblages being eased in this way. However, a proper interpretation of these contexts requires the incorporation of existing knowledge about the status of the Roman children, their activities, their surrounding material culture and the way in which it was handled, their obligations and rights, the relations with the parents and different relatives, etc. Therefore, the study of this theme could open many doors towards other related subjects.

A New Military Diploma Recently Found at Porolissum (Dacia Porolissensis)

The authors are presenting a military diploma recently found in the Roman fort at Porolissum (Dacia Porolissensis). It dates from Hadrian’s time and was issued for a soldier from cohors II Augusta Nerviana Pacensis milliaria Brittonum garrisoned in the fort at Buciumi (Sălaj County) on the frontier of Dacia Porolissensis. The document is a more complete copy of a fragmentary one already known. The diploma mentions one cavalry unit and eight infantry troops from the province’s army. The authors discuss the strange order of troops in the new diploma and highlight the accurate mention of the complete titles of the units.

Cultic Inventory From the Bronze Age Settlement From Șoimuş – Teleghi (Hunedoara County)

The preventive archaeological research fulfilled on the Deva – Orăştie highway route, led us to discover a large settlement belonging to the Bronze Age, on the terrace of the Mureş River, at Şoimuş – Teleghi (Hunedoara County). Some of the investigated features from this site contain large quantity of pottery and bone artefacts. These artefacts are vessels with celestial symbolic representations, decorated hearths and portable stoves (pyraunoi) with anthropomorphic plastic applications. Among these, there are animal bones such as vertebras and phalanges, some of them processed and with intense using traces. Another category of special objects was the clay wheels models, which were found in several pits, whole or fragmentary. Despite being part of the assemblage of a clay wagon model, these items were found separately, indicating that the wheel itself had a special meaning in the imaginary of the community. We consider that all these artefacts had a special function in rituals activities and also that they were used, probably, in shamanic practices.

Commentaria archaeologica et historica (III). Chronology of the Dacian Silver Hoards

These comments stem from the recent publication of a number of studies regarding the silver artefacts of pre-Roman Dacia, with important implications for the relative and absolute chronology of the late La Tène period in the region in question, and also for some cultural and historical transformations that happened in the same area. Some of the conclusions presented in these studies are insufficiently supported by arguments. Their publication requires a detailed analysis, which is meant to clarify a number of controversial aspects. For example, D. Spânu has recently divided the evolution of the Dacian silver hoards into two phases dated to the La Tène D2a and D2b (the period between ca. 75 – 65 BC and the Augustan age). To support this chronology, he chose to ignore a series of hoards, or only certain artefacts from other hoards, which did not fit into the suggested model. These efforts to push the chronology of the Dacian silver hoards within a particular time frame stem from his aim to use these discoveries as arguments for a series of a priori historical interpretations for which archaeological evidence is scant. This includes the idea that the local silver ornaments were all made exclusively of melted Mediterranean coins which supposedly reached pre-Roman Dacia massively only after the defeating of Mithridates VI Eupator and the fall of the Kingdom of Pontus. However, the analysis of the silver jewellery from pre-Roman Dacia is demonstrating that the artefacts in question were made using both locally-sourced silver and melted Mediterranean coins. Chronologically, these hoards can be divided into three phases: first group dated to the La Tène D1, 150/125 – 75/50 BC; second group belongs to the La Tène D2, 75/50 – 30/25 BC; third group dated to the Augustan – Tiberian period, 30/25 BC – AD 25/30. It can be therefore concluded that the scenario proposed by D. Spânu for the chronology of the end of the Late Iron Age in the lower Danube region and Transylvania, based on an erroneous dating of the silver hoards, is not credible. This kind of analysis requires the incorporation of different categories of archaeological evidence belonging to the last three centuries before the Roman conquest. Their contextual interpretation could provide a more reliable and detailed chronology of the evolution of the communities from each of the two territories in question. Lastly, this evolution was not uniformly equal across wide areas, as suggested by the typo-chronological tables and schemes drawn in the office by some researchers, since each community had its own history and evolution governed by a multitude of different social, economic, demographic or ecological factors.

Only the Best Olive Oil, Please: On New Amphorae Finds From Mursa

Large scale rescue excavations in the former Barracks area in present-day Osijek (Mursa) in eastern Croatia yielded important Late La Tène and Roman finds. Thin-walled pottery, terra sigillata and amphorae point to a flourishing 1st c. AD phase of the Roman settlement, especially from the middle of the century until the Flavian era. Amphorae present a small percentage in the recovered pottery, among them dominate those of type Dressel 6B with two stamped pieces. Other types are less common and correspond to the usual type assemblage of other contemporary sites in the region. Since the Dressel 6B type is usually associated with the distribution of olive oil but also to the movements of the Roman army, these examples are used as an opportunity to discuss possible final recipients of the recovered vessels and reflect on the frequency of stamps during the 1st c. AD in Pannonian amphorae samples.

Links Between the Middle Tisza Region and the Northern Balkans in the Light of Old and New Data

In this paper enamel inlayed Celtic brooches from the Middle Tisza Region will be presented and contextualised. Thanks to the intensive metal detecting surveys conducted in recent years, a number of new finds found their way to the museum collections. Until now there are 12 of this type broches are known. 10 are recently discovered and the other two were found at Törökszenmtiklós – Surjány site those are well-recognized among archaeologists. The amount of new data makes necessary to publish and reconsider the fresh finds and thoughts. In this paper these brooches are presented and analysed. In the light of different finds just as coins, Laminci-type belt buckle we can assume a stronger and more intensive connection between the Middle Tisza Region and the Northern Balkan during the II-I. c. BC.