АРБАНАСИ ПРЕЗ ОСМАНСКАТА ЕПОХА (XV – XIX в.)

Author(s): Veselin Goranchev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

This article presents information about the history of the village of Arbanasi situated in the close proximity of the town of Veliko Tarnovo. The theses of the researchers working on the problem of the origin of the village are stated in it. The analysis of the information presses the view that most likely Arbanasi was founded either in the second half of the 15th century or in the beginning of the 16th century. The publication gives demographic datum about the village and information about the participation of its inhabitants in the struggle for national liberation. The economic development of the village is examined in details as well as the development of the educational work in it. The text is based on a wide range of studies and the information known so far is complemented with new facts obtained from historical records in Greek from the private archives of Georgy Popsimeonov – one of the most educated inhabitants of Arbanasi in those days (“St. Cyril and St. Methodius” National Library – Bulgarian Historical Archive,fund 36) and from the private archives of one of the most outstanding Arbanasi resident families – the Rusovich (State Archives – Veliko Tarnovo, fund 963K). The deciphering and the translation of the historical documents have been done by the author of the publication.

Робството през погледа на един африканец - Олауда Екуиано и неговата автобиография

Author(s): Pavlin Atanasov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2014

The article deals with the life of Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa – one of the most prominent Africans involved in the British movement of the abolition for the slave trade in Britain in the late 18th century. His autobiography, first published in 1789, was a valuable source for the abominable slave trade as one of the few texts that presented slavery from the point of view of a victim. The author narrated about his kidnapping in Africa asa child, his sufferings during the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, his service asa slave of an officer in the British Navy for ten years and his participation in the Seven Years’ War, as well as his life after he purchased his freedom in 1766. As a free man he worked as a merchant and explorer in the New World, the Arctic, and the United Kingdom. However, he became most famous with his book which was a first-hand and vivid description of the inhumanity of slavery. It contributed to a great extent to the success of the abolitionist movement in Britain with the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807.

Протестантска пропаганда в Казанлък (1871–1940 г.)

Author(s): Nikolay Atanasov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

After the liberation Protestant churches in the Bulgarian lands lose the protection of the Ottoman Empire and must seek paths of development through direct dialogue with the Bulgarian government. Missionary activity in the nineteenth century entirely determined subject to US policy in Europe and the Balkans, which is actually aimed at providing spiritual, cultural and economic impact. Information on the withdrawal from the middle of the Baptist community are too limited to draw general conclusions about the weakening influence. But it can not deny the fact that members of one of the most devoted to the cause families – Pateva begin to return to the Orthodox faith. On the other hand, as in any community, and the Baptist deviate people with weak nerves or those who have a basic material incentive to members of the Baptist Church. But can not help noting the importance of the fact that the Protestant Church in Kazanlak survives through time and guide their followers to this day.

Култът към св. Ана в Средна Западна България - традиционни практики и съвременно състояние

Author(s): Mira Markova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

The studies of the cult of different Christian saints is part of the major question about people’ s faith, how christianity become a custom of manner of life and about the problems of religiosity during different historical epochs. Some aspects of the cult of St. Anna in Bulgaria have been researched reffering to the place of this cult in local culturies of various smaller and bigger communities but in general this cult is less studied. Definitely in the last years of a constant and difficult transition in Bulgaria, the ordinary man’ s approach to the religion is becoming more and more evident. Local rituals are activated, new myths are produced, the compilation between old and new legens is done. The main goal of this research is to present one of female cults in conection between past and present through the focus of local culture of Central West Bulgaria. Local cultures are dynamics but relatively cloused cultures. In the present day these cultures also have possibility to be in progress. The conection between religion and local culture put a question for discussion about microhistory and this is another aim to the present research.

Сакралното пространство и неговите топоси (Оброчищата и връзката им с територията върху която са изградени)

Author(s): Miglena Petkova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

The traditional folklore sacred spaces are known as votive places. In the present study, I am tracing the connection between the type, the ritual conveyed at the votive place and the sacredness of the territory on which they were built. I am also giving answer to the question, how natural landmarks connected to the miraculousness of the saints are turned into markers of the sacred space, and an object of veneration from the participants in the rites, whose over-all function is to preserve the collective memory.

Култовите места в Чипровските покрайнини

Author(s): Anuta Kamenova-Borin / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

Holy shrines in Chiprovtsi region are monasteries, churches and votive crosses. Prevala village is situated in Chiprovtsi region. There is an only rock monastery in these parts with 15 votive crosses in honor of spiritual patrons and Christian saints. It is celebrated in connection with human health and against nature disasters endangering people, animals and property. There is an active votive holiday – Spasov day which people keep in touch with old holy ritual practices.

