Papers by Dragana Gavrilović
Subsequently, an older, third aqueduct branch was discovered, that was destroyed when the younger... more Subsequently, an older, third aqueduct branch was discovered, that was destroyed when the younger structure "Building 1" (fig. 1) was erected. In this older aqueduct, the water ran through a system of ceramic pipes. 4 The tomb was discovered at the distance of 1.270 m (air-line) or 1.310 m (along the ancient route that led to Pincum) to the east of the legionary fort. The hypogeum G-5 was situated 35 m to the north of the here mentioned ancient road. The vicus is situated 1.050 m to the east of G-5 and stretches along the ancient road on both its northern and southern sides, at a length of 350 m. The complex of nymphaea was discovered 57 m to the south of the road and 90 m from the tomb G-5. The structure "Building 3" was situated to the north of the ancient road and 140 m to the west of G-5 (fig. 1). The here mentioned vicus, as well as the complex of nymphaea, have not been published.
ARCHAEOLOGY AND SCIENCE, 2023
Viminacium amphitheatre, Construction 1-Merging fragments of a wall painting (photo by Dragana Ga... more Viminacium amphitheatre, Construction 1-Merging fragments of a wall painting (photo by Dragana Gavrilović) Časopis Arheologija i prirodne nauke je objavljen uz finansijsku podršku Ministarstva nauke, tehnološkog razvoja i inovacija Republike Srbije.
ARHEOLOGIJA I PRIRODNE NAUKE, 2022
During the archaeological research of the Church of St. Nicholas, in Baljevac, Serbia, fragments ... more During the archaeological research of the Church of St. Nicholas, in Baljevac, Serbia, fragments of wall
paintings were found in Pit no. 1, located in the nave area. The fragments were determined to be from the
second phase of the construction of the church (13th century). Several fragments of different and pure tones
were selected to examine the composition of the mortar and pigments, as well as the painting technique.
Analytical techniques and the results obtained by their use during the examination of the selected fragments
are presented in this paper. With a suitable selection of analytical techniques, all the pigments that
had been used were identified, the chemical composition of the mortar determined and a parallel made
with the materials analysed so far from wall paintings from similar periods. The importance of modern archaeometric
tests in modern conservation-restoration practice is highlighted and guidelines for continuing
research are presented.
FROM WREATH TO CROWN – THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEA AND MEANING IN THE VISUAL CULTURE OF LATE ANTIQUIT... more FROM WREATH TO CROWN – THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEA AND MEANING IN THE VISUAL CULTURE OF LATE ANTIQUITY AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY
Athough known under the same term – corona – during the whole ancient period, wreaths and crowns, even with the similar origin, later began to be identified with different visual representation, but still with the identical meaning and symbolism. While wreaths were made of plants or precious metals imitating natural wreaths, crowns evolved from the forms of tiaras or diadems. In both cases, band in the shape of circle was common for all, which had deep and long symbolical and magical tradition. Also both of them stay as main royal emblems for centuries. But type of crown common to modern viewer originates from two shapes of: corona muralis and corona radiata. Centuries long tradition of respecting of wreaths and crowns, continues even today in different folk customs and rites. Strong belief in divine, apotropaic and magical power, make the crown stay the most important regalia for monarch, heraldic sign for state or in some forms transferred to halo, unavoidable motif of sacred and saint, both in the East and the West.
Starinar, 2011
Im Laufe arch?ologischer Ausgrabungen 1977 kamen in Sremska Mitrovica, auf der Fundstelle Nr. 56,... more Im Laufe arch?ologischer Ausgrabungen 1977 kamen in Sremska Mitrovica, auf der Fundstelle Nr. 56, in einem Geb?ude, dessen Grundriss und Typ nicht festgestellt werden konnten, neben anderen Funden auch mehrere Fragmente an Stuckdekoration zutage. In dieser Studie werden ihre Elemente parallel zu ?hnlichen Motiven, die auf anderen in Sirmium gefundenen Wandmalereien auftreten, betrachtet.
