Papers by Varbin Varbanov
Отново за находката от имитации на Филип III Аридей от Свищов, 2024
On and around the “Kaleto” hill in Svishtov, there is a settlement from the Hellenistic era, whic... more On and around the “Kaleto” hill in Svishtov, there is a settlement from the Hellenistic era, which was most active during the 2nd - 1st century BC/1st century AD. Coins from this same period are preserved in the museum, the majority of which form a coin hoard of imitations of Philip III Arrhidaeus. The purpose of this article is to consolidate the available data on these imitations from the territory of Bulgaria. At this stage of the research, the questions surrounding this coinage outnumber the answers.
The coin hoard which is the object of a current paper was found in the vicinities of
the village ... more The coin hoard which is the object of a current paper was found in the vicinities of
the village of Visoka Polyana, Shumen district.
The regional historical museum in Shumen acquired 23 issues. They are of two denominations
– silver imitations of tetradrachms and drachms. The coins are copies of the tetradrachms
of Philip III Arrhidaeus.
It can be assumed that the dating of Philip III Arrhidaeus imitations is around
the end of the first third till to the beginning of the last quarter of the 2nd century BC. The area
of this coinage was south of the Danube River.
От го во ренре дак торисъста ви тел: д-р Ди ми тър Пет ров, Ре ги о на лен исто ри чески му зей-П... more От го во ренре дак торисъста ви тел: д-р Ди ми тър Пет ров, Ре ги о на лен исто ри чески му зей-Плевен Ре дак ци он на ко легия Проф. д. и. н. Вера Бо не ва-УниБИТ Проф. д-р Сер гей Тор ба тов-На ци о на лен ар хе о ло ги чески ин сти тут с му зей-БАН Доц. Мар тин Ива нов-СУ "Св. Кли мент Ох ридски" Доц. д-р Ан гел Ни ко лов-СУ "Св. Кли мент Ох ридски" Доц. д-р Сто ян Ни ко лов-ВА "Г. С. Ра ковски" Доц. д-р Ни ко ла Дюл ге ров-СУ "Св. Кли мент Ох ридски" Гл. ас. д-р Пе тя Гру е ва-СУ "Св. Кли мент Ох ридски" Пред пе чатиди зайннако ри ца та: Мар тин Ми лев, Ре ги о на лен исто ри чески му зей-Плевен Ко рек тор: Ва сил Кой нарев Пе чат: "Ме ди а тех"-Плевен © Ав тор ски ко лек тив, 2024 © Ре ги о на лен исто ри чески му зей-Пле вен, 2024 www.rim-pleven.com
The main purpose of this article is to present very briefly the coins
discovered during rescue ar... more The main purpose of this article is to present very briefly the coins
discovered during rescue archaeological excavation of an ancient and late antique
settlement located in the hinterland of Philippopolis. The significance of the
discovered coins is of particular importance for the study of the relationship between
the city and its adjacent rural territory in the pre-Roman, Roman and Late Antique
periods. In the case of Philippopolis, these connections remain beyond the attention of
scholars for the time being. The significance of the coins discovered is clearly evident
in the fact that among them there are some that have not been found so far during
archaeological excavations in Bulgaria, and others are unknown to science.
Мартин Христов. Жилищно-стопански комплекс в землището на село Драговищица, община Костинброд-Vil... more Мартин Христов. Жилищно-стопански комплекс в землището на село Драговищица, община Костинброд-Villa Rustica, "Обект № 4 по трасето на междусистемна газова връзка България-Сърбия км 13+690-13+830". Някои предварителни наблюдения ....
