Byzantine Glazed Pottery Finds from Aigai (Aiolis) Excavations

Author(s): Lale Doğer,Muhsine Eda Armağan / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Glazed pottery finds from Aigai (Aiolis) excavations during 2004—2014 seasons are important finds from Byzantine settlements of Aigai ancient city. While doing studies to uncover Bouleuterion, Agora region and the road system of the ancient city, cisterns (nos. I—II) located in the acropolis of the city and near the agora, the church and the cistern in the northwest of the church have been discovered. Most of them are fragmentary. They are not contextual finds. Still, they are worthwhile in that they present a relative chronology. Late Roman/Early Byzantine period is represented with few finds for now. This period is followed by Middle Byzantine period which have again few finds. Probably these red fabric groups might have come from distant regions. Some of the finds known as Middle Byzantine groups are distinguished because of their similarity to Khalkis production in terms of their form and ornament. We need further information to evaluate white fabric finds. Other distinctive groups in terms of their quality and quantity are from Late Byzantine period of Western Anatolia. These are very similar to the finds from Pergamon, Sardis, Nif (Olympus-Başpınar Church) and The Agora of Smyrna located nearby Aigai. Aigai was on the list of bishopric till the early 13th century. Finds uncovered in Aigai are the first archeological data regarding Aigai ancient city during Byzantine period. Glazed ceramics must be dated to the mid-12th century — early 14th century.

Vaisselier de santé dans le monde arabe (VIIIe—XVe siècles) : une restitution possible des usages grâce au croissement des sources

Author(s): Ibrahim Shaddoud / Language(s): French Publication Year: 0

The cross disciplinary comparison of sources enables us to ask questions about objects and practices by analysing and describing the functions, often lost, of certain types of pottery. This article is dedicated to pottery used by Islamic physicians — pots and pans, different types of jars. The texts, general medical manuals and dictionary written in Iraq, Syria, Arabia and Iran between the 8th and 15th centuries are an extremely valuable source of information on medicinal substances, recipes for compound remedies and utensils. A number of illustrations in Islamic manuscript depicting physician activities reflect contemporaneous medical practises. They could sometimes help us to understand the use of objects found in excavations. The archaeological material of my corpus comes from a range of sites in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. By comparing the data, I present various pottery used in curative medicine in the Islamic world.

Средневековая керамика из фондов Национального музея Татарстана (предварительное сообщение)

Author(s): Konstantin Aleksandrovich Rudenko / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The article considers the collection of medieval ceramics of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan. It includes finds from archaeological sites of Volga Bulgaria and Golden Horde sites in the Volga region. The author traces the history of this collection back to the second half of the 19th century. Findings from F. Ballod’s digs in the Golden Horde’s capital cities, so far little known to the researchers, are of special interest. The author examines main approaches to studying medieval ceramics by Kazan archaeologists in the 20th century and defines various groups of ceramics, mainly from Bolgar hillfort.

Импортная глазурованная керамика Московского Кремля (по раскопкам 2007 г.)

Author(s): Vladimir Yu. Koval / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The archaeological excavations in the Moscow Kremlin carried out in 2007 uncovered a collection of imported glazed ceramics (146 samples). This is the most numerous collection of all previous finds of such ceramics in the Kremlin over more than 100 years.Sherds of vessels produced in the middle — second half of the 14th century in the Golden Horde towns in the Lower Volga region make almost half of this collection. Most of them are made of soft white Qashan (quartz-frits) decorated with polychrome (black-and-blue, black/green-and-blue-and-turquoise) painting, often with addition of white engobe. A very small group (about 5%) are sherds of red-clay ceramics with green transparent lead glaze without any decoration; these were manufactured in towns of the South-Eastern Crimea. Chinese celadons and blue-and-white faience make an unusually big group (1/5 of all finds), yet these vessels were represented only by small fragments found in 16th — 17th centuries layers. The Turkish faience (from Iznik) of the first half of the 16th century, which is a very rare find in Russia, make 13% of all finds. Including, sherds of vessels with red background, which are the first finds of this kind in Moscow and in Russia as a whole. The most enigmatic groups include sherds of imported plates without any decoration and bowls with brown decoration. These were likely produced in Asia Minor or in the Caucasus. Another type of vessels decorated by white engobe were probably imported from North-Western Europe — Holland or Germany (a tripod vessel).