Preserving Transcultural Heritage: Your Way or My Way?, 2017
Viminacium was the capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superior and an important legionary fo... more Viminacium was the capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superior and an important legionary fortress. Today it is an archaeological park with protected and presented historic buildings and contemporary facilities, situated by the thermo power plant and strip coal mine near Kostolac in Serbia, and it is identified as a cultural property of exceptional importance for the Republic of Serbia. The protection and presentation of the historic buildings in Viminacium to date can be divided into groups as follows: basic protection and presentation; integrated protection and presentation through interpretation; and integrated protection and presentation through reconstruction and revitalisation. All the processes can be discussed within the framework of the evergreen topic of heritage conservation-the quest for the proper protection and presentation of buildings, which is often connected with the spatial context.
Arheologija i prirodne nauke, 2014
The hydraulicity of the Viminacium mortars is still somewhat unknown, but with laboratory analyse... more The hydraulicity of the Viminacium mortars is still somewhat unknown, but with laboratory analyses, performed on a small number of samples, and similar research performed worldwide, some conclusions can be drawn. These bring us closer to this topic, which again contribute to our becoming acquainted with the Viminacium building materials, their usage, behaviour in constructions and their mutual relationships. Throughout history, artifi cial products of soil, specifi cally bricks and ceramics, represent some of the most commonly used materials with pozzolanic features in the creation of hydraulic lime mortars. In accordance with their function, the Viminacium thermae represent a place with high levels of humidity in the air and water in a large number of rooms, thereby representing a suitable example for analysing the use of hydraulic mortars, which above all needed to be waterproof. This was achieved with the use of bricks, a material produced locally in Viminacium. Fragmentarily preserved remains of wall paintings from the Viminacium thermae are not only numerous and various, but they spatially also include almost all parts of the building. This paper includes the remains of decorative mortars discovered during archaeological research in 2004 and 2007 that had bricks in their structure, which was confi rmed with a visual review of mortar cross-sections when brick was used in fragments. It was also suspected due to the reddish colour of some of the layers, most likely connected to the use of brick dust.
Arheologija i prirodne nauke, 2011
Arheologija i prirodne nauke, 2010
In the art of late antiquity and early Christianity, during the Christian Middle Ages to the pres... more In the art of late antiquity and early Christianity, during the Christian Middle Ages to the present, peacock holds a prominent place, not only as a decorative motif, but also as a distinctive emblematic and symbolic sign. Veneration and breeding of this bird is dating back to distant past. Owing to the beauty of his plumage and splendid tail, peacock has early got a lot of symbolic functions, causing he to become a very frequent artistic motif. Because of his protective functions, he is a characteristic sign in funerary art. On this example, the transposition of the same motif from pagan to Christian iconography is most noticeable. He is usually combined with a kantharos or a tree of life. These scenes are common in the late antique and early Christian fresco painted tombs from the territory of modern Serbia. Individually or in pair, he is usually represented on places which are the ones closest to the holiest part of churches (altar's parapet wall panels). His ornamentation is visible on floor mosaics, which are often a sole testimony of the decoration of public buildings from the early Christian period, and whose remains can be found on the territory of the Roman provinces on the Central Balkans.
Starinar, 2020
This paper deals with the re-conservation of an old conserved unit and the new iconographic analy... more This paper deals with the re-conservation of an old conserved unit and the new iconographic analysis of a wall painting that was kept in the Museum of Srem?s (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) storage depot. Experts from the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments started but did not finish the reconstruction in the 1990s, which has led to its further deterioration. Their conservation and restoration work on these fragments were extensive and offered a wealth of extraordinary technological and iconographic information.
Starinar, 2013
The tomb G-160, known as the 'Tomb with Cupids', was discovered in 2003, during the excav... more The tomb G-160, known as the 'Tomb with Cupids', was discovered in 2003, during the excavations at the Pirivoj - Viminacium necropolis. The tomb has a trapezial section, characteristic for Viminacium tombs of the late antique period, and its interior was painted using the fresco technique. Scenes and motives are set on all four walls of the tomb. Since the western wall is damaged, the tomb is named after the depiction of cupids on the eastern wall. The wealth of the iconographic repertoire, together with an analysis of the geometry and symmetry, allowed the reconstruction of the conceptual context and it can be concluded that the tomb was dedicated to Venus, or Dionysus. The tomb painting could be dated to the beginning of the 4th century, owing to the analysis of the style, which combines an eclectic Eastern expressionism, classicism and illusionism of the Constantine era.
