LANDSCAPE OF SENSUAL BODY REFERENCES: THERMAL BATHS IN LESBOS ISLAND AND THEIR MULTI-HISTORICAL VALUE FROM HELLENIC ANTIQUITY TO OTTOMAN CULTURE

Author(s): Konstantinos Moraitis,Panayotis Kontolaimos,Filio Iliopoulou / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2021

"Culture, especially under the multiethnic conditions of East Mediterranean, was produced through previous millennia as it still does, as a trans-cultural palimpsest association. Landscape apperception and landscape formative practices, in the previous mentioned territory, are thus needed to be considered under the above described, generalized concept of multiethnic cultural influences and the same could also be valid, in particular, for the successive architectural paradigms, as well as for the formation of cultural habits and social morality. Insisting on the last remark, we could however comment that analogous influences, as those related to the body culture and to body treatment, had in the past a much more extended span of transference, travelling through the ages from East Mediterranean to post Renaissance and neoteric Western Europe. It is in this context that we shall comment in general the Western orientalistic imagery of the Turkish baths. We shall present moreover, in detail, the landscape of Thermi in the Greek Lesbos Island; a natural thermal sources landscape, where successive installations of thermal baths facilities were erected, from the period of the Hellenic antiquity, though Hellenistic and Roman periods, till the early 20th century construction of the Turkish Sarligjé Palace Hotel and the end of the Ottoman control of Lesbos."

L’osmosi tra l’Io e il Cosmo nell’antica Ellade

Author(s): Rosina Scalise,Sara Bacchini / Language(s): Italian Issue: 1/2020

Since the dawn of civilization, human beings have sought in dance and music a way to reunite and osmotically merge with the Universe. This will to unite with the Cosmos is very strong in the society of ancient Greece, as documented by the paintings on the vases and other archaeological discoveries that have been made to this day. Even in the mythological heritage that the ancient Greeks left us and the epic poems to this day, we clearly observe this need to achieve ecstasy through music, dance and singing. Dance was the first expression of the Universe: body and spirit reached a melting point, reproducing an archetypal figure. This was also the only universe where the Greek woman could feel free and equal to the man.

FROM NOBLES TO SERVANTS: WOMEN'S ROLES IN GEORGIAN MONOGAMY - A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS THROUGH LITERARY SOURCES

Author(s): Nino Gambashidze / Language(s): English Issue: 7/2023

The earliest Georgian literary works, traditionally categorized as "hagiography," chronicle the lives and martyrdoms of notable figures from the early Christian era (5th -9th centuries). In addition to religious themes, these narratives reveal the actions of real individuals who, while advocating for their faith, also asserted their right to act independently, even in the face of aggression and opposition from those in power. This article delves into the roles of women in positions of authority, as well as women from lower social strata, who, according to medieval Georgian and Armenian sources, made significant contributions to the state despite their modest beginnings. The period following Persian, Arabian, and Turkish invasions in Georgia witnessed the introduction of "maidens" and "servants" into the monogamous culture, prompting questions about the purpose of this institution. It remains uncertain whether these foreign women were assigned to monarchs and noble leaders for specific, and possibly ambiguous, reasons. Consequently, both Georgian men and women across social classes grappled with the introduction of this institution, which was never formally endorsed. Unfortunately, servant women often bore the label of being loyal to their masters, further casting suspicion on them as potential "spies" within the royal court. The responsibility of challenging practices like polygamy or moral laxity often fell on the shoulders of accomplished women. Thus, the adage "Behind every successful man, there stands a strong woman" resonates in the portrayal of Georgian women throughout the centuries, continuing into modern times. In the presented article, there is an attempt to show the actions of women in power as well as women of low class who would carry out the idea of service to the state in spite of their social origin, according to Georgian and Armenian medieval sources.

