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Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Burials in lead coffins have been sporadically recorded in Viminacium (Moesia Superior). They originate from four necropolises that can be roughly classified into the period from the 2nd to the 4th century. This paper presents twelve lead coffins from recent excavations. They were found directly in a pit without construction, or in a construction of bricks. Lead coffins were often ornamented with different linear-geometric motifs, or figural depiction in one rare instance. A workshop can be expected to have existed in Viminacium for the production of lead objects for various purposes such as coffins and many other finds that have been found in large numbers. In some of the coffins, items have been preserved. These include jewellery made of gold, ceramic vessels, glass bottles, bone finds, etc. In nine of them, the skeletal remains of the deceased were completely or at least partially preserved. Included in the paper is an anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains of those deceased. Based on the anthropological analysis, it can be seen that the deceased were mostly children (six cases), while in three cases they were adults.

During the MoDeCo2000 scientific and research project on mortars used in the territory of the Roman Danube Limes in Serbia, the biggest challenge was the quest for the provenance of raw materials. The area where Viminacium, the largest city in the province of Moesia Superior developed, with millennial continuity of land use and settlement, was selected as research case study and is presented in this research. People throughout history have always used what they had at hand, and the building remains were not only reused but also recycled for new constructions. Thus, the building material of Roman Viminacium has survived in the landscape through the in situ preserved remains of Roman buildings, as well as in the structures from the later periods, up to today. To the best of our knowledge, the use of natural sediments baked during the self-combustion or combustion of underneath layers (coal in our case) for the purpose of construction was extremely rare in the Roman Empire. In this study, we follow the presence of this type of material precisely in Viminacium construction, naming it natural brick, while focusing on its potential use in lime mortars whose production was perfected in the Roman period and has never been surpassed afterward. Archaeological contexts in which this material was found have been studied, along with simultaneous work in the laboratory and in the field during the research and experimental use of the natural brick in lime mortars. We sought to determine whether this material could have been recognised by Romans in Viminacium as a potential valuable pozzolanic component of mortar, along with or instead of fired brick, being locally available and recyclable. The final confirmation of its pozzolanic features and later discussion open completely new directions for the future research of Viminacium lime mortars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society is the property of Serbian Archaeological Society / Srpsko Arheolosko Drustvo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The technology of brickmaking was introduced to the area of Viminacium by the Romans. The development and growth of the urban settlement in the 1st-4th century necessitated the need for huge quantities of construction materials. Large-scale production of ceramic building materials, which are often abbreviated to CBM, is attested both by the numerous finds of the material itself, as well as traces of the manufacturing process. More than 15 kilns and several structures used in the process were discovered in the vicinity of Viminacium. Still, the subject of Viminacium CBM production has only been modestly studied. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyse this production, namely the characteristics and organisation of its processes, based on the results of archaeological excavations and previously published research. To achieve this goal, we focused on the layout of the particular manufacturing sites, and the production process organisation, together with the necessary review of the characteristics of the found kilns and other structures used in the production process.

The paper reports on the composition of thirty-eight Late Roman glass fragments (3rd–4th century CE) from Viminacium, the capital of Moesia Province, and Egeta, the fort controlling Iron Gates Gorge on the Roman Danube Limes. The glasses are measured using simultaneous particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE). The analysis shows that sixteen glasses belong to the Roman glass decolourized by antimony, nine to the Roman glass decolourized by manganese, and one is recycled using these two types. Five glasses belong to the Foy série 3.2, two to HIMT, one to Jalame type with manganese and one to the rare plant-ash type P-1, produced in Egypt, and for the first time reported from the continental Europe. The comparison of the finds with the contemporary glass from Serbia and from the wider Balkans shows a marked shift in glass trading patterns between the epochs of the High Empire and the Late Antiquity. During the High Empire, glass seems to be imported to the central and eastern Balkans mainly from the west via Roman road Aquileia–Emona–Siscia–Sirmium–Viminacium and perhaps via Adriatic ports, while in the Late Antiquity it was predominantly from east to west, over the Danube, Via Militaris or Aegean ports. Another find is that the richness of the glass market in Viminacium indicates that the capital of Moesia province on the Danube limes was a cosmopolitan city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Documenta & Instrumenta is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the following article we propose to reconstruct, through the numismatic record, the image of power shaped in the mints of Segestica and Viminacium by the emperor Gallienus (253-268). After a brief historical introduction, we will first examine the two mints in question, and then go on to statistically analyse their numismatic production: the denominations used, the most frequently repeated reverse legends, the divinities most involved in numismatic propaganda, the most frequently used configuration of the emperor's image on the reverse and finally, the most common reverse types related to the army and the triumph. We will see how much of the emperor's propaganda effort is focused on promoting Gallienus as a battle-hardened and victorious general, his legions as loyal to his figure and the lasting peace that his campaigns bring to the Danubian limes and adjacent regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on a group of five anthropomorphic pendants, deposited in graves of sub-adult and female individuals, discovered in cemeteries of ancient Viminacium (Serbia). The selection of raw materials (jet and amber), as well as other parts of the necklaces these pendants were incorporated in, suggest their apotropaic character. Various data sources have been employed in order to answer questions regarding the identification of the depicted beings, reasons for their usage by certain population groups, etc. A comparison has been made with analogous specimens from across the Roman world, which are not numerous but are prominently widespread. Three examples from Viminacium originate from recent archaeological campaigns, meaning that osteological material was available for analysis.

