ANCIENT THRACE: MYTH AND REALITY

THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTEENTH

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THRACOLOGY
KAZANLAK, SEPTEMBER 3 – 7, 2017

VOLUME ONE

Sofia, 2022
St. Kliment Ohridski University Press
 1

Ancient Thrace: Myth and Reality

The Proceedings of the Thirteenth

International Congress of Thracology

Volume One
 2

Софийски университет „Св. Климент Охридски“

Национален археологически институт с музей, БАН
Институт за балканистика с център по тракология, БАН
Исторически музей „Искра“, Казанлък

ДРЕВНА ТРАКИЯ: МИТ И РЕАЛНОСТ

МАТЕРИАЛИ ОТ ТРИНАДЕСЕТИЯ МЕЖДУНАРОДЕН

КОНГРЕС ПО ТРАКОЛОГИЯ
КАЗАНЛЪК, 3 – 7 СЕПТЕМВРИ 2017 г.

ПЪРВИ ТОМ
под редакцията на Петър Делев, Тотко Стоянов,
Светлана Янакиева, Христо Попов, Анелия Божкова,
Майя Василева, Юлия Цветкова, Маргарит Дамянов,
Петя Илиева, Юлий Емилов

СОФИЯ 2022
Университетско издателство „Св. Климент Охридски“
3

St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia

National Archaeological Institute and Museum, BAS
Institute of Balkan Studies and Center of Thracology, BAS
Museum of History Iskra, Kazanlak

ANCIENT THRACE: MYTH AND REALITY

THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTEENTH

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THRACOLOGY
KAZANLAK, SEPTEMBER 3 – 7, 2017

VOLUME ONE
еdited by Peter Delev, Totko Stoyanov, Svetlana Yanakieva,
Hristo Popov, Anelia Bozkova, Maya Vassileva, Julia Tzvetkova,
Margarit Damyanov, Petya Ilieva, Juliy Emilov

SOFIA, 2022
St. Kliment Ohridski University Press
The four organizing institutions of the 13th International Congress of Thracology in 2017 have each celebrated important
anniversaries thereafter:
• 130 years since the foundation of the National Museum in Sofia (1892) [now the National Archaeological Museum
affiliated to the National Archaeological Institute];
• 120 years since the foundation of the Museum Iskra in Kazanlak (1901);
• 100 years since the establishment of the Department of Archaeology at the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia
(1920);
• 100 years since the foundation of the Bulgarian Archaeological Institute (1921);
• 100 years since the establishment of the Department of Classical Philology at the St. Kliment Ohridski University of
Sofia (1922);
• 50 years since the foundation of the Institute of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1972) [now a Center
of Thracology affiliated to the Institute of Balkan Studies].
The editors dedicate the publication of the congress proceedings to the commemoration of these six events.

The printing of the proceedings of the 13th International Congress of Thracology has been sponsored financially by:

National Archaeological Institute of Balkan Studies with

Institute and Museum, BAS Center of Thracology “Prof. A. Fol”, BAS
St. Kliment Ohridski
University of Sofia

Iskra Historical Kazanlak

Museum, Kazanlak Municipality

St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia

National Archaeological Instotute and Museum, BAS
Institute of Balkan Studies and Center of Thracology “Prof. A. Fol”, BAS
Museum of History Iskra, Kazanlak
ANCIENT THRACE: MYTH AND REALITY. THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CON-
GRESS OF THRACOLOGY, KAZANLAK, SEPTEMBER 3 – 7, 2017. VOLUME ONE
edited by Peter Delev, Totko Stoyanov, Svetlana Yanakieva, Hristo Popov, Anelia Bozkova, Maya Vassileva, Julia Tzvetkova,
Margarit Damyanov, Petya Ilieva, Juliy Emilov

© the editors and the respective authors, unless where otherwise indicated
© 2022 NICE AN LTD, Sofia (prepress and graphic design)
© 2022 St. Kliment Ohridski University Press

ISBN 978-954-07-5621-9 (printed edition) ISBN 978-954-07-5623-3 (E-book, pdf)

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Congress programme ................................................................................................................... 11
Sorin-Cristian Ailincăi, Laurent Carozza and Alexandra Ţârlea
Once again on the Early Iron Age chronology at the Lower Danube. New radiocarbon
data from Babadag ...................................................................................................................... 21
Zeki Mete Aksan
Reinvestigation of Vize A tumulus in Southeastern Thrace ........................................................... 29
Amalia Avramidou and Despoina Tsiafaki
Preliminary results of the research project Attic pottery in Thrace .............................................. 35
Maguelone Bastide
Thracian sanctuaries’ myths and realities .................................................................................... 45
Dimitar Bayrakov
Clay portable hearths from the Chepino Valley (Northwestern Rhodopes)
with “Tsepina type” decoration .................................................................................................... 53
Ioan Bejinariu and Horea Pop
Recent research concerning the end of the First Iron Age – beginning of the
La Tène in the upper Tisa area ..................................................................................................... 61
Jan G. de Boer
A small world and middle grounds in ancient Thrace ................................................................. 73
Anelia Bozkova
Towards a chronology of the fourth century B.C. ........................................................................ 83
Margarit Damyanov
Hand-made pottery in the Greek colonies in the Black Sea: the case of Apollonia Pontica ......... 89
Zdravko Dimitrov
The Thracian sanctuary near the village of Angel Voyvoda, the Eastern Rhodopes ..................... 99
Diana Dimitrova
Fifth-fourth century BC Odrysian burial rites at the big Tundhza River curve ............................ 107
Dimitar Draganov
The silver coinage of Apollonia Pontica (5th – 4th century BC): iconography............................... 116
Zeynep Koçel Erdem
Cult studies in Turkish Thrace: understanding the Thracian religion – new approaches ............. 123
El-Sayed Gad
Thrace and the Thracians in the speeches of Demosthenes .......................................................... 129
William Greenwalt
Macedonian and Thracian relations through early 334 B.C. ....................................................... 137
6 Table of contents

Hristomir S. Hristov
The “Griffins” tumulus. On the structure and function of Thracian mound
facilities in the Classical and Hellenistic Age .............................................................................. 145
Rositsa Hristova Hristova
Technological changes and craft-specialization of the ceramic production
on the territory between Upper Thracian Plain and Burgas Lowland
from the Late Bronze Age to the Archaic Period .......................................................................... 153
Ekaterina Ilieva
Pottery on the move – geographical distribution of the Late Iron Age Tsepina pottery ................ 167
Hristina Ivanova-Anaplioti
Apollonia of Pontus and Thrace and the allocation of its weight standards ................................. 177
Miroslav Iliev Izdimirski
Deported Paeonians in the Achaemenid Empire as kurtaš – workers .......................................... 185
Hazar Kaba
Comparing the metal vessel acquisition patterns and trends
of the Thracian and Cypriot elite during the Classical Period .................................................... 191
Slavtcho Kirov
Le passé thraco-phrygien à la lumière de l’inscription RIMA, 2, A.0.100.5, 115B-127 ............... 207
Jeffrey D. Lerner
Skudrā and Kūšiya under Xerxes I ............................................................................................... 213
Kalin Madzharov
Trading post at Ruse? The evidence of the amphora stamps ....................................................... 221
Dragoş Măndescu
Where did they put the akinakes? On the Late Hallstatt Ferigile warriors’
panoply starting from the recent discoveries in the necropolis at Valea Stânii ............................. 231
Consuelo Manetta and Daniela Stoyanova
Architecture and decoration of the propylon at Seuthopolis ......................................................... 241
Philip Mihaylov and Borislava Galabova
The 11th – 4th century BC Dren – Delyan necropolis.
Cultural and physical anthropological analyses. Preliminary data.............................................. 261
Philip Mihaylov and Nikoleta Tzankova
Glass beads from Dren – Delyan necropolis (archaeological and archaeometric study) ............ 271
Petar Minkov
A Middle Bronze Age Ceramic Jug from Tell Russe ..................................................................... 279
Kabalan Moukarzel and Miroslav Izdimirski
On Skudrians in the Akkadian versions of the Achaemenid royal
inscriptions and some Late Babylonian texts................................................................................ 287
Kate Mower
Thracians as σύμμαχοι to the Greek settlements along the West Pontic coast ............................. 297
Yana Mutafchieva
Bronze biconical oinochoai from Thrace: morphology and chronology ....................................... 301
Nerantzis Nerantzis and Stratis Papadopoulos
Mining in the Thracian world: the case of Lekani Mountains in Northern Greece ..................... 313
 Table of contents 7