GEORGIA’S GREATEST MODERNIST POET UNDER THE SOVIET TOTALITARIAN REGIME

Author(s): Maia Ninidze,Natia Sikharulidze / Language(s): English Issue: 8/2024

The article studies the influence of the Soviet Union totalitarian regime on the famous Georgian poet – Galaktion Tabidze’s (1891-1959) life and works. The first two chapters refer to the legitimacy of using the terms “Totalitarianism” and “modernism” in this context and give a short survey of the general views about the tasks. Chapter three discusses the reasons why the Soviet leaders condemned Modernism and oppressed modernist authors. Next three chapters refer to one particular poet – Galaktion Tabidze and his efforts to survive and keep publishing his poetry. The detailed analysis of the changes made by him in his old (pre-Soviet) poems vividly reflect the directives of the Communist leaders. His failed attempt to publish a poem about the brutality of the totalitarian regime against Georgian rebellions demonstrates the strength of censorship. Galaktion Tabidze was not executed but was led to suicide step by step. We consider that literary works of other writers should also be studied from this point of view to make a full picture how the totalitarian regime oppressed writers and artists, controlled and influenced literature and art.

Архитект Фридрих Грюнангер и България

Author(s): Lyubinka Stoilova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2025

This paper explores the work of Friedrich Grünanger in Bulgaria from 1879 until his retirement (1914–1915). At a time when the country faced an acute need for specialists, the architect dedicated his 35-year career to supporting rapid social progress. He addressed a wide range of professional challenges for various institutions and social circles, introducing contemporary knowledge and expertise from Central Europe. Well-known aspects of Grünanger’s biography are expanded with new insights into the life circumstances that shaped his work, which unfolded in three overlapping phases: as a civil servant, as a freelance designer, and as an architect at the “Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi” Ephoria. These roles intertwined over time, influencing one another. The analysis of the architect’s personal style within a broader pan-European context, complemented by newly discovered drawings and photographs, enriches our understanding of Bulgarian architecture and culture during the transition from the 19th to the 20th century.

Академик Георги Яковлев(ич) Кирков – дизайнер на първите български парични и филателни емисии

Author(s): Tsveti Pchelinski / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2025

This article explores the life and extensive, multifaceted creative work of Georgi Yakovlev Kirkov—a prominent educator and polymath, one of the eminent architects of modern Bulgaria. He actively contributed to the establishment and leadership of many of the country’s first modern administrative and scientific institutions. A key focus is placed on one of his most significant contributions: the design of Bulgaria’s first revenue stamps, postage stamps, postcards, banknotes, and coins. Based on collected archival materials, this study sheds light on the early history of postal services and telecommunications in Bulgaria in the years following the Liberation.

Ролята на театралния репертоар през погледа на властта в България 1944–1948 година

Author(s): Hristiyan Danchev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2025

This study aims to answer the question, “Whom does the theater serve?” during the period of the so-called People’s Democracy (1944–1948) through the prism of the repertoire policy pursued at the time. It traces the evolution of the state’s understanding of repertoire policy and theater itself during a transitional and turbulent period, when the foundations of the socialist conception of Bulgarian theater’s role and place in the socio-cultural sphere were being laid. The study employs the method of historical analysis and is based on a large number of archival materials, many of which are introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. It elucidates the interrelation between domestic and foreign political processes on the one hand and the developments in theater on the other, demonstrating how theatrical dramaturgy gradually became a mechanism for serving the government’s agenda – reinforcing the present and unveiling the “glorious” prospects of the future.

XI Дриновски четения

Author(s): Mihail Stanchev,Sergey Strashniuk / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2025

За актуалния статус на личната библиотека на йеромонах Неофит Рилски в Рилския манастир

Author(s): Gabriela Angelova,Kameliya Hristova-Yordanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

The article offers a brief overview of the published works on the private library of hieromonk Neophyte of Rila. The research suggests a comparative analysis of the present inventory of his private library collection provided by the library of the Rila Monastery and his own list, written by himself and kept at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Through this comparative study, the research aims to identify books currently missing from his personal library. This investigation is facilitated by the access granted to the Rila Monastery repository, enabling direct examination of hieromonk Neophyte of Rila’s private book collection.The primary objective of this research is to provide a reference tool that will facilitate the identification and location of missing units within the Library at the Rila Monastery and other pertinent repositories, which may house some of Neophyte’s private books.