Изображения на змия и змей върху пафти от Северна България (от средата на XIX до началото н ХХ век)

Author(s): Pavlin Chaushev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

The purpose of the present scientific announcement is to reveal the evolution of one of the most interesting and rare images on belt buckles from the region of north Bulgaria. This is the image of snake and dragon. This model belt buckles are made mostly from the middle of XIX to early XX century. This objects are made of copper, bronze, most of them are silvered, but also of Argentan, silver and gilded silver. This motive is not so popular, but it is used like decoration, because in Bulgarian folk tradition it has powerful protection forces. In my research I found one very interesting silver belt buckle who has in the center one big dragon and beautiful floral motives. I suppose this belt buckle is made in the region of Veliko Tarnovo or Gabrovo(central north Bulgaria). The decoration of the most belt buckles in this time period is typical for the Orient. In the beginning of XIX century some new elements from Baroque were inspired, but this remains unique Bulgarian model from the XIX century.

Проекции на българската идентичност в условията на трудова миграция (връху данни от теренно проучнаве в Испания)

Author(s): Zdravko Zdravkov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

The paper attempts to prove the thesis that in the conditions of permanent migration and longterm remoteness from home and home country Bulgarian emigrants manage to preserve their ethnic identity and teach their children to respect Bulgarian culture, traditions and values.

Към модернизация и еманципация - мъжките момичета на социалистическия свята

Author(s): Zhanina Stoyanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

Аfter the adoption of the Dimitrov Constitution of 1947 bulgarian women received an equitable rights with men. This includes access to male jobs, which is part of the emancipation in its socialist version. Women enter in branches of light and heavy industry. Newspapers, magazines, cinema and literature become active participants in building image of the new women – „masculine women”.

Спомени за погребалните обичаи на мюсюлманите по време на комунизма

Author(s): Sevim Kurtchu / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

The article presents funeral rites of Muslims in Bulgaria during the period of socialism. The author held fieldwork in the region of Kubrat (Northern Bulgaria). Memories about official communist policies are explored in terms of atheistic assimilatory communist policies.

Траурна ритуалност и нагласи към смърттта на българите

Author(s): Krasimira Yonkova,Doncho Donev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2014

The death is not attractive to anyone, but is resident for each living creatures. Its conversion into taboo leads to a different transformations. We may find their expression in a symbolic funeral rituals. From this perspective, mourning and funeral rites of the Bulgarians proved particularly significant in shaping the attitudes toward death. If we linking these attitudes with specific stages of life, the dynamic in the attitude of Bulgarians towards the end of life will be clearly traceable.

Ценен принос в изследването на книгата "Лествица" от св. Йоан Синайски

Author(s): Vladimir Donev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2014

Защо и на какво се смеем. Рецензия: Dafina Genova. Studying Humour Seriously. Велико Търново, изд. Фабер, 2011, 346 с.

Author(s): Ralitsa Demirkova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2013

Историческа Тракия през призмата на етнолингвистиката (Η Ιστορικη Θρακη υπο το πρισμα τησ εθνογλωσσολογιασ…)

Author(s): Emilia Avginova-Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2022

Grand Vizier Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s Fortifications Along the Northern Black Sea Coast

Author(s): Mahmut Halef Cevrioğlu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

Ottoman historiography has focused on the construction activity of the Grand Vizier Köprülü Mehmed Pasha with reference to the castles he got built in Western Anatolia. Nevertheless, his endeavours to fortify the Black Sea coasts of the Ottoman Empire attracted less attention. This study seeks to describe and clarify Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s defensive construction projects against Cossack naval raids in two separate zones of the Northern Black Sea: the Don and the Dnieper. This study relies on contemporary European reports, Ottoman archival material and related literature. It suggests that Köprülü Mehmed Pasha reinforced the protection of the Don estuary by commissioning the construction of a castle (Sedd-i İslam) on the one hand, and two self-standing towers on the other in 1660. As for the Dnieper, the pasha commanded the Doğangeçidi Castle’s construction in 1661, which was completed in 1662. Highlighting this dynamic building activity, the present essay suggests that Köprülü Mehmed Pasha’s invigoration of the northern frontiers of the Ottoman Empire should not be overshadowed by the conquests he is rather associated with.