Города в кочевых империях Внутренней Азии

Author(s): Nikolay Nikolaevich Kradin / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The urbanization processes on the Inner Asia during periods of the nomadic empires were studied. Xiongnu had rural settlements and towns, populated mostly by farmers. The Uighur Khaganate had a few fortresses and one imperial trading mega-city. The Liao Empire opened a new stage in the steppe urbanization. The annexation of a growing number of significant agricultural territories to the empire required creation of a more sophisticated mechanism of government. The Khitans built large cities with gorgeous temples and palaces to house the imperial court and the emperor’s officials. There were about fifty known Khitan towns. The excavations of towns show that their population was international. In the beginning of Genghis Khan nomadic empire, the Mongols quite soon felt the deficit of trained specialists in various trades. During the first decades of the existence of their empire, they organized a large scale mobilization of human resources. By means of the forced relocation of large masses of people, or through involving into this process a vast number of adventurers, profiteers and gentlemen of fortune, the Mongols set up the conditions for an unprecedented intercultural exchange and integration of cultures, religions and civilizations. Thus, the Mongol imperial cities appeared.

О некоторых предметах декорировки костюма и украшениях конца XIII — начала XV вв., связанных с золотоордынской традицией

Author(s): Svetlana S. Ryabtseva / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The items of costume decoration and adornments, produced in conformity with the Golden Horde traditions were spread quite widely, from the Volga region to the Balkans. They were worn by both the elite and the plain people. In some cases, local imitations are presented. Some of them (for example, metal tops of caps, earrings in the form of a question mark, a number of plaques for clothes, belt and bag) could be worn by the Adygei, Polovtsi, Early Russians, Lithuanians, East Romance and mixed Balkan population (up to Bulgaria and Macedonia).

Мнимое княжество Киркельское в Юго-Западном Крыму XIII—XV вв.

Author(s): Victor L. Mytz / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The brief overview of the current studies on Qirq Yer discussed here demonstrates that, in spite of all academic attempts, a number of questions regarding history of this place in 13th—15th centuries are still unanswered. The suggested dates for the Mongol conquest of the town in 13th century (1238, 1260, 1298/99) or 14th century (1342—1363) are not supported by archaeological evidence. No real sources of 13th—15th centuries are known to witness presence of Yashlau beys and Kudulak family (clan) in the Crimea. Not even khan’s jarligs of 1459 and 1468 released to the residents of Qirq Yer mention them. All along this period between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, no “Alan” or “Tartar” name of a prince of Qirq Yer is known, nor there is any information of whatever ‘principality’ that existed here. Hence, there are no grounds to discuss existence of a certain Kirkel Principality in 13th—15th centuries.

Предисловие

Author(s): Sergei Gennadievich Bocharov,Ayrat G. Sitdikov / Language(s): English,Russian Publication Year: 0

Два варианта городской истории средневекового Причерноморья — Белгород и Олешье

Author(s): Nicolaj D. Russev / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

Relying on written sources, the author considers the fate of two towns from the Black Sea region — Belgorod and Oleshye. In the “pre-Mongolian“ period, the two towns did not display any close relationship, because by the end of the 10th century, the town located in the mouth of the Dniester River and historically connected with the right bank of the Danube had already completed a whole stage in its history, while the town near the Dnieper, which played an important role in relations between Medieval Russia and Byzantine Crimea appeared only in the 11th century.By the end of the 13th century, under the rule of Mongolian governor Nohay, Belgorod saw a revival of Byzantine traditions and became an important obstacle on the way of the Italians spreading into this region. At the same time, Oleshye (Illiche) was in declining state. Only in the second half of the 14th century, the settlement attracted the Genoeses as a port in which it was possible to buy considerable amounts of food.In the last quarter of the 14th century, Moldova forced the Golden Horde out of the Dniester basin. In Belgorod (Asprocastro), the Greeks took leading positions. In the conditions of instability of 1432—1457, the autonomy of the city increased so much that the local community started running independent business with Italians and even Ottomans.The expansion of the Great Duchy of Lithuania towards the Lower Dnieper region broke the former tenor of life and led Illiche to decline. Only in 1440—1450 the life here became more active as the Mongols and Genoeses re-established their partner relations.The collision between Caffa and Belgorod, with the castle of Illiche just in the center of it, provoked irreparable damage to the urban life in the Lower Dnieper region. In the conditions of Ottoman rule established in the region in 1475—1484, Illiche never revived, and Belgorod (Akkerman) got an entirely new appearance.

