We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
The sgraffito pottery production flourished in the Byzantine Empire during the late 11th and 12th centuries. During this period, the Bulgarian territories were occupied by the Empire, which facilitated the penetration and wide distribution of Sgraffito Wares. The South Bulgarian lands had always been a buffer zone and a way of transmission for Byzantine culture, goods, and influence. Sgraffito vessels are discovered not only in Bulgarian medieval towns and fortresses but also in small villages, convents, and seasonal settlements. The sgraffito plates found in them find exact parallels in Byzantine centres like Corinth, Athens, Sparta, Pergamon and, of course, the capital of Constantinople. Furthermore, some of the specimens have no analogue, and there is indirect evidence that somewhere in today’s South Bulgaria, there used to be local sgraffito production centres. This work will present and review all of the published materials from the territory of today’s Bulgaria, as well as some unpublished sgraffito pottery from South Bulgaria’s museums.
More...
Muz. 3070 (Russian State Library) includes a portion of the lost Grigorovič manuscript of the Life of Stefan Lazarević, which was removed from Zogr. 105 (previously 151) by Grigorovič during his 1844 visit to the Zograph monastery.
More...
Over the past few years, the number of mace heads discovered in the collections of the Transylvanian museums has gradually increased. The National Museum of Transylvanian History makes no exception. The reorganization and re‑evaluation of its collections brought together 20 mace heads, three kistens, and one kisten chain, all of them unpublished so far. With the help and generosity of the museum staff, I compiled, analyzed, and dated these artifacts using, where possible, the existing typo‑chronologies. For the significant number of maces and kistens where no classification exists, I took on the analysis of relevant analogies.
More...
The post-Dominican St. Dominic’s Church in Płock is one of the oldest sacral buildings in the city. Together with the adjacent monastery, it bears witness to the functioning of the so-called “Górki” community, comprising three denominations: Catholics, Protestants, and the Orthodox. The Romanesque complex was erected no later than the third decade of the thirteenth century, and it held significance on the map of medieval and modern Płock. The buildings themselves have undergone little change over the centuries, making the church and monastery locations with great research potential. Regrettably, the building has not yet been subjected to comprehensive archaeological research, preceded by a source query. Rectifying this situation was the primary goal of the project “At the Intersection of Faiths and Cultures – Research on the History of St. Dominic’s Church in Płock” funded by the “Grants4NCUStudents” budget. As part of it, a research team from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń conducted preliminary archaeological research of the crypts under St. Dominic’s Church in 2022. During a series of field trips, numerous boreholes were made in the crypt space as well as in the cellars under the east wing of the monastery. The backfill of the northern entrance hole was also cleared. The preliminary work facilitated further exploration of the strata undisturbed during the cleaning work carried out in the crypt in the twentieth century. The research led to the discovery of the remains of approximately 120 people, with the bones of 16 people deposited in an ossuary made of a wooden box. Artefacts of material culture were also recovered, which allowed to date the moment and sequence of changes occurring in the crypts. The results of the conducted research enabled the precise development of a further research strategy for the post-Dominican complex in Płock.
More...
Typology is one of the fundamental archaeological methods that helps to organise large amounts of data and facilitates their handling. It is also used in castellology, where it categorises castles into various types, for example, on the basis of their layout, as observed in Czech castellology. Among these classifications, the socalled Central European castell has proved to be particularly problematic. Nevertheless, none of the representatives within this group completely aligns with the definition formulated by T. Durdík. The best-explored representatives of this group, which come closest to meeting the definition, are the castles in Písek and Kadaň. For this reason, they served as analogies for other supposed representatives, forming the basis for the conceptualisation of the original form. Recent research has cast doubts on their inclusion in this typological group. In contrast to the examples mentioned above, there are other sites that come close to the definition, yet their classification into the group of so-called Central European castell has been questioned, to say the least. The issues discussed in this article underscore the insufficient level of knowledge available regarding the representatives of the so-called Central European castell, effectively challenging the legitimacy of using this type in terms of an archaeological method. A potential solution to this situation lies in reclassifying them into another typological group, preferably within the category of castles with a perimeter layout, which would allow their further use. Moreover, such a merger would eliminate the artificial boundaries currently separating these related sites. Nevertheless, typology should primarily be regarded as a method that helps and simplifies the handling of accumulated data. Existing groups require revision to make them more applicable for further research. This should not be limited to the assessment of architectural and historical qualities; it should also incorporate other approaches that have been underutilised thus far. This will help to create a more nuanced understanding and improved comprehension of castle sites.