Şcoala Normală Superioară: de la modelul francez la „unealta vechiului regim” carlist

Author(s): Camelia Zavarache / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 23/2024

The article explores two dimensions of teacher training in interwar Romania: the importance of this policy in the politics of culture promoted by the state; and, its centrality to the political education of the youth promoted by successive political regimes. The Superior Normal Schools and the University Pedagogical Seminars were institutions considered outdated by teaching professionals and the political elite due to scientific reasons and the poor performances of early career teachers. The new model of Superior Normal School implemented in 1938 was the direct result of the multidisciplinary research on education that sociologist Dimitrie Gusti had coordinated five years prior during his tenure as Minister of the Public Instruction. However, once the Iron Guard seized power, Gusti’s collaboration with Carol II’s authoritarian regime seemingly justified the labelling by new authorities of the Superior Normal School as a „political tool” of the former royal dictatorship.

Politica în „Epoca stagnării”: consemnări în jurnalul lui Leonid Iilici Brejnev

Author(s): Simion Gheorghiu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 23/2024

The article addresses a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues faced by the Soviet Union during the period of stagnation, as reflected in Leonid Brezhnev’s memoirs. Published in a limited edition after nearly a decade of sustained editorial efforts, and accompanied by a critical apparatus based largely on previously unpublished archival material, specially declassified for this project, Brezhnevʼs memoirs is a unique source in its own way.For researchers interested in the history of the USSR in its final period of existence, Brezhnevʼs autobiography is an important resource. It not only reconstructs the general framework of the era but also provides direct insight into the events experienced and influenced by the Soviet leader.The article summarizes the information from the three volumes of the memoirs, focusing on the Soviet Unionʼs relations with the United States, China, and the member countries of the Warsaw Treaty Organization. The contribution also dwells on issues pertaining to Soviet-Romanian relations, which drew the attention of the Moscow leader.

საერო ხელისუფალთა გამოსახულებანი და მათი ატრიბუტიკა შუა საუკუნეების ქართულ ქანდაკებაში

Author(s): Tamar KHUNDADZE / Language(s): Georgian Issue: 12/2024

In medieval Georgian fine art, images of supreme secular authorities—such as kings, queens, and feudal lords—hold a significant place alongside purely religious scenes. These figures, often depicted in their distinctive vestments and insignia, denote their social status. Frequently, they are shown alongside divine beings in symbolic compositions, which not only convey their spiritual salvation but also assert their divinely sanctioned power. The earliest examples of such stone sculptures in Georgian art date from the 5th to the 11th centuries. These depictions are commonly found on early medieval stone crosses, chancel barrier tiles, and church facades. This article examines the portrayal of secular authorities in medieval Georgian sculpture and their attributes, placing these depictions within a cross-cultural context that includes Byzantine, Armenian, and Iranian influences. By analyzing the images of secular authorities, their attributes, and accompanying inscriptions, the article illustrates the power of Georgian medieval rulers expressed through local regalia. It will also explore political orientation of the State and cultural influences between Georgia and its neighboring countries. The article will overview the information supported by historical sources. Additionally, the article discusses the placement of sculptural images of secular authorities on church facades and their artistic features. It assesses how artistic trends of the same period of Georgian sculpture— such as stylistic innovations, the continuation of local traditions, and influences from neighboring countries—affected these works.

Jono Bretkūno Postilė (1591) Lietuvos nacionalinėje Martyno Mažvydo bibliotekoje (2024)

Author(s): Ona Aleknavičienė / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 26/2024