Ion Niculiţă, Aurel Zanoci and Mihail Băţ

Some considerations regarding the formation of the material culture
of the Thracian communities on the territory east of the Prut ..................................................... 323
Meglena Parvin
New observations on the inventory from the southwestern chamber
of the Ostrusha tumulus complex .................................................................................................. 339
Angela Pencheva
Wreaths in funeral context: chronological and typological distribution
in ancient Macedonia, Thrace and the West Pontic Greek apoikiai ............................................ 349
Vyara Petrova
The banquet as depicted on Attic red-figure pottery from the site at “Adzhiyska Vodenitsa” ....... 365
Olivier Picard
La monnaie entre les Thraces et les Grecs à l’époque de la domination perse ............................ 371
Hristo Popov
Ada Tepe – a gold mine or a sanctuary? Between myth and reality ............................................. 381
Kalin Porozhanov
The ancient authors on the Bithynoi, Thynoi and Mariandynoi in Anatolia ................................. 395
Lynn E. Roller
The Gluhite Kamani LiDAR survey and its implications for our understanding
of Thracian cult monuments ........................................................................................................ 401
Mustafa H. Sayar
Thracian tribes in Southeastern Thrace under Roman rule ......................................................... 409
Paola Schirripa et Federica Cordano
Rois thraces et rois perses dans la tradition grecque ................................................................... 413
Katarzyna Skowron et Tomasz Bochnak
Les éléments thraces dans le bassin de la Vistule – un nouvel examen......................................... 427
Stephan Steingräber
Figurative representations in Thracian tomb paintings of the 4th and 3rd century BC –
themes, iconography, ideology .................................................................................................... 439
Totko Stoyanov
Urbanization in Early Hellenistic Thrace: The case of the Getic capital Helis
in North-Eastern Thrace ............................................................................................................... 451
Nino Sulava
Alte Kolchis: Mythos und Wirklichkeit (anhand der alten Fibeln)................................................ 461
Gabriel M. Talmaţchi
About possible stages of the significance and role of monetary signs
in the Western Pontic area in the light of recent research (6th century BC) .................................. 467
Nikola Tonkov
Integrated electroresistivity and magnetic prospection of Thracian burial mounds:
the case of tumuli 1 and 2 at the village of Granit, Chirpan Eminences....................................... 475
Eva Tonkova
Black-glazed pottery from the pit fields in Bulgaria ..................................................................... 487
Stavri Topalov
On the attribution of the first realistic portraits on ancient coins
(mid 5th – end of 4th centuries BC) ................................................................................................ 497
8 Table of contents

Helena Domínguez-del Triunfo

A zoomorphic vase handle of the Classical Period in the Kanellopoulos Collection:
rethinking the impact of Achaemenid material culture in the West ............................................. 509
Maya Vassileva
Thracians and Phrygians: state of art and future perspectives ................................................... 517
Yurii A. Vinogradov
Tumulus Baksy near Kerch. Cultural contacts on the Cimmerian Bosporus
in the early 4th c. BC ..................................................................................................................... 523
Kalina Yordanova
Foureés and barbarian imitations of Apollonia Pontica’s coins ......................... ......................... 529
List of authors............................................................................................................................... 537
 PREFACE
The Thirteenth International Congress of
Thracology “Ancient Thrace: Myth and Real-
ity” was held in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, from the
3rd to the 7th of September 2017, under the aus-
pices of the St. Kliment Ohridski University of
Sofia, the National Archaeological Institute and
Museum, the Institute of Balkan Studies with
Center of Thracology, and the Iskra Historical
Museum in Kazanlak. The congress comprised
in its three busy working days three plenary ses-
sions and 26 special sessions divided between
four concurrent sections. Some 130 oral com-
munications and 44 posters were presented by
a total of 195 authors and co-authors. Visits to
the Iskra Historical Museum (where two special
exhibitions were opened on the occasion) and
to some of the Thracian tombs in the vicinity of
Kazanlak were organized for the participants, as
well as excursions to other archaeological sites
on the final day of the congress.
A total of 101 papers were submitted for
publication in the proceedings of the congress.
For various reasons this publication was much
delayed, and the editors offer their sincere apol-
ogies to all participants for this impediment.
The quantity of material imposed the publica-
tion of the proceedings in two volumes; the divi-
sion was effected on the basis of the actual sec-
tions of the congress – the oral communications
presented in sections 1 and 2 are published in
the first volume, those from sections 3 and 4 – in
the second volume. The communications from
the two opening plenary sessions and the post-
ers have been split between the two volumes ac-
cording to their thematic contents. In each of the
two volumes, the papers are arranged in alpha-
betical order after the last name of their (first)
author. Alphabetical lists of the authors of the
published texts with their institutional affilia-
tions and e-mail addresses are appended at the
end of each volume.
The full program of the congress is repro-
duced at the beginning of volume 1. Due to the
considerable number of non-submitted papers (a
few were retracted by the authors after submis-
sion), the editors have decided to publish their
summaries as presented before the congress at
the end of the second volume.
Sofia, January 2022
The editors
10
CONGRESS PROGRAMME
12 Congress programme

Monday, September 4, morning sessions

Opening Plenary Session, Arsenal Hall

First morning session, moderator Peter Delev
Official opening of the congress, welcoming speeches
Special guests of the Congress:
Maria Chichikova (with Kamen Dimitrov). Seuthopolis, the City of Seuthes III. Considerations in
Archaeology, History and Culture 1948-2017
Olivier Picard. La monnaie entre les Thraces et les Grecs
Chaido Koukouli-Chrysanthaki. Looking for cities in the Strymon Valley: the case of Skotoussa
Kiril Yordanov
Coffee break

Second morning session, moderator Olivier Picard

Peter Delev. Between Myth and Reality: 45 Years of Thracology in Bulgaria
Svetlana Yanakieva. Myth and Reality in Thracian Linguistics
Ion Niculiţă, Aurel Zanoci, Mihail Băţ. New views on the formation of the material culture of the
Thracian communities
Stephan Steingräber. Figurative Representations in Thracian Tomb Paintings of the 4th and 3rd cent.
B.C. – Themes, Iconography, Ideology
Discussion
Lunch Break

Monday, September 4, afternoon sessions

SECTION 1
First afternoon session, moderator Chaido Koukouli-Chrysanthaki
Stefan Alexandrov, Georgi Ivanov, Tanya Hristova. Baley Necropolis and the Problems of the Ap-
pearance and Development of the “Grooved” Decoration in the Western Part of the Lower Danube
Region
Morena Stefanova. The Case of Valchitran Type Disks: Some Aspects of the Ritual, Performance and
Cultural Interconnections in the Second Millennium B.C. Thrace
Laura Burkhardt, Barbara Horejs. Selected House-Inventories of the Late Bronze Age (Mining-)
Settlement at Ada Tepe – A Preliminary functional interpretation
Delphine Frémondeau, Elena Marinova, Bea De Cupere, Plamen Georgiev, Ivanka Hristova,
Lazar Ninov, Krassimir Nikov, Hristo Popov. Bioarchaeological perspectives on subsistence
economy and land use during the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age in South-Eastern Bulgaria
Rostitsa Hristova, Lee Sungjoo. Technological Changes and Craft-specialization In the Iron Age Ce-
ramic Production of Southeastern Bulgaria
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second afternoon session, moderator Stefan Alexandrov

