The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of th... more The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of the Scythian burial mound no. 7 near the village of Crihana Veche in the Republic of Moldova. In the burial mound of the local aristocrat, which was twice robbed in ancient times, along with the remnants of ornaments, weapons, and other objects used in the funeral ceremony, fragments of Greek amphorae were found (both in the burial and in the grave goods), which belonged to only one Greek center of production – Thasos. More than 27 Thasian amphorae in which expensive wine was brought in, as well as other ritual funerary objects, indicate that the man buried there had a special position in the local hierarchy. Also important for research are five amphora stamps on the handles of the Thasian amphorae, which confirm the dating of amphora fragments and indicate the exact sequence of activity of two Thasian magistrates, which previously did not have a basis of support. This funerary complex is singular for the fact that only Thasian amphorae of the same type were found in the burial (usually Heraclean amphorae were put in Scythian burials), which indicates the uniqueness of this complex in the territory between the Prut and Dniester Rivers, and the north-west Black Sea region as a whole.
ANALYSIS OF THE GREEK AMPHORAE DISCOVERED IN THE BARROW NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA), 2016
The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of th... more The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of the Scythian burial mound no. 7 near the village of Crihana Veche in the Republic of Moldova. In the burial mound of the local aristocrat, which was twice robbed in ancient times, along with the remnants of ornaments, weapons, and other objects used in the funeral ceremony, fragments of Greek amphorae were found (both in the burial and in the grave goods), which belonged to only one Greek center of production – Thasos. More than 27 Thasian amphorae in which expensive wine was brought in, as well as other ritual funerary objects, indicate that the man buried there had a special position in the local hierarchy. Also important for research are five amphora stamps on the handles of the Thasian amphorae, which confirm the dating of amphora fragments and indicate the exact sequence of activity of two Thasian magistrates, which previously did not have a basis of support. This funerary complex is singular for the fact that only Thasian amphorae of the same type were found in the burial (usually Heraclean amphorae were put in Scythian burials), which indicates the uniqueness of this complex in the territory between the Prut and Dniester Rivers, and the north-west Black Sea region as a whole.
The paper presents the results of preventive investigation of a pit-house dwelling complex of the... more The paper presents the results of preventive investigation of a pit-house dwelling complex of the late phase of Cucuteni- Tripolye culture. Discovered artefacts have various analogies from the settlements of Vykhvatintzy type widely spread in the zone of Dniester river basin and Dniester Highlands. The investigated complex is characterized by its peculiar size: its length amounts to ca. 11.5 m. The rough pottery with shell inclusion predominates in the ceramic complex. Fine painted pottery is represented by various forms characteristic of the Vykhvatintzy type. The Cunicea Prisanscaia-Gora site could be synchronized with the both earliest horizons of the Vykhvatintzy cemetery and chronologically should be placed in Tripolye CII period.
This paper presents rescue research results of the archaeological site Cunicea Prişanscaia-Gora T... more This paper presents rescue research results of the archaeological site Cunicea Prişanscaia-Gora The investigations were studied archaeological complex, deepened dated late stage (C2) Tripolie monuments of the Middle Dniester. The pottery discovered finds analogues in type of Ofatinţi sites, and can be synchronized with the first two phases of the cemetery at Ofatinţi. Simultaneously been studied and a tomb which could probably be attributed to the late migrators.
Rezumat. Primele cercetări perieghetice pe teritoriul satului Crihana Veche au fost întreprinse î... more Rezumat. Primele cercetări perieghetice pe teritoriul satului Crihana Veche au fost întreprinse în 1966, când se descoperă şi primele situri arheologice. În 1992 a fost cercetat un grup de patru tumuli, din care trei scitici. În tumulul 2 au fost cercetate trei morminte de inhumaţie şi două şanţuri, în formă de semicerc, ce flancau mormintele din partea nordică şi sudică; în tumulul 3 – un singur mormânt şi două şanţuri semicirculare ce înconjurau mormântul; în tumulul 4 – două morminte şi două şanţuri semicirculare dispuse convex unul faţă de altul, în partea nordică şi sudică. În 2014 săpăturile arheologice în punctul La Pietricei sunt reluate, fiind cercetate până în prezent mai multe movile. Descoperirile atribuite culturii scitice sunt: în tumulul 5 – trei morminte de inhumaţie; în tumulul 5A – un mormânt; în tumulul 6 – un mormânt şi un şanţ întrerupt la extremitatea estică şi vestică, în legătură directă cu mormântul; în tumulul 7 – două morminte şi un şanţ întrerupt la extremitatea estică şi vestică, în legătură directă cu mormintele. Lotul atribuit perioadei scitice analizată paleoantropologic şi paleodemografic este format din 14 indivizi, din care doi sub-adulţi şi 12 adulţi (şase bărbaţi, trei femei şi trei indeterminabili). Speranţa de viaţă la naştere este de 30,5 ani. Mortalitatea segmentului sub-adult de populaţie este de 14,3%. Referitor la resturile faunistice, au fost identificate două categorii şi anume, cele recuperate din morminte sau din umplutura gropilor şi cele găsite sub mantaua tumulilor, în şanţuri. Acestea provin în mare parte de la specii domestice, cu unele mici excepţii. Inventarul mormintelor scitice documentate în tumulii din necropola Crihana Veche-La Pietricei este specific complexelor funerare din al doilea şi al treilea sfert ale sec. IV î. Hr. Din punct de vedere cronologic, un interes deosebit prezintă materialul amforic bogat din tumulul 7 (peste 500 de fragmente). Toate amforele (minimum 25 ex.) pot fi atribuite centrului de producţie din Thasos, fiind de tipul II-B-2, care apar după 370 î. Hr. Materialul arheologic descoperit şi recuperat prin săpătură din tumulii din punctul La Pietricei de la Crihana Veche ne permite încadrarea cultural-istorică în cadrul vestigiilor scitice descoperite anterior la Prutul de Jos şi regiunea Lacurilor Dunărene.
Abstract. The first field surveys on the territory of Crihana Veche village were conducted in 1966 when the first archaeological sites were discovered. In 1992, a group of four burial mounds were excavated, of which three belonged to the Scythian culture. Three inhumation graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides were discovered in burial mound no. 2; only one grave and two semi-circular ditches surrounding it – in burial mound no. 3; two graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides – in burial mound no. 4. The excavations at La Pietricei location were resumed in 2014, and several burial mounds have been researched until now. The discoveries attributed to the Scythian culture are: three inhumation graves in burial mound no. 5, one grave in burial mound 5A, one grave and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the grave in mound no. 6, two graves and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the graves in mound no. 7. The Scythian osteological sample consists of 14 individuals – two sub-adults and 12 adults (six men, three women and three indeterminate). Life expectancy at birth is 30.5 years. Mortality of the sub-adult demographic segment is 14.3%. Two categories of animal remains were identified, namely those recovered from the filling of the graves and those found under the mantle of the tumuli, in the ditches. They mostly come from domestic species, with some exceptions. The funeral inventory of the Scythian graves from the burial mounds excavated in the necropolis at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei is specific to the funerary features from the second and the third quarter of the 4th century BC. From a chronological perspective, the over 500 fragments belonging to amphorae from burial mound no. 7 are extremely interesting. All the amphorae (minimum 25 items) can be attributed to the Thasos production centre and they belong to the II-B-2 type attested starting with the end of 370 BC. The archaeological material recovered from the burial mounds at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei allows us to subscribe these burial mounds to the previous Scythian discoveries at the Lower Prut and in the area of the Danube Lakes.
This paper presents the preliminary data on rescue archaeological research of the tumulus No. 8 n... more This paper presents the preliminary data on rescue archaeological research of the tumulus No. 8 near Cimişlia (Republic of Moldova) in 2015. The tumulus had a diameter of 36 m and height of 0,8 m. In the mound ten graves, two agglomerations of bones and pottery, a religious complex, a circular moat and a circular stone platform were identified. According to the stratigraphy, the construction of the initial mound, ditch and the cult complex (consisting of six buried vertical logs) were connected with the grave 3 of late Eneolithic time. The next chronological horizon is represented by the graves of Zhivotilovka-Volchansk type (No. 2 and 8). In addition, there were excavated two graves of Yamnaya culture, one grave of Katacomb culture, two Sarmatian and one of the late Medieval nomad.
