4th Century AD Research Articles

A Roman bath with broken windows in Asine, Argolis. The result of repeated earthquakes?

A substantial assemblage of Roman window glass—consisting primarily of “cast”, matt/glossy examples, but also including cylinderblown, double-glossy window glass—was discovered during the 1926 excavations of a Late Roman bath in Asine, Argolis, the Peloponnese, Greece. It is clear that this material emanates from damage done to the building, and the question of whether this had human or natural causes is discussed in this paper: was it the “barbarian” invasion of the Visigoth king Alaric in the late 4th century AD that led to the windows being broken? Or, was the damage caused by the earthquakes known to have hit the Eastern Mediterranean area in Late Antiquity? Traces of destruction typical of earthquakes were found in the bath building, and the destruction occurred in a period known for its high seismic activity: the so-called Early Byzantine Tectonic Paroxysm, which led to the conclusion that the bath was hit by at least one, possibly several, earthquakes, causing the windows to shatter and fall out of their frames. Some of the glass sherds were in all probability hidden under dust and debris and were never recovered despite the fact that glass was extensively recycled at the time.

Slaves as Gifts to Accompany Letters: A Critical Study of the Bo’ Abdul Kadim

This study discusses the tradition of letters in the kingdom of Bima, especially concerning giving enslaved people as gifts to accompany letters. The data for this study were taken from the manuscript bundle of bo’ (official royal records) during the reign of Sultan Abdul Kadim Muhammad Shah (1751–1773). Now, the manuscript is part of the collection of the Samparaja Cultural Museum, Bima, West Nusa Tenggara and is coded C.011 Bo. Within the manuscript bundle, we found 117 (out of a total of 548) letters discussing slaves and slavery in the Bima kingdom. We first used philological research methods, then these texts were analysed with historical records to obtain a complete understanding of slaves and slavery in the 18th century AD societal traditions. The results showed that slaves giving as a gift accompanying the letter was a symbol of respect for the recipient of the letter, which was following the Malay correspondence tradition. For local rulers, slaves were the most valuable treasure. Slaves were also a determinant of social status among the nobility in the past. This practice applies not only in Bima but throughout the Malay land and even Southeast Asia.

Food and Environment During the Late Roman Age at the Site of Alba Fucens (Abruzzi, Italy)

Archaeobotanical analyses in Italy are uneven in terms of geographical and chronological distribution. Amongst the different regions, Abruzzi is poorly represented, with only one study covering the Roman Age. In this framework, the analyses carried out on carpological remains collected from the Late Roman (late 5th–early 6th century AD) filling of a well in the Sanctuary of Hercules in Alba Fucens represents an important addition to the state of the art. The plant assemblage consists of over 1500 remains attributed to 68 different taxa. These are partly represented by gathered fruit plants, such as Corylus avellana, Juglans regia and Sambucus nigra, while cereals and pulses are missing. An interesting aspect is represented by evergreen plants (Pinus pinea and Cupressus sempervirens) that are likely to have been used for ritual purposes rather than for human consumption. Finally, the impressive amount of ruderal and spontaneous plants represents a unicum for this type of study, allowing us to describe the past environment surrounding Alba Fucens, characterized by substantial water availability, Apennine grasslands and influenced by human presence.

Surgical Ethics in the Safavid Era, 16th Century AD.

Medicine-and specifically surgery and surgical ethics-have long been part of the history of science. Surgical ethics play a pivotal role in ensuring successful outcomes and maintaining the highest standards of patient care. It includes the ethics of surgeons, the responsibility of surgeons, surgical errors, and the competence of a surgeon. Many works have been written about surgery, including during Iran's Safavid period (1501 to 1736)-a period in which a surgeon needed to have a set of moral principles in addition to practical surgical skills. One of the most valuable is Dhakhīrıh Kāmılıh, written by military surgeon Hakim Mohammad in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In this work, Ḥakim Muhāmmad dedicates a chapter specifically to the topic of surgical ethics, aiming to provide moral and legal recommendations for surgeons in addition to explaining surgical techniques and methods. Some of these recommendations include improving surgical skills through observation and practical training, paying attention to hygiene to prevent the spread of infection, and giving patients hope for recovery. Dhakhīrıh Kāmılıh is a landmark text in the history of surgical ethics.