Georgi Nekhrizov, Julia Tzvetkova. From Bronze to Iron in Thrace
Maya Kashuba. Das „thrakische Hallstatt“ im Nördlichen Schwarzmeergebiet. Der Begriff, die Kultur
und die moderne Forschung
Sorin-Cristian Ailincai. Once again on EIA Chronology at the Lower Danube
Hristo Popov, Elena Marinova, Bea de Cupere, Delphine Frémondeau. The Kush Kaya hilltop-
settlement: An interdisciplinary attempt to explain the changes and the regularities of the economic
model
Zdravko Dimitrov. Thracian sanctuary in the region of Angel Voyvoda village, Eastern Rhodopes
Discussion
 Congress programme 13

SECTION 2
First afternoon session, moderator Totko Stoyanov
Valeriu Sîrbu, Magdalena Ștefan, Dan Ștefan. Change and continuity in the funerary practices in the
beginning of the second Iron Age in North-Eastern Thrace
Diana Gergova. The investigations of the elitarian Getic necropolises in Sboryanovo: Society, Beliefs
and Politics.
Zosia Archibald. The Power of Images and Ancient Royal Portraiture: A View from Thrace
Metodi Manov. About the author and the time of the statue of Seuthes III
Jan G. de Boer. A Small World and Middle Grounds in Ancient Thrace
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second afternoon session, moderator Mustafa H. Sayar

Diana Dimitrova. Odrysian 5th – 4th century BC Burial Rites along the Toundzha River Big Turn
Lidia Domaradzka, George Bevan, Stefka Pristavova. Pistiros inscription – new investigations and
comments
Emil Nankov. (Sling) Bullet points on the military campaigns of Philip II of Macedon in southwest
Thrace
Meglena Parvin. The inventory from the southwest chamber of the mound complex Ostrusha – new
observations.
Consuelo Manetta, Daniela Stoyanova. Architecture and decoration of the propylon at Seuthopolis
Discussion

SECTION 3
First afternoon session, moderator Karl Strobel
Boaz Zissu. Figurative Paintings in the Necropolis of Hellenistic Maresha (Marissa), Israel
Dimitra Andrianou. Memories in Stone: Figured Grave Reliefs from Aegean Thrace in the Late Hel-
lenistic and Roman eras
Nade Proeva. Les représentations du soi-disant „Cavalier thrace“ en Macédoine romaine
Michaela Jordanova. Asclepius Rasuprenos (IGBulg. III/1, 1185) – Some Notes on the Possible Re-
interpretation
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second afternoon session, moderator Dilyana Boteva

Yannis Stoyas, Maria-Gabriella Parissaki. The inconspicuous coinage with the legend ΜΟΡΙΑΣΕΩΝ
Silviu I. Purece. New approaches regarding the beginning and evolution of the Thracian coin in the
regions situated north to the Danube
François de Callataÿ. Reflections about how the Roman paid their Thracian auxiliaries. Number of
hoards, numbers in hoards (Thasos, Maroneia, Macedonia First meris, Aesillas, Roman denarii,
Dyrrachium and Apollonia)
Oya Yağız. Les monnaies des trois Rhoimetalkès, les derniers rois de la dynastie thrace
Theodor-Iulian-Vlad Isvoranu. Consequences of the “Scythian War” on the monetary circulation at
Histria and Tomis
Lily Grozdanova. Notions and Reality on the Coins of Pautalia
Discussion

SECTION 4
First afternoon session, moderator Mirena Slavova
Sorin Paliga. Thracian v. Dacian (Daco-Moesian). How many ‘Thracian languages’ were there spo-
ken in the Antiquity?
Peter A. Dimitrov. The Thracian language and the epigraphical evidence
Mirena Slavova. On the Thracian Syllable
Albena Mircheva, Biliana Mihaylova. On the Etymology of some Thracian Glosses
Nicolay Sharankov. Thracarchs, archiereis, and neokoroi
Discussion
Coffee Break
14 Congress programme

Second afternoon session, moderator Peter Dimitrov

Flora Manakidou. Quelques aspects des “Abderites” par C. M. Wieland (Geschichte der Abderiten):
réflexions sur la relation entre Antiquité classique et Europe moderne
Ioanna Papadopoulou. Strabo’s account on the ‘differentia’ of the Thracian ethos
Vanya Lozanova-Stantcheva. Ancient Thracia and the Thracians as paradigm of otherness and other
in Old-Attic comedy
Georgios Tsomis. Der Wein und die antiken thrakischen Ortsnamen Ismaros und Maroneia: Eine liter-
arische, linguistische und geographische Annäherung
Valeria Fol. Culte héroïque dans la Thrace – images littéraires grecques ou images réels du chevalier-
héros thrace
Discussion

Tuesday, September 5, morning sessions

SECTION 1
First morning session, moderator Hristo Popov
Borislav Borislavov. The rock sanctuaries in southern Thrace – traditions, rituals and continuity
Lynn E. Roller. The Gluhite Kamani LiDAR survey and its implications for our understanding of Thra-
cian cult monuments
Aleksey Gotsev. Sanctuaries, Megalithic Complexes and Settlement System in Ancient Thrace
Zeynep Erdem. Cult Studies in Turkish Thrace: Understanding the Thracian Religion – New Ap-
proaches
Maguelone Bastide. Thracian sanctuaries’ myths and realities
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second morning session, moderator Lynn E. Roller

Stanislav Iliev, Elena Marinova, Bea de Cupere, Delphine Frémondeau, Ivanka Slavova. Early
Iron Age household at the village of Vaskovo, Lyubimets Municipality
Philip Mihaylov, Nadezhda Atanassova-Timeva, Borislava Galabova. The necropolis Dren-Delyan
(11th-4th century BC.). Cultural and physical anthropological analyses.
Georgi Nekhrizov, Nadezhda Kecheva. The Reality Before Seuthopolis: Early Iron Age Life in the
Kazanlak Valley
Dragoș Măndescu. Where did they put the akinakes? On the Late Hallstatt Ferigile warriors’ panoply
starting from the recent discoveries in the necropolis at Valea Stânii
Ioan Bejinariu. Recent research concerning to the end of the first Iron Age – Early Latène period in the
South-Eastern region of the Upper Tisza
Discussion
Lunch Break

SECTION 2
visit to Thracian Tombs and Iskra Historical Museum
Lunch Break

SECTION 3
First morning session, moderator Nade Proeva
Plamen Petkov. Das Odrysenreich in Thrakien und Διήγυλις ὁ τῶν Θρᾳκῶν βασιλεὺς / Zisemis, Dio-
gyridis filii, Thraciae regis
Ruja Popova. Antonia Tryphaena and her successors. To the Thracian history in the first half of the 1st
c. AD
Stoyanka Dimitrova. KOΣΩN – Cotisoni – Cotiso
Dilyana Boteva. Thracia huc usque regnata in prouinciam redigitur
Discussion
Coffee Break
 Congress programme 15