The goal of this paper1 was to shed light on the existence of stelae from Viminacium in the province of Upper Moesia which can be classified as topped by the two reclining lions. This type of stelae, surmounted by two lions and one element between them, was well-known in Noricum and Pannonia. There was no archaeological evidence and previous studies did not point out that this type of stelae was present in Viminacium and Upper Moesia. The study has shown that stelae of M. Valerius Speratus, T. Baebius Eutyches, and most probably of C. Corneilus Rufus, although not preserved in integral form today, were surmounted by the pediment, most likely with two reclining lions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pri novejših zaščitnih arheoloških raziskavah južnih viminacijskih grobišč je bila leta 2016 na nekropoli Pećine v eni od raziskanih monumentalnih grobnic (G 5868) odkrita zakladna najdba sedmih solidov. Zaklad vsebuje novce Honorija in Teodozija II., ki so bili kovani med letoma 403 in 408 oziroma 430 in 440. Poleg zaklada je bilo v memoriji, ki je bila žal izropana že v antiki, odkritih še 23 posamičnih novcev iz časa od Aleksandra Severa (222–235) do začetka 5. stoletja. Zaščitna arheološka izkopavanja na območju južnih grobišč potekajo z nekaj prekinitvami že od konca sedemdesetih let prejšnjega stoletja. Ta zakladna najdba zlatih novcev pa je v obdobju štiridesetih let šele druga te vrste z vseh viminacijskih nekropol.

A luxurious set of spinning implements was discovered as part of the furnishings in the grave of a woman, unearthed in the surroundings of ancient Viminacium. A unique amber distaff with the upper part modelled in the form of a female bust stands out as the most important part of the grave assemblage. Similar artefacts were often misinterpreted, but this specimen was found together with a spindle, thus confirming that it actually is a distaff. Miniature copies of spinning equipment made out of precious materials are known from sepulchral contexts, and are described as objects expressing feminine virtue. It is considered that they were used in wedding rites, thus indicating the possible age of the deceased. Spinning implements can represent useful tools for studying the life course of Roman women. In this paper, an attempt was made to identify the divinity or person depicted on the distaff from Viminacium, considering the symbolic nature of these artefacts. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 7018: Viminacium, Roman city and military legion camp - research of material and non-material culture of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalization and 3D visualization]

The Roman city and military camp of Viminacium is situated between the villages of Stari Kostolac and Drmno, 12 kilometres north-east of Požarevac, close to the confluence of the Mlava and the Danube. During its history, it became the biggest urban settlement and the capital of the province of Upper Moesia (Moesia Superior), later First Moesia (Moesia Prima). In one of the necropoles of Viminacium, Pećine, in grave No. 5785, skeletal remains of a juvenile male individual were discovered. The burial took place in Late Antiquity. Anthropological analyses revealed a fracture of the right femur followed by myositis ossificans traumatica. The trauma to the bone can damage the overlying muscle and, occasionally, the muscle tissue will respond to the trauma by producing bone directly in the muscle tissue itself. This condition is known as myositis ossificans traumafica (post-traumatic myositis ossificans or myositis ossificans circumscripta) and is most likely to occur in response to trauma in young male individuals, and in the femoral (the quadriceps muscles) or humeral region (brachium muscles). [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 47018: Viminacium, Roman city and military legion camp - research of the material and non material culture of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalisation and 3D visualisation, Grant no. 177007: Romanization, urbanization and transformation of urban centres of civil, military and residential character in Roman provinces on the territory of Serbia and Grant no. 177021: Urbanization and development processes in the medieval society]