The Path of African Millets (Pennisetum glaucum and Sorghum bicolor) to Iberia

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the most widely cultivated millet in Africa and India but has not yet been identified in Europe, while the earliest remains of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) are attested in Italy in the fifth century AD. This paper presents evidence that pearl millet was introduced to Iberia during the 11th–12th centuries AD. This is the first documented evidence for this African crop in Europe. Sorghum, on the other hand, appears as a later introduction (14th century AD) in Iberia. We present archaeobotanical data from eight Andalusi sites in Valencia and Andalucía (southern Iberia) where both crops have been found. We have also examined medieval textual data where references to pearl millet appeared to be absent, and we conclude that the word “dacsa”, currently used to refer to sorghum, should be understood as a reference to pearl millet. From the 16th century onwards, this term was given to maize, when the American cereal replaced the African millets.

Geoarchaeological Study of Kyshkala During the 11th–15th centuries AD

Geoarchaeological Study of Kyshkala During the 11th–15th centuries AD

Affinities of the Sargat Population in the Baraba Forest-Steppe

Within-group, between-group, and comparative analysis of craniometric data relating to local and chronological samples of the Sargat population (5th century BC to late 3rd / 4th century AD) was carried out. The study focuses on sample from the Baraba forest-steppe. Comparative analysis, performed with the principal component method, included Early Iron Age samples from adjacent territories. No discontinuity was found in the spatio-temporal cranial variation among the Sargat groups. Despite differences between the three Sargat samples (Baraba, Irtysh, and Trans-Ural), they all represent one and the same Caucasoid physical type, characterized by meso-brachycrany, medium-high braincase, wide low, and somewhat flattened face, moderately inclined frontal bone, and protruding nasal bones. The Baraba group differs from two others by a wider face, larger pyriform aperture, and largest dacryal width. Comparative statistical analysis indicates affinities of the male part of Sargat groups with nomads of the Urals and Kazakhstan—Saka, Sauromatians, and Sarmats. Possibly, military campaigns by the Achaemenid state against the nomadic tribal unions of Central Asia in the second half of the 6th century BC triggered the migration process. Initially, migrants moved to the Irtysh basin, and thence to the western (Trans-Ural) and eastern (Baraba) peripheries of the emerging Sargat culture. The female part of the population was less affected by migratory processes. Female samples of the Sargat reveal an autochthonous cranial complex.

Akberdino-3 – the Great Migration Period Manor in the Forest-Steppe Zone of Southern Pre-Urals

The present study is based on materials obtained during archaeological excavations at the Akberdino-3 site in 2009. The site is located on the right bank of the Belaya River in the forest-steppe zone of Southern Pre-Urals (modern Iglinsky District of the Republic of Bashkortostan, 15 km southeast from the Ufa-city). It is shown that a single thin cultural layer of this small settlement site contains Imendyashevo, Turbasly ceramics, and ceramics with a mixture of both these traditions, and can be dated to the 4th century AD (most likely from the middle to the end of this period), but this manor existed for a very short time. The studied osteological sample was compared with data on 18 zooarchaeological samples from Southern Ural and bordering territories. Multivariate analysis of this dataset has shown that at the beginning of the 1st millennium AD there was a significant transformation in the composition of herd, held by local population.

Revisiting the Issue of Attribution of Some Catacomb Monuments Groups from the South of Eastern Europe in the Late 3rd – early 5th Centuries

The catacomb funerary ritual had a widespread occurrence among the southern Eastern European population in late Roman times and at the beginning of the Great Migration Period. The Alan culture monuments of the 2nd – 4th centuries AD from the North Caucasus and the “Alans-Tanaites” nomadic culture of the late 3rd – 4th centuries AD feature the burial ritual most widely and vividly. Evidently, the migration occurred in a westerly direction from the “Alan-Tanaitian” culture area in the late 3rd century, resulting in the appearance of a group of under-kurgan burials in the steppe zone of the Dniester-Danube interfluve. It is possible that the people who left these kurgans in the 4th century were assimilated by the Chernyakhov culture bearers and switched to a sedentary lifestyle, having lost the kurgan funeral ritual (Belen’koe burial ground) but retained the catacomb burial structure of almost predominantly type II. The catacomb burials under the kurgans graphically feature the Alans-Tanaites fate after the encounter with the Huns, who defeated and subjugated the Alans-Tanaites, partly incorporating the vanquished population into their military and political union. The Alans-Tanaites took part in the campaign in Transcaucasia and Western Asia as part of the Hunnic army (395–398), as evidenced by the specific forms of the catacombs in the kurgans of the Palasa-Syrt burial ground from the Western Caspian region. A group of kurgan catacombs in the Middle Don and the Left Bank of the Dnieper features the partial outflow of the Alans-Tanaites from the Volga-Don steppes under the pressure of the Huns in the course of their expansion. A part of the Alans-Tanaites participated in the movement of the Huns to the west, as evidenced by the catacombs in the Budzhak steppe dating back to the last quarter of the 4th century.