The remains of a Roman unfortified settlement at the village of Gorsko Ablanovo, Opaka Municipali... more The remains of a Roman unfortified settlement at the village of Gorsko Ablanovo, Opaka Municipality, Targovishte District (Fig. 1), became familiar to science at the early 20 1 h century as result of the research work of K. Skorpil. According to him, the vicus is located to the northeast of the village 2 • The settlement structure consists of an inhabited zone, two mound necropolises and a sanc-tuary3. Its territory coverage is approximately 2000 decares. The discovered remains belong to spread residential complexes with yards. In terms of topography, the building occupies the first and the second floodless terraces. The main part of the settlement occupies terrains, located along the left riverbank of the Chemi Lom, but the archaeological materials, discovered along the right riverbank prove the habitation of this area as well. The huge area, the serious architectural remains and the significant quantity of accidental finds present us with the opportunity to search the place of the vicus within the qualification system, adopted by the contemporary researchers. Despite the lack so far of epigraphically resources and the name of the settlement that remains unknown as of this moment, the site can be defined as a village from the Roman period with quasi-municipal status, or as an "ordinary'' vicus 4. Within the borders of settled territory or in immediate proximity to it there has been a functioning sanctuary. Its location is not clarified precisely, but several votive plates of the Thracian Horseman 5 and a limestone altar to Apollo 6 , which originates from this area support the hypothesis for the building of a temple in the past7. Important segments of the settlement structure are the two necropolises, which have mound character and are located correspondingly to the east and to the west periphery of the vicus 8. The first (the east one) of them consists of six mounds, one of which has been robbed in the early 20 1 h The article is delivered for publishing in Bulgarian, with detailed catalogue of the discovered informative ceramic fragments (PyceB, PyceB, Bop6aHoB, no,1:1 ne'laT).
The Cape of Shabla, located 6 km east of the town with the same name, has a very rich archaeologi... more The Cape of Shabla, located 6 km east of the town with the same name, has a very rich archaeological history of some 2,500 years. The research in this area started quite early, in the late 19th century, and became more intense in the second half of the 20th century. In the last two years, Bulgarian archaeologists were joined by a group of Hungarian colleagues and established fruitful cooperation.
The conference “Commerce in the Roman Provinces along the Lower Danube and the Barbaricum (1st-6t... more The conference “Commerce in the Roman Provinces along the Lower Danube and the Barbaricum (1st-6th century AD). Lead Sealings, discovered during Archaeological Excavations” took place on September 1-3 in Rousse, Bulgaria. We submit here the program and abstracts. We intend to publish the Proceedings of the conference. In this line we invite you to join with an article. Please contact us if you are interested in.
e-mails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
The archaeological excavations of the pit complex below the Late Roman fortress Sexaginta Prista ... more The archaeological excavations of the pit complex below the Late Roman fortress Sexaginta Prista in the 2005–2019 period revealed 172 pits, 8 fireplaces and four kilns, dated from the Late Hellenistic period, or from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. Among the published finds there are also some from earlier periods: a vessel from the Late Chalcolithic and others from the 5th–3rd century BC. The bronze head of an eagle found in pit No. 35 is also earlier. It is a zoomorphic artefact, a part of horse harness, distinctive for the lands inhabited by Scythians. The horse harness fittings are divided into two major groups: one geometric and the second – zoomor¬phic. The object found in Rousse belongs to the second group, type one, it is com¬mon for the territory of the Northern Caucasus and Southern Ukraine. It is dated between the 7th and the 6th century BC. The most similar harness fittings to the one found in Rousse are those from tumulus 38 near Gulyay-Gorod in the basin of the Tiasmyn River, dated from 6th century BC.
Scythian presence was archaeologically attested in the lands of today’s Rousse region, but no similar finds have been found so far on the territory of the city. Finding a part of the harness fittings in a much later pit is probably due to its re-use as amulet in the Late Hellenistic period.
