JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
The Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology is seeking to publish profound, rigorous, well-written, high-quality, high-impact papers to generate discussion, debate, fresh perspective. The research area is the worldwide history starting with Antiquity up to the Byzantine period. The topics are: ancient history, ancient philology, epigraphy, papyrology, numismatics, archaeological material, archaeological reports, digital archaeology, archaeometry, reviews. The journal has four issues per annum. We strongly encourage the interdisciplinary or ‘bridge-building’ approach of different academic disciplines. The journal uses a peer-review system. The readers have free access with the pdf version ready to download. We want to make the Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology a ‘must read’ publication for those who want to learn more about Ancient History.
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THE MEDUSA-GORGON OF MERENI (REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA) AND HER MYTH
Based on an important discovery at Mereni (Republic of Moldova) – a massive mirror with a handle depicting the Gorgon-Medusa (Argos type) – we propose a critical reassessment of interpretations of the representation of Medusa and the gorgoneion (the severed head) as archaic apotropaic symbols. The mirror was unearthed in a rich Scythian burial associated with an adult woman, very likely a shaman, alongside a contemporaneous grave interpreted as that of a male warrior. The handle bears the face of the Gorgon, a choice seemingly intended to repel malevolent forces that might endanger the object’s owner. Beyond its aesthetic value as a toiletry item, the mirror may have held religious significance, serving as an attribute of priestly status – an interpretation supported by the presence of a divination kit, a whip, a horse, and other ritual paraphernalia found in the same funerary context. Thus, the burial at Mereni, dated to the late 5th century BC, offers a compelling opportunity to revisit the world of shamans, the myth of Medusa, and its distant reverberations far beyond the Mediterranean cultural sphere that gave rise to it.
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MAPS OF ROMAN DACIA. VII. ADRIEN-HUBERT BRUÉ (1786-1832) AND ‘CARTE DE LA DACIE ANCIENNE DE LA PANNONIE DE L’ILLYRIE ET MOESIE’ (1875)
We continue our series of studies on the maps of Roman Dacia with this short note about a map depicting the former province of Dacia, entitled ‘Carte de la Dacie ancienne de la Pannonie de l’Illyrie et Moesie’ (1875). This map was part of an atlas called ‘Atlas universel de géographie physique, politique, ancienne et moderne, contenant les cartes générales et particulières de toutes les parties du monde, mis au courant des Progrès de la Science, pour servir a l’intelligence de l’histoire, de la géographie et des voyages, dressé par Adrien-Hubert Brué (1786-1832), géographe, nouvelle édition revue par E. Levasseur, membre de l’Institut, professeur au Collége de France, comprenant 66 cartes et 85 cartouches tenant lieu d’autant de cartes’. The atlas was published by the Institut Géographique de Paris in 1875. The author is the cartographer Adrien-Hubert Brué (1786-1832), and this new edition of the atlas was reviewed by Pierre Émile Levasseur (1828-1911), a French historian and professor of geography and history in the Collége de France.
A HOARD FROM THE EARLY 3RD CENTURY AD DISCOVERED IN THE MAIN GATE – MAIN TOWER SECTOR IN HISTRIA (CONSTANȚA COUNTY, ROMANIA)
The coin hoard we present below was discovered in 2008, in the Main Gate – Main Tower Sector in Histria, within a layer of burnt material corresponding to the second period of use of the room L4 of the Insula 2. The coin hoard consists of 34 silver denarii dating from the 1st-3rd centuries. The earliest coin was issued in AD 69, the most recent in AD 217-218. The low degree of wear observed on the majority of coins indicates that the hoard was not accumulated in time. The authors also present the archaeological context in which the hoard was discovered.