Arheologia preventivă în Republica Moldova, vol. IV, 2019
There are known about 150 burial munds near Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Etulia villages. The barrow 8... more There are known about 150 burial munds near Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Etulia villages. The barrow 8 was investigated in the connection with the implementation of the project of the water supply for Alexandru Ioan Cuza village in 2017. The preventive archaeological intervention was influenced by the very location of the burial mound close to the project works, to the west of Alexandru Ioan Cuza village, on a high plateau of the terrace on the left bank of the Cahul river. The barrow 8 is characterized by a simple stratigraphic structure. The first mound, raised above the primary burial 3 and consisting of a largely homogeneous soil of black colour is dating back to the Bronze Age. In the central part of the tumulus, in the eastern and western stratigraphic cuts, on the original surface, traces of soil thrown from the main grave were discovered. The preserved height of the mound was 1.1 m. Grave 1 (medieval, secondary). It was found in the central part of the tumulus at a depth of 0.5 m from the original surface. The outline of the pit could not be highlighted. The skeleton was discovered in a stretched position with its head facing west, its left hand being laid on the pelvis, and the right — under the pelvis. On the left side of the skull an object of corroded iron was discovered, with poor traces of wood. Grave 2 (medieval, secondary). It was documented in the southern sector of the tumulus, at a depth of 0.9 m from the actual surface. The contour of the pit could not be identified. The dead body was put in a stretched position on the back, with its head to west-north-west. Both hands were stretched, its right hand was placed on the pelvis and the left hand — under the pelvis. Grave 3 (Yamnaya culture, primary, twin burial). It was identified in the central part of the tumulus, at a depth of 1.1 m. The rectangular pit, oriented on the east-west axis, was 1.80 m long, 1.30 m wide and 0.8 m deep. The cover of the pit consisted of seven wooden beams arranged longitudinally. The burial was twin and consisted of two skeletons. The skeleton 1, assigned to a mature person, was placed in a crouching position on the back, with a slight inclination on the right, facing westward. The left hand was documented on the pelvis, and the palm of its right hand was found near the skull. The lower limbs were bent to the right. Skeleton bones had traces of ochre. The skeleton 2 belonged to a child which was placed to the right of the mature person. It had the same westward orientation, perhaps being put in a crouching position on the back. Lower limbs have been preserved unsatisfactorily. Bones had traces of ochre. On the bottom of the pit there were remains of a vegetal bedding. The inventory consisted of a tile grinder fragment and a rounded grinder (galet). As a result of the investigations, it could be determined that initially the tumulus 8 was raised above a burial assigned to the Yamnaya culture, to the late horizon of this culture. Afterwards, two other burials, belonging probably to the Medieval nomads, were sunk in the mound.
Rescue excavations on the cemetery of Chernyakhov type from Tigheci. The Tigheci necropolis of Ch... more Rescue excavations on the cemetery of Chernyakhov type from Tigheci. The Tigheci necropolis of Chernyakhov culture is located on the north-east edge of the village on the northern slope of the Tigheci River valley and on the east side of an approximately north-south oriented valley, called the Valea Coznei/Cozna Valley, near La Lutărie natural landmark. The archaeological site was reported in the 1980’s when an unauthorized career functioned in this place. The illegal extraction of clay has destroyed a considerable area of the cemetery, the dimensions of which are to be established. A bead of inlaid glassy paste, a neck of a large jar and four whole vessels (a pot, two bowls and a cup) of gray ceramics, worked on the wheel of fine paste or with fine sand in composition from the destroyed tombs are found today in the collections of the Museum of History and Ethnography in Tigheci. In 2013 and 2015 the necropolis of the 4th century of Tigheci was surveyed through reconnaissance work by National Agency for Archaeology specialists, and it was revealed that the western part of the site is still being destroyed by soil erosion. This fact led that, in 2017, rescue research was carried out in the cemetery. The archaeological excavations were carried out in an area, where a human skeleton was visible in the wall of the ravine, an area of about 62 sq. m being uncovered and five burials were discovered. Three burials (no. 1, 3 and 4) were oriented in the north-south direction, and two (no. 2 and 5) had the skeletons with the heads oriented to west. The depth of funerals varied between 0,5 and 2,3 m. The contour of the pits was perceived at a number of four burial, being approximately rectangular in shape, with vertical walls and right bottom. Two north-south oriented burials (no. 3 and 4) were completely destroyed in antiquity, and one, west oriented burial (no. 5), was partially damaged, affecting only the thoracic box of the skeleton. It should be noted that two graves were intersected: e.g. grave no. 4 was cut bu grave no. 5. Similarly, one of the graves (no. 4) was a twin one: the remnants of the two recovered skeletons belonged to an adult woman and a 4-7 year old child. The other four graves were of a 18-24 month old child (grave 2), a young man (grave 1) and a two women (graves no. 3 and 5) of 35-50 years. Grave no. 3 contained a fragment of an iron knife and a bowl made on wheel of gray fine paste, found broken into pieces at the bottom of the pit, and a container of greenish semi-transparent glass decorated with hexagonal faces was found in grave no. 5, near the skull. The rest of the burials has no inventory. Three buckles with oval-plated strings, two of which were bronze and silver, a bronze toilet knife, a piece of iron knife and some fragments of wheel vessels made of fine and crisp paste were also found in the layer of the culture of the necropolis. Chronologically, based on rites and funerary practices, ceramics, metal buckles and glass containers, the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov necropolis from Tigheci falls within the limits of the 4th century AD, rather in the second half of this century.
Preliminary data regarding archaeological and interdisciplinary research at Crihana Veche (Cahul ... more Preliminary data regarding archaeological and interdisciplinary research at Crihana Veche (Cahul District). Excavations of 2016 and 2017. The article presents the results of the archaeological and interdisciplinary investigations on the estate of the Crihana Veche village (Cahul district), carried out within two archaeological campaigns (2016 and 2017). The research was carried out on seven burial mounds. Three burial mounds were excavated in 2016 and they had funeral complexes of various periods. In the tumulus 12, called Movila Gologan, 23 graves were discovered, belonging to several cultural-chronological horizons. The first is directly related to the grave 10 (Hadjider-Cernavoda I type). Probably, three ritual pits can be attributed to this level, in one of them being discovered a ceramic vessel. At the level of mantle I, a cenotaph (grave 12) was identified and in the vicinity – a broken vessel, probably of Foltești-Cernavoda II type. Graves no. 12, 19, 5, 1 and 9 belong to the Yamnaya culture (early phase) and represent the next chronological horizon, related to the mantle II. The mantle III was probably raised above the grave 16, secondary being dug graves 3, 4, 6, 8, 15 and 21, which form a semicircle in the southern part of the burial mound. These funeral assemblages can be attributed to the Yamnaya culture (late phase). The mantle IV was raised above grave 13 (Multi-relief-band Ware culture), later there being introduced the grave 14, belonging to the same culture. The Late Bronze Age is represented by graves no. 2, 11 and 18 of the Sabatinovka culture. Two Sarmatian graves (17 and 22) and a grave attributed to the late medieval nomads (grave 7) were also discovered. The research of the tumuli 5 and 5A near La Pietricei revealed funeral complexes belonging to the Yamnaya culture (two graves in tumulus 5), the Multi-relief-band Ware culture (a grave in tumulus 5A) and the Scythian culture (tumulus 5 – three graves, tumulus 5A – one grave). In addition to the estimation of the age at death and sex determination, paleoanthropological analysis has revealed many markers of the health status and the quality of life, musculoskeletal markers that provide information about the possible daily activities of those buried in the investigated graves, starting with the Eneolithic era until the Middle Ages. Besides the numerous bone and dental pathologies and traumas (either produced during life and healed, or cause of death), a number of cultural aspects such as double symbolic trephination with traces of infection (grave 7 of tumulus no. 12) also stand out. The archaeozoological analysis revealed the presence of animal skeletal remains in all three investigated mounds in 2016, as follows: grave 2 of tumulus 12 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus and Sus domesticus; grave 4 of tumulus 12 – rodent; grave 13 of tumulus 12 – Bos taurus; grave nr. 1 and 2 of tumulus no. 5 – Bos taurus; grave 4 of tumulus 5 – Canis familiaris (two canine teeth); grave 1 of tumulus 5A – Bos taurus. The archaeological excavations of 2017 were oriented towards the research of the burial mounds no. 13, 14, 16 and 18 from the central area of the Scythian necropolis near La Pietricei. As a result of the excavation of the mounds, 11 graves were revealed (of which five were disturbed in antiquity) and four semicircular ditches, which surrounded the central burials. At the western ends of the ritual ditches in tumuli 13 and 16, there were discovered remains of the funeral feast: a broken in pieces amphora, animal bones and compact agglomerations of sandstones. There were discovered in the graves spindle whorls, glass paste beads, earrings, knives, several arrowheads, a spearhead and a metal sword, as well as ceramic fragments. The human skeletal series which comes from these four Scythian tumuli investigated in 2017 consists of eight adults (seven males and one female) and three sub-adults. The characteristics of this segment are those, generally valid for the Scythian series, that have passed through the north-west-pontic regions, namely robust and slender constitution, high to very high skeletal stature, muscular and strong constitution, dolichocranic skulls, high and relatively narrow face, Nordoid typological features mixed with Eastern-Europoid elements. In one case, there are some Mongoloid features. In this skeletal mini-series, numerous muscular stress markers were identified, expressed by mechanical enthesopathies, including those of the rider and the archer. The animal skeletal remains, discovered either in the graves or in the filling of the pits, or in the ditches, or under the mounds, belong to domestic species, as follows: graves 1, 2 and 3 of tumulus no. 13 – Bos taurus; graves 1 and 2 of tumulus no. 14 – Bos taurus; grave 3 of tumulus 14 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus; graves 1 and 3 of tumulus no. 16 – Bos taurus; grave 2 of tumulus no. 16 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus; grave 1 of tumulus no. 18 – Equus caballus. The soil research aimed at the comparative study of the soils located under the mantle of the investigated burial mounds and in their proximity, as well as the location of the flattened mounds from the researched perimeter with the help of morphological and physico-chemical characteristics, such as soil colour, root frequency, apparent density, granulometry, the content of calcium carbonates.
