4th Century AD Research Articles

Kidney Diseases in the Treatise "Dynameron" of Aelius Promotus (2nd Century AD) A Comparison with Dioscorides and Nikolaos Myrepsos

Dynameron is a medical treatise from the 2nd century AD, written in Greek by an Alexandrian physician named Aelius Promotus. A copy made in Sicily during the 16th century is kept in the Marciana Library of Venice (Codex gr. Ζ. 295). In 130 chapters, Dynameron contains 870 recipes for the treatment of various diseases. Regarding the kidneys, Aelius describes 32 recipes with herbal (59), animal (6) and mineral (1) ingredients, with diuretic, spasmolytic, analgesic, or antiseptic properties, suitable for treating nephrolithiasis, strangury, dysuria and renal inflammations. Several diuretics of Aelius Promotus are similar to those found in De Materia Medica of Dioscorides (1st century AD). On the other hand, all of them are also included in the treatise Dynameron of Nikolaos Myrepsos, written in the 13th century AD. When the recipes are evaluated as a whole, it is evident that Aelius Promotus was a competent practising physician in a city with a glorious tradition in medicine and sciences.

Tracing the road of elephant ivory at the end of Late Antiquity – Archaeometric analysis of ivory artefacts from the 6th–7th-century Carpathian Basin

AbstractElephant ivory, a prestigious and valuable raw material in the post-Roman West and Byzantium between the 5th and 7th centuries AD, may originate from various sources. While both written and art historical evidence suggests that in the case of early medieval artefacts, African provenance is more likely than Asian, no data at hand is conclusive. The present paper investigates, with the help of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, carbon and nitrogen concentration and nitrogen isotope (δ15N) analyses, the material resources of elephant ivory artefacts discovered in 6th- and 7th-century AD archaeological context in the Carpathian Basin to contribute to our understanding of late antique long-distance trade networks and economic relations.

Unique accessories and connection network of a Gepid Period child burial. New data on the distribution of early medieval ivory artefacts

AbstractThe Gepid Period row cemetery at Tiszaug-Országúti bevágás was unearthed in 2018–2019. Grave 301 was one of the outstanding burials amongst the 194 graves unearthed thus far. It kept the remains of a 9–11-year old boy, who was laid to rest in a scale-down burial created according to the funerary customs of the area and era but dressed in a mortuary costume and provided with goods befitting adult men. He had a purse hanging from his belt, containing an iron knife, and some pieces of flint. A double-row antler comb was placed beside his head. A cast copper alloy belt buckle with a shield-shaped pin base and punch-mark decoration fastened his clothing on the front. While buckles of this type were widely used at that time, the closest analogies to the punch-mark decoration could be collected from the Carpathian Basin. Based on those, the burial could be dated to the mid or late 6th century AD. Another outstanding feature of the cemetery was the four burials (including Grave 301) where the deceased were laid to rest in coffins made from or imitating log boats.Grave 301 also contained a rounded conical ivory object. The optical microscope and vibration spectroscopy analyses confirmed the initial hypotheses of the finders about the raw material of the artefact. Despite carrying out a comprehensive survey for analogies and an analysis of production and use-related marks, we could not determine what the object could have been used for; it may be a semi-finished product, but it could also be a toy or amulet. At any rate, it was made from a raw material which was extremely rare in the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin in the period in question. Grave 301 was positioned in a cluster comprising more child burials, with the graves of two adult women at the fringes; the ongoing archaeogenetical investigations may shed light on the connections between them.

An example of a favorable outcome of a cervical spine injury occurring on a background of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: the result of an anthropological finding in the church of St. Peter in the town of Domashevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

The article provides a description of the anthropological finding – human remains discovered in the church of St. Peter (Domashevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, burial at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries AD). The available morphological data most likely indicate the presence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. This disease resulted in trauma to the cervical vertebrae, which altered their morphology. However, the injury did not lead to death; the person lived for a long time afterwards, as post-traumatic skeletal changes with the development of torticollis were noted.