WORLD HERITAGE SERIAL PROPERTIES: FROM CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT. A CRITICAL STUDY WITH APPLICATIONS TO ROMANIA
Serial World Heritage Properties (WHSPs) have become an increasingly prominent category within UNESCO’s heritage governance, reflecting a shift from isolated site protection to the management of distributed cultural and ecological systems. This article examines the conceptual foundations, methodological challenges, and governance implications of seriality through a comparative analysis of major international models and recent UNESCO debates (2008–2025). Particular attention is given to Romania, whose current involvement in both national and transnational serial inscriptions reveals significant heritage potential but also enduring structural weaknesses, including institutional fragmentation, inconsistent coordination, and limited long-term capacity. Drawing on comparative evidence from the Wadden Sea, Frontiers of the Roman Empire, and Silk Roads, the study proposes a hybrid governance model capable of addressing these vulnerabilities by integrating governance stability, thematic coherence, and participatory engagement. Through this analysis, the article contributes to scholarly debates on serial heritage governance and offers a refined interpretive framework for understanding serial properties as complex, multi-scalar heritage systems. The study advances theoretical discourse on distributed heritage systems and offers actionable policy guidance. Its analytical framework is replicable and relevant for other State Parties managing complex WHSPs. Effective serial heritage governance requires institutional maturity, coordinated multi-level engagement, and sustainable financing mechanisms. Romania must transition from a fragmented, project-driven approach to a coherent framework aligned with international standards.
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LOST ARTEFACTS: THE CASE OF THE DACIAN SICA WEAPONS FROM THE ORĂȘTIE MOUNTAINS
The present study draws attention to the case of three Dacian daggers about which judicial authorities obtained information during the criminal investigation indicating that they had been stolen from the archaeological site of Luncani–Piatra Roșie, Romania—items that are currently listed as wanted objects on the Romanian Police website, yet have nonetheless been resold multiple times through international auction houses. This situation highlights the limitations of the instruments employed by Romanian state institutions to monitor the global antiquities market, a particularly serious issue for a society striving to protect its cultural heritage for future generations. Our analysis includes all available judicial and archaeological evidence, comparing the stolen daggers with similar artefacts originating from sites in the vicinity of Luncani–Piatra Roșie, in order to provide the academic community with a well-documented perspective on the extent of damage caused by archaeological looting. The findings strengthen the conviction that the absence of such weapons in the Orăștie Mountains—the core of the Dacian elite’s power—contrasted with their presence in nearby fortifications, can only be explained by the systematic looting of archaeological sites and the subsequent illicit circulation of these artefacts on the black market.
THE SODALES OF THE COLLEGIUM OF MINERVA AND HERCULES IN A RECENT DISCOVERED FUNERARY MONUMENT FROM SCUPI
This study examines a newly discovered inscription from the eastern necropolis of Scupi, which sheds light on the role and function of the collegium of Minerva and Hercules in the funerary and associative life of the local community during the Roman period. The monument in question is a funerary stele dedicated to Tiberius Claudius Ianuarius, a soldier of Legio VII Claudia, erected by the fellows (sodales) of the collegium in fulfillment of their role as a funerary association. Through epigraphic analysis and comparison with other evidence from Scupi and neighboring provinces, the study aims to establish the chronology, social composition, and function of the college. The results indicate that the association combined a dual function—cultic and funerary—emerging as a collegium funeraticium assembled under the patronage of Minerva and Hercules. Beyond its religious dimension, it was primarily concerned with ensuring the burial and commemoration of its members, thus reflecting an interaction between military and civilian components. As the only attested evidence so far for this collegium in Scupi, the inscription significantly enhances our understanding of an under documented aspect of religious and associative life in Dardania (the southern part of Upper Moesia), while also illustrating broader processes of social integration and Romanization in a provincial context of the Roman Empire.
EPIKLESIS (OGIS 458): RENUNTIATIO OR APPELLATIO?
The inscription OGIS 458 contains a detailed account of the new calendar system introduced by the Greek cities of Asia Minor in honor of Augustus. In addition, the decree at the end of the inscription prescribes a deadline for the conduct of local elections. The word ἐπίκλησις appearing here has traditionally been interpreted as renuntiatio, that is, the proclamation of the election results, but the alternative interpretation as appellatio (appeal) has also been proposed in scholarship, without, however, any substantial arguments being advanced in favor of either. In the present study I argue in detail that the interpretation as appeal fits the context much better and is also supported by other relevant sources, both from the Republican period and from the later Empire.
