Sailing and Sailing Rigs in the Ancient Mediterranean: implications of continuity, variation and change in propulsion technology

Couvade in the Ancient Greek Literature: Disease or Ritual Performance?

Chinese mirrors from the burials of the nomads of Eastern Europe of the second half of the 1st millennium BC-first centuries AD: Typology, chronology, distribution and technology of manufacture

Through the ages leprosy has filled mankind with awe and horror. It still remains one of the unconquered infectious diseases, although the World Health Organisation reports a decrease in its prevalence (18 million to two million new cases annually over the past 20 years). For many, leprosy’s origins are to be traced back to the Hebrew Bible and the condition of zara’ath mentioned in Leviticus 13-14. This was a light-coloured scaly skin lesion which rendered the patient ritually unclean. Such a person was banned from society by a priest, and could only return on being pronounced clean. Zara’ath was almost certainly a benign skin lesion and not leprosy. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint) in the 3rd century BC, zara’ath was translated as lepros/lepra, possibly after an apparently comparable disease described in the Hippocratic Corpus (5th – 4th centuries BC). The Hippocratic disease was clearly a benign, scaly skin eruption, and not leprosy as we know it. The fact that leprosy, as a very chronic progressive disease with a characteristic clinical picture, was not described by Hippocrates, almost certainly means that it did not occur in the Greek community of the time. True leprosy is an infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, and manifests initially as light-coloured skin macules. With prominent bodily immunity against the organism the skin lesions enlarge slowly, later become scaly with a numb surface, and are complicated by nervous infiltration and atrophic degeneration of the extremities (tuberculoid leprosy). With low immunity, progressive nodular infiltration of skin and underlying structures result in extensive deformities (e.g. the typical “leonine facies”), subcutaneous abscesses, destruction of nerves and other tissues, blindness, deafness and testicular atrophy (lepromatous leprosy). Medical writings of ancient civilisations show that a leprosy-like disease was recognised in Mesopotamia by the 2nd millennium BC, and possibly in India and China in the 1st millennium BC. It has been suggested that leprosy was brought to the Mediterranean region by Alexander the Great’s armies, 4th century BC.Leprosy produces pathognomonic bone lesions, and the earliest osteo-archaeological evidence of leprosy was found in Egyptian skulls dating back to the 2nd century BC. The first clinical description of a disease recognisable as classical leprosy, can be dated to Strato of Alexandria, 3rd century BC. This condition, which became known as elephantiasis or elephas, was subsequently described by numerous notable physicians of the time, and Aretaeus of Cappadocia in particular. It migrated to Greece and Italy; Pliny the Elder stating that it fi rst appeared in Rome at the end of the 1st century BC. Although it was considered incurable, complex therapeutic programmes including venesection, purges, enemas and perspirants were prescribed in order to rid the body of the presumed fluid retention. Elephantiasis spread through the Roman Empire, but only became a notable European epidemic during the Middle Ages. In time the zara’ath-associated lepra of the Septuagint and elephantiasis were considered related diseases, and by the 4th century they were seen as the same disease. The two names became interchangeable. The influence of the Christian Church was such that the ritualised banning of lepers became incorporated into the treatment of elephantiasis – against the advice of physicians like Caelius Aurelianus (4th/5th century AD). Gradually the name lepra (leprosy) replaced elephantiasis, which ensured the stigmatisation of leprosy as an “unclean disease” with divine punishment for previous sins – a tragic misconception which persisted up to modern times. Today elephantiasis refers to a tropical parasitic disease, fi lariasis, characterised by gross swelling and deformation of the lower body.