The early medieval origins of copper ore extraction in the Carpathian Mountains

The case study addresses the question of the early medieval revival of copper production in Europe. The focus of the research area is the Carpathian Basin, located on the eastern periphery of the zone influenced by European early medieval processes. The research of where and when early medieval metal production started in the region in our case also provides answers to the question of how the region was linked to the European continental economic network, which is until recently an unresolved problem. Ore extraction and the production of various non-ferrous metals (copper, silver, gold) had important centres in the Carpathian Mountains throughout the Middle Ages until the Modern Era. Concerning the Avar period, our study comprises lead isotope and chemical analyses of ‘Late Avar’ (c. 8th century AD) copper rivets, used for certain purposes alongside the copper alloys predominant in the period. As rivets were selected from the entire Avar cultural area, expanding virtually to all lowland and hilly areas in the Carpathian Basin, results are representative of the entire region. It shows that Avar craftsmen producing large quantities of copper alloy objects in the 8th and the early 9th century were supplied with copper from a single mining district, from the ore deposits of the Slovak Ore Mountains in the today Central Slovakia, a region which became an important metal-processing centre in the 11th century AD.

Islam Di Komering Desa Betung Kec. Semendawai Barat, Kab. Oku Timur, Sumatera Selatan

The history of the entry and development of Islam in Komering Betung is one of the phenomena of the development of Islam in Indonesia, especially in South Sumatra. The presence of several ulama in the 16th to 18th centuries in the Komering area was a trigger for the development of Islam in Komering. Of the many ulama, there are 3 ulama who started preaching in Komering, one of which is Tuan Di Pulau (Sayid Hamimul Hamiem) whose grave is currently in Campang Tiga Village, Kec. Cempaka. He is a Komering Muslim figure who is said to be the forerunner of Islam in Komering Betung. Islam in Komering had several triggers for its development, one of which, apart from the ulama who started arriving, was the end of the conflict between the Abung Tribe and the Komering Tribe in Komering in the 17th century. So after the conflict was over, the development of Islam spread further to the Uluan and Ilir areas, assisted by with the presence of Makkah scholars who gradually came to this area in the 18th century AD. Apart from the historical aspect, the discovery of Islamic archaeological objects and material heritage is one of the authentic evidences of Islamic history in Komering Betung.

Forms of Modernization of Islamic Education in Türkiye in the 19th Century AD

Discussion of the modernization of Islamic education in Türkiye is nothing new. This remarkable writing about Turkish history in every perspective, makes the specificity of this article about the history of education born in Turkey. The learning method for educational modernization carried out in Turkey shows that it has been going on for a long time because of modernization for other Muslim countries that have been paying attention to education for a long time. Based on this article, it is discussed, in order to trace the background to the emergence of educational modernization in Turkey. This is to find forms of modernization as was done during that time in the field of education. So the birth of educational modernization is the impact of this situation that occurs in the social, political and economic system in Turkey. The factors of European expansion, rigid bureaucratic systems, the progress of European countries were the culmination of social change in Turkish society, giving rise to the Modernization of Education. As a result, policies and orientations emerged that brought progress to Turkey in the timing and future of exchanges. Educational modernization is a school model established by the government and society to use the curriculum implemented in schools. The treatment is carried out by adding modern science, let religious sciences be in their position, and disappear and then reappear and ultimately integrate religious knowledge with modern science is a progressive action in advancing education. Education in the form of Turkish modernization began in the 18th century, continued in the 18th century, 19th century to 20th century; Establishment of schools, empowerment communities, curriculum development, and rationalization of liberation in Turkey.

The emergence of vowel harmony in Armenian dialects

Abstract We find vowel harmony systems in many non-standard varieties of modern Armenian. It has been speculated that these may have acquired vowel harmony due to contact with Turkic varieties (Scala 2018). On the basis of an exploration of the synchrony and typology of Armenian vowel harmony, consideration of historical changes that could have caused harmony to develop, and evaluation of new data bearing on the origins of backness and rounding harmony in Oghuz, we propose that the vowel harmony systems of the modern Armenian dialects show evidence of having been influenced by Turkish, but the numerous differences between Armenian and Turkish vowel harmony point against a straightforward copying of the Turkish phonological system. We theorize that vowel harmony in Armenian arose due to a combination of language-internal and ‑external factors: vowel shifts in some Armenian dialects, alongside universal analytic and channel biases, provided the necessary preconditions for the development of vowel harmony by the 11th century AD, prior to the arrival of Turkic speakers in the Armenian homeland. Extensive contact with Turkic vowel systems may then have encouraged the phonologization of this assimilation process, but in strikingly different ways than are found in Turkic languages.