FROM MĂGURA CĂLANULUI TO THE ORĂȘTIE MOUNTAINS: PREDICTING LIMESTONE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES WITH LEAST-COST PATH ANALYSIS
The aim of this study was to predict using least-cost path analysis potential ancient routes between the limestone quarry from Măgura Călanului and the Dacian fortresses from Costești-Cetățuie, Costești-Blidaru, Piatra Roșie and Dealul Grădiștii. Multiple optimal routes were computed by calculating the minimum level of energy consumption theoretically necessary for travelling between the respective locations, while taking into account the slope variations. Two types of models were obtained. Some simulate walking, others simulate travelling via wheeled transport. The models that represent wheeled transport routes are less direct, but seem naturally more accessible, and more accurately replicate the ancient roads near the fortresses. The respective models may offer an explanation for the formation of those roads, and indicate by what transportation means those might have been accessible. The optimal routes generally suggest that the quarried limestone might have been transported to the fortresses probably along the natural ways of entry into the Orăștie Mountains, through the Luncani and Grădiște Valleys.
MAPPING THE EARLY SPREAD OF COPPER METALLURGY IN EUROPE: PICKING UP GENETIC TRAILS
This article addresses the diffusion of the early stages of European metallurgy. It suggests a community instrumental to its spread by mapping information from two sets of data: 1) identical by descent (IBD) autosomal chromosome segment sharing among ancient individuals from between around 4300–2000 BCE with individuals from the Chalcolithic buried in the Urziceni, Romania necropolis, a community known to be metallurgically competent, and 2) the location of copper metallurgical activity, copper mines, and selected gold artifacts, mainly in Europe but also in parts of Southwest Asia, in the same time frame. The information collected is consistent with identifying genetic descendants of individuals buried in the Urziceni necropolis as agents of metallurgical activity. The Urziceni necropolis is attributed to the Bodrogkeresztúr archaeological-cultural construct but belongs to the intra-Carpathian range of that culture. The results support formulating further questions concerning traces of metallurgical activity in Europe and parts of Southwest Asia.
Maps relating copper metallurgical activity and chromosomal segment sharing among ancient individuals
Agents of early copper metallurgy diffusion in Europe
Cultural implications of ancient DNA information
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POLIS: A NEW HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT GREEK CITY-STATE FROM THE EARLY IRON AGE TO THE END OF ANTIQUITY
AN ENAMELLED ZOOMORPHIC BROOCH RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN THE NORTHERN CEMETERY OF APULUM (ALBA IULIA)
In the spring of 2022, a zoomorphic brooch was discovered during the rescue archaeological excavations conducted in Alba Iulia at no. 3 Republicii Blvd., on the site of the Olympic swimming pool. The investigation was performed as a preliminary phase of an investment project developed by the Alba Iulia Municipality. The plot lies on a high terrace, in an area that yielded multiple archaeological finds, most Roman date burial features. The bronze brooch, surviving fragmentarily, rendered a running bull and had the body decorated with round, enamel inlay alveoli. Given the use period of enamelled zoomorphic brooches within the province territory of Dacia, we believe that the specimen of Apulum dates sometimes to the 2nd century AD, most likely during its second half.
OLD FINDS, NEW INTERPRETATIONS. ABOUT A POSSIBLE HELLENISTIC TYPE BED IN THE LA TÈNE DATE SETTLEMENT AT CRAIVA - PIATRA CRAIVII (ALBA COUNTY)
Among the materials yielded by the archaeological excavations conducted during the ‘60s of the last century in the late La Tène site of Craiva – Piatra Craivii (Alba County) also counts a bronze pedestal, surviving fragmentarily, interpreted almost two decades ago as likely a figurine base. Upon a more careful examination, we noted that discussed item exhibits elements specific to a component part of a Hellenistic type bed leg.