Генуэзский замок Калиера

Author(s): Sergei Gennadievich Bocharov / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The author publishes all archaeological materials collected during excavations in 1927—1928 and 2006 on a fortification on Kordon-Oba Mount (Eastern Crimea, Feodosia Municipal Council’s territory). The site was attributed based on written, cartographic and archaeological sources. The castle was built by the Genoese administration of Kaffa in the second half of 14th c. and ceased to exist after the Ottoman conquest of the Genoese lands in the Crimea in 1475. The castle took its name — Kaliera — after the nearest medieval locality. The author questions why this castle was built and why it was built here.

«Крымский поход» Тимура в 1395 г.: историографический конфуз, или археология против историографической традиции

Author(s): Victor L. Mytz / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The author analyzes a historiographic tradition related to the so called Timur’s “Crimean campaign” (or of his protégé Edigu) in 1395, during the war with Tokhtamysh. According to this tradition, this campaign led to devastation of a significant part of the Crimea, including its most important urban centers — Chersonese, Mangup, Solghat, Caffa. A detailed comparison of written accounts and archaeological materials, however, does not prove this view. Information about Timur’s campaign in Crimea originates from a biased Egyptian source. Most of the other contemporary accounts — Greek, Latin and Armenian — “ignore” this catastrophe. The archaeological research does not yield any reliable data to prove that any of the Crimean towns were ruined in late 14 th c. Overall, it can be substantially inferred that Timur’s western campaign in 1395 did not affect the Crimean territory.

Казань в эпоху Золотой Орды

Author(s): Ayrat G. Sitdikov / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The article represents an analysis of the political and economic development of Kazan during the Golden Horde period (second half of 13 th — first half of 15 th century). The time of Kazan subjection to Golden Horde khans could not be definitely determined — according to different data, it can be connected with the campaign of Baty-Khan of 1236 or, more likely, with Mengu-Timur’s raid on the Volga Bulgars of 1278. As part of the Golden Horde, there were in general favorable conditions for the development of the city. Kazan loses its role of a border town and by the end of the Golden Horde period turns into one of the large political and economic centres of the Central Volga area. The city had acquired its shape by the end of this period, and maintained it until the end of 18 th c. In the 14 th —15 th centuries, Kazan plays an important role in the international trade. The material culture of the town reflects existence of various ethnocultural traditions. Starting from the second half of the 14 th century, local knyazes unleashed the fight for political independence which led to the formation of the Kazan khanate.

Расселение мордвы: её этническая и политическая история в XIII—XV вв.

Author(s): Aleksej Yu. Zeleneev / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The article presents peculiarities of the ethnic and political development of Mordvins in the Golden Horde period. In the pre — Golden Horde time, the Mordvins divided into two smaller ethnic groups, Erzya and Moksha. After the Mongol invasion (1240), Moksha lands became part of the Golden Horde, and Erzya lands were divided by Russian knyazes from Vladimir and Murom. A part of Erzya lands were also located on the very border of the Golden Horde. Such division contributed to further separation of the two ethnic groups. Starting from 1430—1440 s, after the fall of Jochi’s Ulus and up to 1552, the lands of the Mordvins became subject of continuous struggle between Kazan khanate and Moscow principality. Thus, Mordvins still remained in the composition of two separate states. Nevertheless, it is possible that a certain part of the Mordvin population was independent at that time.

Памятники золотоордынского периода в Нижнем Поднепровье

Author(s): Mikhail V. Elnikov / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The scope of this article is to give a short characteristic to the sites of sedentary (Slavic, Alan, Bulgar) and nomad (Turk) population from the Lower Dnieper region, poorly presented in the literature. The sites include hillforts, settlements, ground and barrow necropolises, coin hoards and various individual finds. All these materials are presented according to a certain structure: cartography, dating, history of research, short description of main complexes and categories of finds. This analysis will allow the specialists to produce in the future a much more comprehensive picture of ethnocultural processes and dimensions of urban construction in the Lower Dnieper region, as well as to ascertain the reasons behind the selection of this territory as administrative and political centre of Mamai Horde.