Preliminary data on the rescue excavations of the necropolis in the north-eastern part of the Cos... more Preliminary data on the rescue excavations of the necropolis in the north-eastern part of the Costești-Gârlea medieval town from 2017. Among the various components that make up the medieval archaeological assemblage of Costești-Gârlea there is a large cemetery with burials, located on the left side of the valley of the Botna River, in the north-eastern part of the Golden Horde town in the 19th century. The funeral site was documented by L.L. Polevoi in 1957, when some west-oriented skeletons were observed due to the erosion of the soil, but they were not excavated. One or two burials from this necropolis were investigated in 2005, but still remain unpublished, as well as the other discovered archaeological vestiges. With the support of the local administration, in 2017 the National Agency for Archaeology carried out rescue archaeological excavations in various parts to the north-east of the site, affected by landslides and soil erosion. A distinct place among the investigated complexes is occupied by 13 burials, located in various sectors of the necropolis. All the burial pits had the west-east orientation, some of them containing wood beams covers. A grave (Nr. 9) also contained a wooden coffin, from which rotten wood scraps and highly oxidized iron nails have been preserved. The skeletons, which, according to anthropological determinations, belonged to various individuals and both sexes, were placed on their backs, with their hands near the body or on the pelvis. In three graves there were found a carnelian ring (grave 10) and two carnelian beads of various types (grave 9 and 13). Several Tatar silver and bronze coins from the 14th century and iron nails were recovered from the culture layer.
PLURIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE BURIAL MOUND NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (CAHUL) Summa... more PLURIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE BURIAL MOUND NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (CAHUL) Summary. In the autumn of 2014, the Institute for Cultural Heritage and the National archaeological Agency performed investigations in the burial mound no. 7 " la Pietricei " on the territory of Crihana Veche (Cahul). The main objectives of the research were the saving of heritage with a high destruction risk from the Late Roman settlement and the continuation of research in the burial mounds group from the vicinity of the Cahul International Airport. Two graves were discovered. One belonged to a child (7-8 years), with a clay vessel placed at the head as grave goods. The second one, centrally placed, belonged to an old man (at least 60 years). The central grave was robed in the past. Among the archaeological vestiges discovered there are 60 arrow heads, an akinakes handle plated with bone plates engraved with silver threads, a kyathos, seven silver beads, two silver jewelries, Egyptian faience beads, bone artefacts, fragmented iron plates from armory, and a lot of amphora fragments (over 500), including stamped handles. The amphora pieces, almost without exception, can be attributed to the Thasos production. The stamps of producers Pylades and Lysikles (end of the 360's – middle of the 350's BC) were imprinted on five amphora handles. The aristocratic character of grave 2 from burial mound no. 7 is supported bz the grave goods of Thracian origin (Northern Balkans group). From a chronological point of view, it suggests that the warrior buried in grave 2 could have participated at the conflict between the Scythians and the Tribals and at their ulterior reconciliation.
Medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. The results of 2014-2015 researchs The a... more Medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. The results of 2014-2015 researchs The authors present the preliminary results of archaeological research in the period 2014-2015, carried out in the area of the medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. (Straseni). The two undertaken archaeological campaigns aimed at continued systematic excavations carried out within two projects for young researchers, funded by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, during which up to date 106 tombs, of which 52 funerary complexes in the years 2014-2015, were discovered. They belonged to the local Christian community; all the deceased (adults and children) were buried according to the Christian ritual: in prone position, with the head to the west, the legs stretched the arms bent at the elbows, and the hands resting on the abdomen, chest or shoulders. The Funeral inventory is represented by ornaments and apparel globular buttons made of bronze, temple rings, silver and bronze earrings, beads, pendants, etc., indicating the period of the use of the cemetery in the 14 th-15 th centuries. The medieval cemetery from Lozova is part of a series of sites particularly important for restoring the spiritual life of Orthodox communities in Bucovat valley. Continued research and rigorous analysis of the entire archaeological inventory will provide additional relevant data, such as demographic evolution, health state, ethnic and cultural background of the population in the space between the Prut and Nistru during the end of the Golden Horde period and the early establishment and eastward expansion of the Country of Moldova. Ion Ursu, Ludmila Bacumenco-Pîrnău, Vlad Vornic, Ion Ciobanu Necropola medievală de la Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. Rezultatele cercetărilor din anii 2014-2015 Autorii prezintă rezultatele preliminare ale cercetărilor arheologice din perioada anilor 2014-2015, efectuate în aria ne-cropolei medievale de la Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii (r-nul Strășeni). Cele două campanii arheologice întreprinse au avut drept scop continuarea săpăturilor sistematice, desfășurate în cadrul a două proiecte pentru tineri cercetători, finanțate de Aca-demia de Științe a Moldovei, pe parcursul cărora au fost descoperite până în prezent 106 morminte, dintre care 52 în anii 2014-2015. Acestea aparțin unei comunităţi creștine locale; toţi decedaţii (maturi și copii) au fost înhumaţi potrivit ritualului creștin: pe spate, cu capul spre vest și picioarele întinse, iar braţele îndoite din coate, cu mâinile așezate pe abdomen, piept sau pe umeri. Inventarul funerar este reprezentat de obiecte de podoabă și port: nasturi globulari din bronz, verigi de tâmplă, cercei de argint și bronz, mărgele, pandantive ș.a., piese care indică perioada de utilizare a cimitirului în secolele XIV-XV. Cimitirul medieval de la Lozova face parte din seria de situri deosebit de importante pentru reconstituirea vieții spirituale a comunităților ortodoxe din valea Bucovățului, iar continuarea cercetărilor și analiza riguroasă a întregului inventar arheologic vor oferi și alte date relevante, precum evoluția demografică, starea de sănătate, apartenența culturală și etnică a populației din spațiul dintre Prut și Nistru în perioada de sfârșit a Hoardei de Aur și începutul constituirii și extinderii spre est a Ţării Moldovei.
Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov
Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche
The art... more Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche The article describes a group of funeral complexes of the Sabatoinovka Culture discovered in 2015 in the Tumulus Nr. 9 near Crihana Veche Village (Cahul District). The paper also proposes an analysis of peculiarities of funeral rites of the Sabatinovka Culture from the area between Dniester and Prut. As a rule, the funeral complexes of the culture under study are located in the south-eastern part of tumulus, as in the Tumulus Nr. 9 from Crihana Veche. The funeral rite and unearthed implements suggest a synchronisation of the funeral complex from the Tumulus Nr. 9 with the cultural circle Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, as well as the culture Monteoru (phase II B) and is dated back to 14th-13th centuries BC. Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov Complexele funerare atibuite culturii Sabatinovka din Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche În articolul de faţă este prezentat un grup de complexe funerare aparţinând culturii Sabatinovka, descoperite recent (2015) în Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche, r-nul Cahul. Sunt analizate aspecte generale ce ţin de ritualul funerar al culturii Sabatinovka în spaţiul pruto-nistrean. De regulă, mormintele ce aparţin acestei culturi din epoca bronzului târziu erau amplasate în sectoarele de sud-est ale tumulilor, formând o concentraţie de morminte de felul unei necropole de dimensiuni mici. Aceeași situaţie poate fi urmărită și în T. 9 de la Crihana Veche. Ritualul funerar și piesele de inventar, descoperit în procesul cercetărilor arheologice, sincronizează micronecropola din T. 9 cu masivul cutural Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, precum și cu cultura Monteoru (faza IIB) și se datează în secolele XIV–XIII a.Chr. Ион Чиобану, Сергей Агульников Погребальные комплексы сабатиновской культуры из Кургана № 9 у с. Крихана Веке В данной статье представлена группа погребальных комплексов культуры Сабатиновка, обнаруженных недавно (2015 г.) в Кургане № 9 у с. Крихана Веке, р. Кахул. Проанализированы особенности погребального обряда Сабатинов- ской культуры Пруто-Днестровского междуречья. Как правило, погребения этой культуры располагаются в юго-вос- точной части курганов, образуя в своем роде могильники небольших размеров. Подобная ситуация прослеживается и в Кургане № 9 из Крихана Веке. Погребальный обряд и инвентарь, обнаруженный в ходе археологических раскопок, позволяет синхронизировать могильник Кургана № 9 с общим культурным массивом Ноуа-Сабатиновка-Кослоджень, а также с культурой Монтеору (фаза II В) и датируется XIV–XIII вв. до н.э.