Second morning session, moderator Maria-Gabriella Parissaki

Ivaylo Lozanov. Nicopolis ad Nestum: between Mark Antony and Trajan
Cristian Schuster, Ion Tuţulescu. Buridava – eine dakische und römische Ansiedlung in Nordos-
toltenien
Valeriu Sirbu, Liana Oța. Dacians or Sarmatians? Tamga signs in Dacia (1st c. BC – 1st c. AD)
Cristina Bodó. Considerations regarding the Dacian discoveries from the Mureş Corridor
Discussion
Lunch Break

SECTION 4
First morning session, moderator Vanya Lozanova-Stantcheva
Kostadin Rabadjiev. The Thracian Gods – the puzzle of anthropomorphism
Despoina Tsiafakis. Exploring the reality through myths and archaeological evidence
David Braund. An Odrysian “speaks” of Bendis: some observations on her significance
Dimitris Matsas. The Mysteries of the Great Gods, Samothrace: Samothracian mythology and the real-
ity of archaeological research
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second morning session, moderator Kostadin Rabadjiev

Milen Ivanov. King Rhesus and his Mountain Cave
Petya Ilieva. Maron, xenia and plundering Odysseus
Julia Valeva. Eros in Thrace
Ivan Todorov. The mythological story of Tyro and some its realia in ancient Thrace (Τυρώ; Apollod.
I 9,8)
Discussion
Lunch Break

Tuesday, September 5, afternoon sessions

SECTION 1
First afternoon session, moderator Maya Vassileva
Nerantzis Nerantzis, Stratis Papadopoulos. Mining in the Thracian world: The case of Lekani Moun-
tains in Northern Greece
Jeffrey Lerner. The Persian Conquest of Thrake and Skudra
Kabalan Moukarzel, Miroslav Izdimirski. On Skudrians in Achaemenid Royal Inscriptions and some
Late-Babylonian Texts
Miroslav Izdimirski. Deported Paeonians in Achaemenid Empire as kurtaš-Workers
Paola Schirripa, Federica Cordano. Rois thraces et rois perses dans la tradition grecque
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second afternoon session, moderator David Braund

Andrei Corobcean. La question de l’interprétation ethnique des monuments du VII-III-ème siècles av.
J.-C. de l’espace entre le Prut et Dniestr
Maya Vassileva. Thracians and Phrygians: State of Art and Future Perspectives
Slavcho Kirov. Le passé thraco-phrygien à la lumière de l’inscription RIMA, 2, A.0.100.5, 115b-127
Kalin Porozhanov. The ancient authors for Bithynians, Thynians and Mariandinians in Anatolia
Mustafa H. Sayar. Thracian tribes in Southeastern Thrace
Discussion

SECTION 2
First afternoon session, moderator François de Callataÿ
Gabriel Mircea Talmatchi. About possible stages of the significance and role of monetary signs in the
Western Pontic Area in the light of recent research (6th century BC)
16 Congress programme

Ilya Prokopov, Valentina Grigorova-Gencheva. Thassos Type Coinage in Thracia, 6–5 Century BC
Stavri Topalov. Contribution to the study to whom belong the first realistic portraits on ancient coins
(mid 5th – end of 4th centuries BC)
Hristina Ivanova. Apollonia of Pontus and Thrace and the allocation of its weight standards
Emanuel Petac. Coin finds and payments in the Thracian and Getae area at the end of the 4th century BC
Eugen Nicolae, Aurel Vilcu, Mihai Ciocanu. Un trésor de monnaies et de bijoux du IIIe siècle av. J.-
C. découvert en République de Moldavie
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second afternoon session, moderator Peter Delev

William Greenwalt. Macedonian and Thracian Relations Through Early 334 B.C.E.
El-Sayed Gad. Thrace and the Thracians in the Speeches of Demosthenes
Kate Mower. Thracians as σύμμαχοι to the Greek settlements along the West Pontic coast
Discussion

SECTION 3 & SECTION 4

visit to Thracian Tombs and Iskra Historical Museum

Wednesday, September 6, morning sessions

SECTION 1
visit to Thracian Tombs and Iskra Historical Museum
Lunch Break

SECTION 2
First morning session, moderator Milena Tonkova
Anelia Bozkova. Pour une chronologie du IVème siècle av. J.-C.
Yuri Vinogradov. Tumulus Baksy near Kerch. Cultural contacts on the Cimmerian Bosporus in the
early 4th century BC
Katarzyna Skowron, Tomasz Bochnak. Les éléments thraces dans le bassin de la Vistule – un essai
de révision
Nikola Tonkov. Geophysical survey of Thracian burial mounds at the village of Bratya Daskalovi
(Chirpan eminences)
Lucica-Olga Savu. Discoveries of tombs and funerary inventories in southeastern Transylvania
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second morning session, moderator William Greenwalt

Amalia Avramidou, Despoina Tsiafaki. Preliminary Results of the Research Project “Attic Vases in
Thrace”: Shapes, Iconography and Findspots
Totko Stoyanov. Urbanization in Early Hellenistic Thrace: The case of Getic capital Helis in North-
Eastern Thrace
Filippo Giudice, Gaetano Santagati, Marco Stefano Scaravilli. The Greeks between Thracians and
Macedonians, the evidence of the Attic imported pottery
Kalin Madzharov. Trading post at Rousse? – the evidence of the amphora stamps
Discussion
Lunch Break
 Congress programme 17

SECTION 3
First morning session, moderator Cristian Schuster
Aurel Rustoiu, Iosif Vasile Ferencz. Late Iron Age in south-western Transylvania (Romania): material
culture as a marker of communal identities
Ivo Topalilov. Some Notes on Thracian soldiers
Marija Ljuština, Jelena Cvijetić. Between Illyrian and Thracian World: Southwestern Serbia and
Northern Montenegro at the Turn of New Era
Rodica Ursu Naniu, Andrei Corobcean. Rituels funéraires et non-funéraires dans l’enceinte de Stol-
niceni (République de Moldavie): observations, analyses, reconstructions
Valeriu Sîrbu, Diana Dăvîncă. Mortality and Ritual Practices in the Case of Dacian Children. Case
study: Hunedoara – Grădina Castelului
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second morning session, moderator Gergana Kabakchieva

Despina Măgureanu. Evidence of non-ferrous metallurgy in the Geto-Dacic extra-Carpathic area.
Dan Ștefan, Magdalena Ștefan. Living at extremes during the end of the Iron Age. The case of Dacian
tribes in Eastern Transylvania
Valeriu Sirbu, Sebastian Matei. Pietroasa Mică – Gruiu Dării: a particular Dacian cultic centre
Veselka Katsarova. The Sanctuary of the Nymphs and Aphrodite near the village of Kasnakovo – be-
tween myths and reality
Lenče Jovanova. Thracian influence in the Roman colony Scupi and the Skopje-Kumanovo region
Discussion
Lunch Break

SECTION 4
First morning session, moderator Valeria Fol
Martin Gyuzelev. Crossing the Strait: A View to the Bosporian Seafarers’ Pantheon in Antiquity
Neşe Atik. Das Heiligtum der Hera/Kybele und des Asklepios als zwei bedeutende Kultplätze der Stadt
Heraion Teikhos
Marina Koleva. Greek Myths, Roman Art and Thracians
Francesca Ceci. Das Münzbild als Instrument zur Volksidentität: Liebe und Tod am Beispiel der
Darstellungen von Orpheus und Eurydike und von Hero und Leander auf kaiserzeitlichen Münzen
Thrakiens
Boryana Markova. Les Besses et le christianisme
Discussion
Coffee Break