TRACES OF THE GOD DIONYSUS IN THE SOUTH NECROPOLIS OF TRALLEIS: A TERRACOTTA MASK
The Southern Necropolis of Tralleis is an important city of antiquity and lies beneath the modern city center of Aydın. Numerous salvage excavations have been conducted by the Aydın Archaeology Museum in response to construction activities and illegal excavations that have uncovered graves throughout the urban area. This study focuses on a terracotta mask recovered during a rescue excavation at Grave No. 1 in Parcel 28, Block 419, within the boundaries of the Tralleis Ancient City’s Third-Degree Archaeological Site, located in the Köprülü Neighborhood of the Efeler District. The artifact, produced using a mold, was analyzed typologically and dated to the late first century AD through comparison with similar examples.
BEGINNINGS OF THE NEOLITHIC IN TRANSYLVANIA: A FRAGMENTARY FIGURINE FROM LIMBA-OARDA DE JOS-BORDANE (ALBA COUNTY)
The discovery of a fragmentary figurine within a sunken structure in the Bordane sector of the Limba-Oarda de Jos archaeological site (Alba County) contributes to the understanding of the cultural and chronological position of the earliest Early Neolithic horizon in the Middle Mureș Valley. The fragmentary piece, of which only the lower part (the legs and the beginning of the abdomen) has been preserved and which appears to have been intentionally broken, represents a female figurine with evident steatopygia features. The modelling of its forms and the treatment of its surfaces reveal distinctive traditions and techniques commonly found among anthropomorphic representations discovered at contemporary sites associated with the earliest phase of the Starčevo-Criș Cultural Complex (phase I), alternatively known as: the Gura Baciului group (of the Protostarčevo Culture), the Precriș Culture, or the more recently accepted term: White-on-Red Painted Pottery (WRPP). The anthropomorphic figurative art characteristic of the material culture in the settlements of the first Neolithic colonists north of the Danube, though relatively scarce, preserves archetypal traditions specific to the original areas of southern Balkan Peninsula and even Anatolia. The typological and stylistic analysis of the artifact is complemented by a thorough investigation of the clay paste used in its modelling, as well as the surface treatments applied (slip coating, burnishing, painting etc.), revealing previously undocumented aspects of the piece’s manufacture. Based on the obtained data, the authors raise several questions regarding the figurine's origin - namely, whether it should be interpreted as a locally produced item or as an artifact crafted in the original homelands of the earliest waves of Neolithization in the territories south of the Danube.
REDISCOVERING SUCIDAVA MOESICA: INSIGHTS FROM RECENT LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY
Recent landscape archaeological investigations at Sucidava Moesica have rediscovered the location of this major Lower Danube frontier site, which had been largely unknown to both scholars and the public. These investigations document its spatial organisation and long-term development from the 2nd to the late 6th century AD. The combination of remote sensing, topographic analysis, and targeted field observations allows a refined understanding of the relationships between the fortification, the associated civil settlement, and the surrounding riverine landscape. The results highlight the strategic role of local topography, hydrology, and communication routes in shaping both the military and urban layouts of the site and in ensuring its continuity from the Roman to the Early Byzantine period. This study contributes new data to the understanding of the Lower Danube limes in Moesia and demonstrates the value of landscape-based approaches in frontier archaeology.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN CANABAE/MUNICIPIUM SEPTIMIUM APULENSE-SOUTHERN SECTOR
A preventive archaeological survey of the southern sector of the civil settlement developed near the Castrum of Apulum has revealed vestiges that reveal a dense habitation, in three stages, between the second half of the second century and the third century AD. The third-century habitation shows the expansion to the south of the settlement that was urbanised at the end of the second century AD., in the time of Septimius Severus. The Severan dynasty is probably the most prosperous period in the history of Roman Dacia. Due to the fidelity of the legions XIII Gemina and V Macedonica in the long civil war waged against Pescenius Niger and Clodius Albinus the civil settlements developed around the Apulum and Potaissa legionary fortresses, along with other important settlements of Dacia such as Porolissum, Ampelum, Tibiscum and Dierna were urbanized. In addition to the rather common archaeological material, a torso of a votive statuette representing Dionysus/Liber Pater was recovered—a genuine import piece most likely brought through trade, probably from Asia Minor, similar to the other sculptural masterpieces of the god discovered in the well-known sanctuary erected in the first city of Apulum, colonia Aurelia Apulensis, located beneath the modern Partoș district of Alba Iulia. The discovery of clay oil lamps with the marks (Firmalampen) Atimetus, Festus, Fronto and Strobilus shows once again the development of oil lamp production in the Apulum urban centre. A fragment from a zoomorphic fibula in the form of a rooster shows cultural influences from the Western world, Britannia or Gallia, or even a colonisation. It is the only fibula of this type discovered in Apulum. Last but not least, a few beef bones and a deer horn with traces of cutting and grinding attest to the existence of the third workshop for bone and horn processing in the civil settlement near the fortification, dated to the last quarter of the second century AD.