HOARD OF DENARII AND ANTONINIANII FROM SHIROKO POLE VILLAGE, KARDZHALI REGION
Varbin VARBANOV, Da... more HOARD OF DENARII AND ANTONINIANII FROM SHIROKO POLE VILLAGE, KARDZHALI REGION
Varbin VARBANOV, Daniela KODZHAMANOVA
(Summary)
142 silver Roman coins are registered in the fund of the Museum in Kardzhali, under inventory numbers of 3914-4055. Their origin is not specified, but the Museum investigation determined that they come from the area of the village of Shiroko Pole. The analysis shows that they are distributed as follows: Septimius Severus 14, Julia Domna 13, Caracalla 36, Plautilla 1, Geta 5, Severus Alexander 1, Maximinus 2, Gordian III 40, Philip the Arab 19, Otacilia Severus 4, Philip the Son 3, and Trajan Decius 2. The coins are well preserved and belong to widespread types. By now, 120 coin hoards are known from the territory of Bulgaria, ending with emissions of Trajan Decius. Only a small percent of them (about 30%) can be considered a reliable historical source. The hoard discussed here also belongs to this group. The deposit has not been accumulated during a long period of time, but reflects the circulation of silver coins in the eastern part of the province of Thrace in the mid 3rd century, when it was buried. The reasons for the hiding of the hoard and non-recovering until nowadays are clear – this is the Gothic invasion in 250-251, mainly affecting Philippopolis and its surroundings in the province of Thrace. A group or groups of invaders reached Hadrianopolis to the south, following the river valleys. One of them is the Arda River and its influxes, where an amassment of hoards with last coins of Philip the Arab has been found – from Kardzhali, Krumovgrad and Momchilgrad, the villages of Pchelarovo, Ptichar, Chernoochene, Gabrovo and Kovil. The hoard of Shiroko Pole in question belongs to the same group.
TRACII ŞI VECINII LOR ÎN ANTICHITATE: ARHEOLOGIE ȘI ISTORIE, 2020
Bagachina hill is situated east of Staliiska mahala, Montana
district, near the river Lom (ancien... more Bagachina hill is situated east of Staliiska mahala, Montana
district, near the river Lom (ancient Almus). The site was almost fully excavated during 11 archaeological campaigns (1981-1991) by Al. Bonev and G. Alexandrov. Several articles and a monograph are dedicated to Bagachina, however the chronology of the Late Iron age inhabitation of the site remains too wide (5th-1st c. BC). This article is an attempt to clarify the chronological limit, based on the most indicative finds – brooches, belts, specific decoration of the pottery and coins. Probably the earliest finds can be dated to the end of 4th or the beginning of 3rd c. BC. Most of the finds are from the period 2nd c. BC and 1st c. AD. The habitation of the site was most intensive during this period. Its importance is demonstrated by Roman imports, especially by a bronze trulla, which was probably manufactured in the Augustian time – in the period when this region become part of the Roman Empire. Brooches and other Roman imports indicate its contacts with the Imperial authorities during 1st c. AD. The nature of these contacts is unclear, but we believe that the site might have been incorporated in the supply of the Roman limes. The latest finds (brooches of the so called “soldaten” type) are from the second half of 1st c. AD. This gives ground to propose that the site was destroyed during the Dacian wars of Emperor Domitian, however this remains a hypothesis. Only single items can be dated in the 2nd-3rd c. AD, when the site was uninhabited, either lost its importance or it was seldom visited. Several coins and a furnace indicate renewed life here in 4th c. AD.
When plowing in 1928, on the territory of a large Roman settlement were discovered about 200 dena... more When plowing in 1928, on the territory of a large Roman settlement were discovered about 200 denarii and antoninianes and two bronze bracelets, put in a clay pot. Nicola Mоushmov reviewed 162 coins. In the Museum of Archaeology in Preslav received 135 silver coins, well-preserved (no 27 emissions of Philip the Arab). All the coins belong to types well known and broadly spread. The latest is dating from 250 – 251. The composition is, as follows: Antoninus Pius 1, Lucilla 1, Commodus 2, Septimius Severus 8, Julia Domna 3, Caracalla 8, Plautila 1, Geta 8, Elagabalus 14, Julia Maesa 1, Severus Alexander 10, Julia Mamaea 2, Maximinus 3, Balbinus 1, Gordianus III 69, Otacilia 2, Herennius Etruscus 1. Rates (along with the lost coin of Philip the Arab) distribution emperors is as follows: 0,6 % Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and family 0,6 %, Commodus 1,2 %, Septimius Severus and family 12,96 %, Caracalla (self-management) 3,7 %, Elagabalus and family 9,3 %, Severus Alexander and family 7,4 %, Maximinus 1,9 %, Gordianus III 42,5 %, Philip the Arab and family 17,9 %, Trajanus Decius and family 0,6 % (Fig. 1).