Summary This paper proposes to analyse different features of the well-known Greco-Roman myth of Charon, the ferryman, who transported souls from this life to the underworld. The popularity of the boatman in ancient times can be demonstrated in the literary sources which evocate his figure through 12 centuries (from the 6th century BC to the 6th century AD). The research is focused on the analyses of written sources (Greek and Latin authors and some epigraphic evidence) supplemented by figural representations, in order to penetrate the collective mentality of the society, to understand the imaginary world of the ordinary people and the relationship between myth, superstition and ritual acts. The works of 55 ancient authors were sorted in six chronological and cultural sequences aiming to follow the changes which took place in the approach of the topic through the centuries: 1. Pre-classical and classical authors (6th-5th century BC); 2. Hellenistic authors; 3. Authors from the 1st century BC; 4. Authors from the 1st century AD. 5. Authors from the 2nd century AD; 6. Late Roman authors 4th-6th centuries AD.

Purpose. The period of the most intensive contacts of the ancient population of the Korean peninsula and the Japanese Islands (3rd – 7th centuries AD) is of special interest for study. The period witnessed a wide spread of the tradition of building burial mounds (kurgans). Due to the artifacts found in the kurgans, it becomes possible to study various aspects of the people’s social life, including cultural contacts. We aimed at studying territorial alliances based on the cultural and historical background, such as the spread of agriculture based on wet rice cultivation, bronze and iron production, the emergence of states. Results. The kurgan tradition on the Korean peninsula is associated with the era of the Three Kingdoms (3rd – 7th centuries AD). The tradition of erecting mounds started in Koguryo state in the 1st century BC, then from the 3rd century AD it continued in Baekje, Silla and Kaya, and disappeared in the middle of the 6th century AD because of adopting Buddhism. Common barrows had stone embankments, but they are also found with earthen mounds. Burial chambers were first constructed vertically, then horizontal ones appeared. On the Japanese Islands, kurgans first appeared during the Yayoi period (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD) and were widely constructed during the Kofun period (3rd – 7th centuries AD). The barrows had earthen embankments with burial chambers inside. The barrows differed in the form of their embankment and size. The burials of the Kofun period in Japan continued the Yayoi period traditions to a certain extent. They had earthen embankments and were decorated with bronze mirrors and stone ornaments in the burial chambers. In addition, their feature is clay haniva figurines around the perimeter of the embankment. Starting from approximately the 5th century AD, there began to appear a certain homogeneity in the funerary structures of the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago. Sueci ceramics became a typical element of the funeral rite, as well as bronze and iron objects, gold jewelry and luxury items which appeared in burial chambers. The construction of kurgans acquired some new features, such as stone chambers with side corridors. Both on the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Islands, we observe similar types of embankments, such as round (embun), square (ho:fun), double round (so:embun), double square (so:ho:fun) and in the form of a “Japanese sea scallop” (hatategaishikikofun). Conclusion. The study of the structural features of the kurgans on the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Islands allows us to conclude that there are similarities in the forms and materials of embankments and the forms of burial chamber construction. The main difference is the larger size of Japanese kurgans. The similarities we revealed can be explained by the mutual influence of the population of the Korean peninsula and the Japanese islands.

Bo Stig Hansen, Michael Reichardt Hansen, Udo Pletat and Rudi Studer: An abstract model of a distributed office system, Institute fuer Informatik, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 1985

A surgical amputation in 2nd century Rome

The burials and sites of the final stage of the late Antiquity era, investigated on the right bank of the Ob River, opposite the city of Barnaul, are introduced into scientific circulation. The history of their study is briefly described, and information about the location on the terrain is given. The consideration is given to the peculiarities of burials made according to inhumations and cremations rites. A morphological description of the found materials is provided: arrowheads, daggers, knives, belt buckles and lining, ceramic vessels, along with a typological analysis of armament and outfit items, tools and utensils. On this basis, two burial grounds and one settlement are attributed to the Kulayskaya culture and one burial ground is attributed to the Odintsovskaya culture. The dating and periodization of the studied monuments and objects is established: two burials according to the inhumation rite are attributed to the early stage of the Kulayskaya culture (1st century BC — 2nd century AD), burials according to the cremation rite — to the late stage of the Kulayskaya culture (3rd — first half of the 4th century AD), one burial according to the inhumation rite — to the early stage of Odintsovskaya culture (second half of the 4th — 5th centuries AD). Conclusions are drawn about the nature of the use of the area by Samodic tribes at the indicated time.DOI 10.14258/izvasu(2018)2-26

