Безличные конструкции типа нѣтъ воды в языке русских северо-западных летописных и бытовых памятников ХII–ХVI вв.

Author(s): Kira Zhuravleva / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2022

The article is devoted to impersonal sentences with form of the genitive case in the language of Old Russian Northwestern monuments. A total of 204 sentences were analyzed, of which only 5 do not contain negation. As a result, the semantics of predicates in constructions of this type are described, statistics concerning the peculiarities of the use of forms of moods and tenses is presented. The use of the lexeme нѣтъ (acting in the function ‘there is no’ in the present tense) and its variants in impersonal constructions are analyzed. It is revealed that constructions without negation function in two types – dialectal northwestern construction with the verb быти and constructions with full-valued verbs.

Magdalena Skoblar, ur., Byzantium, Venice and the Medieval Adriatic: Spheres of Maritime Power and Influence

Author(s): Luka Mihanović / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 64/2023

Review of: Magdalena Skoblar, ur., Byzantium, Venice and the Medieval Adriatic: Spheres of Maritime Power and Influence, c. 700-1453, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021, 400 stranica

RITUAL ROADWAYS AND PLACES OF POWER IN THE CHACO WORLD (ca. AD 850–1150)

Author(s): Robert S. Weiner / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

This paper considers the topic of sacred spaces in North America through the vantage offered by Chacoan roads, monumental avenues constructed by Ancestral Four Corners people of the US Southwest from ca. AD 850–1200. I begin with a critique of the concept of the “sacred” as applied to the Chacoan past, suggesting instead that the Indigenous North American concept of power (in the sense of potent, generative force infused throughout the environment) offers a more culturally relevant framing. Next, I present three examples of locations along Chacoan roads that I argue were recognized as places of power due to the inherent landscape affordances of these locales. I close by briefly describing some of the practices carried out along Chacoan roads and drawing a connection between the understanding of “sacredness” evidenced through the archaeology of Chacoan roads and contemporary Native American activist efforts to protect landscapes of great power and meaning.

IDEA WSPÓŁCZESNYCH OGRODÓW EKOLOGICZNYCH W KONTEKŚCIE STAROŻYTNEJ I ŚREDNIOWIECZNEJ WIEDZY AGRONOMICZNEJ ORAZ OGRODNICZEJ

Author(s): Piotr Kulesza / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2023

The increasing environmental changes and the progressive climate crisis are forcing a constant search for the causes of the problem. It is seen not only in technological progress, industrialization and consumptionism, but in man’s negative attitudes towards nature. One of its solutions is the formation of a new pro-ecological attitude, which operates not only in the natural, but also in the social and cultural context. A manifestation of contemporary ecological thought are gardens, which have now acquired the status of a timeless ecological topos and are becoming an ecosymbol of man's relationship with the environment. In this sense, gardens are a place of coexistence between man and nature, which is treated as a common home — an oikos. The purpose of this article is to explain the contemporary idea of ecological gardens and to try to trace their origins in Roman agronomic literature and medieval gardens. In addition, to relate the garden practices and solutions of the time to the modern ecological meaning.

Страстите на душата: в старата и новата българска литература: опит за сравнение

Author(s): Hristo Saldzhiev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2023

The article explores a big number of lexical and figurative similarities concerning the passions of the soul conveyed in the works of two authors who take significant place in the history of the medieval and modern Bulgarian literature – the first one is the XIV century author of religious anthems – Efrem and the second is Yavorov – one of the most famous Bulgarian poets from the very beginning of the XX century. Efrem’s views about the fall, passions and contrition of the soul, as well as the connections of these views with the Christian penitential literature and st. Paul’s letter to the Romans are regarded in details. Special attention is paid to Efrem’s soteriological notion of inferno which is rooted in psalms and the Christian idea of Jesus’ victory over death. This soteriological notion essentially differs from the mythological notion of inferno taking place in other literary traditions from the same period. In respect to the passions of the soul the analysis of the poetry of Yavorov reveals a big number of figurative and lexical similarities with Efrem’s anthems. I conclude that the similarities in question are not result of cultural continuum between Yavorov and Efrem but originate from common dramatic experiences exceeding epochs and the peculiarities of literary genres. These common experiences give rise to similar metaphysic language used by both authors.