On the territory of Bulgaria are known 120 coin hoards, ending with the coins of Trajanus Decius. They could be divided into four groups, according to the degree of preservation of their original composition; the information available of the context of discovery and documentation. The hoard from the village of Kardam is of an incomplete content and for that reason belongs to the second group.
According to the percentage of presence of the emissions, issued by the particular emperors in the hoard in discussion, the latter can be divided into three groups. The hoard of Kardam refers to the most numerous first group, in which the emissions of emperors Gordianus III and Philip the Arab predominate. This group comprises pieces of the so-called circulation or emergency hoard. We can associate their burial into the ground with the second phase of the war from the 250 – 251, namely the events of the summer of 251 AD.
The Roman fortress Triammium is situated on a hillside by the Danube River, in the Stalpishte loc... more The Roman fortress Triammium is situated on a hillside by the Danube River, in the Stalpishte locality, about 3 km west/northwest of the village of Mechka, Rousse district. The fortress was localized already in 1905, but archaeological excavations were made in 2006-2009 and 2017. About 300 sq.m. were excavated and structures from the Roman, Late Roman and early Byzantine ages, as well as from the period of the First and Second Bulgarian kingdoms were found.
The intention of the present article is the publication of pit № 10 from 2009 archaeological campaign, which represents a closed complex from the beginning of the 4th century AD. In the pit were found 15 coins; two fibulae, bronze ring and application, a bottom of a glass vessel and two fragments of tegulae, with preserved stamp segments of Legio І Ital¬ica and Cohort І Bracarorum. The discovered finds allow dating of the filling of the pit from the end of the first third of the 4th century AD. Most probably it was septic or household. Indipendantlly of its functional purpouse, it is wel-dated close complex, that allows precise dating of the ce¬ramics and finds found in it.
The presented ceramic complex of pit № 10 represents a considerable interest. The registered technological groups and forms are widespread dur¬ing the Roman age and Late Antiquity.The certain determination of forms from 2nd-3rd century, as well as of some popular in 4th-5th in a precisely dated complex, is of great importance for the further study of domestic ceramics south of the Danube. The presented materials clearly demonstrate that the production of varnish ceramics continues after the Gothic invasions of the middle of the 3rd century. On the other hand, the presence of numerous forms typical for the period after the middle of the 4th and 5th centuries, shows the initial stage of vessel development in the period from the middle of the 3rd to the middle of the 4th century.
by Cristian Gazdac, Sanja Bitrak, Michele Asolati, Alessandro Cattaneo, Arkadiusz Dymowski, Benjamin Hellings, Lajos Juhasz, Lucian Munteanu, Leilani Stajer, Varbin Varbanov, and Rada Varga JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY MONOGRAPHIC SERIES 1, 2020
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Papers by Varbin Varbanov
the village of Visoka Polyana, Shumen district.
The regional historical museum in Shumen acquired 23 issues. They are of two denominations
– silver imitations of tetradrachms and drachms. The coins are copies of the tetradrachms
of Philip III Arrhidaeus.
It can be assumed that the dating of Philip III Arrhidaeus imitations is around
the end of the first third till to the beginning of the last quarter of the 2nd century BC. The area
of this coinage was south of the Danube River.
discovered during rescue archaeological excavation of an ancient and late antique
settlement located in the hinterland of Philippopolis. The significance of the
discovered coins is of particular importance for the study of the relationship between
the city and its adjacent rural territory in the pre-Roman, Roman and Late Antique
periods. In the case of Philippopolis, these connections remain beyond the attention of
scholars for the time being. The significance of the coins discovered is clearly evident
in the fact that among them there are some that have not been found so far during
archaeological excavations in Bulgaria, and others are unknown to science.
e-mails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Scythian presence was archaeologically attested in the lands of today’s Rousse region, but no similar finds have been found so far on the territory of the city. Finding a part of the harness fittings in a much later pit is probably due to its re-use as amulet in the Late Hellenistic period.