Microorganism Distribution and Preservation Status of Mural Paintings in the Goguryeo Tombs in North Korea

The ancient Goguryeo tombs are spread throughout North Korea and China. The Goguryeo Kingdom was one of the most powerful Korean kingdoms that occupied half of Northeast China and the Korea n Peninsula from the 3rd century BC to the 7th century AD. In 2004, a t the 28<sup>th</sup> session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Suzhou, China, 63 of these tombs were designated as World Heritage Sites. Previously, international organizations such as UNESCO, ICCROM, and ICOMOS provided technical and expert training support for the conservation and management of such tombs. In 1998, at the request of North Korea, a series of investigations and conservation activities began on the tomb murals, and in 2000, international experts began investigating the scientific preservation status of the Yaksu‑ri tomb murals with the South Korean government’s assistance of $100,000 provided to UNESCO. From July 19<sup>th</sup> to 30<sup>th</sup>, 2005, the Goguryeo Relics North‑South Korea Joint Investigation Team, consisting of members of the Goguryeo Research Foundation in South Korea and the North Korean Academy of Social Sciences and Cultural Conservation Guidance, conducted its first joint investigation of the ruins since the two countries were divided. The 2006 Inter‑Korean Joint Goguryeo Mural Tomb Preservation Survey was the first time that South Korean conservation experts participated in scientifically investigating the preservation status and environment of mural tombs and mural pigment analysis. This was to secure comprehensive data on eight tombs. In 2007, additional support for the installation of the necessary measurement equipment was provided to continuously monitor the environments of the ancient tombs. Subsequently, no additional inter‑Korean joint investigation and research has been conducted. To provide scientific information on the distribution of microorganisms in the mural paintings of the tombs and to help establish a future joint preservation plan this study summarizes and reports on the “examination of a biological and environmental survey of the Goguryeo tomb mural paintings” from the results of the 2006 Inter-Korean Joint Goguryeo Mural Conservation Survey Report, jointly published by the Inter-Korean Historians Association and the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, which has not previously been presented at academic conferences.

Acqua da coltivare. Risorsa, strumento e rito dell’abitare il paesaggio mediterraneo

Walafrid Strabo's Hortulus, a treaty on agriculture written in the 6th century AD, refers techniques and practices for drainage and irrigation of fields nowadays at the centre of discussion (Zoppi, 1995). The theme is particularly critical when compared with the invasiveness of many contemporary systems. The topic of water management represents a feature of human experience on earth since its appearance. It is also one of the most continuous – perhaps the most necessary – tools in landscape construction. While innovating over time, water techniques maintain codes, customs, even rituals, according to constant and apparently opposite principles of rationality and imageability. Reason and figure, utility and symbol, survival and myth lead the construction of the human settlement around water and this contribution tries to outline some of its features especially as regards the "immenso deposito di fatiche" (Cattaneo, 1868) constituted by Mediterranean agricultural landscape and its inhabiting forms. If, on the one hand, a complex and heterogeneous picture can emerge in the experiences described, on the other the essay tries to retrace a coherent path. Finally, this tries to provide a perspective that is still possible for a landscape society, the Mediterranean one, in which living and cultivating water do not belong only to a necessity but to a real and inescapable identity.

Studi Orientalisme Menurut Sejarah dan Tujuan Gerakannya

This article will elaborate in detail on Orientalism from a historical perspective. The study of Orientalism is complex, especially concerning the Orient, particularly Islam, and is driven by motives such as religious, scientific, economic, and political issues. The terms "Orientalism" and "Orientalist" emerged in Andalusia (Spain) in the 7th century Hijri or the 14th century AD. They have harmed Islam by submerging Muslims into misleading ideologies, particularly misleading the younger generation by diverting them from their religion through teachings of materialism and secularism. The stages of Orientalism development include Missionaries and anti-Islamic sentiments beginning in the 16th century AD, studies and dissemination in the 17th and 18th centuries, colonialism in the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century, and learning and politics in the latter half of the 19th century. The main goal of Orientalism is to uncover and reveal the symbolic meanings of deep-rooted Islamic cultural expressions, with the primary medium being the Arabic language.

AGAMA DAN RELASI BUDAYA DALAM ISLAM: MENJELAJAHI PERAN PENTING BUDAYA DALAM PEMBENTUKAN IDENTITAS KEAGAMAN

Religion is regarded as a decree from God and is an important institutional structure that complements the social system. Islam arrived in Indonesia in the 13th and 16th centuries AD, and is now the second largest religion in the world after Christianity. Culture also plays a significant role in shaping religious identity. Religion and culture are two distinct yet important and sensitive entities in the social environment. Both are primordial aspects inherent to communities and individuals and influence each other. Culture can influence religious views, and vice versa, religion can influence culture. In this article, the author uses a qualitative literature study method to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion and culture in Islam as well as how culture affects the formation of religious identity. The purpose of this article is also to explain how the concept of social justice in Islam can bring harmony between different cultures.