The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of th... more The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of the Scythian burial mound no. 7 near the village of Crihana Veche in the Republic of Moldova. In the burial mound of the local aristocrat, which was twice robbed in ancient times, along with the remnants of ornaments, weapons, and other objects used in the funeral ceremony, fragments of Greek amphorae were found (both in the burial and in the grave goods), which belonged to only one Greek center of production – Thasos. More than 27 Thasian amphorae in which expensive wine was brought in, as well as other ritual funerary objects, indicate that the man buried there had a special position in the local hierarchy. Also important for research are five amphora stamps on the handles of the Thasian amphorae, which confirm the dating of amphora fragments and indicate the exact sequence of activity of two Thasian magistrates, which previously did not have a basis of support. This funerary complex is singular for the fact that only Thasian amphorae of the same type were found in the burial (usually Heraclean amphorae were put in Scythian burials), which indicates the uniqueness of this complex in the territory between the Prut and Dniester Rivers, and the north-west Black Sea region as a whole.
ANALYSIS OF THE GREEK AMPHORAE DISCOVERED IN THE BARROW NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA), 2016
The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of th... more The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of the Scythian burial mound no. 7 near the village of Crihana Veche in the Republic of Moldova. In the burial mound of the local aristocrat, which was twice robbed in ancient times, along with the remnants of ornaments, weapons, and other objects used in the funeral ceremony, fragments of Greek amphorae were found (both in the burial and in the grave goods), which belonged to only one Greek center of production – Thasos. More than 27 Thasian amphorae in which expensive wine was brought in, as well as other ritual funerary objects, indicate that the man buried there had a special position in the local hierarchy. Also important for research are five amphora stamps on the handles of the Thasian amphorae, which confirm the dating of amphora fragments and indicate the exact sequence of activity of two Thasian magistrates, which previously did not have a basis of support. This funerary complex is singular for the fact that only Thasian amphorae of the same type were found in the burial (usually Heraclean amphorae were put in Scythian burials), which indicates the uniqueness of this complex in the territory between the Prut and Dniester Rivers, and the north-west Black Sea region as a whole.
The paper presents the results of preventive investigation of a pit-house dwelling complex of the... more The paper presents the results of preventive investigation of a pit-house dwelling complex of the late phase of Cucuteni- Tripolye culture. Discovered artefacts have various analogies from the settlements of Vykhvatintzy type widely spread in the zone of Dniester river basin and Dniester Highlands. The investigated complex is characterized by its peculiar size: its length amounts to ca. 11.5 m. The rough pottery with shell inclusion predominates in the ceramic complex. Fine painted pottery is represented by various forms characteristic of the Vykhvatintzy type. The Cunicea Prisanscaia-Gora site could be synchronized with the both earliest horizons of the Vykhvatintzy cemetery and chronologically should be placed in Tripolye CII period.
This paper presents rescue research results of the archaeological site Cunicea Prişanscaia-Gora T... more This paper presents rescue research results of the archaeological site Cunicea Prişanscaia-Gora The investigations were studied archaeological complex, deepened dated late stage (C2) Tripolie monuments of the Middle Dniester. The pottery discovered finds analogues in type of Ofatinţi sites, and can be synchronized with the first two phases of the cemetery at Ofatinţi. Simultaneously been studied and a tomb which could probably be attributed to the late migrators.
Rezumat. Primele cercetări perieghetice pe teritoriul satului Crihana Veche au fost întreprinse î... more Rezumat. Primele cercetări perieghetice pe teritoriul satului Crihana Veche au fost întreprinse în 1966, când se descoperă şi primele situri arheologice. În 1992 a fost cercetat un grup de patru tumuli, din care trei scitici. În tumulul 2 au fost cercetate trei morminte de inhumaţie şi două şanţuri, în formă de semicerc, ce flancau mormintele din partea nordică şi sudică; în tumulul 3 – un singur mormânt şi două şanţuri semicirculare ce înconjurau mormântul; în tumulul 4 – două morminte şi două şanţuri semicirculare dispuse convex unul faţă de altul, în partea nordică şi sudică. În 2014 săpăturile arheologice în punctul La Pietricei sunt reluate, fiind cercetate până în prezent mai multe movile. Descoperirile atribuite culturii scitice sunt: în tumulul 5 – trei morminte de inhumaţie; în tumulul 5A – un mormânt; în tumulul 6 – un mormânt şi un şanţ întrerupt la extremitatea estică şi vestică, în legătură directă cu mormântul; în tumulul 7 – două morminte şi un şanţ întrerupt la extremitatea estică şi vestică, în legătură directă cu mormintele. Lotul atribuit perioadei scitice analizată paleoantropologic şi paleodemografic este format din 14 indivizi, din care doi sub-adulţi şi 12 adulţi (şase bărbaţi, trei femei şi trei indeterminabili). Speranţa de viaţă la naştere este de 30,5 ani. Mortalitatea segmentului sub-adult de populaţie este de 14,3%. Referitor la resturile faunistice, au fost identificate două categorii şi anume, cele recuperate din morminte sau din umplutura gropilor şi cele găsite sub mantaua tumulilor, în şanţuri. Acestea provin în mare parte de la specii domestice, cu unele mici excepţii. Inventarul mormintelor scitice documentate în tumulii din necropola Crihana Veche-La Pietricei este specific complexelor funerare din al doilea şi al treilea sfert ale sec. IV î. Hr. Din punct de vedere cronologic, un interes deosebit prezintă materialul amforic bogat din tumulul 7 (peste 500 de fragmente). Toate amforele (minimum 25 ex.) pot fi atribuite centrului de producţie din Thasos, fiind de tipul II-B-2, care apar după 370 î. Hr. Materialul arheologic descoperit şi recuperat prin săpătură din tumulii din punctul La Pietricei de la Crihana Veche ne permite încadrarea cultural-istorică în cadrul vestigiilor scitice descoperite anterior la Prutul de Jos şi regiunea Lacurilor Dunărene.
Abstract. The first field surveys on the territory of Crihana Veche village were conducted in 1966 when the first archaeological sites were discovered. In 1992, a group of four burial mounds were excavated, of which three belonged to the Scythian culture. Three inhumation graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides were discovered in burial mound no. 2; only one grave and two semi-circular ditches surrounding it – in burial mound no. 3; two graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides – in burial mound no. 4. The excavations at La Pietricei location were resumed in 2014, and several burial mounds have been researched until now. The discoveries attributed to the Scythian culture are: three inhumation graves in burial mound no. 5, one grave in burial mound 5A, one grave and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the grave in mound no. 6, two graves and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the graves in mound no. 7. The Scythian osteological sample consists of 14 individuals – two sub-adults and 12 adults (six men, three women and three indeterminate). Life expectancy at birth is 30.5 years. Mortality of the sub-adult demographic segment is 14.3%. Two categories of animal remains were identified, namely those recovered from the filling of the graves and those found under the mantle of the tumuli, in the ditches. They mostly come from domestic species, with some exceptions. The funeral inventory of the Scythian graves from the burial mounds excavated in the necropolis at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei is specific to the funerary features from the second and the third quarter of the 4th century BC. From a chronological perspective, the over 500 fragments belonging to amphorae from burial mound no. 7 are extremely interesting. All the amphorae (minimum 25 items) can be attributed to the Thasos production centre and they belong to the II-B-2 type attested starting with the end of 370 BC. The archaeological material recovered from the burial mounds at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei allows us to subscribe these burial mounds to the previous Scythian discoveries at the Lower Prut and in the area of the Danube Lakes.