Varbin VARBANOV, Daniela KODZHAMANOVA
(Summary)
142 silver Roman coins are registered in the fund of the Museum in Kardzhali, under inventory numbers of 3914-4055. Their origin is not specified, but the Museum investigation determined that they come from the area of the village of Shiroko Pole. The analysis shows that they are distributed as follows: Septimius Severus 14, Julia Domna 13, Caracalla 36, Plautilla 1, Geta 5, Severus Alexander 1, Maximinus 2, Gordian III 40, Philip the Arab 19, Otacilia Severus 4, Philip the Son 3, and Trajan Decius 2. The coins are well preserved and belong to widespread types. By now, 120 coin hoards are known from the territory of Bulgaria, ending with emissions of Trajan Decius. Only a small percent of them (about 30%) can be considered a reliable historical source. The hoard discussed here also belongs to this group. The deposit has not been accumulated during a long period of time, but reflects the circulation of silver coins in the eastern part of the province of Thrace in the mid 3rd century, when it was buried. The reasons for the hiding of the hoard and non-recovering until nowadays are clear – this is the Gothic invasion in 250-251, mainly affecting Philippopolis and its surroundings in the province of Thrace. A group or groups of invaders reached Hadrianopolis to the south, following the river valleys. One of them is the Arda River and its influxes, where an amassment of hoards with last coins of Philip the Arab has been found – from Kardzhali, Krumovgrad and Momchilgrad, the villages of Pchelarovo, Ptichar, Chernoochene, Gabrovo and Kovil. The hoard of Shiroko Pole in question belongs to the same group.
district, near the river Lom (ancient Almus). The site was almost fully excavated during 11 archaeological campaigns (1981-1991) by Al. Bonev and G. Alexandrov. Several articles and a monograph are dedicated to Bagachina, however the chronology of the Late Iron age inhabitation of the site remains too wide (5th-1st c. BC). This article is an attempt to clarify the chronological limit, based on the most indicative finds – brooches, belts, specific decoration of the pottery and coins. Probably the earliest finds can be dated to the end of 4th or the beginning of 3rd c. BC. Most of the finds are from the period 2nd c. BC and 1st c. AD. The habitation of the site was most intensive during this period. Its importance is demonstrated by Roman imports, especially by a bronze trulla, which was probably manufactured in the Augustian time – in the period when this region become part of the Roman Empire. Brooches and other Roman imports indicate its contacts with the Imperial authorities during 1st c. AD. The nature of these contacts is unclear, but we believe that the site might have been incorporated in the supply of the Roman limes. The latest finds (brooches of the so called “soldaten” type) are from the second half of 1st c. AD. This gives ground to propose that the site was destroyed during the Dacian wars of Emperor Domitian, however this remains a hypothesis. Only single items can be dated in the 2nd-3rd c. AD, when the site was uninhabited, either lost its importance or it was seldom visited. Several coins and a furnace indicate renewed life here in 4th c. AD.
On the territory of Bulgaria are known 120 coin hoards, ending with the coins of Trajanus Decius. They could be divided into four groups, according to the degree of preservation of their original composition; the information available of the context of discovery and documentation. The hoard from the village of Kardam is of an incomplete content and for that reason belongs to the second group.
According to the percentage of presence of the emissions, issued by the particular emperors in the hoard in discussion, the latter can be divided into three groups. The hoard of Kardam refers to the most numerous first group, in which the emissions of emperors Gordianus III and Philip the Arab predominate. This group comprises pieces of the so-called circulation or emergency hoard. We can associate their burial into the ground with the second phase of the war from the 250 – 251, namely the events of the summer of 251 AD.