A Globalised Visual Culture?, 2020
Ancient Cult on the Balkans through Archaeological Findings and Iconography/Антички култ на Балкану кроз археолошке налазе и иконографију, S. Petković, N. Gavrilović-Vitas (Eds.), 2020
The paper is dedicated to a miniature stone tablet that is kept in the City Museum of Belgrade wi... more The paper is dedicated to a miniature stone tablet that is kept in the City Museum of Belgrade without precise information about the place and the conditions of the find. The tablet is cut in white marble of trapezoidal form with a semicircular upper edge. On the front side a cult representation is carved in shallow relief divided into two zones. In the upper zone, two confronted riders are shown on horses, which led the authors to identify the Cult of the Danubian horsemen represented on the tablet. In accordance with this interpretation, several barely recognizable forms engraved in the lower zone presuppose extremely reduced representations of symbols and sacral objects commonly shown on the icons of this cult (bird, altar, ram or lion). Traces of ocher, pink and blue pigment indicate that, despite the poor modeling of the stone and the shallow relief, the polychrome and contrasting painting with highlighted details, accentuated shapes, backgrounds and borders.
Pigment analyzes were performed using the EDXRF spectometry.
Based on the choice and composition of the presented motifs, the authors define this icon in the period of the 3rd - 4th century AD, the time of the most intensive spread of this cult. There are indications that the icon originates from the area of Srem, that is, part of the Lower Pannonian Limes on the Danube, perhaps from the vicinity of Stari Slankamen (Acumincum).
Starinar, 2020
This paper deals with the reconservation of an old conserved unit and the new iconographic analys... more This paper deals with the reconservation of an old conserved unit and the new iconographic analysis of a wall painting that was kept in the Museum of Srem's (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) storage depot. Experts from the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments started but did not finish the reconstruction in the 1990s, which has led to its further deterioration. Their conservation and restoration work on these fragments were extensive and offered a wealth of extraordinary technological and iconographic information.
Archaeologia Bulgarica, 2021
This paper focuses on the remains of wall paintings from residences of the area of antique Vimina... more This paper focuses on the remains of wall paintings from residences of the area of antique Viminacium (capital of Roman province of Upper Moesia). The largest number of specimens comes from the residences researched during the re-excavations in 2007 at the site of Čair, while a smaller portion comes from the public bath (thermae) and amphitheater. Detailed analysis of the fragments of wall painting showed that these buildings were once meticulously maintained since the materials show traces of renovation. These fragments revealed an entirely new image of plaster composition, which differs significantly from that found in the funerary painting of Viminacium. Highly polished surfaces of certain specimens, as well as possible figurative representations, indicate luxurious buildings which were in use during the 2 nd and 3 rd century.
Archaeology and Science 7/2011, 2012
Ruin is a physical occurrence, almost always present within a historical place. As a visual expre... more Ruin is a physical occurrence, almost always present within a historical place. As a visual expression
of passing time, it has a huge influence on the impressions of all the observers. The question
considered in this paper is whether the feelings of the observers of historical ruins and buildings here
described as follies, and later in this paper referred to as true ruins and false ruins, diminish the feeling
of authenticity of a historical place in a modern setting.
KEY WORDS: AUTHENTICITY, RUIN, FOLLY, PRESENTATION, ORIGINAL, COPY, OBSERVER,
IMPRESSION
Acta Archaeologica Pultuskiensia, Vol.IV: Studies on Disasters, Catastrophes and the Ends of the World In Sources, 2013
Preserving Transcultural Heritage. Your Way or My Way? Questions on Authenticity, Identity and Patrimonial Proceedings in the Safeguarding of Architectural Heritage Created in the Meeting of Cultures Ed. Joaquim Rodrigues dos Santos, 2017
From 2015, the former capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superior, Viminacium, in present da... more From 2015, the former capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superior, Viminacium, in present day Serbia, has been a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list within the multinational and single largest cultural heritage monument in Europe, ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire – WHS FRE’. Will the possible future inscription to the World Heritage List bring recognition of Viminacium’s true significance? The hope of the Viminacium research team is for a better understanding of this site by international bodies, as well as scientists, state institutions, the local community and visitors.
KEYWORDS: Viminacium; UNESCO; recognition; protection.
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Papers by Dragana Gavrilović
paintings were found in Pit no. 1, located in the nave area. The fragments were determined to be from the
second phase of the construction of the church (13th century). Several fragments of different and pure tones
were selected to examine the composition of the mortar and pigments, as well as the painting technique.