In September 2024, the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania (NLL ) procured a copy of the Postil (1591) by Jonas Bretkūnas (LNB NPDA F: D1406729/1591). It is the 11th copy kept on file at Lithuanian libraries and museums, and the third Postil outside of Bibliography of Lithuania Lietuvos bibliografija (LB I, 1969 and LBP, 1990) currently held at Lithuanian memory institutions. This copy of the Postil is the oldest Lithuanian book at the NLL . The goal of this article is to introduce the new copy to the academia and the culture society by describing its condition and binding, establishing its provenience, scrutinising the data attesting to the culture of reading and handwritten entries in particular. The copy is studied de visu according to the methodological analysis of the book, with a particular focus on dynamic factors: changes in the meaning of functions and the reciprocal relationship between the book and society. The proveniences testify that in the 19th century, this was a household book that had at least four owners: (1) the unnamed mother of Urtė Ostwald (until 1830); (2) Urtė Ostwald (as of 1830); (3) Friedrich Fritz Ostwald Jr.; (4) E. Skėrys (between 1860 and 1893, at the very least) of Senieji Vainočiai (Ger. Alt Weynothen in Prussian Lithuania, near to Tilžė [Ger. Tilsit]). The published testimony of the peers indicates that in the 20th century, (5) it belonged (until 1988) to Mina Bentkus (born in 1900) of Büsingen (German exclave in Switzerland), (6) and (as of 1988) to Fricas Skėrys (1919–1994) of Mannheim (Germany). In early 20th century, the book was transferred from its original location in Prussian Lithuania to Switzerland (to Feuerthalen near Schaffhausen), following the move of the home church community of Evangeliška liuteriška Betliejaus draugystė (The Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship of Bethlehem) under Rev. Endrikis Kalvaitis (Heinrich Kallweit, 1937– 1915) to the same country. In around mid-20th century, the religious books that Prussian Lithuanians had in their possession were collected by Mina Bentkus, who in 1988 handed them over to the German evangelical Lutheran priest Fricas Skėrys. The main hallmark which identifies the copy procured by the NLL as the one that Mina Bentkus had and passed on to Fricas Skėrys is the 1830 provenience by Urtė Ostwald, as recorded in Domas Kaunas’s 1991 de visu inventory of the Postil kept at Skėrys’s home.

SOVIETINĖS LIETUVOS VAIZDINYS MODERNIOSIOS TAPATYBĖS IDEOLOGINIO NARATYVO TEKSTYNE

Author(s): Aurelija Gritėnienė / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 90/2024

The article looks into the image of soviet Lithuania that can be pieced together from the material printed in the “Tiesa” from 1945 and 1962 and in the “Komjaunimo Tiesa” from 1956–1957, how much truth and how much distorted or even new reality constructed by propaganda artists there is in that image, and how journalist texts from the period (re)construct soviet Lithuania – all that in reliance of the data from the Corpus of the Ideological Narrative of the Modern Identity. Semantic analysis of 798 illustrations that contain mentions of Lithuania has shown that the Soviet press tried to project a highly positive picture of a perfect Lithuania, which covered the following key aspects: denigration of the recent past (Lithuania under Smetona, bourgeois Lithuania) and its actors; emphasis of the bright soviet present; celebration of the country’s economic, cultural, and other achievements; identification of specific friends, interior and exterior enemies. The idealistic press narrative about Lithuania employs standard clichés of soviet propaganda, exultantly portraying the life of ‘happy’ people from a ‘happy’ country in the Soviet system. Semantic analysis of the sentences selected for the study has shown that, just like a distorting mirror, the Soviet ideological press, too, reflected the official simulacrum of an ideal Lithuania, yet the reality was completely different; therefore, we can see a clear gap between what was depicted in the official soviet press and the true image of the glum reality.

PROVOĐENJE PARTIJSKIH ZAKLJUČAKA U INSTITUCIJAMA POTPISNICAMA DEKLARACIJE O NAZIVU I POLOŽAJU HRVATSKOG KNJIŽEVNOG JEZIKA I PREDLOGA ZA RAZMIŠLJANJE – PREMA PISANJU POLITIKE I BORBE

Author(s): Šimun Novaković / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 1/2020