The intention of the present article is the publication of pit № 10 from 2009 archaeological campaign, which represents a closed complex from the beginning of the 4th century AD. In the pit were found 15 coins; two fibulae, bronze ring and application, a bottom of a glass vessel and two fragments of tegulae, with preserved stamp segments of Legio І Ital¬ica and Cohort І Bracarorum. The discovered finds allow dating of the filling of the pit from the end of the first third of the 4th century AD. Most probably it was septic or household. Indipendantlly of its functional purpouse, it is wel-dated close complex, that allows precise dating of the ce¬ramics and finds found in it.
The presented ceramic complex of pit № 10 represents a considerable interest. The registered technological groups and forms are widespread dur¬ing the Roman age and Late Antiquity.The certain determination of forms from 2nd-3rd century, as well as of some popular in 4th-5th in a precisely dated complex, is of great importance for the further study of domestic ceramics south of the Danube. The presented materials clearly demonstrate that the production of varnish ceramics continues after the Gothic invasions of the middle of the 3rd century. On the other hand, the presence of numerous forms typical for the period after the middle of the 4th and 5th centuries, shows the initial stage of vessel development in the period from the middle of the 3rd to the middle of the 4th century.
the village of Visoka Polyana, Shumen district.
The regional historical museum in Shumen acquired 23 issues. They are of two denominations
– silver imitations of tetradrachms and drachms. The coins are copies of the tetradrachms
of Philip III Arrhidaeus.
It can be assumed that the dating of Philip III Arrhidaeus imitations is around
the end of the first third till to the beginning of the last quarter of the 2nd century BC. The area
of this coinage was south of the Danube River.
discovered during rescue archaeological excavation of an ancient and late antique
settlement located in the hinterland of Philippopolis. The significance of the
discovered coins is of particular importance for the study of the relationship between
the city and its adjacent rural territory in the pre-Roman, Roman and Late Antique
periods. In the case of Philippopolis, these connections remain beyond the attention of
scholars for the time being. The significance of the coins discovered is clearly evident
in the fact that among them there are some that have not been found so far during
archaeological excavations in Bulgaria, and others are unknown to science.
e-mails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Scythian presence was archaeologically attested in the lands of today’s Rousse region, but no similar finds have been found so far on the territory of the city. Finding a part of the harness fittings in a much later pit is probably due to its re-use as amulet in the Late Hellenistic period.
Varbin VARBANOV, Daniela KODZHAMANOVA
(Summary)
142 silver Roman coins are registered in the fund of the Museum in Kardzhali, under inventory numbers of 3914-4055. Their origin is not specified, but the Museum investigation determined that they come from the area of the village of Shiroko Pole. The analysis shows that they are distributed as follows: Septimius Severus 14, Julia Domna 13, Caracalla 36, Plautilla 1, Geta 5, Severus Alexander 1, Maximinus 2, Gordian III 40, Philip the Arab 19, Otacilia Severus 4, Philip the Son 3, and Trajan Decius 2. The coins are well preserved and belong to widespread types. By now, 120 coin hoards are known from the territory of Bulgaria, ending with emissions of Trajan Decius. Only a small percent of them (about 30%) can be considered a reliable historical source. The hoard discussed here also belongs to this group. The deposit has not been accumulated during a long period of time, but reflects the circulation of silver coins in the eastern part of the province of Thrace in the mid 3rd century, when it was buried. The reasons for the hiding of the hoard and non-recovering until nowadays are clear – this is the Gothic invasion in 250-251, mainly affecting Philippopolis and its surroundings in the province of Thrace. A group or groups of invaders reached Hadrianopolis to the south, following the river valleys. One of them is the Arda River and its influxes, where an amassment of hoards with last coins of Philip the Arab has been found – from Kardzhali, Krumovgrad and Momchilgrad, the villages of Pchelarovo, Ptichar, Chernoochene, Gabrovo and Kovil. The hoard of Shiroko Pole in question belongs to the same group.