Second morning session, moderator Julia Valeva

Iosif Vasile Ferencz, Marius Gheorghe Barbu. Lowland Dacians cult practices in south-western
Transylvania on the end of the Second Iron Age
Rodica Ursu Naniu, Alexandra Comşa. Some observations regarding the “skull cult” in the Thracian
space
Dobriela Kotova. GYNE und SYMBIOS: Die Erinnerung an die Ehefrau in den griechischen Grab-
und Votivinschriften aus Thrakien
Marina Vakhtina. Greek Art and Female Depictions of Scythia and Thracia. Distinctions and Parallels.
Ion Niculiţă, Aurel Zanoci, Mihail Băţ. Correlation of anthropomorphic and animalistic styles in the
Thraco-Getae and Scythian art
Discussion
Lunch Break
18 Congress programme

Wednesday, September 6, afternoon sessions

SECTION 2
First afternoon session, moderator Zosia Archibald
Hazar Kaba. Comparing the Luxurious Metal Vessel Acquisition Patterns of Thracian and Cypriot
Elites during the Classical Period
Angela Pencheva. Wreaths in Funeral Context: Chronology and Meaning in Ancient Thrace and Mac-
edonia
Milena Tonkova. L’orfèvrerie des Odryses à la fin du IVe siècle av. J.-C. à travers les parures du tumu-
lus Malkata près de Chipka
Petar Balabanov, Daniel Pantov. A treasure of gold appliques of horse harness from Primorsko
Discussion

SECTION 3
First afternoon session, moderator Valeriu Sirbu
Andrei Măgureanu. A discussion about understanding what pottery can tell
Viorica Crişan, Paul Pupeză. The Dacian walls of Covasna – Fairies Fortress (Covasna County, Ro-
mania)
Gergana Kabakchieva, Krasimira Stefanova-Georgieva. Die Antike Siedlung bei Kran, Gemeinde
Kazanlak
Andrei Magureanu, Bogdan Ciuperca. Cultural exchanges in the Lower Danube area in Late Antiq-
uity
Discussion

SECTION 4
First afternoon session, moderator Dimitris Matsas
Julia Tzvetkova. Ancient Thrace: GIS and reality
Adela Sobotkova. Centralisation and autonomy in settlement patterns in Thrace
Karl Strobel. Getae, Moesi, Daci: The Northern Thracian World?
Aliénor Solas. Thracian studies and global history
Discussion

Closing Plenary Session

Poster Session, moderator Peter Delev
Zeki Mete Aksan. Reinvestigation of Vize A Tumulus in Southeastern Thrace
Vessela Atanassova. A Thracian Tomb in Egypt?
Ioan Alexandru Bărbat, Cătălin Cristescu. The Afterlife Reality. The Early Iron Age Funerary Con-
texts from Bacea (Romania)
Dimitar Bayrakov. Clay portable hearths/altars in the Chepino valley (Northwestern Rhodopes) with
“Tsepina type” decoration
Nicolae Cătălin Rișcuța, Cătălin Cristescu, Ioan Alexandru Bărbat, Antoniu Tudor Marc, Ioana
Lucia Barbu. The Myth of the Feast. The Early Iron Age situlae from Bălata (Romania)
Margarit Damyanov. Hand-made Pottery in the Greek Colonies in the Black Sea: The Case of Apol-
lonia Pontica
Yana Dimitrova. Reconstructions of Early Iron Age women’s costume in the Western Rhodope Moun-
tains (Bulgaria)
Helena Dominguez del Triunfo. A zoomorphic vase handle of the Classical period in the Kanellopou-
los Collection: rethinking the impact of Achaemenid material culture in the West
Dimitar Draganov. The Coinage of Apollonia Pontica (5th – 1st c. BC): Iconography
Cristinel Laurentiu Fantaneanu. Depositions of Ceramic Pots in the Bronze Age. A Discovery from
Transylvania (Romania)
Sophia Hristeva. Condition of the surveys of the Late Iron Age in the Rhodope Mountains
 Congress programme 19

Hristomir Hristov. Der Hügel Grifonite. Zum Aufbau und Funktion thrakischer Tempelanlagen der
klassischen und hellenistischen Periode
Ekaterina Ilieva. Pottery on the move – geographical distribution of the Tsepina pottery
Sasha Lozanova, Stela Tasheva. Architectural Images in Antique Coins from Bulgarian Lands
Despina Măgureanu, Sebastian Matei. Craft and creativity. A discussion on several Geto-Dacian belt
buckles
Antoniu Tudor Marc, Cristina Bodó, Ioana Lucia Barbu. “Around the hearth” – considerations on
certain combustion structures in the Wietenberg Culture
Vassil Markov. Mythological Symbols from the Thracian Megalithic Sanctuaries
Sergiu Matveev, Vlad Vornic. Processing of horn and bones in the early Iron Age in the space between
Prut and Dniestr in light of discoveries from Lipoveni (R. Cimislia, Republic of Moldova)
Philip Mihaylov, Nikoleta Tzankova. Glass beads from Dren-Delyan necropolis (archaeological and
chemical study)
Petar Minkov. A Middle Bronze age ceramic jug from tell Rousse
Alexandru Morintz. Balbus, A Roman Surveyor in Dacia
Yana Mutafchieva. Bronze biconical pitchers from Thrace. Morphology and chronology
Ulrike Peter. <www.corpus-nummorum.eu> – A web portal for ancient coins of Thrace
Vyara Petrova. Attic red-figure kraters with the scenes of symposium from the site “Adzhiyska
Vodenitsa”
Horea Pop. Măgura Moigraduluiritual sacred area and Dacian settlement
Alexandar Portalsky. Thracians in Palaeobalkan-Westanatolian community
Hristo Preshlenov. The (Re)used Pagan temenoses in Thracia Pontica (4th-6th century AD)
Milena Raycheva. Imperial cult in private context? Some observations from Roman Thrace
Nicolae Cătălin Rișcuța, Antoniu Tudor Marc, Ioan Alexandru Bărbat. Cultic Discoveries from the
Late Bronze Age Settlement from Şoimuş – Teleghi (Romania, Hunedoara County)
Valeriu Sîrbu, Alexandru Berzovan, Alin Frânculeasa. The Dacian standard (draco) on a clay vessel
north of the Danube
Nikolay Sivkov. The starry sky of the Thracians on an anthropomorphic stela
Adela Sobotkova. Places of Memory or Places of Power? Regional Approaches to Burial Mounds in
Thrace
Irina Sodoleanu. Roman Artifacts from Albești (Constața county, Romania)
Julij Emilov Stoyanov. The Upper Tonzos Valley with or without Celts
Eugenia Tarassova, Mihail Tarassov, Diana Gergova, Rositsa Titorenkova. Pigments used for dec-
oration of escharae from tumuli №№ 21 and 31, Sboryanovo National Reserve, Bulgaria
Eva Tonkova. Black glazed pottery from the pit fields in Bulgaria
Stavri Topalov, Alexander Toromanov, Svetozar Stoyanov. New types and denominations of Thra-
cian tribal and royal coins published in studies of Bulgarian collectors in the period of 1994–2014
Nartsis Torbov. Die Verzierung der Messer mit den geschwungenen Schneiden
Lyubomir Tsonev. Megalithic construction techniques in classical Thracian buildings
Ivan Valchev. The Cult of Apollo in Cabyle
Todor Valchev, Petya Kirilova. The dolmens near the villages of Hlyabovo and Sakartsi – 40 years
later
Varbin Varbanov. Late Hellenistic Mounds from Northern Bulgaria – the Case Study of Tumulus №8
from the Village of Brestovitsa, Rousse Region
Kalina Yordanova. Foureés and barbarian imitations of the coins of Apollonia Pontica
Vladislav Zhivkov. Thracian Pottery from Nicopol and Present day North Central Bulgaria on the Eve
of the Roman Conquest (2nd c. BC – early 1st c. AD)