Second life of damaged things: repairing and modifying jewellery from the Crimea in the Sarmatian period

Crimean jewellery from the Sarmatian period (2nd century BC – 4th century AD) includes a small but interesting group of adornments with traces of damage and repair. These artefacts were elements of grave inventories of the people of the Late Scythian and Sarmatian cultures – deposited exclusively in female and child graves. Most of the repaired personal ornaments are earrings and bracelets. Their quality is usually very low. The existence of repairs made jewellery look less attractive and they were limited to modifications allowing their owners to use such adornments again. The general quality of the repairs seems to indicate that they were performed by peoplelacking expert knowledge of jewellery making.

Tipologi Batang Tubuh Pisau Tumbuk Lada: Sebuah Analisis Makna pada Pusaka Melayu

This article discusses the meaning contained in the body of a Malay heritage weapon called the "Pisau Tumbuk Lada". In the past, pisau tumbuk lada were weapons that were very close to the lives of Malay people. Because it not only functions as a marker of social status, but also as a component of customs, traditions, religion, and completeness of daily life. Therefore, this weapon was used by everyone from kings, nobles, traditional leaders to ordinary people. The pisau tumbuk lada is also considered a symbol of the glory of the pepper trade in the Malay world which existed in the 15th – 20th century AD. The body of the pisau tumbuk lada consists of the upstream, karah, blade, and sheath. Each part of the body has a special meaning related to aesthetic, functional, and philosophical aspects. The manufacturing materials and decorative motifs contained therein also have great philosophical values.

The Argead Kings of Macedonia in the 'Chronicle' of John of Nikiu

This essay deals with a description of the reigns of the Macedonian kings of the Argead dynasty (Philip II, Alexander the Great and Philip III Arrhidaeus) in the Chronicle of John of Nikiu (late 7th century AD). The author argues that in contrast to John of Nikiu’s information about Philip II and Philip III Arrhidaeus, the account of Alexander found in his Chronicle is far from being merely a truncated version of the corresponding story given by John Malalas (6th century AD), but has a certain self-sufficiency. Therefore, in the opinion of the author, it can be well assumed that the image of Alexander presented by John of Nikiu holds a special, albeit quite modest, place among the portraits of the great conqueror we find in the Byzantine world’s literature.

Representation of the Legitimacy of Imperial Power in the Roman Empire

This article is devoted to the analysis of ideas about the legitimacy of imperial power in the Roman Empire. Particular attention is paid to the understanding of legitimacy in the imperial period of Roman history and, in particular, Late Antiquity. The conclusion is made about the "broad" and somewhat "blurred" idea of the legitimacy of the imperial power in the Roman Empire, about the discrepancy between the modern term "legitimacy" and the ancient understanding. The elements and components of legitimacy, its main sources, institutions and ways of giving legitimacy to the new emperor who ascended the throne are presented. It is shown how the image of the legitimate emperor was inscribed in the image of the empire. Of the institutions, special attention is paid to the army as one of the most significant institutions in the election and approval of the new emperor. Methods for recognizing imperial power by referring to the "divine" principle: pagan gods, and, subsequently, to Christianity, are also considered. The reasons for the process of loss of legitimacy by the rulers of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD are analyzed. The transfer of legitimacy from political institutions and the empire to a single emperor, characteristic of the Roman political consciousness, is shown.

Analysis of compound nouns containing the word "Alp" in Mahmud Kāshgarī's Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk

Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk by Mahmud Kāshgarī is a significant work in the study of linguistics and literary works from the 11th century AD. It covers cultural, social, political, geographical subjects, and the use of compound words such as "Alp" is prevalent throughout the book. The work is considered unique among the Turk nation from a scientific, historical, and linguistic point of view. The Kāshgarī's linguistic view, the introduction of words, grammatical rules, and phonetic features of Turkic languages are examined in this book. The work was written during the reign of the Khaqani Turks, and it reflects the use of specific old Turkish nouns by members of the nobility. For example, each member of the nobility had old Turkish nouns like: Tegin çağr, Tegin küç, Qutluğ Tegin, Tegin kömüş, Tuğ Tegin, börı Tegin, Toŋa Tegin, Arsalan Tegin, tuğrul Tegin, Yenal Tegin, Qara Tegin. The Khaqan kings also used the word "Öge(üke) Tegit" to refer to their youngest children and individuals removed from their positions. The book analyzes the structure of compound nouns with the word "Alp", such as "Alp Aya", "Alp Er Toŋa”, "AlpAağut", and "AlpTegin", using the library method. The semantic and formal features of these compound nouns are also examined, drawing on reliable scientific sources and data from Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk. Overall, this research provides a detailed examination of the linguistic and historical significance of Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk.