Эпоха Улуса Джучи в Северо-Западном Причерноморье и город Акджа Керман

Author(s): Gregory S. Boguslavsky / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The author examines political, economic and ethno-cultural developments in North-Western Pontic Area after the Mongol conquest and establishment of the Golden Horde (Jochi’s Ulus). He specially focuses on issues of urbanization of these territories in the Golden Horde Period, and first of all on the city of Akja Kerman (modern Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi). It is commonly accepted now that development of urban centers in the North-Western Pontic Area under the Golden Horde started during Nogay’s Ulus (1270—1302). It was the time when such forts as Jangi-Shekhr (Old Orhei) and Costesti appeared in the territory between the Prut and the Dniester Rivers, and Chilia and Isaccea in the Danube Region; the first account of Bilhorod dates to the same period (1290). The author reviews documents containing data on political status and economic development of this city, its ethnic and confessional groups under the Golden Horde’s rule, and its accession by Moldavia in late 14th c.

Дворцовая архитектура чжурчжэньских городов Приморья

Author(s): Nadezda G. Artemieva / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The archaeological studies of the hillforts that are dated to the period of the Eastern Xia State existence (1215—1233) have been conducted in Primorye (Russia) for about fifty years. The study of the Nikolaevskoye and Krasnoyarovskoye hillforts made it possible to reveal certain typical features of the Jurchen style of palace architecture that developed within the general course of the Far Eastern architecture, forming its own original canons.

Археологические признаки административных границ южносибирского средневековья (по трудам Л. Р. Кызласова)

Author(s): Igor L. Kyzlasov / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The study of archaeological and epigraphic monuments of the Middle Ages in South Siberia makes it possible to identify external (state) and internal (administrative) borders of the 8—14th-century state formations of the region. Thus, the northern boundary of the Uyghur Khaganate in the mid-8th — first quarter of the 9th century is determined by a succession of 17 similar fortresses in the mountains of Western Sayan. In the territory of the 9th—10th-century Ancient Khakassian State, the analysis of the tamga marks distribution makes it possible to fix the boundaries of the fiefdoms of six nobility clans. These data find confirmation in runic inscriptions. The expansion of the Ancient Khakassian State in the mid-9th to 10th centuries is marked by the distribution of mounds with specific rites. In the era of the Mongol Empire, urban settlements with elements of administrative and cult centers were located in the territory of Tuva within two clusters, which correspond to the two districts established by the Mongols on these lands, as confirmed by written sources.

Золотоордынские памятники Западного Казахстана: новые исследования

Author(s): Emma D. Zilivinskaya / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The large Zhaiyk hillfort site recently discovered in the Lower Ural River area is one of the few Golden Horde urban settlements known in Western Kazakhstan. The urban development of Zhaiyk is characteristic of the Golden Horde cities; it consisted of homesteads with structures from adobe bricks and irregular layout. A large hammam bath with a cruciform layout was discovered. Two major mausoleums of baked bricks decorated with glazed tiles were investigated on the necropolis. A cult funerary complex consisting of a tower-shaped mausoleum with hip roof and stone stelae in front was studied. Another new site in this region is the Zhalpaktal hillfort, also with farmstead buildings. There is a mosque, which currently is the only known mosque of the Golden Horde period in Western Kazakhstan, and it was uncovered and studied.

Мечеть и караван-сараи Пульжая (памятники Золотой Орды в северном Каракалпакстане)

Author(s): Omar-Sharif Kdirniazob / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

Archaeological studies are used to examine architectural and constructive design features of a mosque and a caravanserai at the Puljai hillfort site. In the context of available analogies from the Central Asian region, the mosque can be attributed to the category of pray kiosk-mosques with aivans (terraces). The peshtak portal, residential and household structures are typical of the caravanserai. These structures were used in the Golden Horde era.

Булгарский улус Золотой Орды: историческая география

Author(s): Konstantin Aleksandrovich Rudenko / Language(s): Russian Publication Year: 0

The development dynamics of archaeological monuments (hillforts, unfortified settlements and necropolises) of the Golden Horde period in the Volga Bulgaria territory is analyzed. The history of historical geography studies of the Golden-Horde Bolgar Ulus is examined. The archaeological research of the area revealed not less than 330 settlements, both fortified and unfortified. These data made it possible to determine the territory of the Bolgar Ulus, the topography of individual sites, and the historical context of their emergence and development. Particular attention is given to the necropolises of the nomads who had inhabited the Bolgar Ulus. The necropolises and the permanent settlements founded by this population helped to define the territory of their residence. A hypothesis of administrative division of the Bolgar Ulus territory in the period from the Mongol conquest and prior to the early 15th century is considered. It is argued that there had been a few administrative areas centered on major cities — Bolgar, Juketau, and Kazan. Besides, there had been a special territory inhabited by the nomadic population.