DOI Artikel:
Tsarov, Ivan: The cult of the Danubian rider-gods in the city's territory of Nicopolis ad Istrum
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41866#0027
25
century archeological context. In the same premises and in the same context are
also found the following subjects: statuette of Lar, a base for a statuette of Apollo
— rider, a key with a handle a lion protome [Tsarov 1990, no. 10, 23], a coin of
Septimius Severus and near another one of Diadumenianus. Bust of the Emperor
Commodus [Tsarov 1991, 138-140] is found in the complex. We presume that
the above mentioned subjects could have been plaud in a domestic sanctuary
and because of the reason they were found together. It seems that the complex
ceased to exist in the middle of 3rd century, because of the lack of materials
dated later.
As we mentioned above the medallions is already published [Totev 1989a,
1989b]. In order to support with circumstantial evidence the fabricated thesis of
its proto-Bulgarian origin the author takes it out of the archaeological context in
which it is found. The region Varbovski Livadi where the ancient ceramic centre
is situated is carried as it by a magic wand to the land of the nearby village of
Vurbovka in order the medallion to be connected with other proto-Bulgarian
materials founded there [Totev 1989b, 411 and notes 2-4], The supposition of
the author of the publication about the technology of the making of the medallion
by heating till softening before the engraving of the “silver” plate are too far
away from reality. In the Laboratory for restoration and conservation in the
Regional museum of History — Veliko Tamovo tests for identifying the metal
were carried out. When treated with a solution for detecting silver (potassinc
bihromate in 10% sulphuric acid) there was no reaction of its presence. 20%
solution of nitric acid was executed in order the reaction of the different alloys
to be identified. It was found that the metal used for the making of medallion is
an alloy containing antimony which is characterifed with great hardness. That
explains why by the cold engraving of the images two tipes of toils were used.
The traces which are well seen after a ten-times increasing show the work with a
chisel and a gimlet. Usually they are used in the engraving of gems on the hard
precious stones [Zazoff 1970, 8-9; Zienkiewicz 1988, 22], In the description of
the iconographic plots the shown aedicula has turned into iurta building with
osetians parallels, marked with the sign “Y”. And many more similar
transformations which is not necessary to be mentioned. The author writes that
it is difficult for him to find parallels. It’s naturally because he is looking for
them not where they are but where he wants them to be. This, however, doesn’t
hinder another author, who is concerned with the early-Bulgarian region, “to find”
them in the land of Pleven, Preslav and Central Asia [Ovcharov 2000, 54-56].
The last medallion introduced here (catalogue no. 5) is found lately by the
researching of the water supply of Nicopolis ad Istrum [Slokoska and coll. 2001,
86], The arcade construction of the aquaeduct crossed the unfortified urban
quarter, situated westward from castellum aquae. During the excavations it was
found that the space round the piers of the construction was used for dung-hill.
This, as a daily rubbish the broken medallion was thrown out there from one of
century archeological context. In the same premises and in the same context are
also found the following subjects: statuette of Lar, a base for a statuette of Apollo
— rider, a key with a handle a lion protome [Tsarov 1990, no. 10, 23], a coin of
Septimius Severus and near another one of Diadumenianus. Bust of the Emperor
Commodus [Tsarov 1991, 138-140] is found in the complex. We presume that
the above mentioned subjects could have been plaud in a domestic sanctuary
and because of the reason they were found together. It seems that the complex
ceased to exist in the middle of 3rd century, because of the lack of materials
dated later.
As we mentioned above the medallions is already published [Totev 1989a,
1989b]. In order to support with circumstantial evidence the fabricated thesis of
its proto-Bulgarian origin the author takes it out of the archaeological context in
which it is found. The region Varbovski Livadi where the ancient ceramic centre
is situated is carried as it by a magic wand to the land of the nearby village of
Vurbovka in order the medallion to be connected with other proto-Bulgarian
materials founded there [Totev 1989b, 411 and notes 2-4], The supposition of
the author of the publication about the technology of the making of the medallion
by heating till softening before the engraving of the “silver” plate are too far
away from reality. In the Laboratory for restoration and conservation in the
Regional museum of History — Veliko Tamovo tests for identifying the metal
were carried out. When treated with a solution for detecting silver (potassinc
bihromate in 10% sulphuric acid) there was no reaction of its presence. 20%
solution of nitric acid was executed in order the reaction of the different alloys
to be identified. It was found that the metal used for the making of medallion is
an alloy containing antimony which is characterifed with great hardness. That
explains why by the cold engraving of the images two tipes of toils were used.
The traces which are well seen after a ten-times increasing show the work with a
chisel and a gimlet. Usually they are used in the engraving of gems on the hard
precious stones [Zazoff 1970, 8-9; Zienkiewicz 1988, 22], In the description of
the iconographic plots the shown aedicula has turned into iurta building with
osetians parallels, marked with the sign “Y”. And many more similar
transformations which is not necessary to be mentioned. The author writes that
it is difficult for him to find parallels. It’s naturally because he is looking for
them not where they are but where he wants them to be. This, however, doesn’t
hinder another author, who is concerned with the early-Bulgarian region, “to find”
them in the land of Pleven, Preslav and Central Asia [Ovcharov 2000, 54-56].
The last medallion introduced here (catalogue no. 5) is found lately by the
researching of the water supply of Nicopolis ad Istrum [Slokoska and coll. 2001,
86], The arcade construction of the aquaeduct crossed the unfortified urban
quarter, situated westward from castellum aquae. During the excavations it was
found that the space round the piers of the construction was used for dung-hill.
This, as a daily rubbish the broken medallion was thrown out there from one of