The Party wanted to unveil the circumstances how the Declaration on the Name and Status of the Croatian Literary Language was signed. It asked for the sanctioning of the responsible ones and public distancing from its content. In order to implement the Party conclusions, in the majority of the signatory institutions special meetings were held. The Association of the Writers of Croatia discussed the Declaration twice. First, on the 29th and 30th March the communists of the Association denounced its content.Then on the 4th of April the ground organization of the League of Communists proclaimed the disciplinary measures. Discussions were led at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, first in the ground organization of the League of Communists and then at the Faculty Council. In Matica hrvatska (Matrix Croatica) there were no larger discussions, except for one meeting that was closed for the public and that issued a statement that the Directors’ Board and the Supervisory Board would sign in a collective resignation. The Zadar press gave a short report that the ground organization of the League of Communists of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences had punished two signatories. Except for the professing of the way how the Declaration should be implemented there were no other larger discussions in the signatory institutions of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts, in the Old Slavic Institute and Literary Translators’ Association. Their members, who were the Party members, underwent disciplinary measures in other institutions, mainly in the Croatian Writers’ Association and at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Ther Party bodies had a negative reaction also to the appearance of The Suggestion for Thinking by a group of Serbian writers, members of the Serbia Writers’ Association. After negative Party reactions a communists meeting was held as well as a special, non-regular assembley of the Association. The initiators were punished. The paper brings the content of the conclusions and the most interesting parts of the talks from these meetings. A special emphasis is put onto the talks of the main protagonists of the Declaration and the Suggestion.

KNJIGA IRINE BUDIMIR O FRAZEMIMA U HERCEGOVAČKOJ PERIODICI NA PRIJELAZU IZ 19. U 20. ST. – VAŽAN PRINOS ISTRAŽIVANJU POVIJESNE FRAZEOLOGIJE

Author(s): Katica Krešić / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 1-2/2021

Review of: Irina Budimir, Frazemi hercegovačke hrvatske periodike na prijelazu iz 19. u 20. st. i njihova leksikografska obradba, Fram Ziral, Mostar, 2020. UDK: 811.163.42’373:016/655(497.6)“18/19“(049.3).

Програмите на Kорпуса на мира в България (1991 – 2013): цели и реализация

Author(s): Simona Samuilova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

The purpose of this article is to examine the activities of the Peace Corps in Bulgaria as an instrument of US “soft power”. It is based on research and analysis of documents from the archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, annual reports and evaluations of the effectiveness of the volunteer organization during the period of its activity in the country (1991-2013). Using a chronological and thematic approach, the objectives of the organization are outlined. They combine a complex balance between the commitment and voluntary two-year service of thousands of Americans to promote „peace” and „understanding” among nations and the organization’s strategic goals of supporting US foreign policy interests in Central and Eastern Europe after the end of the Cold War. In Bulgaria, these are to promote economic reforms in the transition from a planned to a market economy (economic), to increase American influence (geostrategic), to promote democracy and to strengthen the pro-Western orientation of the younger generations (political).

ВИКТОР ЗАЙЦЕВ. ТОВАРИЩ ЧЕХОВ. ОЧЕРКИ ПО ИСТОРИИ СОВЕТСКОГО ЧЕХОВЕДЕНИЯ 1920–1950-Х ГОДОВ

Author(s): Ksenia Vanicheva / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2024

Review of: Виктор Зайцев. Товарищ Чехов. Очерки по истории советского чеховедения 1920–1950-х годов. М.: Издательство «Литературный музей», 2022. 608 с. ISBN 9785604523377.

Bekenntnis und Diaspora

Author(s): Dirk Schuster / Language(s): German Issue: 1/2025

Review of: Bekenntnis und Diaspora. Beziehungen und Netzwerke zwischen Deutschland, Mittelund Südosteuropa im Protestantismus vom 16. bis 20. Jahrhundert. Hrsg. Von Angela I l i ć. (Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für deutsche Kultur und Geschichte Südosteuropas an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Bd. 142.) Verlag Friedrich Pustet. Regensburg 2021. 244 S., Ill. ISBN 978-3-7917-3227-5. (€ 29,95.).

Mapping Art Collecting in Europe, 1860–1940

Author(s): Kacper Radny / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2025

Review of: Mapping Art Collecting in Europe, 1860–1940. Eastern and Western Sociocultural Perspectives. Hrsg. von Milena Woźniak - Koch. (FOKUS, Bd. 10.) Brill | Schöningh. Paderborn 2023. 346 S. Ill. ISBN 978-3-506-79543-4. (€ 129,–.).