This paper presents the preliminary data on rescue archaeological research of the tumulus No. 8 n... more This paper presents the preliminary data on rescue archaeological research of the tumulus No. 8 near Cimişlia (Republic of Moldova) in 2015. The tumulus had a diameter of 36 m and height of 0,8 m. In the mound ten graves, two agglomerations of bones and pottery, a religious complex, a circular moat and a circular stone platform were identified. According to the stratigraphy, the construction of the initial mound, ditch and the cult complex (consisting of six buried vertical logs) were connected with the grave 3 of late Eneolithic time. The next chronological horizon is represented by the graves of Zhivotilovka-Volchansk type (No. 2 and 8). In addition, there were excavated two graves of Yamnaya culture, one grave of Katacomb culture, two Sarmatian and one of the late Medieval nomad.
Arheologia preventivă în Republica Moldova, vol. IV, 2019
There are known about 150 burial munds near Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Etulia villages. The barrow 8... more There are known about 150 burial munds near Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Etulia villages. The barrow 8 was investigated in the connection with the implementation of the project of the water supply for Alexandru Ioan Cuza village in 2017. The preventive archaeological intervention was influenced by the very location of the burial mound close to the project works, to the west of Alexandru Ioan Cuza village, on a high plateau of the terrace on the left bank of the Cahul river. The barrow 8 is characterized by a simple stratigraphic structure. The first mound, raised above the primary burial 3 and consisting of a largely homogeneous soil of black colour is dating back to the Bronze Age. In the central part of the tumulus, in the eastern and western stratigraphic cuts, on the original surface, traces of soil thrown from the main grave were discovered. The preserved height of the mound was 1.1 m. Grave 1 (medieval, secondary). It was found in the central part of the tumulus at a depth of 0.5 m from the original surface. The outline of the pit could not be highlighted. The skeleton was discovered in a stretched position with its head facing west, its left hand being laid on the pelvis, and the right — under the pelvis. On the left side of the skull an object of corroded iron was discovered, with poor traces of wood. Grave 2 (medieval, secondary). It was documented in the southern sector of the tumulus, at a depth of 0.9 m from the actual surface. The contour of the pit could not be identified. The dead body was put in a stretched position on the back, with its head to west-north-west. Both hands were stretched, its right hand was placed on the pelvis and the left hand — under the pelvis. Grave 3 (Yamnaya culture, primary, twin burial). It was identified in the central part of the tumulus, at a depth of 1.1 m. The rectangular pit, oriented on the east-west axis, was 1.80 m long, 1.30 m wide and 0.8 m deep. The cover of the pit consisted of seven wooden beams arranged longitudinally. The burial was twin and consisted of two skeletons. The skeleton 1, assigned to a mature person, was placed in a crouching position on the back, with a slight inclination on the right, facing westward. The left hand was documented on the pelvis, and the palm of its right hand was found near the skull. The lower limbs were bent to the right. Skeleton bones had traces of ochre. The skeleton 2 belonged to a child which was placed to the right of the mature person. It had the same westward orientation, perhaps being put in a crouching position on the back. Lower limbs have been preserved unsatisfactorily. Bones had traces of ochre. On the bottom of the pit there were remains of a vegetal bedding. The inventory consisted of a tile grinder fragment and a rounded grinder (galet). As a result of the investigations, it could be determined that initially the tumulus 8 was raised above a burial assigned to the Yamnaya culture, to the late horizon of this culture. Afterwards, two other burials, belonging probably to the Medieval nomads, were sunk in the mound.
Rescue excavations on the cemetery of Chernyakhov type from Tigheci. The Tigheci necropolis of Ch... more Rescue excavations on the cemetery of Chernyakhov type from Tigheci. The Tigheci necropolis of Chernyakhov culture is located on the north-east edge of the village on the northern slope of the Tigheci River valley and on the east side of an approximately north-south oriented valley, called the Valea Coznei/Cozna Valley, near La Lutărie natural landmark. The archaeological site was reported in the 1980’s when an unauthorized career functioned in this place. The illegal extraction of clay has destroyed a considerable area of the cemetery, the dimensions of which are to be established. A bead of inlaid glassy paste, a neck of a large jar and four whole vessels (a pot, two bowls and a cup) of gray ceramics, worked on the wheel of fine paste or with fine sand in composition from the destroyed tombs are found today in the collections of the Museum of History and Ethnography in Tigheci. In 2013 and 2015 the necropolis of the 4th century of Tigheci was surveyed through reconnaissance work by National Agency for Archaeology specialists, and it was revealed that the western part of the site is still being destroyed by soil erosion. This fact led that, in 2017, rescue research was carried out in the cemetery. The archaeological excavations were carried out in an area, where a human skeleton was visible in the wall of the ravine, an area of about 62 sq. m being uncovered and five burials were discovered. Three burials (no. 1, 3 and 4) were oriented in the north-south direction, and two (no. 2 and 5) had the skeletons with the heads oriented to west. The depth of funerals varied between 0,5 and 2,3 m. The contour of the pits was perceived at a number of four burial, being approximately rectangular in shape, with vertical walls and right bottom. Two north-south oriented burials (no. 3 and 4) were completely destroyed in antiquity, and one, west oriented burial (no. 5), was partially damaged, affecting only the thoracic box of the skeleton. It should be noted that two graves were intersected: e.g. grave no. 4 was cut bu grave no. 5. Similarly, one of the graves (no. 4) was a twin one: the remnants of the two recovered skeletons belonged to an adult woman and a 4-7 year old child. The other four graves were of a 18-24 month old child (grave 2), a young man (grave 1) and a two women (graves no. 3 and 5) of 35-50 years. Grave no. 3 contained a fragment of an iron knife and a bowl made on wheel of gray fine paste, found broken into pieces at the bottom of the pit, and a container of greenish semi-transparent glass decorated with hexagonal faces was found in grave no. 5, near the skull. The rest of the burials has no inventory. Three buckles with oval-plated strings, two of which were bronze and silver, a bronze toilet knife, a piece of iron knife and some fragments of wheel vessels made of fine and crisp paste were also found in the layer of the culture of the necropolis. Chronologically, based on rites and funerary practices, ceramics, metal buckles and glass containers, the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov necropolis from Tigheci falls within the limits of the 4th century AD, rather in the second half of this century.