THE MEDIEVAL POLISH DOCTRINE OF THE LAW OF NATIONS: IUS GENTIUM

Author(s): Stanisław Wielgus / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2022

In attempting to summarize in a few sentences the achievements of the medieval scholars of the Polish school of ius gentium, we must emphasize that by employing the inherited legal and philosophico-theological tradition and intellectual achievements of the University of Kraków, coupling it with their own genius, they manager to create a coherent and universal system of international law. It was a system so modern, wise, tolerant and universal that it was able to be applied not only in solving the painful problem stemming from the lengthy conflict between Poland and the Teutonic Knights but was also used in resolving global problems of the contemporary Christian’s world conflict with the non-Christian one. That legal system, based upon the eternal principles of Divine and natural law, taking account of the Gospel Law of Love and inseparably connecting law with morality and justice with truth, remains valid even today.

Łacińska humiliatio a staropolska pokora. Wpływ polszczyzny na łacinę w średniowieczu

Author(s): Anna Ledzińska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 75/2019

The paper discusses cross-linguistic interference observed while studying Latin humiliatio, humilitas (and additionally homagium, venia) and Old Polish pokora, referring to the statutory and customary legal practice of ‘public humiliation of the culprit, most often the murderer, and their request for forgiveness’. The research focuses on the linguistic and socio-cultural changes that made the juridical meaning of humiliatio, humilitas emerge. The paper offers a diachronic analysis of the development of a set of words that share the root humil*, followed by a synchronic study of the vocabulary attested in Old Polish, Old Czech, and in Medieval Latin used in other countries. The article discusses linguistic and socio-cultural factors that might have contributed to the development of the juridical sense of humiliatio, humilitas in Medieval Latin in Poland, and concludes with a hypothesis that the described sense emerged as a calque of one of the senses of the Polish word pokora.

„Ozdobiona wszelkimi cnotami” cesarska siostra Pulcheria i „roztropna” cesarzowa Atenais-Eudocja – co o epoce Teodozjusza II wiedzieli Słowianie prawosławni w średniowieczu?

Author(s): Zofia A. Brzozowska,Mirosław J. Leszka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 87/2023

The image of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-fifth century and the perception of its rulers in the Old Rus’ writing was formed on the basis of the Orthodox Slavonic translations created in the Balkans of the works of three Byzantine historians: John Malalas (sixth century), George the Monk called Hamartolos (ninth century), and Constantine Manasses (twelfth century). The use of their accounts by the authors of chronicles, even in the second half of the 16th century, testifies to the exceptional longevity of Byzantine hi-storiography and the peculiar timelessness of the works of the aforementioned historians. It should be noted, however, that Pulcheria, Theodosius II, Athenais-Eudocia and Marcian did not only attract the attention of Old Rus’ historiographers as persons with real influen-ce on the course of events in the past. Orthodox Slavs of the late Middle Ages viewed the mid-fifth century primarily as the era of the great disputes over the nature of Christ, culmi-nating in the convening of the ecumenical councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451). Some of the emperors and empresses involved in the theological controversies of their time were venerated as saints in the realm of Slavia Orthodoxa. Analysis of the Old Rus’ chronicles from the 14th-16th centuries allows us to assume that hagiography influenced the creation of the images of such figures in historiography. In order to reconstruct the overall image of Pulcheria and Athenais-Eudokia in Old Rus’ literature, it would therefore be necessary to examine the hagiographic texts dedicated to them.

За едно необичайно изображение на св. Кирил и св. Методий от Бяла черква – „Проповѣдъ св. Кирилъ и Методїй предъ хозарскїй ханъ“

Author(s): Totka Grigorova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2023

The article presents an unpublished iconographic image of St. Cyril and Methodius from the early 20th century found at the “St. Dimitar” church in the town of Byala Cherkva, Tarnovo region. It is an illustration of a scene from the life of the Slavic Enlighteners, which depicts a moment from their Khazar mission. The compositional solution is entirely original. The placement of the scene is also unusual – it is placed on a panel of the iconostasis, under the royal icon of the Slavic Enlighteners. The image in question adds a new touch to the Cyril and Methodius pictorial tradition, which, although a local and isolated decision, reflects the ideas and perceptions of the Bulgarians of the early 20th century about their medieval history.

ORTA ÇAĞ AVRUPASI’NDA DİN DIŞI MÜZİK VE GEZGİN MÜZİSYENLİK GELENEKLERİ

Author(s): Ali Doğan NUR,Hakan Bağci / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 43/2023