More...
Piotrków Trybunalski played a significant role in the history of Poland: it was the seat of kings, parliaments and crown tribunals. The first documented archaeological discoveries date back to the 2nd half of the 19th century, whereas more substantial archaeological work has been carried out since the 1960s. The archaeological monitoring carried out in 2014 in Starowarszawska Street, part of the Wolbórz Route, produced some interesting finds. Almost 200 coins (15th to 20th c.) and a bulla – a gilded lead seal with the arms of the Tudors – were recovered from beneath the bridge on the Strawa River. The coins included primarily those of the Polish Kings (from Władysław III of Poland to Stanisław August Poniatowski). The hoard is the largest collection found during the archaeological digs within Piotrków. As for the seal of the Tudors, it may be assumed that given its ornamentation and special gilded finish it was not a commercial one. Instead, it might have served as a security feature for a special gift presented by the Henry VIII’s court to Polish king Sigismund I.
More...
Dnešní setkání je věnováno jednak sfragistickým edicím, jednak vybraným problémům ve sfragistice, jimž – podle očekávání – dominuje digitalizace. Můj příspěvek si dovolí být mostem mezi oběma částmi. Nejprve se zmíním informativně o připravované práci Korpus českých pečetí do nástupu Jana Lucemburského, ve druhé části potom obrátím pozornost na aktuální fenomény evropské sfragistiky.
More...
The paper deals with the convent seals of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Bohemia – those of Benedictine nuns at Saint George in Prague Castle and of Benedictine monks in Břevnov. It was typical for medieval monasteries to use one type of convent seal for a long period of time. In the seal field, there are usually depicted patron saint or saints of the respective monastery. The Saint George monastery, therefore, used one type of convent seal with equestrian figure of Saint George from circa 1230s to 1560s; sitting figures of Saint Adalbert and Saint Benedict are portrayed both at the first and at the second, slightly different type of Břevnov convent seal, used as well from the mid-13th to the mid-16th century. A use of several types of seals is typical for early modern period. Apart from the major convent seal (sigillum maius), there appeared also a smaller seal, and the current agenda was sealed with the so-called signet. The Benedictine nuns at Saint George left the portrayal of patron saint of their convent church at the convent seals until the dissolution of the Order in 1782, only signet bore a heraldic motif of a herald cross. The situation in Břevnov-Broumov monastery was, on the other hand, more complicated. After a certain intermezzo in the latter half of the 16th century when a symbol seal with a stave in a fesse and raguly, and with two roses was used by a monastic community in Broumov, the seal with a portrayal of Saint Wenceslas (a patron saint of Broumov monastery) and with the convent coat of arms was used since the second quarter of the 17th century. Inscriptions of both late Romanesque convent seals were made by capital script with some uncial script elements. Gothic minuscule script was used on a symbol seal of the Břevnov monastery, documented in 1560. Younger seals till the 18th century bear a typical humanist majuscule.
More...
The medieval medical treatises that have survived to the present day generally contain little information about topics that can be called strictly gynecological-obstetric, which causes us to believe that such topics were of no great interest to medieval authors. Rare are medieval works that exclusively and in detail treat of infertility, pregnancy, and childbirth. In her article, Anna Głusiuk examines selected medical treatises whose authors’ treatment of these subjects exceeds several brief sentences. The works of Rhazes, Trota of Salerno, Constantine the African, Aldebrandin of Siena, Taddeo Alderotti, Gentile da Foligno, and Michael Savonarola are invaluable sources of information in that they reveal the state of medical knowledge in the Middle Ages related to, among other topics, infertility, pregnancy, and childbirth. In her analysis, Głusiuk emphasizes that some of them are compilations of earlier works, while others, despite containing numerous references to existing treatises, bring in many new contributions of their authors in the forms of insights, observations, and reflections.