Preliminary data regarding archaeological and interdisciplinary research at Crihana Veche (Cahul ... more Preliminary data regarding archaeological and interdisciplinary research at Crihana Veche (Cahul District). Excavations of 2016 and 2017. The article presents the results of the archaeological and interdisciplinary investigations on the estate of the Crihana Veche village (Cahul district), carried out within two archaeological campaigns (2016 and 2017). The research was carried out on seven burial mounds. Three burial mounds were excavated in 2016 and they had funeral complexes of various periods. In the tumulus 12, called Movila Gologan, 23 graves were discovered, belonging to several cultural-chronological horizons. The first is directly related to the grave 10 (Hadjider-Cernavoda I type). Probably, three ritual pits can be attributed to this level, in one of them being discovered a ceramic vessel. At the level of mantle I, a cenotaph (grave 12) was identified and in the vicinity – a broken vessel, probably of Foltești-Cernavoda II type. Graves no. 12, 19, 5, 1 and 9 belong to the Yamnaya culture (early phase) and represent the next chronological horizon, related to the mantle II. The mantle III was probably raised above the grave 16, secondary being dug graves 3, 4, 6, 8, 15 and 21, which form a semicircle in the southern part of the burial mound. These funeral assemblages can be attributed to the Yamnaya culture (late phase). The mantle IV was raised above grave 13 (Multi-relief-band Ware culture), later there being introduced the grave 14, belonging to the same culture. The Late Bronze Age is represented by graves no. 2, 11 and 18 of the Sabatinovka culture. Two Sarmatian graves (17 and 22) and a grave attributed to the late medieval nomads (grave 7) were also discovered. The research of the tumuli 5 and 5A near La Pietricei revealed funeral complexes belonging to the Yamnaya culture (two graves in tumulus 5), the Multi-relief-band Ware culture (a grave in tumulus 5A) and the Scythian culture (tumulus 5 – three graves, tumulus 5A – one grave). In addition to the estimation of the age at death and sex determination, paleoanthropological analysis has revealed many markers of the health status and the quality of life, musculoskeletal markers that provide information about the possible daily activities of those buried in the investigated graves, starting with the Eneolithic era until the Middle Ages. Besides the numerous bone and dental pathologies and traumas (either produced during life and healed, or cause of death), a number of cultural aspects such as double symbolic trephination with traces of infection (grave 7 of tumulus no. 12) also stand out. The archaeozoological analysis revealed the presence of animal skeletal remains in all three investigated mounds in 2016, as follows: grave 2 of tumulus 12 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus and Sus domesticus; grave 4 of tumulus 12 – rodent; grave 13 of tumulus 12 – Bos taurus; grave nr. 1 and 2 of tumulus no. 5 – Bos taurus; grave 4 of tumulus 5 – Canis familiaris (two canine teeth); grave 1 of tumulus 5A – Bos taurus. The archaeological excavations of 2017 were oriented towards the research of the burial mounds no. 13, 14, 16 and 18 from the central area of the Scythian necropolis near La Pietricei. As a result of the excavation of the mounds, 11 graves were revealed (of which five were disturbed in antiquity) and four semicircular ditches, which surrounded the central burials. At the western ends of the ritual ditches in tumuli 13 and 16, there were discovered remains of the funeral feast: a broken in pieces amphora, animal bones and compact agglomerations of sandstones. There were discovered in the graves spindle whorls, glass paste beads, earrings, knives, several arrowheads, a spearhead and a metal sword, as well as ceramic fragments. The human skeletal series which comes from these four Scythian tumuli investigated in 2017 consists of eight adults (seven males and one female) and three sub-adults. The characteristics of this segment are those, generally valid for the Scythian series, that have passed through the north-west-pontic regions, namely robust and slender constitution, high to very high skeletal stature, muscular and strong constitution, dolichocranic skulls, high and relatively narrow face, Nordoid typological features mixed with Eastern-Europoid elements. In one case, there are some Mongoloid features. In this skeletal mini-series, numerous muscular stress markers were identified, expressed by mechanical enthesopathies, including those of the rider and the archer. The animal skeletal remains, discovered either in the graves or in the filling of the pits, or in the ditches, or under the mounds, belong to domestic species, as follows: graves 1, 2 and 3 of tumulus no. 13 – Bos taurus; graves 1 and 2 of tumulus no. 14 – Bos taurus; grave 3 of tumulus 14 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus; graves 1 and 3 of tumulus no. 16 – Bos taurus; grave 2 of tumulus no. 16 – Ovis aries/Capra hircus; grave 1 of tumulus no. 18 – Equus caballus. The soil research aimed at the comparative study of the soils located under the mantle of the investigated burial mounds and in their proximity, as well as the location of the flattened mounds from the researched perimeter with the help of morphological and physico-chemical characteristics, such as soil colour, root frequency, apparent density, granulometry, the content of calcium carbonates.
Preliminary data on the rescue excavations of the necropolis in the north-eastern part of the Cos... more Preliminary data on the rescue excavations of the necropolis in the north-eastern part of the Costești-Gârlea medieval town from 2017. Among the various components that make up the medieval archaeological assemblage of Costești-Gârlea there is a large cemetery with burials, located on the left side of the valley of the Botna River, in the north-eastern part of the Golden Horde town in the 19th century. The funeral site was documented by L.L. Polevoi in 1957, when some west-oriented skeletons were observed due to the erosion of the soil, but they were not excavated. One or two burials from this necropolis were investigated in 2005, but still remain unpublished, as well as the other discovered archaeological vestiges. With the support of the local administration, in 2017 the National Agency for Archaeology carried out rescue archaeological excavations in various parts to the north-east of the site, affected by landslides and soil erosion. A distinct place among the investigated complexes is occupied by 13 burials, located in various sectors of the necropolis. All the burial pits had the west-east orientation, some of them containing wood beams covers. A grave (Nr. 9) also contained a wooden coffin, from which rotten wood scraps and highly oxidized iron nails have been preserved. The skeletons, which, according to anthropological determinations, belonged to various individuals and both sexes, were placed on their backs, with their hands near the body or on the pelvis. In three graves there were found a carnelian ring (grave 10) and two carnelian beads of various types (grave 9 and 13). Several Tatar silver and bronze coins from the 14th century and iron nails were recovered from the culture layer.
PLURIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE BURIAL MOUND NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (CAHUL) Summa... more PLURIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE BURIAL MOUND NO. 7 AT CRIHANA VECHE (CAHUL) Summary. In the autumn of 2014, the Institute for Cultural Heritage and the National archaeological Agency performed investigations in the burial mound no. 7 " la Pietricei " on the territory of Crihana Veche (Cahul). The main objectives of the research were the saving of heritage with a high destruction risk from the Late Roman settlement and the continuation of research in the burial mounds group from the vicinity of the Cahul International Airport. Two graves were discovered. One belonged to a child (7-8 years), with a clay vessel placed at the head as grave goods. The second one, centrally placed, belonged to an old man (at least 60 years). The central grave was robed in the past. Among the archaeological vestiges discovered there are 60 arrow heads, an akinakes handle plated with bone plates engraved with silver threads, a kyathos, seven silver beads, two silver jewelries, Egyptian faience beads, bone artefacts, fragmented iron plates from armory, and a lot of amphora fragments (over 500), including stamped handles. The amphora pieces, almost without exception, can be attributed to the Thasos production. The stamps of producers Pylades and Lysikles (end of the 360's – middle of the 350's BC) were imprinted on five amphora handles. The aristocratic character of grave 2 from burial mound no. 7 is supported bz the grave goods of Thracian origin (Northern Balkans group). From a chronological point of view, it suggests that the warrior buried in grave 2 could have participated at the conflict between the Scythians and the Tribals and at their ulterior reconciliation.
Medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. The results of 2014-2015 researchs The a... more Medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. The results of 2014-2015 researchs The authors present the preliminary results of archaeological research in the period 2014-2015, carried out in the area of the medieval necropolis from Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. (Straseni). The two undertaken archaeological campaigns aimed at continued systematic excavations carried out within two projects for young researchers, funded by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, during which up to date 106 tombs, of which 52 funerary complexes in the years 2014-2015, were discovered. They belonged to the local Christian community; all the deceased (adults and children) were buried according to the Christian ritual: in prone position, with the head to the west, the legs stretched the arms bent at the elbows, and the hands resting on the abdomen, chest or shoulders. The Funeral inventory is represented by ornaments and apparel globular buttons made of bronze, temple rings, silver and bronze earrings, beads, pendants, etc., indicating the period of the use of the cemetery in the 14 th-15 th centuries. The medieval cemetery from Lozova is part of a series of sites particularly important for restoring the spiritual life of Orthodox communities in Bucovat valley. Continued research and rigorous analysis of the entire archaeological inventory will provide additional relevant data, such as demographic evolution, health state, ethnic and cultural background of the population in the space between the Prut and Nistru during the end of the Golden Horde period and the early establishment and eastward expansion of the Country of Moldova. Ion Ursu, Ludmila Bacumenco-Pîrnău, Vlad Vornic, Ion Ciobanu Necropola medievală de la Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii. Rezultatele cercetărilor din anii 2014-2015 Autorii prezintă rezultatele preliminare ale cercetărilor arheologice din perioada anilor 2014-2015, efectuate în aria ne-cropolei medievale de la Lozova-La hotar cu Vornicenii (r-nul Strășeni). Cele două campanii arheologice întreprinse au avut drept scop continuarea săpăturilor sistematice, desfășurate în cadrul a două proiecte pentru tineri cercetători, finanțate de Aca-demia de Științe a Moldovei, pe parcursul cărora au fost descoperite până în prezent 106 morminte, dintre care 52 în anii 2014-2015. Acestea aparțin unei comunităţi creștine locale; toţi decedaţii (maturi și copii) au fost înhumaţi potrivit ritualului creștin: pe spate, cu capul spre vest și picioarele întinse, iar braţele îndoite din coate, cu mâinile așezate pe abdomen, piept sau pe umeri. Inventarul funerar este reprezentat de obiecte de podoabă și port: nasturi globulari din bronz, verigi de tâmplă, cercei de argint și bronz, mărgele, pandantive ș.a., piese care indică perioada de utilizare a cimitirului în secolele XIV-XV. Cimitirul medieval de la Lozova face parte din seria de situri deosebit de importante pentru reconstituirea vieții spirituale a comunităților ortodoxe din valea Bucovățului, iar continuarea cercetărilor și analiza riguroasă a întregului inventar arheologic vor oferi și alte date relevante, precum evoluția demografică, starea de sănătate, apartenența culturală și etnică a populației din spațiul dintre Prut și Nistru în perioada de sfârșit a Hoardei de Aur și începutul constituirii și extinderii spre est a Ţării Moldovei.
Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov
Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche
The art... more Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche The article describes a group of funeral complexes of the Sabatoinovka Culture discovered in 2015 in the Tumulus Nr. 9 near Crihana Veche Village (Cahul District). The paper also proposes an analysis of peculiarities of funeral rites of the Sabatinovka Culture from the area between Dniester and Prut. As a rule, the funeral complexes of the culture under study are located in the south-eastern part of tumulus, as in the Tumulus Nr. 9 from Crihana Veche. The funeral rite and unearthed implements suggest a synchronisation of the funeral complex from the Tumulus Nr. 9 with the cultural circle Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, as well as the culture Monteoru (phase II B) and is dated back to 14th-13th centuries BC. Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov Complexele funerare atibuite culturii Sabatinovka din Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche În articolul de faţă este prezentat un grup de complexe funerare aparţinând culturii Sabatinovka, descoperite recent (2015) în Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche, r-nul Cahul. Sunt analizate aspecte generale ce ţin de ritualul funerar al culturii Sabatinovka în spaţiul pruto-nistrean. De regulă, mormintele ce aparţin acestei culturi din epoca bronzului târziu erau amplasate în sectoarele de sud-est ale tumulilor, formând o concentraţie de morminte de felul unei necropole de dimensiuni mici. Aceeași situaţie poate fi urmărită și în T. 9 de la Crihana Veche. Ritualul funerar și piesele de inventar, descoperit în procesul cercetărilor arheologice, sincronizează micronecropola din T. 9 cu masivul cutural Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, precum și cu cultura Monteoru (faza IIB) și se datează în secolele XIV–XIII a.Chr. Ион Чиобану, Сергей Агульников Погребальные комплексы сабатиновской культуры из Кургана № 9 у с. Крихана Веке В данной статье представлена группа погребальных комплексов культуры Сабатиновка, обнаруженных недавно (2015 г.) в Кургане № 9 у с. Крихана Веке, р. Кахул. Проанализированы особенности погребального обряда Сабатинов- ской культуры Пруто-Днестровского междуречья. Как правило, погребения этой культуры располагаются в юго-вос- точной части курганов, образуя в своем роде могильники небольших размеров. Подобная ситуация прослеживается и в Кургане № 9 из Крихана Веке. Погребальный обряд и инвентарь, обнаруженный в ходе археологических раскопок, позволяет синхронизировать могильник Кургана № 9 с общим культурным массивом Ноуа-Сабатиновка-Кослоджень, а также с культурой Монтеору (фаза II В) и датируется XIV–XIII вв. до н.э.
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Tripolye culture. Discovered artefacts have various analogies from the settlements of Vykhvatintzy type widely spread in the zone of Dniester river basin and Dniester Highlands. The investigated complex is characterized by its peculiar size: its length amounts to ca. 11.5 m. The rough pottery with shell inclusion predominates in the ceramic complex. Fine painted pottery is represented by various forms characteristic of the Vykhvatintzy type. The Cunicea Prisanscaia-Gora site could be synchronized with the both earliest horizons of the Vykhvatintzy cemetery and chronologically should be placed in Tripolye CII period.
Lacurilor Dunărene.
Abstract. The first field surveys on the territory of Crihana Veche village were conducted in 1966 when the first archaeological sites were discovered. In 1992, a group of four burial mounds were excavated, of which three belonged to the Scythian culture. Three inhumation graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides were discovered in burial mound no. 2; only one grave and two semi-circular ditches surrounding it – in burial mound no. 3; two graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides – in burial mound no. 4. The excavations at La Pietricei location were resumed in 2014, and several burial mounds have been researched until now. The discoveries attributed to the Scythian culture are: three inhumation graves in burial mound no. 5, one grave in burial mound 5A, one grave and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the grave in mound no. 6, two graves and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the graves in mound no. 7. The Scythian osteological sample consists of 14 individuals – two sub-adults and 12 adults (six men, three women and three indeterminate). Life expectancy at birth is 30.5 years. Mortality of the sub-adult demographic segment is 14.3%. Two categories of animal remains were identified, namely those recovered from the filling of the graves and those found under the mantle of the tumuli, in the ditches. They mostly come from domestic species, with some exceptions. The funeral inventory of the Scythian graves from the burial mounds excavated in the necropolis at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei is specific to the funerary features from the second and the third quarter of the 4th century BC. From a chronological perspective, the over 500 fragments belonging to amphorae from burial mound no. 7 are extremely interesting. All the amphorae (minimum 25 items) can be attributed to the Thasos production centre and they belong to the II-B-2 type attested starting with the end of 370 BC. The archaeological material recovered from the
burial mounds at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei allows us to subscribe these burial mounds to the previous Scythian discoveries at the Lower Prut and in the area of the Danube Lakes.
(Republic of Moldova) in 2015. The tumulus had a diameter of 36 m and height of 0,8 m. In the mound ten graves,
two agglomerations of bones and pottery, a religious complex, a circular moat and a circular stone platform were
identified. According to the stratigraphy, the construction of the initial mound, ditch and the cult complex (consisting
of six buried vertical logs) were connected with the grave 3 of late Eneolithic time. The next chronological horizon
is represented by the graves of Zhivotilovka-Volchansk type (No. 2 and 8). In addition, there were excavated two
graves of Yamnaya culture, one grave of Katacomb culture, two Sarmatian and one of the late Medieval nomad.
Grave 1 (medieval, secondary). It was found in the central part of the tumulus at a depth of 0.5 m from the original surface. The outline of the pit could not be highlighted. The skeleton was discovered in a stretched position with its head facing west, its left hand being laid on the pelvis, and the right — under the pelvis. On the left side of the skull an object of corroded iron was discovered, with poor traces of wood.
Grave 2 (medieval, secondary). It was documented in the southern sector of the tumulus, at a depth of 0.9 m from the actual surface. The contour of the pit could not be identified. The dead body was put in a stretched position on the back, with its head to west-north-west. Both hands were stretched, its right hand was placed on the pelvis
and the left hand — under the pelvis.
Grave 3 (Yamnaya culture, primary, twin burial). It was identified in the central part of the tumulus, at a depth of 1.1 m. The rectangular pit, oriented on the east-west axis, was 1.80 m long, 1.30 m wide and 0.8 m deep. The cover of the pit consisted of seven wooden beams arranged longitudinally. The burial was twin and consisted of two skeletons.
The skeleton 1, assigned to a mature person, was placed in a crouching position on the back, with a slight inclination on the right, facing westward. The left hand was documented on the pelvis, and the palm of its right hand was found near the skull. The lower limbs were bent to the right. Skeleton bones had traces of ochre. The skeleton 2 belonged to a child which was placed to the right of the mature person. It had the same westward orientation, perhaps being put in a crouching position on the back. Lower limbs have been preserved unsatisfactorily.
Bones had traces of ochre. On the bottom of the pit there were remains of a vegetal bedding. The inventory consisted of a tile grinder fragment and a rounded grinder (galet).
As a result of the investigations, it could be determined that initially the tumulus 8 was raised above a burial assigned to the Yamnaya culture, to the late horizon of this culture. Afterwards, two other burials, belonging probably to the Medieval nomads, were sunk in the mound.
Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche
The article describes a group of funeral complexes of the Sabatoinovka Culture discovered in 2015 in the Tumulus Nr. 9
near Crihana Veche Village (Cahul District). The paper also proposes an analysis of peculiarities of funeral rites of the Sabatinovka
Culture from the area between Dniester and Prut. As a rule, the funeral complexes of the culture under study are located
in the south-eastern part of tumulus, as in the Tumulus Nr. 9 from Crihana Veche. The funeral rite and unearthed implements
suggest a synchronisation of the funeral complex from the Tumulus Nr. 9 with the cultural circle Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni,
as well as the culture Monteoru (phase II B) and is dated back to 14th-13th centuries BC.
Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov
Complexele funerare atibuite culturii Sabatinovka din Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche
În articolul de faţă este prezentat un grup de complexe funerare aparţinând culturii Sabatinovka, descoperite recent
(2015) în Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche, r-nul Cahul. Sunt analizate aspecte generale ce ţin de ritualul funerar al culturii Sabatinovka
în spaţiul pruto-nistrean. De regulă, mormintele ce aparţin acestei culturi din epoca bronzului târziu erau amplasate
în sectoarele de sud-est ale tumulilor, formând o concentraţie de morminte de felul unei necropole de dimensiuni mici. Aceeași
situaţie poate fi urmărită și în T. 9 de la Crihana Veche. Ritualul funerar și piesele de inventar, descoperit în procesul cercetărilor
arheologice, sincronizează micronecropola din T. 9 cu masivul cutural Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, precum și cu cultura
Monteoru (faza IIB) și se datează în secolele XIV–XIII a.Chr.
