PARTICULAR MONUMENTS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS FROM
THE DOBRUJAN CULTURAL HERITAGE
Sorin Marcel COLESNIUC*
Abstract : The archaeological research that we have made
as site scientific manager or as member in various research collectives, in the
ancient cities of Tomis, Callatis, Sacidava, Sucidava and in other
archaeological sites in Constanța County, have had as a result the
discovery of many monuments and archaeological materials, remarkably important
for the history of the land between the Danube River and the Black Sea and for
our national history. Some of these we have presented, in September 2023, at
the National Scientific Fall Conference of the Academy of Romanian Scientists.[1]
Among
the more important archaeological discoveries from the Mangalia city area, from
the city of Callatis and its necropolises, we mention: the frieze with
representations of deities, the inscription in honour of Emperor Augustus, two
complete Ionic capitals, walls of Roman houses, pavements, water wells, ceramic
vessels, gold jewellery, coins etc. On the occasion of archaeological research
made in the western part of the city of Mangalia, in the neolithic settlement
belonging to the Hamangia culture, we have uncovered: houses, subterranean
habitations (bordeie) , hearths, workshops, tools, ceramic vessels, and
idols.
In the ancient city of Tomis, in
the immediate proximity of the Roman Mosaic Building, we have discovered: the
precinct wall of the Hellenistic city, walls from Roman era houses, and many
Hellenistic and Roman ceramic fragments. And also in the city of Tomis, on the
present day Archiepiscopate Street, (str. Arhiepiscopiei), we have discovered
walls dating from the Roman era, Roman and Hellenistic ceramic fragments, an
amphora preserved in its entirety, ceramic vessels, oil lamps, coins from the
Roman period, and several architectural elements, among which an absolutely
remarkable Christian capital.
During
the research that we have coordinated in the Roman-Byzantine city of Sucidava,
in the 2019 2022 archaeological campaigns, we have brought to the surface:
house walls, pavements, architectural elements, coins, ceramic fragments,
osteological fragments, iron objects etc. Recently we have also concluded the
first systematic archaeological research in the Roman-Byzantine city of
Sucidava Moesica, research that we have led as site scientific manager.
Also,
along with Dr Ion P slaru, following research spanning the years 2009 to 2011,
done in the museums and storage rooms of the institutes for the restoration and
conservation of cultural goods in Moscow, we have retrieved the only ancient
papyrus discovered on the territory of Romania, a papyrus lost for more than
half a century in the capital of the Russian Federation. In august 2011, we
have succeeded in bringing this document back to the country, of remarkable
importance for the history of Dobruja and for the national history of
Romanians.
In
the following, we shall present the most important monuments and archaeological
materials that we have discovered, over a quarter of a century of research, in
ancient cities and various archaeological sites found in the lands between the
Danube and the Black Sea.
Keywords: Tomis, Callatis, Sacidava, Sucidava,
Hamangia, Hellenistic precinct wall, frieze, capital, inscription, papyrus,
archaeological research.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscihist.2024.1-2.5
* Scientific
researcher Sorin Marcel COLESNIUC, PhD, Constanța History and Archaeology
Museum, Associate member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists
[1] Sorin Marcel Colesniuc, Descoperiri
arheologice de excepție care au mbogățit patrimoniul cultural
dobrogean, scientific report presented at the National Scientific Fall
Conference of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Science for a healthy society
( Știința pentru o societate sănătoasă ),
Constanța, September 21 23, 2023.