Isis, Sarapis And The Waves Of The Black Sea. V. Atanassova, L. Bricault(eds.), Egyptian Cults on the Black Sea Coast / Египетските култовепо крайбрежието на Черно море, Institute of Balkan Studies withCenter of Thracology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences / École françaised’Athènes Sofia, ISBN 978-619-7179-45-3; ISBN 978-2-86958-630-7,“Paradigma” Publishing House, 2024, 194 p.
V. Atanassova, L. Bricault (eds.), Egyptian Cults on the Black Sea Coast / Египетските култове по крайбрежието на Черно море, Institute of Balkan Studies with Center of Thracology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences / École française d’Athènes Sofia, ISBN 978-619-7179-45-3; ISBN 978-2-86958-630-7, “Paradigma” Publishing House, 2024, 194 p.
AN EVALUATION OF THE OLBA NYMPHAEUM AND ITS COINS
The Nymphaeum of Olba is located northeast of the theatre building and northwest of the Olba Acropolis, which has a sheltered appearance. The studies conducted in Olba revealed how important water is for the city and indicated that various systems were built to meet this need. This study investigates 45 coins unearthed during the 2023 and 2024 excavations of the Olba Nymphaeum. It also presents the catalog and archeological and numismatic analyses of the coins in question. Furthermore, new architectural findings related to the building were interpreted in relation to the coins. The sculptural artifacts, figured sarcophagus fragments, various architectural plastic stone elements from the building's decoration, and glass and ceramic finds recovered during the Nymphaeum excavations indicate that the structure experienced multiple phases of use. The coins analyzed in this study play a pivotal role in corroborating the different phases of the usage of the Nymphaeum.
NUMISMATICS AND FORENSICS: OPERATION DACIAN GOLD THE HOARD GRĂDIŞTEA DE MUNTE – ‘TIMIŞOARA AIRPORT’
The present study integrates forensic and numismatic data to establish the provenance of one of the numerous hoards being illicitly trafficked from Romania for sale on the antiquities black market.
TWO ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS FROM JIBOU, SĂLAJ COUNTY
In 2025, restoration works on the Reformed Church of Jibou revealed two Roman inscriptions embedded within its southern buttresses. The church itself, first mentioned in 1460 and later passing to the Reformed community, has undergone numerous renovations, which likely facilitated the reuse of ancient materials. The two inscriptions are believed to have originated from Porolissum, a major Roman center near Jibou. The first, carved on limestone, is a fragmentary votive and construction text that follows established dedicatory formulas, suggesting the restoration of a sanctuary under the Severan dynasty. The second, a marble fragment, points to a taurobolic altar dedicated to Magna Mater, an extraordinary find given the rarity of marble in Dacia. Both pieces highlight the circulation and reuse of Roman monuments in later medieval contexts. Their integration into the church masonry predates antiquarian collecting, testifying to practical, rather than scholarly, reuse.