Ископаемые кости миоцен-голоценовых верблюдов Евразии (Россия): минералого-геохимические свойства и экологические реконструкции

Using a wide complex of mineralogical-geochemical and isotope-geochemical methods we studied, a unique series of samples of fossil camels’ bone remains taken from Eurasian localities from the northwestern Black Sea region to western Transbaikalia and Mongolia, dated in the chronological range from the Late Miocene (6 Ma) until the 14th century AD. The obtained results indicated the mineralogical and geochemical properties of fossil bones as very effective way of ecological and climatic reconstructions and interpretation of the evolutionary history of mammals.

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Палеоэкологические условия финала сарматской эпохи и их влияния на общества скотоводов и земледельцев Восточной Европы и Западной Сибири

The paper make an attempt to consider the cultural and historical events marking the final stage of the Sarmatian epoch from the point of view of climate dynamics in Eastern Europe. It has been confirmed that the Late Sarmatian period in the Lower Volga region coincided with increasing climate humidity and was characterized by high precipitation during the cold season. This occurred in conditions of the Siberian High weakening, resulted to penetration of the Atlantic and Mediterranean cyclones into the inland regions of Eastern Europe and the western areas of Western Siberia. This led to high snow cover formation and provoked a series of other unfavorable factors that triggered migrations and population decline in nomadic or semi-nomadic societies whose economic basis was cattle herding. We suppose that this climate change scenario was not limited to the Lower Volga region. In the article we analyze paleoclimatic, cultural and historical events of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD which occured in the adjacent regions. We found that during this period the Sargat culture, whose economy was based on semi-nomadic cattle breeding, was declining in most of the forest-steppe east of the Urals. The population in the Southern Urals almost completely disappeared by the last decades 3rd century AD. The area of the Late Sarmatian culture from the Lower Volga region is reduced to the Astrakhan Right Bank of the Volga. Only the Lower Don and the Sal-Manych steppes remained inhabited, which is probably due to the regional resource base specifics. Therefore, in most part of Eastern Europe and the western regions of Western Siberia, the population was declining or disappearing long before the Huns invasion, and increase in climate humidity was among the contributing factors. At the same time, the humid climate of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD had a beneficial impact on the crop production. A high winter precipitation provided the flourish of agricultural societies.

Copper-alloy belt fittings and elite networking in Early Medieval Central Europe

This paper attempts to change the traditional view of the Late Avar belt fittings, which in the 8th century AD delineated an extremely dense communication network within the Carpathian Basin and beyond, by using a groundbreaking combination of iconography, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), lead isotope analysis, digital morphometry and 3D comparative prototyping. It presents a complex analysis of bronze belt ends decorated with an exceptional scene of a snake eating a frog-like creature, discovered in the last decade in Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany. According to the iconography, this motif represents an important cosmogonic and fertility myth, known to various early medieval populations living in Central Europe. Some of these belt ends come from the same workshop and/or are derived from a common model, even though they were found in very distant regions. The study also focuses on the provenance of the raw material used in the production of Avar-style belt fittings in general. For the first time, it was possible to locate the Early Medieval source of copper in the Slovak Ore Mountains, using lead isotope analysis.