Ион Чиобану, Сергей Агульников
Погребальные комплексы сабатиновской культуры из Кургана № 9 у с. Крихана Веке
В данной статье представлена группа погребальных комплексов культуры Сабатиновка, обнаруженных недавно
(2015 г.) в Кургане № 9 у с. Крихана Веке, р. Кахул. Проанализированы особенности погребального обряда Сабатинов-
ской культуры Пруто-Днестровского междуречья. Как правило, погребения этой культуры располагаются в юго-вос-
точной части курганов, образуя в своем роде могильники небольших размеров. Подобная ситуация прослеживается
и в Кургане № 9 из Крихана Веке. Погребальный обряд и инвентарь, обнаруженный в ходе археологических раскопок,
позволяет синхронизировать могильник Кургана № 9 с общим культурным массивом Ноуа-Сабатиновка-Кослоджень,
а также с культурой Монтеору (фаза II В) и датируется XIV–XIII вв. до н.э.
Tripolye culture. Discovered artefacts have various analogies from the settlements of Vykhvatintzy type widely spread in the zone of Dniester river basin and Dniester Highlands. The investigated complex is characterized by its peculiar size: its length amounts to ca. 11.5 m. The rough pottery with shell inclusion predominates in the ceramic complex. Fine painted pottery is represented by various forms characteristic of the Vykhvatintzy type. The Cunicea Prisanscaia-Gora site could be synchronized with the both earliest horizons of the Vykhvatintzy cemetery and chronologically should be placed in Tripolye CII period.
Lacurilor Dunărene.
Abstract. The first field surveys on the territory of Crihana Veche village were conducted in 1966 when the first archaeological sites were discovered. In 1992, a group of four burial mounds were excavated, of which three belonged to the Scythian culture. Three inhumation graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides were discovered in burial mound no. 2; only one grave and two semi-circular ditches surrounding it – in burial mound no. 3; two graves and two semi-circular ditches that flanked the graves on the north and south sides – in burial mound no. 4. The excavations at La Pietricei location were resumed in 2014, and several burial mounds have been researched until now. The discoveries attributed to the Scythian culture are: three inhumation graves in burial mound no. 5, one grave in burial mound 5A, one grave and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the grave in mound no. 6, two graves and a ditch interrupted to the east and to the west, directly related to the graves in mound no. 7. The Scythian osteological sample consists of 14 individuals – two sub-adults and 12 adults (six men, three women and three indeterminate). Life expectancy at birth is 30.5 years. Mortality of the sub-adult demographic segment is 14.3%. Two categories of animal remains were identified, namely those recovered from the filling of the graves and those found under the mantle of the tumuli, in the ditches. They mostly come from domestic species, with some exceptions. The funeral inventory of the Scythian graves from the burial mounds excavated in the necropolis at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei is specific to the funerary features from the second and the third quarter of the 4th century BC. From a chronological perspective, the over 500 fragments belonging to amphorae from burial mound no. 7 are extremely interesting. All the amphorae (minimum 25 items) can be attributed to the Thasos production centre and they belong to the II-B-2 type attested starting with the end of 370 BC. The archaeological material recovered from the
burial mounds at Crihana Veche – La Pietricei allows us to subscribe these burial mounds to the previous Scythian discoveries at the Lower Prut and in the area of the Danube Lakes.
(Republic of Moldova) in 2015. The tumulus had a diameter of 36 m and height of 0,8 m. In the mound ten graves,
two agglomerations of bones and pottery, a religious complex, a circular moat and a circular stone platform were
identified. According to the stratigraphy, the construction of the initial mound, ditch and the cult complex (consisting
of six buried vertical logs) were connected with the grave 3 of late Eneolithic time. The next chronological horizon
is represented by the graves of Zhivotilovka-Volchansk type (No. 2 and 8). In addition, there were excavated two
graves of Yamnaya culture, one grave of Katacomb culture, two Sarmatian and one of the late Medieval nomad.
Grave 1 (medieval, secondary). It was found in the central part of the tumulus at a depth of 0.5 m from the original surface. The outline of the pit could not be highlighted. The skeleton was discovered in a stretched position with its head facing west, its left hand being laid on the pelvis, and the right — under the pelvis. On the left side of the skull an object of corroded iron was discovered, with poor traces of wood.
Grave 2 (medieval, secondary). It was documented in the southern sector of the tumulus, at a depth of 0.9 m from the actual surface. The contour of the pit could not be identified. The dead body was put in a stretched position on the back, with its head to west-north-west. Both hands were stretched, its right hand was placed on the pelvis
and the left hand — under the pelvis.
Grave 3 (Yamnaya culture, primary, twin burial). It was identified in the central part of the tumulus, at a depth of 1.1 m. The rectangular pit, oriented on the east-west axis, was 1.80 m long, 1.30 m wide and 0.8 m deep. The cover of the pit consisted of seven wooden beams arranged longitudinally. The burial was twin and consisted of two skeletons.
The skeleton 1, assigned to a mature person, was placed in a crouching position on the back, with a slight inclination on the right, facing westward. The left hand was documented on the pelvis, and the palm of its right hand was found near the skull. The lower limbs were bent to the right. Skeleton bones had traces of ochre. The skeleton 2 belonged to a child which was placed to the right of the mature person. It had the same westward orientation, perhaps being put in a crouching position on the back. Lower limbs have been preserved unsatisfactorily.
Bones had traces of ochre. On the bottom of the pit there were remains of a vegetal bedding. The inventory consisted of a tile grinder fragment and a rounded grinder (galet).
As a result of the investigations, it could be determined that initially the tumulus 8 was raised above a burial assigned to the Yamnaya culture, to the late horizon of this culture. Afterwards, two other burials, belonging probably to the Medieval nomads, were sunk in the mound.
Burial complexes of Sabatinovka Culture from Crihana Veche
The article describes a group of funeral complexes of the Sabatoinovka Culture discovered in 2015 in the Tumulus Nr. 9
near Crihana Veche Village (Cahul District). The paper also proposes an analysis of peculiarities of funeral rites of the Sabatinovka
Culture from the area between Dniester and Prut. As a rule, the funeral complexes of the culture under study are located
in the south-eastern part of tumulus, as in the Tumulus Nr. 9 from Crihana Veche. The funeral rite and unearthed implements
suggest a synchronisation of the funeral complex from the Tumulus Nr. 9 with the cultural circle Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni,
as well as the culture Monteoru (phase II B) and is dated back to 14th-13th centuries BC.
Ion Ciobanu, Serghei Agulnicov
Complexele funerare atibuite culturii Sabatinovka din Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche
În articolul de faţă este prezentat un grup de complexe funerare aparţinând culturii Sabatinovka, descoperite recent
(2015) în Tumulul 9 de la Crihana Veche, r-nul Cahul. Sunt analizate aspecte generale ce ţin de ritualul funerar al culturii Sabatinovka
în spaţiul pruto-nistrean. De regulă, mormintele ce aparţin acestei culturi din epoca bronzului târziu erau amplasate
în sectoarele de sud-est ale tumulilor, formând o concentraţie de morminte de felul unei necropole de dimensiuni mici. Aceeași
situaţie poate fi urmărită și în T. 9 de la Crihana Veche. Ritualul funerar și piesele de inventar, descoperit în procesul cercetărilor
arheologice, sincronizează micronecropola din T. 9 cu masivul cutural Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni, precum și cu cultura
Monteoru (faza IIB) și se datează în secolele XIV–XIII a.Chr.
Ион Чиобану, Сергей Агульников
Погребальные комплексы сабатиновской культуры из Кургана № 9 у с. Крихана Веке
В данной статье представлена группа погребальных комплексов культуры Сабатиновка, обнаруженных недавно
(2015 г.) в Кургане № 9 у с. Крихана Веке, р. Кахул. Проанализированы особенности погребального обряда Сабатинов-
ской культуры Пруто-Днестровского междуречья. Как правило, погребения этой культуры располагаются в юго-вос-
точной части курганов, образуя в своем роде могильники небольших размеров. Подобная ситуация прослеживается
и в Кургане № 9 из Крихана Веке. Погребальный обряд и инвентарь, обнаруженный в ходе археологических раскопок,
позволяет синхронизировать могильник Кургана № 9 с общим культурным массивом Ноуа-Сабатиновка-Кослоджень,
а также с культурой Монтеору (фаза II В) и датируется XIV–XIII вв. до н.э.