Към корените на тюркско-иранския синтез: сведенията на османския историк Шюкруллах за произхода на българите

Author(s): Delyan Rusev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2023

The origin and ethnogenesis of the (Proto-)Bulgarian tribes in the Early Middle Ages is a complex topic that has captured the imagination of many historians, medieval and modern alike. The present paper analyzes one relevant account from Bahjat al-tavârikh, a universal history in Persian composed in 1458 by the Ottoman scholar and diplomat Shukrullâh. This highly idiosyncratic but hitherto neglected account presents the Balkan Bulgarians (burjān, bulgatān) as descendants of the Sasanian shah Hormozd IV (r. 579 – 590) who allegedly spent some time in Byzantium (Rûm) while he was a prince. As Hormozd himself is said to have been born from the marriage of Khosrow I Anushirvan (r. 531 – 79) with the daughter of the khagan of the Turks, this legendary evidence seems to imply the mixed Turco-Iranian origin of the Bulgarians – a view shared by some modern researchers. The genesis of the account remains obscure, but contextual and historical analysis has shown that it was not invented by Shukrullâh, who only reproduced it from an unknown source probably dateable to the 8th – 11th centuries.

Ново изследване за българо-византийските отношения през ранносредновековната епоха

Author(s): Yanko Hristov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2023

Antisuverenizam, dimenzija ideologijskog antibosanstva

Author(s): Rusmir Mahmutćehajić / Language(s): Bosnian Issue: 91-92/2023

U povijesnom, kulturnom i političkom subjektivitetu bosanskog naroda prisutna je stalna mogućnost njegovog osvješćenja u odnosu sa suverenom, teritorijski cjelovitom i politički neovisnom bosanskom državom. A plan zaprječenja ili uništenja tog bitan je sadržaj etnonacijskih teleologija srpstva i hrvatstva u kojima su Bosna i njen narod smatrani samo gradivom za konačno dostizanje etnonacijskih ciljeva. Upravo zato je ideologija antibosanstva bitan sadržaj etnonacijskih teleologija srpstva i hrvatstva. Iako mijenja oblike, njena suština traje kroz cijelu povijest etnonacionalizama.

LE RETOUR DES PÉLASGES. INÉGALITÉS ET IMAGINAIRE NATIONAL SUR LA FRONTIÈRE ENTRE LA GRÈCE ET L’ALBANIE

Author(s): Gilles de Rapper / Language(s): French Issue: 2/2023

The revival and popular success of theories on the Pelasgian origin of Albanians since the late 1990s is a significant phenomenon of post-socialist identity processes, yet relatively neglected by the scientific literature. The now well-established neo-Pelasgian discourse sees Albanians as direct descendants of the Pelasgians, a prehistoric population conceived as the origin of all civilizations in the ancient Mediterranean. The aim of this article is to provide a first picture of this quest for origins and to propose an explanation. The argument is that neo-Pelasgianism can be seen as the result of a combination of the history of ideas about the origins of Albanians since the nineteenth century, on the one hand, and of the dynamics of identity linked to the opening of Albania’s borders at the beginning of the 1990s and the massive migration of Albanians to Greece, on the other. The demonstration is based both on a review of the neo-Pelasgian literature and on fieldwork conducted in southern Albania. It aims to show that far from being limited to the reveries of amateurs, discourses on imagined origins, of which neo-Pelasgianism is an example, have real effects on societies and territories.

DE L’ÎLE DE COS À BODRUM ET AU DELÀ : REPRÉSENTATIONS DE L’ALTERITÉ ET PRATIQUES FRONTALIÈRES ENTRE LA GRÈCE ET LA TURQUIE

Author(s): Kira Kaurinkoski / Language(s): French Issue: 2/2023

This paper discusses perceptions of alterity on the Greek island of Kos and analyses border crossing practices at the Greek-Turkish border in the Aegean. The paper differentiates between different categories of locals according to their ethnic and religious belonging (Greek Orthodox and Muslim Turks in Kos, and “mainland” Turks and Kos Turks in Turkey). In Kos, distancing strategies can be explained by competition for limited resources, as well as identity and visibility politics. Perceptions of Turkey and border crossing practices also differ according to ethnic lines. For ethnic Turks, Turkey represents a second homeland; for Greek Orthodox, a powerful neighbouring country with whom historical and political relations are difficult. As this paper shows, lived and shared experiences can, however, nuance the perception of others. The paper is based on ethnographic field research and interviews conducted by the author on the Greek island of Kos, and in Bodrum, Izmir and Ceşme in Western Turkey.