The paper presents the results of archaezoological analysis of fish remains from three locations at Viminacium (the Amphitheatre, Nad Klepečkom and Pirivoj), discussed jointly with finds of fishing equipment and relevant written sources on the subject. Albeit small and biased due to the hand-collection of animal bones, the fish faunal assemblage from Vimincium provides valuable data on the choice of exploited species, fishing and fish transportation practices, and patterns of consumption and deposition in the city and its surroundings. In addition to remains of locally available freshwater fish, occurring at all three sites, the Amphitheatre sample contained the remains of large anadromous sturgeons, possibly obtained from the downstream, Iron Gates area. Their size, contextual provenance, as well as their exceptional status according to written sources, indicates that there had been notable differences in access to high-quality fish among the different social classes at Viminacium. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 47018: Viminacium, Roman city and military camp - research of the material and non material culture of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalization and 3D visualization and Grant no. III 47001: Bioarchaeology of Ancient Europe - humans, animals and plants in the prehistory of Serbia]

Introduction The "Kod Koraba" site is located in the territory of antique Viminacium. Archaeological excavations were carried out from 2005 to 2008. On this occasion, a necropolis with a total of 77 graves was explored, which according to archaeological contributions can be dated to the period from 2nd to 4th century AD (Roman period). The aim of this study was to provide, on the basis of the results of dental anthropological analysis of osteological material from the necropolis "Kod Koraba", data of the dental status and pathological changes of the oral cavity and teeth in human population that inhabited this area of antique Viminacium from 2nd to 4th century AD. Material and method During the archaeological excavations from 2005 to 2008, a total of 77 graves were explored. Of this number, due to lower degree of preservation, the dental status of 45 individuals was analyzed. Of these, 36 belonged to adult individuals and nine were children. Functional methodology used in previous studies of human populations of the prehistoric period was applied in order to compare obtained results with similar ones as well as with the status of the oral cavity and teeth of the current population. Results The obtained results supplemented the picture of dental health status of ancient populations in Viminacium. They indicated high degree of abrasion and dental plaque, the presence of caries within the expected limits for the studied period, as well as the presence of other dental pathologies such as periodontal disease and periapical processes present in the current human population. Conclusion Anatomo-morphological status of the teeth and the jaw of the human population from ancient Viminacium are similar with the characteristics of modern man. Pathological changes of the oro-facial system of modern man were present in the studied human population of Roman period, with different values of their distribution.

In the period from 2005 to 2007, due to the widening of the Drmno strip-mine that endangered the eastern Viminacium necropolis, rescue archaeological research was conducted at the site “Kod koraba”. During the research, a total of 210 graves was excavated: 78 inhumations and 132 cremations, with 90 coins minted in the period between the 1st and the second half of the 4th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wooden amphitheatre of Viminacium is mainly made of beech timber. Hornbeam, ash, maple, oak and coniferous wood were also used for the construction. It is considered that beech was underrated in Roman times and mostly used as firewood, however, recent anthracological research in the region has revealed that it was also used in shipbuilding. A great variety of tree species was available in Rome in large quantities. However, the high demand for timber in Rome led to the rapid depletion of the woodlands surrounding the capital and in much of the Apennines. As the empire expanded, timber cutting continued and expanded abroad, leading to timber being transported over long distances within and between the Roman provinces. Oak has always had enormous value, not only in Roman times but also throughout history. It was considered a high-quality construction timber. According to a forest regulation document of the Military Frontier from the 18th century, the use of oak for the construction of public buildings was prohibited by Austrian imperial authorities. The regulation indicates, on the one hand, that the selective felling of oak trees led to a change in the structure of the remaining forests in the region and to an increase in the depletion of the forest and, on the other hand, oak, due to its weight, was prone to causing damage to the buildings. As these buildings had to be made of quality wood, everything except the roof needed to be built of “white wood“, i.e. beech, ash, or hornbeam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During more recent archaeological research in the area of the legionary fort of the Legio VII Claudia in Viminacium, a part of the defensive ditch along the north-western part of the camp was also explored. Several archaeological units were discovered in this area, among others, a smaller necropolis with skeletal burials as well. This necropolis consists of 36 graves, mostly with brick and tegulae constructions, and also several freely buried individuals. On the basis of the stratigraphy and the few find of coins, this necropolis was dated to the second half of the 4th century. It is interesting to note that the most numerous graves at the necropolis are those of new-borns and children, with only a few adult individuals registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common problem that occurs when interpreting finds of perforated Roman coins is their function and whether they were perforated in Roman times or later. Hence, the specimens which originate from an undisturbed archaeological context, as is the case with finds from the Viminacium necropolis of Pećine, are indispensable. A total of 45 perforated coins were discovered at Pećine: 23 from graves and 22 from sacrificial areas. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 47018: Viminacium, roman city and military legion camp - research of material and non-material of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalization and 3D visualization]