The variations of the Rhône alluvial plain, from lake Leman to the Mediterranean sea, between the 5th century BC and the Early Middle Ages, are analysed through pedology, sedimentology and geomorphology on several urban and rural archaeological sites. Separated studies of the upper, middle and lower parts of the valley reveal the consistency of the river behaviour and the importance of climatic factor during this period. Two major crisis affect the hydrologic system and the river beds during the Iron Age I and the Early Middle Ages. A relatively long hydrologic pause remained between the 2nd century and the 4th-5th century AD. However increasing floods happened in the upper and lower Rhône valley during the 1st century BC. and the 1st century AD. On the middle Rhône, this crisis is delayed between the beginnings of the 1st and 3rd century AD. The impact of these variations on the archaeological sites is examined.

The article features the gem of rather rare forms, namely so-called prisms, polyhedra, scaraboids and bifacial gems which were found in the burials of the Asian Sarmatia nomads. The author describes an attempt to attribute seals in the form of polyhedra from Sarmatian burials dated back to the 1st – first half of the 2nd century AD within the Lower and Upper Don and the Lower Volga regions. Polyhedra belong to the forms of gems, which became widespread in the Classical era, both among Greek and so-called Greek-Persian gems. In the 2nd – 1st centuries BC the seals in the form of polyhedra were widely distributed across the Caucasus and, especially, in Transcaucasia region. According to the finds, they are represented by numerous items made of carved stone, as well as of dark blue glass, milky white and greenish color. Moreover, there are also known rectangular forms of prints of such seals on the bulls, in particular which were excavated from the palace at Dedoplis Gora in Caucasian Iberia, dated to the 1st century BC – 1st century AD. The analysis of the shapes, materials and subjects of the images on the seals from the Sarmatian burials considered in the current article suggests that they were made in Transcaucasian workshops of the 2nd – 1st centuries BC. The probable Transcaucasian origin of the seals and their dating to the late Hellenistic period are an indirect confirmation of the hypothesis previously expressed by the author about the early cylindrical, conical seals and scaraboids of the mid-2nd – mid-1st millennium BC found in Sarmatian burials of the 1st century BC – 2nd century AD, originating from the sanctuaries of Transcaucasia.