Official closure of the congress

Thursday, September 7: Excursions

20
 Ancient Thrace: Myth and Reality
Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Congress of Thracology, Volume 1
A MIDDLE BRONZE AGE CERAMIC JUG
FROM TELL RUSSE
Petar Minkov
The following article will discuss a Mid-
dle Bronze Age jug, found in the last century
during rescue excavations at tell Russe. Several
suggestions regarding the chronology of the jug
have been proposed over the last few decades,
with dates varying from the Middle to the Late
Bronze Age. The aim of the present paper is to
refine the dating of the jug and to determine its
cultural context.
Previous research
The jug was found during annual excava-
tions of Tell Russe in 1948 – 1949. In 1952, it
was recorded in the inventory book as find No
2487. Its actual archaeological context is sec-
tor “West”, are 13, square “Г” (G), layer “Б”
(B), depth – 1.80 m, at the eastern periphery
of a section covering 525 sq. m. This area had
been confined by a 1 m high stone wall. Nowa-
days, the southern part of the wall is still pre-
served, while its eastern and northern parts are
destroyed, most probably by seasonal floods
of the Danube River or by modern human ac-
tivities. The jug was found alongside pottery
sherds which can be dated from the Eneolithic
to the second half of the first millennium BC.1
Seventy years ago, the jug was presented as a
local Thracian pottery shape, mainly because
of its grey colour and the rare/unknown charac-
teristics.2 Bernhard Hänsel commented on the
jug and placed it in a table with pottery from
the Late Bronze Age.3 Goranka Tonceva used
the jug for the inner periodization of the Early
Iron Age but recognized it as a Late Bronze
Age object.4 Later on, Raiko Krauss suggested
the Middle Bronze Age as a possible period of
origin for the jug.5 His opinion was preferred in
1 Георгиев, Ангелов 1957, 45-49.
2 Цончев 1951, 107, 109, 110, обр. 42.
3 Hänsel 1976, taf. 62-3.
4 Toncheva 1980, 66-67, Pl. XXV-3.
5 Krauss 2006, 3-26, Abb. 7-2.
the catalogue about Tell Russe.6
The vase from Tell Russe
The jug was found heavily damaged and
was restored later (Fig. 1). After the restoration,
its dimensions are: height – 29 cm (24.7 cm to
the handle); mouth diameters – 8.1 x 8.2 cm;
maximal diameter – 19.6 cm; base diameter –
5.5 cm; thickness of the walls – 1 cm. The pot
is handmade of very fine clay with almost no
impurities (single quartz grains of 0.2 – 0.3 cm).
The surface is very well polished. The color
is grey-brown. The jug’s shape is very elegant
(Fig. 2). The mouth rim is oblique, with a spout
at the higher end. The neck has a conical shape.
The transition between the neck and the lower
part of the body is emphasized by a fine incised
line. The handle has a convoluted polygonal
cross-section. The base is flat and has a round
shape.
The decoration is simple. Based on the
scratches around the main decorative lines it
was most likely done after the firing of the jug
(Fig. 3). There are three incised horizontal lines
with V-shaped cross-section, grouped as a panel
on the front side of the pot. The top and bottom
lines curve outside at both their ends (weight
0.6 – 1 cm), while the middle one ends straight.
Each of the lines is decorated with three equally
spaced elliptical dimples (0.2 x 0.1 cm). Similar
dents, somewhat larger in size, are also present
at the curved ends of both the top and bottom
lines.
Parallels
No parallels of the pot from Tell Russe are
known in the Upper Thracian Plain, although a
great number of imported vessels from the sec-
ond and third phases of the Early Bronze Age
6 Чернаков 2009, 90-91, кат. № 153. I would like to express
my gratitude to Dr D. Chernakov for the opportunity to exam-
ine and publish this interesting artifact.
280 Petar Minkov
and from the beginning of the Middle Bronze
Age have been published in the recent decades.7
A small cup found at Dabene could be pointed
as an exception.8 The cup/jug from Dabene is
decorated with an incised ornamentation with
white inlay.9 The author points out that it com-
bines traits of the local ceramic productions and
influences from “the South”, i.e. the so-called
Aegean-Anatolian region.10 The published radi-
ocarbon dates from the structure where the cup
was found give some indication about the abso-
lute chronology of the vessel.11 According to the
available information the 14C date is 3963+/-
23 BP.12 The author however accepts that the
provided dates could be earlier with some 100
or 200 years, because the tested sample is from
charred wood.13
The jug from Russe belongs to a very popu-
lar shape – the beak-spouted jug, known also
as “Schnabelkanne” or “gaga ağızlı testi” and
vastly distributed across the territory of Anato-
lia. Its development continued throughout the
Early and Middle Bronze Age. Well-known
parallels of our jug come from Central and
Western Anatolia. The following sites could
be mentioned: Demircihöyük, Beycesultan,
Tarsus, Kültepe, Küçük Höyük and Lerna in
Greece (Fig. 4).14 The referred examples have
conical or biconical profiles, high vertical han-
dles, and decoration applied on the lower part
of the neck and the widest part of the body. As
already mentioned above, their distribution is
attested in Western and Northwestern Asia Mi-
nor during the Middle Bronze Age. Despite the
aforementioned analogies, the jugs show also
differences which might be explained with the
regional production specifics. The intensity of
their distribution was probably influenced by
the role of the sites and their hinterlands dur-
7 Leshtakov 1995, 39-44; 1996, 239-287; 1997, 5-17; 2002,
171-211; 2004, 23-76; 2015, 5-115; 2016, 321-337.
8 Hristov 2016, 235, 234: fig. 4a.
9 Hristov 2016, 235.
10 Hristov 2016, 235.
11 Hristov 2015, 490; 2016, 235.
12 Hristov 2015, 490.
Hristov 2015, 490.
13
14 Blum 2004, 22 Abb. 4 with cit. lit.; Kull 1988, 147, Abb. 161,
taf. 22, 2; Mellaart, Lloyd 1965, 85-87, 94 Fig. P.6:12-17,
Fig. P.7:1; 109-110 Fig. P.17-18; 124 Fig. P.27; Caskey 1954,
45, Pl. 21-d; Güneysu 2015, 184: Leh. 19/6; 192: Leh. 27/2,
3; 198: Leh. 33/7, 8 – http://docplayer.biz.tr/27043556-T-c-
bilecik-seyh-edebali-universitesi-sosyal-bilimler-enstitusu-
arkeoloji-anabilim-dali-protohistorya-ve-onasya-arkeolojisi-
programi.html – visited on 9.07.2017, 18:18 h.
ing that period. For example, beak-spouted jugs
were not typical for the city of Troy itself, but
were common in its periphery.15 This conclusion
is confirmed by later investigations of pottery
found at Troy.16 Shapes, typical for Troy V,17 are
sporadically shown in Beycesultan IV.18 It might
be that some elements from the common shape
of the beak-spouted jugs were borrowed, while
some local features were preserved alongside.
All objects have similar chronological frames:
Troy – 2000/1900 to 1750/1700 BC; Beycesul-
tan and Demircihöyük – 1900 to 1700 BC (ac-
cording to the latest chronological references).19
Conclusion
The precise chronology of the jug from
Russe depends on the dates of the mentioned
parallels: between 1950 and 1700 BC. While
these parallels are all wheel-made, our jug is
hand-made. This may indirectly suggests a later
date for it. Based on the information from the
aforementioned analogies from Anatolia, the
most probable chronology which sounds plau-
sible is the period between 1750 and 1600 BC,
a period when jugs of this type would have
been in production and could conceivably have
been reproduced in Thracian lands. Since this is
the only such jug discovered in Thrace for the
present moment, the suggested chronological
frames have a preliminary character and cover
a long-time span.
There is only one category of pottery ves-
sels from the beginning of the Middle Bronze
Age known in Thrace that can be defined as
imported items – “depas amphikypellon”, and