ManuskripAl-QuranMadura:AnalisisRagamHiasDalamManuskripAl-QuranMss4322

One of the uniqueness found in the old al-Quran in the archipelago is its luxury with the beauty of decorative illumination art. Ornaments found in the Quran are usually only found in the front, middle and end of the Quran. Each decoration sketched on the manuscript has its own meaning and is related to the life of the local community. Therefore, this article aims to introduce an al-Quran manuscript originating from Madura Indonesia and then explain in detail the characteristics and types of decoration found in the al-Quran manuscript MSS 4322, which has been collected in the National Library of Malaysia. This study uses analysis methods based on library research and secondary materials such as books, manuscripts and journal articles. Interviews also conducted to obtain data related to decorative illumination art information on manuscripts. The findings show that the manuscript al-Quran MSS 4322 originates from the country of Madura, Indonesia. This is because the names of Pangeran Jimat and queen Tirtonegoro are written on the manuscript of the Qur'an, who were rulers in Sumenep, Madura in the 18th century AD. This research also shows manuscript writing using daluang paper with a neat, attractive and consistent manuscript writing model written in a three-line frame with a combination of red and black. The illumination is very beautiful with the drawing of spiral leaves as a result of the combination of various colors. Hardcover is thick, using leather from a tree carved with a floral patterned drawing according to the "block" plated with copper and gold powder on the leather and flaps of the volume. Findings show that the author proposes that this manuscript can be digitized as a scholarly heritage so that it will last a long time while also helping the community to more easily access it in a digital form that is sustainable in nature. In conclusion, the ornamentation in this al-Quran manuscript is a masterpiece that will elevate the dignity of the decorative art of previous scholars' hand-drawn academically and more authoritatively to the digital generation, especially in the field of creative art of Islamic cultural heritage, especially in Malaysia.

The Antequera (Spain) Slate: an undetermined writing found in a Roman-type Villa and the need of revision of Iberia history, anthropology and archaeology

The Antequera Slate is a striking scripted finding in the Roman “Villa de la Estacion” (Railway Station Villa) archaeological site which was in use in its Roman known period approximately between 100 years BC and 450 AD. Some of the slate incised signs were familiar to us because they were similar to the so-called pre-Iberian-Tartessian scripted incise or picketed signs found in a Megalithic context or not in rocks and stones in Iberia, Canary Islands and Algerian Sahara. The antiquity of these signs may vary depending the place but some may have been done thousands of years BC. We have put forward that these Antequera Slate signs may be pre-Iberian-Tartessian that had remained in Iberian autochthonous rural or aristocratic people during centuries, but a firm conclusion is premature. Otherwise, the scripts are not done in Roman or any other standard writing. Visigoth scripted slates were started to be performed in Central West Iberia when Visigoths appeared in Iberia, together with Suebi, Vandals and Alans. The Antequera Slate incise signs may have been originated by these new cultures, but no Visigoth tables signs have been found with similar signs to Antequera Slate signs. Taking into account that we do not now either the language/symbols or writing of many Visigothic slates (5th- 8th century AD) nor the Antequera Slate, we also agree with other scholars that this is an important enigma which does not fit with archaeology, anthropology and history of Iberian Peninsula and that all these disciplines should be revised in the context detailed in this and others work.

PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS OF CHINA AS THE BASIS OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

The social life of China, its culture and art were determined by the local religion of Taoism, and the main postulates were laid out in the treatise "Daodejing" ("The Book of Tao and De", 6th century AD). Accordingly, a person with the whole way of life became a participant in the cycle of phenomena in nature, and therefore felt that he was not the main creation of God, as it was in Christianity, but only one of the components of the universe.
 Unlike Christianity, the phenomenon of Buddhism consists in the absence of a "logos" – the deity at the heart of the religion, since initially the image of the Buddha was interpreted as the image of a person who has achieved enlightenment. In Buddhism, there was no thesis about the value of human existence, which was interpreted as one-moment and changeable.
 Now let's trace how the specific philosophical and religious teachings of China influenced art and architecture.
 This is clearly visible both in secular buildings and in the temples of the three religions. The phenomenon of the transformation of the borrowed religion of Buddhism on local soil can be illustrated by the example of the unique cave temple complex of Dunhuang, the creation of which lasted over a thousand years, from the 4th to the 14th century. On the example of the wall paintings of sanctuaries, it is possible to trace how the borrowed subjects and techniques were gradually diversified and improved under the influence of local painting techniques. Moreover, scenes of secular life, portraits of benefactors, as well as a pantheon of Taoist deities were gradually added to the purely Buddhist subjects (fetian – the Chinese version of the heavenly apsaras, lords of Fuxi and NЯwa, etc.).
 The principles of feng shui and established hierarchy were also maintained in secular architecture and landscape design. So, all the main facades were oriented to the south, and the screens acted as barriers for evil spirits (in the gardens, such a function was performed by "natural screens" – "green screens", when one natural picture covered the other and it was impossible to view the entire garden at the same time. Chinese garden became the personification of the harmony of the world, therefore each landscape picture was carefully thought out. It was believed that gazebos – small pavilions in the garden became a place where a person encountered the laws of perfect harmony of nature. 
 An analysis of the relationship between traditional Chinese architecture and art and traditional philosophical and religious teachings proves that architecture and art were subject to the principles of feng shui and local "religious syncretism".