The Glass Mosaic of S. Agnese fuori le mura: New Tesserae in the Puzzle of Early Medieval Rome

The present study, which is part of a wider inter-disciplinary research project on Medieval Rome funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, focuses on the archaeometric characterisation of glass tesserae from the apse mosaic of the church of S. Agnese fuori le mura, dated to the 7th century AD and never analysed until now. The main aims of the study are the identification of chemical compositions of glassy matrices and colouring/opacifying techniques by means of the combination of micro-textural, chemical, and mineralogical data. In S. Agnese tesserae, the results show the presence of glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments, typical of both Roman and Late Antique/Early Medieval periods. The technological features identified (in particular, glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments) allow us to discriminate not only new-production tesserae, i.e., those probably produced in the 7th century for the realisation of the S. Agnese mosaic, but also those obtained from recycling or re-using previous glass. This testifies to a quite complex “puzzle”, unusual in other glass mosaics from the same city and coeval with S. Agnese, supporting further the potentiality of archaeometric studies on glass to uncover the technical and socio-cultural knowledge that underpins its manufacturing, use, re-use, and recycling in the Early Medieval Rome.

Ibn Wāfid Andalusi, a medieval physician, pharmacist, and botanist, with a look at his most important work Al-Adwiyah Al-Mufradah.

The mastery of medical sciences, pharmacy, and botany can be seen in the records of Andalusian scientists. This descriptive-analytical research introduces one of the scientists of the 10th and 11th centuries AD. Medical knowledge and its affiliates are taken from the medical heritage of ancient civilizations. Andalusian scientists changed Andalusia's agricultural and economic situation by adopting new agricultural methods, especially irrigation and planting of medicinal plants. The name of Ibn Wāfid shines among Andalusian scholars. He was one of the theorists in the field of pharmacology in the Middle Ages. His practical method of treating patients is remarkable. His therapies tend to use nutritional methods more than prescribing drugs. He preferred single medications to compound ones. He insisted on curing diseases through hydrotherapy in mineral springs. While working in botany, Ibn Wāfid also specialized in medicine and pharmacy. He also benefits from the experiences of his master Zahrāwi while using the works of Galen, Aristotle, and Dioscorides. One of his honours was the establishment of several botanical gardens for the kings of the time. Ibn Wāfid's attempt at the flourishing of pharmacology, botany, and medicine can be considered a significant contribution to the visibility of these sciences in Medieval Andalusia.

Statuary Qualities of White and Black Göktepe Identified in the Hispanic Valdetorres de Jarama Marble Collection

This paper focuses on the role of the most common mineralogical techniques applied to the identification of the different statuary qualities in white, grey, and black Göktepe marble. For this purpose, the case of a Roman sculpture marble collection from the rural villa of Valdetorres de Jarama (central Iberia), dating to the 4th century AD, is presented. The mythological statuary, combining white, grey, and black marbles, is one of the most outstanding marble collections in the Aphrodisian style found in Hispania. The analytical results (achieved through Petrography, Cathodoluminescence, C and O isotopes, and Sr and Mn concentration) support the identification of two varieties of “black” Göktepe, traditionally referred to as bigio morato and bigio antico, as well as the best statuary quality of white Göktepe. In addition, the analytical identification of other Asiatic marbles in the Valdetorres collection, a white coarse-grain originally from the quarries of Aphrodisias city, and one small piece identified as Carian red from Iasos, corroborates the already suggested strong connection existing between artists and the stone material they chose for their works. Finally, the identification carried out on the marble of the bases that served as seats for the sculptures is noteworthy, as it is a white marble of lower quality whose analytical characteristics are consistent with the Microasiatic marble of Denizli. The use of these exotic and exceptional raw materials confirms the taste for luxury and decorative richness in Late Antique Hispanic rural villae and contributes to a better understanding of the distribution of Aphrodisian production and trade networks with the Western Roman provinces.