In 1942, following readjustment works of the road connecting the Saveni and Avrameni communes, a barrow was destroyed, resulting the find of a bronze cauldron. A. Nițu deemed the vessel of Avrameni as part of the series of cauldrons coinciding with the civilisation and expansion of the Sarmatians by the Don and Lower and Mid Danube in the 1st – 4th century AD and dated it to this chronological span. Gh. Bichir argued that the Avrameni cauldron is somewhat later than that of Piatra Șoimului (Calu), which the scholar dated to the 1st century BC. The vessel’s shape resembles that of a “bell” cast together with its handles, while the biconical foot was made separately, the two parts being attached by a bronze cast-made plug. On the body, the vessel displays several repair traces. According to its features and specificities, the Avrameni cauldron belongs to type Demidenko II.1.B, being the single of the type in the area between the Don and the Carpathians. The remaining resembling specimens come from 2nd – 1st century BC complexes from territories left of the Lower Don and the Kuban region. The author believes that according to its shape, the curved vertical handles decorated each with a knob as well as its making manner and foot attachment, the Avrameni vessel is an artefact joining elements specific to the Sauromatian cauldrons used in the Volga and Lower Don area, but also in the Kuban region also in the 2nd – 1st century BC. Within the context of its analysis are also discussed the cauldrons of Bubueci and Velikoploskoe, both from “ritual hoards/deposits” part of a larger group of such features of the 3rd – 1st century BC from territories comprised between the Volga – the pre-mountain area from North Caucasus in the east and the Lower Danube - Prut to the west. The cauldron of Bubueci belongs to type Demidenko I.3.A. It has a body cast together with the handles, while the iconical foot, surviving fragmentarily, was cast separately. Similarly to the Avrameni vessel, that of Bubueci is the most western find of a cauldron of the type. The body shape, curved vertical handles decorated each with three knobs, the lip shape and its making manner, how the handles start from the cauldron rim as well as how they were made, indicate that the vessel combines elements specific to the Sauromatian and early Sarmatian cauldrons. In the case of the Avrameni and Bubueci cauldrons, as well as those similar, the author concludes they are either a continuation of ancient casting traditions or were produced sometime earlier, yet continued to be used for a good period of time after their production cease. The exhibited repair traces and presence far from their territories of origin, where they were made and used, as well as their find together with 2nd – 1st century BC artefacts confirm, according to the author, their use for a longer time span. In the case of the Avrameni vessel, its deposition might have occurred sometime during the 2nd century BC as well as between the end of the 2nd – first decades of the 1st century BC. With respect to the dating of the “ritual hoard/deposit” of Bubueci, the author believes it dates no earlier than the 2nd century BC, and that its framing sometime between mid 2nd century BC and early 1st century BC is very likely. In the case of the Velikoploskoe cauldron, its body shape and sizes resemble those of the Demidenko VI type cauldrons emerging in the 2nd century BC, yet the remaining elements specific to this vessel type are missing. The rudimentary attachment procedure of the foot to the body, rim shape, its making manner, as well as how the handles start from the vessel rim, are according to the author, specific to the Sauromatae and early Sarmatian cauldrons (types Demidenko I-III, V) used in the first centuries BC, which hinders its ascribing to a certain type. Therefore, it was concluded that the Velikoploskoe vessel seems to be intermediary between the 5th - 3rd century BC cauldrons, mainly Sauromatae, and those of the early and mid armatian periods between the 2nd century BC and mid 2nd century AD. Its elements and making manner allow, according to the author, for its dating to the 2nd – 1st century BC, likely only sometime during the 2nd century BC, which is not contradicted by the remaining artefacts in the find.

This paper investigates the imports of Aegean wines to the city of Rome between the Late Republican and the Middle Imperial period (1st century BC – 3rd century AD). Its main aim is to show the share of the Roman wine market that was supplied by the Aegean region, as well as investigating which areas of the Aegean were the main wine exporters.

The Lung Khê Citadel site is located on the natural levee of the old Dâu River at Lung Khê hamlet, Thành Khu'o'ng village, Thuân Thành district in Bac Ninh Province. The citadel includes a large rectangular walled fort (north wall: 680m, south wall: 520m, east wall: 320m, west wall: 328m).Previous studies have identified the Lung Khê Citadel as the central citadel of Luy Lâu district, which was established as the capital of Chiao Chih (Giao Chi) Prefecture in the Western Han period and was also a place where Si Nhiêp, the prefect of Chiao Chih, resided. Recent studies have reshuffled the previous understanding.Excavations and field research have revealed that the citadel was built in the 2nd century AD and continuous occupation can be confirmed to the end of the 5th or early 6th century AD. A large-scaled bronze workshop has been confirmed in the north central area inside the walls. A mold fragment of a bronze drum found in this area indicates a part of the workshop was used for casting late Heger I type drums. Although the majority of the artifacts are of Chinese-origin, several types, such as end roof tiles, a table-shaped stone mortar (pesani) and kendi, show cultural affinity with artifacts found in Trà Kiêu and Óc Eo, where the early Southeast Asian states were formed.Among the early citadels or fort sites in the Red River Delta, Lung Khe is the largest one next to Cô Loa. The construction of Cô Loa can be dated between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD, but it seems that after its construction Cô Loa was not used for a very long time. On the other hand, the scale, occupation period and material culture of Lung Khê are worthy of the central capital of the Red River Delta, which must have been Long Bien. While there are many historical or legendary relics of Si Nhiêp around Lung Khê, no early document mentions any relation between Si Nhiêp and Luy Lâu. The title Long Ben Hâu conferred to Si Nhiêp as the lord of the district recorded in the San kuo chih is supporting evidence for this hypothesis.The development of the Nan Hai trade from the end of the 1st millennium BC between China and Southeast Asia or further west stimulated the socio-economic development of the Red River Delta as an entrepôt, and the political power at Lung Khê should have been related to trade. However, from the late 3rd or 4th century a change in the trade route may have brought about a decline in the economic position of the Red River Delta. The later period of the Lung Khê Citadel were less connected with the south, so more domestic factors inside the Red River Delta need to be understood in a historical context.