More...
Biblia ca instrument de guvernare. Cu altă ocazie am raportat o celebră faptă de arme a voievodului Vlad Țepeș la un pasaj din Biblie. Este vorba de atacul de noapte asupra taberei sultanului Mehmed II, care a stârnit panică în rândul oștenilor otomani și, după cât se pare, a influențat decizia padișahului de a se retrage din Țara Românească.
More...
The rivalry between the Carolingians and the Byzantines in Italy during the second half of the 9th century faced a new threat – the rise of Islam. Despite the need to unite against the common enemy, mutual suspicion between these two centres of imperial power persisted. This is evident in their joint efforts to confront the Muslim outpost in Apulia, the Emirate of Bari. This article aims to examine the role of the Byzantine fleet in the actions of Emperor Louis II (825–875) during the campaign to eliminate the Emirate of Bari – a task in which the Carolingian ruler was successful. The primary source for this investigation is Louis II’s letter of 871 to Emperor Basil I (867–886). In the letter, the author identifies the links between the activities of Muslims in the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas and their strongholds in Sicily and Africa. Consequently, the author outlines a logical plan to expel the Saracens from Italy, particularly from Campania (Naples) and Calabria, with a crucial role assigned to the Byzantine fleet. The Franks intended to coordinate land operations with the Byzantines in Sicily, aiming to reclaim Palermo – a city, according to the letter, closely linked to the Muslim piracy. However, this plan was based on wishful thinking, as it failed to consider the dispersion of the Byzantine navy, which was simultaneously engaged in conflicts against the forces of the Abbasids, the emirate of Crete, and the Slavic pirates in the Adriatic Sea. These factors, coupled with a growing aversion between the Franks and the Byzantines, ultimately led to the collapse of the alliance and their plans. Despite later successes, the Byzantine fleet was unable to provide timely aid to Sicily and actively counter the advance of Islam on the island.
More...
This article examines the Slavonic version of the Epistle on the Celebration of Easter (CPG 4612) by focusing on the issues of transmission and context. It begins with a brief overview of the manuscript tradition and the title of this writing, and then asks what function the epistle carried in medieval Russia where it was copied. The author argues that this function was primarily theological rather than technical (related purely to paschal calculations and calendar). For that purpose, the author does several things. First, he shows that there are good reasons to assume that this epistle was perceived as part of the Athanasian corpus of Orations against the Arians, whose copying was occasioned by the rise of the Judaizers – a group of Russian heretics that denied the most fundamental Orthodox doctrines and exploited the eschatological crisis in 1492 to lead the Christians astray. And second, the author explores the evidence from Iosif Volockij and comes to the conclusion that his Enlightener contains similar theological concerns about the celebration of Easter as we find in the epistle.
More...
The article explores and offers a diplomatic edition of A Very Useful Confession for Unction for Every Christian, for the Black and White Clergy. This is an autograph by Vladislav the Grammarian placed in the Trebnik of Monk David (1480s), manuscript 1/42 in the collection of the Rila Monastery. The analysis is based on the working hypothesis that after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Ottoman invasion of the Balkans was perceived as a God’s punishment for the sins of the Orthodox Christians. This idea became strongly present in a number of texts. Penitential prayer patterns multiply in the literature. The Greek prototype of the text under study has not been identified yet, but features a close relation to the prayers with the so-called accumulation of sins. It is, in essence, a confession which is performed in connection with the sacrament of the eleosvet (anointing of the sick) before receiving communion and the anointing with holy oil. The textual unit was purposefully introduced into Monk David’s Trebnik and reflected topical textual additions to the basic composition of the Slavonic Trebnik.
More...