Sejarah Islam di Nusantara Pengaruh Kebudayaan Arab dan Persia Dalam Penyebaran Islam di Nusantara

This writing explores how Arab and Persian culture influenced the spread of Islam in the archipelago. Through an accommodative, acculturative and syncretic approach, Islam in Indonesia developed with the strong influence of these two cultures. The main focus of this writing is to look at the role of Arab and Persian culture in the Islamization process through trade routes, diplomatic relations, art, architecture and literature. The method used in this writing is a qualitative method with a literature study approach. Data was collected from various literature discussing the history and development of Islam in the archipelago, especially regarding the influence of Arab and Persian culture. The results show that Arab and Persian culture has a significant role in the spread of Islam in the archipelago. The discovery of the tombs of Persian ancestors from the 14th century AD such as Fatimah bint Maimun and Malik Ibrahim from Kasyan in Java is evidence of this influence. During the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphate, the Persian Empire had close ties with the Islamic world and played an important role in the spread of Islam to the archipelago through trade and diplomatic relations. The influence of Arab and Persian culture not only introduced Islamic teachings to the local population, but also shaped Islamic identity. in the archipelago. Trade and diplomatic relations are the main channels for the spread of Islamic teachings and practices, and it is concluded that Arab and Persian culture has a very important role in the Islamization process in the archipelago. The influence of these two cultures not only spread the religion of Islam, but also enriched and shaped Islamic cultural identity in Indonesia, making Islam an integral part of the lives of the people of the archipelago.

‘Met den swaerde geexecuteert ende van levene ten dode gebracht’. Twee onthoofden in het Droevendal te Leeuwarden

‘Met den swaerde geexecuteert ende van levene ten dode gebracht’. Two beheadings in the street Droevendal, LeeuwardenDuring excavations in the street Droevendal in Leeuwarden (province of Friesland, the Netherlands), a number of graves were found. These graves lie within the area of the cemetery of the Franciscan monastery known as Galilea, dating from the 16th century AD. Not only monks were buried there but also civilians, as is evident from a number of buried women and (small) children and babies. Two of the graves contained individuals who had been beheaded. It is known that after the closing down of the monastery in 1580, part of the graveyard continued to be used to bury executed convicts. In this article, we propose a couple of historical identifications for the decapitated individuals in these two graves.

Six Sassanian artworks engraved with hunters: king, crown prince, aristocrat or pretender to the throne?

This article focuses on six Sassanian plates that have caused contradictory opinions about those depicted on them. Considering these works and a historical context, the authors have assessed the prevailing opinions and expressed their own views and probabilities. As such, the person engraved on the four Sassanian works is probably a prince who ruled northern and northeastern regions of Iran during the 4th and early 5th centuries AD and was in contact with nomadic tribes between Iran and China.

Research on the Development of Architectural Conditions for Civil Repairs in Afghanistan

During the formation of fidalism, the culture of urbanization, which was considered the necessary link in the slave society, decreased, but the Centers of Buddhist culture in Afghanistan continued to operate even after the Arab conquests in the 7th century AD. At the beginning of the 5th century, from the depths of Central Asia, the Gochhanda Yaftali tribes invaded the territory of Afghanistan, which eventually led to the extinction of the Kushan Empire. Coexistence and interaction with neighbors in a peaceful and sometimes non-peaceful way of agricultural units with nomadic tribes is one of the main features of the historical development of the people of Afghanistan and Asia. By settling in the lands of Afghanistan and accepting the local culture and enriching it with their tribal traditions, the nomadic tribes helped a lot in the emergence of the process of a new social and cultural nature in the country. The conquests of the Arab caliphs, which began in the seventh century, and as a result of the interaction of their culture with the cultural traditions of the local people, led to the creation of a new culture. And Islamic religion replaced Buddhism and other religious beliefs. Buildings for worship were built called mosques, Eidgah’s, schools and caravanserais. The formation of large commercial and handicraft cities, which took place in the development of literary and architectural sciences, which took place in the middle of the centuries of the feudal period. The Ghaznavid dynasties (10th-12th centuries) and the Ghurids, the "king of the mountains" in the 12th century, had a significant impact on the history of the early Middle Ages. In the engineering of the cities of the Ghaznavid period, the buildings of the city (Ghazni, Qala-e-Bast, Lashkargah) and also in the engineering of most of the buildings of the Ghurid dynasty (a minaret in the mountainous region of Jam), the ideological characteristics of that era have been expressed in the language of engineering. In the modern era, after the wars and the destruction of cities and places in the country, the migrations that took place as a result of the civil wars and the return to the country, brought different cultures to the country. Also, by mixing new cultures with local traditions, it caused cities and places to take a new shape. Thus, it influenced the development of Afghan architecture and the growth of modern architecture. This will be of particular importance with the combination of local architectural culture and traditions in Afghanistan.