A NEW FRAGMENT OF A MILITARY DIPLOMA FOR THE EQUITES SINGULARES AUGUSTI
This paper publishes a new fragment of a military diploma copied from an imperial constitution concerning the emperor’s horse guards (equites singulares Augusti). The authors tentatively propose that Septimius Severus granted it in the summer of AD 195, during his Parthian expedition.
DISCOVERING A NEW EARLY STARČEVO-CRIȘ SITE IN SOUTHWESTERN TRANSYLVANIA AT FOLT-SUB VII (HUNEDOARA COUNTY, ROMANIA) AND A PROCEDURE FOR DATING EARLY NEOLITHIC SHARD SAMPLES
During several field surveys carried out in the southwestern part of Transylvania (Hunedoara County, Romania) in the last decade, by different members of the Archaeological Department of the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilisation in Deva, we found, near the Mureș river banks, new archaeological sites, one of which belonging to the Early Neolithic. An interesting discovery was made near County Road 107A, where, on the second terrace of the Mureș bank, on the right side of the river valley (the northern side), at a distance of 1 km, in a straight line, from the centre of Folt village, in a place called by the villagers Sub Vii, we found an early Starčevo-Criș settlement. On the southern edge of the Folt-Sub Vii site we noted, on the surface of ploughland, three Early Neolithic features, rich in fragments of pottery, bones and stone tools. On the feature called by us Cx. 3, with Early Starčevo-Criș pottery, possibly from the beginning of the sixth millennium BC, we experimented to obtain C14 data, comparing the radiometric measurements of two bones and a fragment of pottery. In the Laboratory of Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), Bucharest (Măgurele), the Extracted Degraded Archaeological Material that has undergone diagenetic alteration (EDAM) or so-called Collagen Type I, and different fractions of carbon-bearing materials separated from shards were dated by AMS method, using 1 MV HVEE Cockroft-Walton TandetronÔ. Containing endogenous C14, the Oxidant Resistant Elemental Carbon (OREC) fraction complied in terms of calibrated intervals with EDAM results.
MAPPING HINTERLAND RESOURCES IN THE RURAL LANDSCAPE OF GREEK POLEIS ISTROS AND TOMIS DURING THE ROMAN PERIOD
Mapping the rural territories of two Greek poleis in the Roman province of Moesia Inferior (Romania and Bulgaria) is essential for understanding their agricultural potential and the patterns of urban expansion or retreat during the 1st–3rd centuries AD. This study investigates the location of rural sites through field research, considering geography, soil quality, and proximity to resources, roads, and water sources. The goal is to identify the criteria Roman farmers used when selecting sites and to determine which resources were considered most desirable. For instance, do more sites appear on a particular geological type simply because it covers the largest area, or was its selection intentional? By analysing these patterns, we can assess site preferences and settlement dynamics. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have transformed archaeological research by enabling spatial analysis, predictive modelling, and landscape reconstruction. This paper examines GIS applications in site detection, environmental reconstruction, and cultural landscape analysis while addressing associated challenges and future directions. Integrating GIS with remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics can further enhance archaeological methodologies and provide new insights into past human activities.
A GROUP OF BOTTLES FROM THE LATE ANTIQUE GLASS COLLECTION OF TOKAT MUSEUM
Tokat is a city that stands out for its historical and cultural richness. It is located in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. The city, which has been home to many civilisations from ancient times to the present day, is among the ancient cities of our country, having hosted different civilisations such as Hittites, Phrygians, Romans and Ottomans. Although the city contains important architectural works, especially from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, rich folkloric traditions, handicrafts and culinary culture are important elements that shape social life and economic structure. The art of glass, which began to develop in the 3rd millennium BC, has always attracted attention with its unique forms and techniques. Glass bottles are among the important artefacts that reflect the aesthetic and technological innovations of the period in which they were used. Among the bottles that were widely used, especially in the late antique period, the group of funnel-mouthed bottles, which we will examine in this study, is a noteworthy example with their larger size compared to other bottles. The bottles, which are mostly undecorated, were especially used as liquid storage containers in daily life and as burial gifts in graves. This study will help us to understand the place of Tokat in the glass art and trade of the late antique period by analysing these glass bottles, which were acquired to the museum through both excavation and purchase in a culturally rich city like Tokat, in detail in terms of technique, decoration and usage.