Although it is known that there are songs and dances belonging to different nations in the history of music, there are also songs and dances whose origins are unknown. Many of them are said to have originated in ancient times,some deriving from church music; others were created by travelling musicians in the Middle Ages. In addition to Gregorian chant, the melodic repertoire created by itinerant musicians, which evolved more naturally into a major-minor tonality, formed the basis of both religious and secular music in the following centuries. Travelling musicians, who were both poets and musicians, travelled from province to province, staying in towns and castles and spreading news and events through their songs. These talented and experienced poets-musicians based their fame on their poems and songs, especially those dealing with "pure and noble" love. Travelling musicians, who spread across Europe for centuries, were known by different names at different times, in different countries and regions. These travelling musicians were called "troubadour" in Southern France and Provence, "trouvère" in Northern France, "minnesänger" and later "meistersinger" in Germany and Austria, "minstrel" and "gleeman" in England, "travatore" in Italy and "trovador/trobador" in Spain. Apart from these, "jongleur", "ménestrel" and "goliard" are also important representatives of this tradition. The common theme of the travelling musicians in their works is the mysterious love that they cannot reach. It is known that some travelling musicians, who sang, recited poetry and even danced while playing instruments, added a different dimension to music with the cymbals they wore on their bodies, and even performed one-man shows by juggling and clowning to music. In medieval Europe, non-religious songs and dances accompanied many aspects of everyday life, not only entertaining crowds in marketplaces but also adding colour to special events such as royal visits and religious festivals.

Отзив за: Н. Кънев. Византия и България на Балканите. Студии върху политическата история и българо-византийското имперско противоборство на Балканския полуостров през периода VІІ – Х век (Византийско-български студии ІІ).

Author(s): Momchil Mladenov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2023

Отзив за: Николай А. Кънев. Титли и рангова йерархия във Византия през IX–XI век.

Author(s): Simeon Antonov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2023

The Paulicians

Author(s): Canan Seyfeli / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

The subject of the present study is the Paulicians. With their native homeland in Anatolia and different Christian doctrine, the Paulicians were a purely underground movement, influential in the 7th-12th centuries. Perceived as heretical by Orthodox Christianity, they were forced to act secretly. However, they were influential in Byzantium and the Orthodox Church when they were strong. Orthodox and Armenians were responsible for their disappearance in Anatolia, which led to the emergence of different doctrines and movements in the following centuries and their spread in the Balkans. Constantinos, the Paulicians’ first leader, was pronounced a didaskalos in 655. In the first half of the 9th century, divided into two, the movement lost its power in Anatolia. Constantinos and later leaders identified themselves as Christians. The Paulician doctrine accepts some texts from the New Testament, but they interpret the Scriptures, Jesus Christ, and rituals such as baptism and evharistiya differently from Orthodox Christians. Although often associated with dualist doctrines, neither their form of organization nor their orders and prohibitions are similar to the dualist ones. Their association with Christianity is based on more detailed data; however, they have different ideas about central issues, such as the Trinity and the position of Jesus Christ as God. The Paulicians adopted a significant number of New Testament texts, especially the Gospels and the Epistles of Paul. Thus they adopted a new interpretation of Christianity, which, combined with their belief that deviated from the primary religious admissions, led to a negative perception. Due to their different interpretations, they were declared heretical by the Armenian Church in the east and the Orthodox Church, and the Catholic Church in the west. As a result, they were persecuted and forced to migrate or go underground; thus, the inauthentic information about them increased. Since there are no Paulicians living today, there is no way to study the subject in its own reality.

A COMBINED APPROACH TO THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE “SACRED LANDSCAPE” OF DUKLJA AND RAŠKA IN THE TIMES OF STEFAN NEMANJA BASED ON HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY, ART AND CHURCH HISTORY

Author(s): Mihailo Popović,Branka Vranešević,Dorota Vargová / Language(s): English Issue: 60/2/2023

This article strives for a combined approach consisting of historical geography and art and church history in the research of Duklja and Raška in the times of Stefan Nemanja. The article’s first part addresses the circumstances of the birth of Stefan Nemanja and the question of Nemanja’s two baptisms. Moreover, data on the churches and monasteries, their patrocinia and the stećci (funeral monuments) in the area of research has been gathered and then analysed with digital tools to offer a map-based reconstruction of the “Sacred Landscape”. The second part focuses on the early medieval church of St. Stephen in Sušćepan, located near Herceg Novi in today’s Montenegro. Among its church furnishings and sculptural decorations, a parapet slab, most probably from the 11th century, stands out. Besides highlighting similar solutions on the parapet slabs of churches along the eastern coast of the Adriatic, the paper draws attention to iconographic solutions as well as floral and geometric motifs and their importance within the sacred space of the church. The third and final part of the article introduces an analysis of selected written sources illuminating the relationship of Duklja with the Latin Church, particularly with the Apostolic See in Rome, in the 12th and 13th centuries. It deals with the communication of the Papal Chancellery with the archbishops of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Antivari (Bar) from the backdrop of the ongoing disputes over the church hierarchy in Southern Dalmatia.