In this paper we consider the topography of the burials of the Early Byzantine period (5th – 6th centuries), containing in their inventory items of German origin found in some cities of Northern Illyricum, whose necropolises were subjected to extensive excavations: Sirmium, Singidunum, Viminacium (present-day Northern Serbia). Two different types of burial places with German objects were witnessed on these city burials: isolated burials on cemeteries common to the whole population and separate cemeteries with the predominance of the German element. It can be assumed that these different types of organization of the funerary space correspond to different forms of settling of barbarians in the cities of the northern borderland of the Late Roman / Early Byzantine Illyricum. The barbarous presence in the urban burial context is very slight. In Syrmium, which repeatedly fell under the power of the barbarians (priests, gepids), a few barbarous burials were committed in cemeteries, which belonged mainly to the Roman city population, which indicates a fairly deep integration of the outgoing barbarians into the urban late-antique environment. In Singidunum and Viminacium, the frontier fortresses on the Danube, special “barbarian” cemeteries stand out, since the barbarians settled here were primarily a military force, that is, a separate social group with its own structure. It is also possible that unlike Sirmium, where archaeological traces of the presence of the Roman population are clearly revealed, barbarian mercenaries and their families accounted for a numerical majority in the garrison towns of the Danube borderland.

Although archaeology is not the only research discipline where fieldwork is one of the tools in the process of acquiring knowledge, rare are the disciplines that harness and organize physical labour of non-professionals in the ways done by archaeologists during excavations. Throughout the history of archaeology the usage of physical labour has implied a firm hierarchical order in accordance to which archaeologists have bought or exploited human work during excavations. The physical effort to uncover the layers of earth covering archaeological sites is a tacitly implied part of the archaeological practice. The dichotomy and the relationship between an archaeologist/director of excavations/decision-maker, who considers, analyses and interprets the archaeological record, and the workers who undertake the more physically demanding tasks, has remained largely unchanged, conditioned by the traditional and commonsensical attitude towards archaeological practice. It is paradoxical that the research discipline, publicly mainly recognized through excavations, rarely investigates the conditions under which the human labour is organized and exploited during field campaigns. The paper treats some characteristic examples dating into the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, starting with the excavations at Viminacium, the works at Stobi between the two world wars, and finally the forced labour during the World War II harnessed during the works at Kalemegdan. By discussing the ways and conditions under which human labour was used during these archaeological excavations, the paper raises the issue of the intention of archaeology and who is it aimed for. The cited examples point to the conclusion that the conditions of an archaeological excavation reflect the society, and the way in which the human labour was organized here speaks of the ways of valorising work. The examples of Viminacium and Stobi indicate that the idea of cultural heritage as a common good was shared by a small number of representatives of middle and higher social statuses, while physical labourers possessed no right over it. The excavations at Kalemegdan quite explicitly speak of the many ways in which the Third Reich exploited forced labour.

This paper offers a new iconographic reading of a fragment of a Roman funerary stele. The fragment consists of a pediment with acroteria that was embedded as a piece of spolia in the south wall of the church of the Rukumija monastery. The fragment likely originates from the site of Viminacium, the capital of the province of Upper Moesia. The main part of the pediment was decorated with a relief depicting a Medusa’s head, while the reliefs on its acroteria have been identifi ed by scholars as horsemen. Following an iconographic analysis and comparison with stelai from Viminacium, as well as from Noricum and Pannonia, the fi gures on the acroteria are interpreted as Dioscuri. Based on this interpretation, the fragment presents an example of funerary iconography that is rare not only in Viminacium and Upper Moesia, but also in the surrounding provinces. The fragment from Rukumija contributes to a better understanding of the iconography of the divine twins as symbols of immortality and thee psychopompe, as well as companions of the deceased in the afterlife. Until now, their representation on the acroteria of Roman funerary stelae was unknown, making the fragment of the stele from Rukumija unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the multitude of ceramic fragments, there occasionally appear handles of unusual shapes, or the remains of large dome-shaped lids. Such vessels were used for food preparation in kitchens with open hearths. Ever since prehistory, they have represented a kitchen appliance in daily use to the present day, and they appear in Roman kitchens as well. Various sources refer to this method of food preparation as sub testu. These vessels' segments have also been archaeologically confirmed on Roman sites in Pannonia Inferior and Moesia Superior. There is a type of dish called patina in Roman cuisine, similar to modern-day souffle, which was presumably prepared on plates with a flat bottom and curved, convex, or concave walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arheološki Vestnik is the property of Scientific Research Centre of Slovenian Academy of Sciences & Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Banatica is the property of Museum of Highland Banat and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Banatica is the property of Museum of Highland Banat and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Banatica is the property of Museum of Highland Banat and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeology & Science / Arheologija i Prirodne Nauke is the property of Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)