The article focuses on the chronological analysis of the Maeotian burials, which contained ring-topped swords. Nowadays, there is a wide range of dating of this type of weapon starting from the 1st century BC until the 2nd century AD. Recently, as a result of new excavations, the collection of swords of this type extracted from the Maeotian sites on the right bank of the Kuban river has increased significantly, and it has become possible to clarify their chronology in the region. There were found two types of swords and daggers with a ring pommel (62 pieces): I – with a straight barshaped cross-guards; II – no cross-guards. There are also 2 types of blade shape. Swords with a bar-shaped (45 pieces) prevail quantitatively as a result of those excavations. Swords of this type were discovered only in the necropolis of the Spornoye settlement. On the contrary, there was only a single dagger of type II among 11 swords found at the Elizavetinskaya cemetery No. 2. Most of the well-dated assemblages come from the cemeries of the Spornoye, Starokorsunskaya No. 2 and Elizavetinskaya No. 2 settlements. Only two swords are classified as the earliest pieces, which can be referred to the first half of the 1st century BC, according to the accompanying inventory. Another 8 assemblages are dated around the 1st century BC. It is typical of burials containing swords of the 1st century AD to show the presence of fibulae (“Aucissa” type, enamel-less hinged type, etc.), glass cast skyphos and other dating objects, which help to specify the chronology of the assemblages in many cases. Five burials belong to the first half of the 1st century AD, other 11 burials are dated back to the second half of the 1st century AD. The chronology of the rest assemblages is questionable, but only a few burials can be dated to the beginning – the first half of the 2nd сentury AD. The swords with ring pommel of the Maeotians from the right Kuban bank prevail in the period from the 1st century BC – the beginning of the 2nd century AD. The latter, most probably indicates that this type of swords with s straight cross-guard was borrowed from the Sarmatians.

The publication is devoted to the discovery, historical, cultural and artistic interpretation of unique artifacts of the art of carving on the horn dated by the time of the state of Kangju I in the 1st century BC — 2nd century AD. from South Kazakhstan. For the first time in the archeology of Kazakhstan, in the catacomb burial of the Kylyshzhar burial ground, two median horn overlays were found on the handle of the “M”-shaped reflexive bow with subjects of social and semantic-ritual content, made by highly artistic carving (engraving) on the horn. One of them reflects the hunting scene of a noble Kangju man. It depicts a rider-nomad of oriental appearance in the pose of a low-seated jockey on a horse-mare, who shoots from a bow, hunting argali driven by a long pursuit. The shooter has the regalia of power, is armed with a bow and its auxiliary attributes (reserve bow, solidly lit quiver with a set of combat arrows). Another plot shows a group of argali hunted by a ‘bear-lion’, a mythical polymorphic creature: the animals tend to elude this ‘beast’, which grabbed one individual in a throw and is readyto devour it. Both compositions are united by hunting into a single sacred action, in which a person (a horse rider with high authority in the society of nomads with a status close to a deity) and a mythical ‘bear-lion’ (also a deity) participate — as characters endowed with special social and religious functions — in the hunt for argali, the animals that embody the global deity farn (hvarnah) among the Iranian-speaking peoples of Central Asia and South Kazakhstan. The archaeological finds that accompany the these plates, as well as the chrono-indicators presented by similar historical and cultural content of the plots, the technique of making artifacts from horn, bone, allow us to determine the chronology of products within the 1st century BC — 2nd century AD.