A GROUP OF GOLD EARRINGS FROM BURDUR MUSEUM AND ARCHAEOMETRY ANALYSIS (TÜRKİYE)
The aim of this study is to examine a group of gold earrings in Burdur Museum from a typological and analogical perspective and to share the archaeometric analysis data of these earrings. The atifacts were added to the museum inventory through purchase. 12 of the examined artifacts are gold, one is gold plated on bronze, and one is gold plated on glass. 13 of the artifacts are earrings and 1 is an earring pendant: Of these artifacts, Cat. No. 1-12, 14 are hoop shaped. Cat. No. 1-4, 14 artifacts have simple hoop shaped. Cat. No. 13 is a pendant. These artifacts are defined as head jewellery. Since it was not possible to take pieces from the artifacts or use destructive methods in the analysis of the artifacts, the analyses were carried out using non-destructive methods. Three analysis methods were applied: P-EDXRF, X-ray Radiography and µ-PIXE. The numerical data of these analyses were examined and the data were obtained using the statistical analysis method SPSS. The analysis covers topics such as the use of pure gold and gold ore, chemical components of alloys, color differences resulting from the combination of gold with silver and copper alloys, alloys used in plating and copper ratios used in soldering.
A NEW ROMAN IMPERIAL PORTRAIT FROM SYEDRA
This study examines the marble portrait head of a man unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Syedra, located in the Alanya district of Antalya in Türkiye. During the excavations of filled soil on the south wall of the Heroon, a well-preserved portrait head was found in 2023. Archaeological studies indicate that Syedra has been inhabited since the 9th century BC despite those researches about the city are still insufficient. Therefore, the dating and identification of the portrait found in the city have critical importance. The portrait under examination spans a significant historical period, encompassing the reigns of Roman emperors from Tiberius (14 – 37 AD) to Nero (54 – 68 AD). However, a detailed analysis of the work suggests that the portrait may have produced during period of Nero’s reign. This dating is important as fewer portraits have been found in Cilicia compared to other parts of Asia Minor in the archaeological excavations carried out so far, and none of them have been dated to the Neronian period. The current study introduces this portrait, offering a comprehensive analysis on its history, identity, and historical significance.
CUGIR III BRONZE HOARD. AND SOME ADDITIONS REGARDINGTHE BRONZE HOARDS FROM CUGIR
: In 2025, a bronze hoard was discovered in Cugir, on a first terrace of the Cugir River. The hoard that we named Cugir III, consists of three artefacts: two Transylvanian-type socketed axes and a sickle with a tang handle. Although numerically reduced, bronzes benefit from decorative elements that allow them to be related to similar finds. The socketed axes are decorated with vertical ribs, with close analogies in central Transylvania. They are linked to neighbouring centres in northwestern Romania and Banat, where such pieces are frequent finds. The hoard can be dated to the Bronze D-Ha A period and comes from a settlement that probably belongs to a late stage of the Noua culture, from its western outskirts. The study also analyses the other hoards previously discovered: Cugir I and Cugir II. Unfortunately, confusion was created in their numbering, in the toponymy of places, and in some cases, the data proved insufficient. This is why we analysed again and ordered them: Cugir I (Valea Dăii), Cugir II (Pârâul Gugului) belonging to the Cugir-Band group, and Cugir III (Gura Luncilor). We also have new information about the Cugir I hoard, found in the 1950s. Although we only know of five artefacts today, at the time of finding the hoard, it consisted of 12 bracelets chained in the form of a necklace. The hoard is the southernmost of its type in the Uriu-Opályi hoards area. It probably links to a Wietenberg IV or post-Wietenberg. A particular problem is raised by a possible hoard (Cugir IV?) consisting of a sickle and a few arrows, reported in several publications dedicated to pupils from 1979-1980, discovered on Ţara Vânturilor (Muchea lui Gheorghe).