Употреба на термините „Византия“ и „Византийска империя“ през Средновековието

Author(s): Krasimir S. Krastev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2024

The prevailing consensus among scholars regarding the history of the Eastern Roman Empire asserts that the term “Byzantium” did not function as the name of the state until the mid-16th century. It is widely acknowledged that this designation, along with “Byzantine Empire”, was first introduced by the German historian and humanist Hieronymus Wolf in his “Corpus Historiae Byzantinae” in 1557. Some scholars go further to suggest that these terms were entirely coined in the 16th century. In recent years, the same information, perceived as an axiom, has been reproduced by professional historians and amateurs alike on television, in newspapers, or through social networks. However, the author of this study challenges this established view, contending that historical sources from both the Early and High Middle Ages, centuries prior to the Modern Age, contain references to “Byzantium”, sometimes even as name for the Eastern Roman Empire. This thesis contradicts the commonly held belief and invites a reexamination of the terminology used to describe this influential historical entity.

THE CLIMATE HISTORY OF EUROPE, OR THE LEGACY OF BRUNO MESSERLI. CHRISTIAN PFISTER - HEINZ WANNER. CLIMATE AND SOCIETY IN EUROPE - THE LAST THOUSAND YEARS

Author(s): Lajos Rácz / Language(s): English Issue: 18/2022

Review of: The climate history of Europe, or the legacy of Bruno Messerli. Christian Pfister - Heinz Wanner. Climate and society in Europe - the last thousand years. Haupt Verlag. Bern. 397.

Tamga as an Element of Intertribal and Intercultural Relations of the Turks in the Periods of Ancient History and the Middle Ages

Author(s): Utelbek Shananov / Language(s): English Issue: 118/2024

The study of the history and culture of different peoples, especially their intercultural interactions, deepens our understanding of world history. The aim of this article is to determine the role of tamgas in the intertribal and intercultural relations of steppe peoples during the ancient and medieval periods. A systematic analysis of various sources identifies tamgas as tribal distinguishing marks, artisan symbols, signs of aristocracy, and indicators of allegiance to Mongolian rulers. The study highlights the interactions of the tamga with the ancient Hungarians, the Indians, the Chinese, and the Rurik dynasty. The study presents a generalised view of the role of the tamga for the Turks in specific historical periods.

Исламские Геометрические Орнаменты, Их История И Способы Построения

Author(s): Andrey Schetnikov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2024

This article deals with the art of geometric ornaments, widely spread in the whole Islamic world. This art appeared at the beginning of the 11th century in Khorasan and Transoxania, rapidly developed in the next two centuries until the Mongol invasion, transferred from here to Damascus, Cairo and further to the Maghreb countries, and then flourished again in the Timurid Empire, when multi-color solutions were added to complicated geometry of star polygons. We consider various principles for constructing these patterns, with special attention to so called “polygonal technique”.

Anglosaská misie v Germánii v 8. stoletía listy Řehoře II.

Author(s): Marek Lis / Language(s): Czech Issue: 1/2024

The present article deals with the role of the papacy during the first years of the Anglo­‑Saxon mission in Germania. The topic has usually been approached in the past with respect to the following development in Europe, namely the Carolingian Renaissance. The goal of the contribution is to emphasise the autonomous character of the eithth century, when the creation of a new empire in the West was not yet considered. During this time, the papacy was facing a crisis within the empire coming from the Lombards and Byzantines. The Pope found support in Franks, but mostly in Anglo­‑Saxon missionaries. The dynamics of the process comes mostly from the apostolic character of the Church, which was emphasised by the Pope and missionaries and which is illustrated with three selected epistles.

MARREDHËNIET EKONOMIKE DHE TREGTARE NDËRMJET RAGUZËS DHE TROJEVE ARBËRORE

Author(s): Edmond Malaj / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 01-02/2021

Trade between the Republic of Ragusa and the Medieval Albanian lands was quite extensive and active and included most of the Albanian markets. Almost in every town with importance in trade, there was a community of Ragusan merchants. Their consuls represented those communities. Besides the consuls and merchants who were present in the cities and markets of Albania, the Ragusans had seized the customs of various products, which they rented and paid to the local rulers for the duties related to them. The Trade with Ragusa was of great importance because in Albania came wares from Western European areas and other countries. Reciprocally, Albanian products arrived not only in Ragusa. Albanian Merchants exported further their wares through Europe. In addition, trade relations with Ragusa affected the culture and mastery of the country, too, which benefited from techniques exchanged through trade. That was seen in the elaborating of gold and silver, tailoring, and other crafts. In conclusion, we can say that trade relations with Ragusa were of great importance to Albania. These relations were a key in the economic exchanges the Albanians had with other foreign countries during the Middle Ages. (1951-2020)