The aim of the paper is to reassess urban trajectories in the Mediterranean during the passage from Late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages. This will be done by focusing on the sites of Amorium, Gortyn, Eleutherna, and Comacchio, places which transcend both the terrestrial and maritime, and the political and military frontiers of the Byzantine empire and the Umayyad Caliphate. Archaeology and material culture will be used – in a comparative perspective – to dissect urban bodies in terms of use of space and function of spatial relationship. This is in order to document the construction of urban models, structures, and infrastructures, which, although often stemming from diverse centralized political and administrative policies, nevertheless accommodated common, cross-cultural developments, including the creation of commercial and artisanal facilities, construction or restoration of religious buildings as foci of settlement, and resilience of local elites as a catalyst of patronage and levels of demand.Particular attention will be given to the role of public spaces as the frame of reference. Indeed, such spaces will be used to show how artistic and architectural displays operated, cultural assumptions could be (re-) discussed, and different types of buildings coexisted.In this respect, the paper will also explore the continuous importance of civic infrastructures and religious buildings as pillars of a yet coherent urban fabric, representatives of the power and wealth of local city-oriented elites, and conveyors of political, artistic, and spatial symbolism, as mutually recognized and experienced by the communities frequenting seventh-to-ninth century eastern Mediterranean urban spaces.
More...
Historians have relied for too long on written sources (the letters that Pope Martin I wrote from Cherson, as well as De Administrando Imperio) to assess the economic situation in the Crimea, especially in Cherson, during the so-called Dark Ages (7th to 9th centuries). Many still believe that that city could not have survived without shipments of grain from the outside, particularly from the lands along the southern coast of the Black Sea. Seals of Byzantine officials found in Cherson tell a different story, as they indicate commercial exchanges between the Crimea and Constantinople. If the peninsula participated in trade, something must have been offered in exchange for the goods coming from the Capital. The archaeological evidence strongly suggests that during the 8th and 9th centuries, the hinterland of Cherson, as well as the Kerch Peninsula (eastern Crimea) witnessed rapid economic development, largely based on the cultivation of crops. Silos found on several settlement sites, both open and fortified, suggest a surplus, which was most likely commercialized. If so, the closest markets were across the Black Sea, to the south, primarily in Constantinople. Other commodities, such as wine transported in amphorae, traveled in the opposite direction, across the Sea of Azov and into the interior of Khazaria. In exchange, the peninsula received shipments of grain, which were then re-exported to Constantinople. Far from relying on shipments of grain from the Capital, Cherson and the rest of the Crimean Peninsula in fact supplied Constantinople with food. Numerous vats for the production of fish sauce have been found in Cherson, and many were in operation before 900. A good deal of the garum served at tables in Constantinople between the 7th and the 9th century must have come from Cherson. The archaeological evidence therefore calls for a re-assessment of the economic situation in the Crimean Peninsula during the “Dark Ages”.
More...
When scholars’ efforts are focused on the ethnic, religious and social diversity in certain parts of the Byzantine commonwealth during the middle ages, the hagiographic literature stands out as a key primary source. One such source is a voluminous early tenth-century collection of miracle stories titled A Tale of the Iron Cross. Its essential role when trying to uncover data, specific information and truths about Bulgaria’s medieval past is undeniable. A number of highly informative records have been found and are well-preserved within the covers of this impressive literary work. Many of them have been used repeatedly in various scholars’ academic initiatives and undertakings. However, other Tale’s records, regardless of their unique peculiarities and immeasurable contemporary information, still remain outside of the main research work when it comes to the subject matter of captivity and warfare.
More...
This article presents an overview of published and unpublished Byzantine and post-Byzantine hymnographic texts dedicated to Saint Constantine, founder of Constantinople and first Byzantine emperor, and his mother Saint Helena. Specifically, we cite and comment upon some indicative passages primarily found in canons of the Matins, which refer to historical events from the lives of the saints and attribute to them, especially to Saint Constantine, virtues such as justice, piety, wisdom, and the defense of the true faith. These qualities are directly associated with the imperial political ideology as this was shaped principally by Eusebius of Caesarea in his works Life of Constantine and Tricennial Oration.
More...
The paper describes and analyses a medieval Hebrew manuscript traditionally reffered to as “Cheb mahzor“. The author, however, call it “Prague mahzor“. The manuscript is kept in the State Library of the C.S.R.
More...
The article commemorates the 700th anniversary of the death of the Czech King Přemysl Ottocar II, who granted Jews privileges of decisive significance for their position in the Czech lands and further historical development.
More...