district, near the river Lom (ancient Almus). The site was almost fully excavated during 11 archaeological campaigns (1981-1991) by Al. Bonev and G. Alexandrov. Several articles and a monograph are dedicated to Bagachina, however the chronology of the Late Iron age inhabitation of the site remains too wide (5th-1st c. BC). This article is an attempt to clarify the chronological limit, based on the most indicative finds – brooches, belts, specific decoration of the pottery and coins. Probably the earliest finds can be dated to the end of 4th or the beginning of 3rd c. BC. Most of the finds are from the period 2nd c. BC and 1st c. AD. The habitation of the site was most intensive during this period. Its importance is demonstrated by Roman imports, especially by a bronze trulla, which was probably manufactured in the Augustian time – in the period when this region become part of the Roman Empire. Brooches and other Roman imports indicate its contacts with the Imperial authorities during 1st c. AD. The nature of these contacts is unclear, but we believe that the site might have been incorporated in the supply of the Roman limes. The latest finds (brooches of the so called “soldaten” type) are from the second half of 1st c. AD. This gives ground to propose that the site was destroyed during the Dacian wars of Emperor Domitian, however this remains a hypothesis. Only single items can be dated in the 2nd-3rd c. AD, when the site was uninhabited, either lost its importance or it was seldom visited. Several coins and a furnace indicate renewed life here in 4th c. AD.
On the territory of Bulgaria are known 120 coin hoards, ending with the coins of Trajanus Decius. They could be divided into four groups, according to the degree of preservation of their original composition; the information available of the context of discovery and documentation. The hoard from the village of Kardam is of an incomplete content and for that reason belongs to the second group.
According to the percentage of presence of the emissions, issued by the particular emperors in the hoard in discussion, the latter can be divided into three groups. The hoard of Kardam refers to the most numerous first group, in which the emissions of emperors Gordianus III and Philip the Arab predominate. This group comprises pieces of the so-called circulation or emergency hoard. We can associate their burial into the ground with the second phase of the war from the 250 – 251, namely the events of the summer of 251 AD.
The intention of the present article is the publication of pit № 10 from 2009 archaeological campaign, which represents a closed complex from the beginning of the 4th century AD. In the pit were found 15 coins; two fibulae, bronze ring and application, a bottom of a glass vessel and two fragments of tegulae, with preserved stamp segments of Legio І Ital¬ica and Cohort І Bracarorum. The discovered finds allow dating of the filling of the pit from the end of the first third of the 4th century AD. Most probably it was septic or household. Indipendantlly of its functional purpouse, it is wel-dated close complex, that allows precise dating of the ce¬ramics and finds found in it.
The presented ceramic complex of pit № 10 represents a considerable interest. The registered technological groups and forms are widespread dur¬ing the Roman age and Late Antiquity.The certain determination of forms from 2nd-3rd century, as well as of some popular in 4th-5th in a precisely dated complex, is of great importance for the further study of domestic ceramics south of the Danube. The presented materials clearly demonstrate that the production of varnish ceramics continues after the Gothic invasions of the middle of the 3rd century. On the other hand, the presence of numerous forms typical for the period after the middle of the 4th and 5th centuries, shows the initial stage of vessel development in the period from the middle of the 3rd to the middle of the 4th century.
REGION
On May 15, 1957, during the excavation of a fire-crane pit, at a depth of 1.0 m, Minko Ivanov Galchev crashed a small grey vessel, which contained Roman silver coins. This happened in the locality of “Vlaevitsa” close to the cooperative yard of the village of Popintsi, Pazardzhik region. The number of the discovered coins is unknown, but parts of them were looted by the women that worked nearby. Later, twice, the Panagyurishte museum received parts of the hoard, 315 and 74 coins correspondingly. Five coins of the same hoard have also been registered in the patrimony of the Plovdiv Regional Museum of Archaeology. After being cleaned up, it was settled that the denarii (373) and the antoniniani (19) are divided as follows: Vespasian 2 (Titus 1); Trajan 3; Hadrian 2; Antoninus Pius 11 (Antoninus Pius 6; Faustina the Elder3; Marcus Aurelius 2); Marcus Aurelius 8 (Marcus Aurelius 2; Faustina the Younger 2; Lucius Verus 1; Lucilla 2; Commodus 1); Commodus 12 (Commodus 11; Crispina 1); Clodius
Albinus 3; Septimius Severus 147 (Septimius Severus78; Julia Domna 17; Caracalla 28; Plautilla 4; Geta 20); Caracalla22 (Caracalla 21; Julia Domna1); Macrinus 4; Elagabalus 67 (Elagabalus 44; Julia Maesa 18; Julia Soaemias 4; Julia Paula 1); Severus Alexander 78 (Severus Alexander 61; Julia Mamaea 15; Orbiana 2); MaximinusThrax 15 (MaximinusThrax 14; Maximus Caesar 1); Gordian III 13; Philip son 5. Тerminus post quem of the coin hoard is 247 – 249 AD and its depositing underground is probably the result of the invasion of 250 – 251 AD
Thematically papers were divided into 11 sessions, dealing with different aspects of Greek, Roman and Byzantine fibulae (cf. the program in the abstract booklet). Revised papers will be published in a peer-reviewed proceedings volume.