VICTORIA-FORTUNA INTAGLIO INSCRIBED “ZOH” FROM CAPIDAVA (SCYTHIA) IN ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Abstract. – The 2015 rescue excavation in the area of the only Christian cult building intra muros, at the edges of the Late Roman fort Capidava (Topalu, Constanța County, Romania) brought to light an carnelian intaglio showing Victoria-Nike crowning Fortuna-Tyche, bearing the inscription ZOH, ”life”, or perhaps ”may he/she live”, found in the destruction level of a building predating the Christian monument. We discuss the archaeological, stratigraphic, epigraphic, and iconographic implications of this unique gem from a military settlement on the Danube frontier, buried close to the middle of the 4th century AD. The gem is exceptional in being one of the very few discovered in a stratigraphic excavation and the only one to associate, by means of an inscription, Fortuna and Victoria with the rhetoric of „life”, at the crossroads between propaganda, pagan piety and Christian devotion.
iconography of Victoria-Nike and Fortuna-Tyche
THE EPONYMOUS SITE OF THE PETREŞTI CULTURE (I).BALKAN CONNECTIONS OF SOME CERAMIC VESSELS
The article represents a contribution with the intention to capitalise on some discoveries left, as of yet, unpublished from the important archaeological site Petreşti-Groapa Galbenă. On this occasion, three categories of artefacts are discussed, individualised by the links they reveal with the Balkan world. The first discussion concerns an early Petreşti black-topped vessel (so-called Foeni), a unique find north of the Danube, decorated on the outside with triangular impressions, and on the inside with polished motifs. In the absence of an indication of correct analogies at the time of its publication, the vessel reveals, however, good parallels with vessels from the present Greek space (Dikili Tash, Dhrepanon), as well as from Hungary. Another ceramic category in question is illustrated by several small, biconic ceramic vessels, some with torches, decorated above the shoulder with incisions in the form of semicircles. Parallels are also found in the south Danubian space (Dikili Tash), evolving in the area of Petreşti culture in painted motifs that persist until the Petreşti phase A-B. Finally, two vessels are also mentioned: a small Turdaş-type cup decorated with an incised “fir tree” and an amphora fragment with sacred signs that form a succession of two signs, repeated. These findings underscore the still unknown potential of materials from the collections of the museums in Sebeş and Alba Iulia, in relation to one of the most important Neolithic and Eneolithic sites in Transylvania.
INSIDE THE GOVERNOR’S PALACE AT APULUM: APRELIMINARY STUDY OF SPACE, FUNCTION, ANDDECORATIVE EXPRESSION WITH AN EMPHASISON MARBLE USE
From the late second century AD, archaeological and epigraphic evidence attests to a major architectural complex within the canabae legionis at Apulum, likely the praetorium consularis, residence and headquarters of the Roman provincial governor in Dacia. Despite excavation challenges due to the modern city of Alba Iulia, a variety of decorative materials have been recovered - marble flooring and wall revetments, mosaics, stucco, and terracotta pavements - many from secondary contexts and previously understudied. This project re-examines these fragments, drawing on material from 19th-century digs, recent rescue excavations, and earlier research. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the technical and material aspects of interior decoration, particularly the sourcing and use of both local and imported marble categories. The presence of high-quality finishes and evidence of skilled workmanship, including input from northern Italy and Asia Minor, points to a well-developed decorative program. Ultimately, the study of interior decoration at the praetorium consularis not only advances our understanding of the complex’s spatial organization and chronological development, but also contributes to wider inquiries into the economic, cultural, and administrative structures of Roman Dacia.