at the same time the shape had local imitations.
Such examples have been discovered at Galabo-
vo, Constantia (Simeonovgrad), Mihalich, and
Ezero. This was one of the widespread vessel
shapes in Anatolia between the third phase of
the Early Bronze Age and the beginning of the
Middle Bronze Age, the so-called “Trojan cups”
well known in the pottery repertories of Troy
itself, Demircihöyük and Beycesultan.20 In the
Upper Thracian Plain, this was the most popu-
lar shape among the imported pottery. The idea
for the Russe jug might have been influenced
15 Lloyd, Mellaart 1965, 87.
16 Blum 2004, 209.
17 Blum 2004, 22 Abb. 4, Nos 1234, 1236, 1238.
18 Lloyd, Mellaart 1965, 113, Fig. P.20:5.
19 Shahoglu 2005, fig. 2; Kouka 2009, 140, tab. 6 with cit. lit.
20 Shahoglu 2014, 299.
 A Middle Bronze Age Ceramic Jug from Tell Russe
by the import of depas amphikypella during the
process of trade contacts and importing goods.
The later date of some of the accompanying ob-
jects from Tell Russe means probably either that
it was an archaized shape, or that it was found
in a chronologically later context. The second-
ary decoration offers indirect evidence for this
latter assumption, posing the questions why and
how this specific jug was introduced in a later
context. In fact, there are neither Middle Bronze
Age vessels in the region, nor any other kind of
finds linked to the jug, that could confirm the
mentioned hypothesis. The same can be said
about the sites from this period as the single one
in the vicinity of Tell Russe is the Early Bronze
Age cemetery near Batin, which however be-
longs to an earlier period.
The identification of the jug from Russe is
connected with two general problems. The first
one is why this jug was found in such a distant
area from the attested parallels and the concur-
rent imports in the Upper Thracian Plain dur-
ing the Early Bronze Age? The second question
is “what happened” with the contacts between
Anatolia and Thrace at the end of the Early
Bronze Age (third phase) and the beginning of
the Middle Bronze Age. Recently prof. Kras-
simir Leshtakov observed this topic in his study
“Troy and Upper Thrace: What Happened in
the EBA 3? (Interrelations Based on Pottery
Evidence)”.21
According to this author, regardless of the
intense contacts during the transitional period
between the Early Bronze Age III and the be-
ginning of the Middle Bronze Age, the relations
weakened and become difficult to trace. In his
opinion, the reason for this were the significant
changes in Asia Minor at the end of the third
millennium BC, including the transformation(s)
of the social structure, the collapses of the cen-
tralized political and economic systems, as
well as the climate changes in some regions.22
He also stated that in this period the situation
in Thrace was different. Most of the sites show
traces of burning during the final phase of the
Early Bronze Age.23 Sites like Galabovo and
Constantia are exceptions as the life there con-
tinued, although with less intense contacts to
21 Leshtakov 2016, 321-337.
22 Leshtakov 2016, 332-333.
23 Leshtakov 2016, 333.
281
Anatolia than during the previous period.24
Here I should point out that the slowing
down of the contacts doesn’t necessary mean
that they were interrupted forever. As K. Leshta-
kov notes, their revival was marked at the mid-
dle of the second millennium BC.25
In conclusion, some preliminary and com-
pletely hypothetical points of view about the
reviewed jug from Tell Russe could be pointed
out:
It is acceptable that some local groups of
people continued their relations with people
from and around big cities like Troy and oth-
ers, which were not affected by the changes
mentioned above. Migrating people (not strong-
ly connected with the city structures) like the
nomads or transhumant shepherds, could have
performed these contacts.26 In the case of the
jug from Russe, it is very likely that a small
group of people may have accomplished such
relations. A confirmation to this statement can
be drawn from Blegen’s jug type B 20, which
was the most popular type in the periphery of
Troy and its hinterland, where the people were
having different structure and organization and
were probably more open to incomers.
According to the chronology of the Russe
Tell, it is acceptable to say that these contacts
should be attributed to a later period – the second
half of the Middle Bronze Age and the transition
period to the Late Bronze Age. This assumption
is sustained by the lack of other contemporary
imported finds which could have served as a
prototype for the Russe jug. Based on all that,
the most acceptable explanation is that people
practicing transhumance or other migratory
travels had observed and imitated, once or re-
peatedly, the typical features of the jug types 3.1
and 3.2 from Troy, in a later period.
In a few words – the jug from Russe Tell
is similar to the so-called “beak-spouted jugs”,
well known from Troy’s periphery, Demir-
cihöyük, Beycesultan, etc. The hypothetical
routes of distribution may have been the same
as those of the so-called “depa amphikypella”27
and other imports, like the one from Central
Anatolia – Sakaria valley – Western Anatolia –
Bosporus – Karaevlialtı – Sakar Mountain to
24 Leshtakov 2016, 333.
25 Leshtakov 2016, 333.
26 Leshtakov 2016, 332.
27 Leshtakov 2016, 331, fig. 8 and cited lit.
282 Petar Minkov
the Sokolitsa River valley.28 Other conceivable
transport routes could have used the valleys of
the rivers Maritsa and Tundzha and the passes of
the Balkan Mountain, or the Western Black Sea
coast. The latter options have been suggested by
Tanya Hristova.29 Analyzing the known grave
complexes from the Middle Bronze Age, she
proposed conceivable trade roads going via the
Rish Pass where the Madara and Karnobat fu-
nerary complexes are located, and via the Aytos
Pass; to the south both joined the valley of the
Tundzha as attested by several grave complexes
near the villages of Irechekovo, Malka Detelina
(Manchova tumulus), Drama and Boyanovo
(Lozyanska tumulus).30 She noted furthermore
the presence of materials typical for the Tei cul-
ture along these routes, and of a ceramic vessel
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Blum, S. 2004: Die ausgehende frühe und die be-
ginnende mittlere Bronzezeit in Troia. Archäolo-
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Caskey, J. 1954: Excavations at Lerna, 1954. – He-
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reminiscent of examples from the third phase of
the Tei culture as far as Troy.31
Summarizing the foregoing, it could be as-
sumed that the settlements in Southern Thrace
which were centers of communication and ex-
change during the Early Bronze Age, were re-
placed at the end of this period by new emerg-
ing alternatives for continuing interrelationships.
These were located to the North – in the lowland
areas along the Lower Danube. The assumption
gains more weight in the light of the recently pub-
lished find from Lipnik – a Syrian bottle mould,
and the interpretation of its appearance as a re-
sult of the already commented active contacts and
transfer of goods and ideas along the route of the
so-called “Great Caravan Road” 32 during the tran-
sition from the Early to the Middle Bronze Age.
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Rings, Kings, and Old World Archaeology and
Environment: Papers Presented in Honor of
Peter Ian Kuniholm. Oxford and Oakville, Ox-
bow Books, 133-149.
Krauss, R. 2006: Indizien für eine Mittelbronzezeit
in Nordbulgarien. – Archaeologia Bulgariсa
10.3, 3-26.
Kull, B. 1988: Demircihöyük. Die Mittelbronzezeit-
liche Siedlung, V. Darmstadt – Mainz am Rhein,
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Fig. 1. Tell Russe. Middle Bronze Age jug
(photo by the author).
284 Petar Minkov