A fibula is a brooch or pin for fastening garments, typically at the right shoulder. The fibulae developed in a variety of shapes and are usually divided into families that are based upon historical periods, geography, and/or cultures. They are also divided into classes that are based upon their general forms. Fibulae were found in relatively large quantities in the Mediterranean and Black Sea area, where they were in use and produced frequently between the Bronze Age and Medieval periods. So far the study of these multifunctional objects has been overlooked in the Mediterranean whereas there is still a huge amount of unpublished material from excavations and museums in an area from Portugal down to Egypt.
Fibulae can be categorized based on different criteria, including genres of material, production, use and distribution. The purpose of this video conference was to create an analytical framework for understanding the fibulae in their social and material contexts. This conference considered in depth the role played by fibulas – whose uses ranged from clothes pins to status symbols to military badges of rank – in ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine societies. In recent decades, major excavation projects have produced vast quantities of material data that have reshaped our understanding of the fibulae, while also raising new questions about their use and production over the long term. We focused on a study of brooches in general and fibulas in particular. Along the way we looked at the intersection between material culture and ethnicity, dealing with the contentious issue of how much that a people’s material culture can tell us about their ethnicity – or not! In this online conference we only focused on Greek, Roman and Byzantine fibulae from the Mediterranean and Black Sea area between c. early sixth century B.C. and early seventh century A.D., and attempted to set out a comprehensive model for the study of fibulae, including their definition, typology, chronology, contexts, function, regional characteristics and distribution patterns in the whole Mediterranean and Black Sea geographies.
This conference on ancient material culture and instrumenta is dedicated to the 75th birthday of Dr Maurizio Buora, the former director of the Civici Musei Castello di Udine in Italy and an international authority on fibulae.
Such papers that engage the following themes and topics are invited:
- Fibulae from archaeological field projects (especially well-dated finds), museums and private collections,
- Identification of different kinds of fibulas,
- Ancient Greek and Latin textual sources on fibulae,
- Evolution of fibulae in the Mediterranean and Black Sea area during the Etruscan, Lydian, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods,
- The construction of fibula taxonomies,
- Similar instrumenta in the ancient Near East and their relations to ancient Graeco-Roman fibulae, - The nature of different types of surviving material culture,
- What ancient Greeks and Romans thought about afterlife? Fibulae in funerary and votive contexts,
- Comparative studies and issues related to the adoption of Greek and/or Roman fibula models in indigenous contexts: fibulae as major indicators of the relationship between these two communities (indigenous and Greek or Roman),
- Fibula as an indicator of rank and prestige in the ancient world,
- Domestic and commercial use of fibulae,
- Early Christian fibulae,
- Byzantine fibulae,
- Post-Byzantine or modern replicas of Classical fibulae,
- Eastern fibulae in the ancient western world,
- Major production centres of fibulae in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea area,
- Related instrumenta to fibulae in the regards of their function,
- Documentation and analysis of fibulae,
- The creation of a fully annotated and organized corpus,
- Publication of fibulae in the Mediterranean in possible corpara,
- Miscellanea.