Analytical techniques and the results obtained by their use during the examination of the selected fragments
are presented in this paper. With a suitable selection of analytical techniques, all the pigments that
had been used were identified, the chemical composition of the mortar determined and a parallel made
with the materials analysed so far from wall paintings from similar periods. The importance of modern archaeometric
tests in modern conservation-restoration practice is highlighted and guidelines for continuing
research are presented.
Athough known under the same term – corona – during the whole ancient period, wreaths and crowns, even with the similar origin, later began to be identified with different visual representation, but still with the identical meaning and symbolism. While wreaths were made of plants or precious metals imitating natural wreaths, crowns evolved from the forms of tiaras or diadems. In both cases, band in the shape of circle was common for all, which had deep and long symbolical and magical tradition. Also both of them stay as main royal emblems for centuries. But type of crown common to modern viewer originates from two shapes of: corona muralis and corona radiata. Centuries long tradition of respecting of wreaths and crowns, continues even today in different folk customs and rites. Strong belief in divine, apotropaic and magical power, make the crown stay the most important regalia for monarch, heraldic sign for state or in some forms transferred to halo, unavoidable motif of sacred and saint, both in the East and the West.
Pigment analyzes were performed using the EDXRF spectometry.
Based on the choice and composition of the presented motifs, the authors define this icon in the period of the 3rd - 4th century AD, the time of the most intensive spread of this cult. There are indications that the icon originates from the area of Srem, that is, part of the Lower Pannonian Limes on the Danube, perhaps from the vicinity of Stari Slankamen (Acumincum).
of passing time, it has a huge influence on the impressions of all the observers. The question
considered in this paper is whether the feelings of the observers of historical ruins and buildings here
described as follies, and later in this paper referred to as true ruins and false ruins, diminish the feeling
of authenticity of a historical place in a modern setting.
KEY WORDS: AUTHENTICITY, RUIN, FOLLY, PRESENTATION, ORIGINAL, COPY, OBSERVER,
IMPRESSION
KEYWORDS: Viminacium; UNESCO; recognition; protection.
paintings were found in Pit no. 1, located in the nave area. The fragments were determined to be from the
second phase of the construction of the church (13th century). Several fragments of different and pure tones
were selected to examine the composition of the mortar and pigments, as well as the painting technique.
Analytical techniques and the results obtained by their use during the examination of the selected fragments
are presented in this paper. With a suitable selection of analytical techniques, all the pigments that
had been used were identified, the chemical composition of the mortar determined and a parallel made
with the materials analysed so far from wall paintings from similar periods. The importance of modern archaeometric
tests in modern conservation-restoration practice is highlighted and guidelines for continuing
research are presented.
Athough known under the same term – corona – during the whole ancient period, wreaths and crowns, even with the similar origin, later began to be identified with different visual representation, but still with the identical meaning and symbolism. While wreaths were made of plants or precious metals imitating natural wreaths, crowns evolved from the forms of tiaras or diadems. In both cases, band in the shape of circle was common for all, which had deep and long symbolical and magical tradition. Also both of them stay as main royal emblems for centuries. But type of crown common to modern viewer originates from two shapes of: corona muralis and corona radiata. Centuries long tradition of respecting of wreaths and crowns, continues even today in different folk customs and rites. Strong belief in divine, apotropaic and magical power, make the crown stay the most important regalia for monarch, heraldic sign for state or in some forms transferred to halo, unavoidable motif of sacred and saint, both in the East and the West.
Pigment analyzes were performed using the EDXRF spectometry.
Based on the choice and composition of the presented motifs, the authors define this icon in the period of the 3rd - 4th century AD, the time of the most intensive spread of this cult. There are indications that the icon originates from the area of Srem, that is, part of the Lower Pannonian Limes on the Danube, perhaps from the vicinity of Stari Slankamen (Acumincum).
of passing time, it has a huge influence on the impressions of all the observers. The question
considered in this paper is whether the feelings of the observers of historical ruins and buildings here
described as follies, and later in this paper referred to as true ruins and false ruins, diminish the feeling
of authenticity of a historical place in a modern setting.
KEY WORDS: AUTHENTICITY, RUIN, FOLLY, PRESENTATION, ORIGINAL, COPY, OBSERVER,
IMPRESSION
KEYWORDS: Viminacium; UNESCO; recognition; protection.