Fig. 2. Tell Russe. Middle Bronze Age jug

(graphic reconstruction by the author).

Fig. 3. Tell Russe. Details of the decoration (a, b, c). Bellow: earlier representations of the jug (A) Hänsel
1976, taf. 62/3; (B) Toncheva 1980, 66, Pl. XXV/3; (C) Krauss 2006, Abb. 7/2.
 A Middle Bronze Age Ceramic Jug from Tell Russe 285

Fig. 4. Parallels of the jug from Tell Russe. 1. Troy (Blum 2004); 2. Demircihöyük (Kull 1988); 3.
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Fig. 5. Tell Rousse. Middle Bronze Age jug – estimating volume (Meffre, Rigoir 2005).
286
 Ancient Thrace: Myth and Reality
Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Congress of Thracology, Volume 1

LIST OF AUTHORS IN THIS VOLUME

Sorin-Cristian Ailincăi Laurent Carozza

“Gavrilă Simion” Eco-Museum Research Institute, Maison de la Recherche, Université Toulouse 2 le
Tulcea Mirail
sailincai@gmail.com laurent.carozza@univ-tlse2.fr

Zeki Mete Aksan Margarit Damyanov

Sinop University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, National Archaeological Institute with Museum,
Archaeology Department, Sinop, Turkey Sofia
aksanmete@gmail.com mmdamyanov@gmail.com

Amalia Avramidou Zdravko Dimitrov

Democritus University of Thrace National Archaeological Institute and Museum,
aavrami@bscc.duth.gr Sofia
zdravkodimitrov74@gmail.com
Maguelone Bastide
Université Paris Nanterre Diana Dimitrova
maguelone.bastide@mae.u-paris10.fr National Archaeological Institute and Museum,
Sofia
Mihail Băţ kittemp@abv.bg
Moldova State University, Chişinău, Republic of
Moldova Dimitar Draganov
mb_usm@yahoo.com Numismatic Museum Ruse
dragannum@abv.bg
Tomasz Bochnak
Instytut Archeologii, Uniwersytet Rzeszowski, Zeynep Koçel Erdem
Rzeszów, Pologne Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Faculty of Let-
tbochnak@univ.rzeszow.pl ters, Department of Archaeology
Istanbul, Turkey
Federica Cordano zerdem@gmail.com
Università degli Studi di Milano
federica.cordano@unimi.it El-Sayed Gad
Tanta University, Egypt
Dimitar Bayrakov gadreeg@ymail.com
Historical Museum Velingrad
dimitarbayrakov@gmail.com Borislava Galabova
Laboratory for human bioarchaeology, TRAKE
Ioan Bejinariu humanbioarch@trakelabs.org; galabovab@gmail.
Muzeul Județean de Istorie și Artă, Zalău, RO com
bion_1867@yahoo.com)
William Greenwalt
Jan G. de Boer Santa Clara University
Ghent University wgreenwalt@scu.edu
jan.g.deboer@kpnplanet.nl
Hristomir Smilenov Hristov
Anelia Bozkova Naval Museum Varna
National Archaeological Institute and Museum, hristomir.smilenov@gmail.com
Sofia
aneliabozkova@yahoo.com
538 List of authors in this volume

Rositsa Hristova Hristova Kabalan Moukarzel

Historical Museum – Karnobat Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”,
rositsa11@yahoo.com Faculty of History
Department of Ancient History, Thracian Studies
Ekaterina Ilieva and Medieval History
Regional Archaeological Museum Plovdiv nuskuh@yahoo.com; mukarzel@uni-sofia.bg
ekate.ilieva@gmail.com
Kate Mower
Hristina Ivanova-Anaplioti University of California, Riverside
University of Zurich, Institut für Archäologie, kate.mower@gmail.com
Fachbereich Klassische Archäologie
hristina.ivanova@uzh.ch Yana Mutafchieva
National Archaeological Institute and Museum,
Miroslav Iliev Izdimirski Sofia
Institute for Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracol- yanamutafchieva@yahoo.com
ogy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Nerantzis Nerantzis
Hazar Kaba Université de Lille – Halma UMR 8164,
Sinop Universitesi, Fen-Edebiyat Fakultesi, nerantzis.nerantzis@gmail.com
Arkeoloji Bolumu
hazarkaba@sinop.edu.tr Ion Niculiţă
Moldova State University, Chişinău,
Slavtcho Kirov Republic of Moldova
Patrimonivm ERC-StG 716375 ion_niculitsa@yahoo.com
UMR 5607 Ausonius – Université Bordeaux
Montaigne Stratis Papadopoulos
skirov@free.fr Head of the Ephorate of Drama,
Greek Ministry of Culture
Jeffrey D. Lerner efstratiospa@gmail.com
Wake Forest University
lernerjd@wfu.edu Meglena Parvin
Historical Museum “Iskra”, Kazanlak
Kalin Madzharov m_parvin@abv.bg
National Archaeological Institute with Museum,
Sofia Angela Pencheva
kalinmadzharov@mail.bg Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), Sofia
angelapbh@gmail.com
Dragoş Măndescu
Muzeul Judeţean Argeş, Piteşti, România Vyara Petrova
dragos_mandescu@yahoo.com Archaeological museum “Prof. Mieczysłav
Domaradzki”, Septemvri
Consuelo Manetta vyara.petrova.vp@gmail.com
University of Exeter, Department of Classics
and Ancient History Olivier Picard
c.manetta@exeter.ac.uk Professeur honoraire à la Sorbonne
picard-olivie@bbox.fr
Philip Mihaylov
Regional Museum of History Pernik Horea Pop
philip.mihaylov@gmail.com Muzeul Județean de Istorie și Artă, Zalău, RO
horeapopd@yahoo.com
Petar Minkov
National Archaeological Institute and Museum, Hristo Popov
Sofia National Archaeological Institute with Museum,
petraki_orlovski@abv.bg Sofia
director@naim.bg
 List of authors in this volume 539

Kalin Porozhanov Nikola Tonkov

Neofit Rilski South-West University – Blagoevgrad National Archaeological Institute and Museum,
Institute for Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracol- Sofia
ogy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences tonkov_n@hotmail.com
kalinsp@abv.bg, kalinsp@swu.bg Eva Tonkova
Lynn E. Roller Sofia
University of California Davis e.n.tonkova@gmail.com
leroller@ucdavis.edu
Stavri A. Topalov
Mustafa H. Sayar Sofia
Unıversity of Istanbul, Department of History stavri.topalov@gmail.com
mhsayar@gmail.com
Helena Domínguez-del Triunfo
Paola Schirripa University of Pennsylvania (Filadelfia, USA) /
Università degli Studi di Milano Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid, Spain)
paola.schirripa@guest.unimi.it helena.dominguez@urjc.es

Katarzyna Skowron Despoina Tsiafaki

Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa, Kraków, “Athena” Research Center
Pologne tsiafaki@ipet.gr
katarzyna.joanna.skowron@gmail.com
Nikoleta Tzankova
Stephan Steingräber University of Mining and Geology St. Ivan Rilski
Università di Roma Tre, DSU niktzankova@abv.bg
stephan.steingraber@uniroma3.it
Maya Vassileva
Daniela Stoyanova New Bulgarian University, Department of
University of Sofia, Faculty of History, Department Mediterranean and Eastern Studies
of Archaeology lavagetas@hotmail.com
stoianova@uni-sofia.bg; daniela.stoyanova.su@
gmail.com Yuriy A. Vinogradov
Institute for the History of Material Culture,
Nino Sulava St. Petersburg, Russia
Hauptkuratorin des Georgischen Nationalmuseums vincat2008@yandex.ru
nino_sulava@yahoo.com
Kalina Yordanova
Gabriel M. Talmaţchi National History Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria
Museum of National History and Archaeology, iordanova.kalina@gmail.com
Constanţa, Romania
gtalmatchi@yahoo.com Aurel Zanoci
Moldova State University, Chişinău,
Alexandra Ţârlea Republic of Moldova
Faculty of History, Bucharest University azanoci@gmail.com
alex_tarlea@yahoo.com