Between 1927 and 1990, the Pohanská hillfort in Plavecké Podhradie was repeatedly surveyed and examined using probes. After 2019, the results of laser scanning provided fundamentally more precise information on the shapes of the terrain and the course of the rampart. As a result of illegal activities, four mass finds were added to the collection: three composed of bronze artefacts and one of gold artefacts. The new finds confirm that the main period of settlement in this site in the Bronze Age was the middle and later urn field period, HA2–HB1.
The paper deals with eight (six?) new findings of the nail-shaped head ornaments (ear rings, temple rings, head or head cover ornaments) from the Slovakian part of the Western Carpathians – namely from the site Demänovská hora in cadastre of Liptovský Mikuláš-Ploštín and Demänovská Dolina. This kind of jewellery has parallels among the head ornaments distributed in the cultural environment north-east and east to the Carpathian Mountains Arc. They are broadly dated from the end of Ha C1 till the beginning of Lt A. Only two of new exemplars from Slovakia, defined as a type DH_II, have direct parallels among the head rings of Sokolniki type. Three almost complete and one fragmented exemplar of type DH_I have two direct analogies in the local North Slovakian cultural environment, and in one up-to-date unpublished exemplar in Dunajec Valley (Maszkowice) in Southern Poland, otherwise they can’t find any direct parallels in the territories of distribution of this type of ornament. The DH_I exemplars from Slovakia are larger and more massive moreover they are decorated in local manner. Two other fragmented artefacts cannot be satisfactory defined as nail-shaped head ornaments especially because of the shape of the hoop necks. However, according to their head shape their belonging to the nail-shaped head ornaments is likely. It can be hypothesised about the local production of type DH_I – the theory that is supported by the occurrence of other local types of jewellery from the Hallstatt and Early La Tène periods in the Slovakian parts of the Western Carpathians. Regarding the function of these ornaments, judging from the weight and size, at least type DH_I was most likely used as head/hair ornament rather than the ear ring.
In the paper, preliminary results of archaeological research in the Tribeč Mountains are introduced, based on new data acquired by airborne laser scanning and their verification in the field. Thanks to this research, the view on the number and distribution of relics of anthropogenic activities in this area in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages has changed substantially. In addition to previously known hillforts, other structures were also newly identified, such as fortifications and new fortification elements, areas formed by numerous artificial terraces, as well as mounds and roads.
In this paper, we investigate three mountain summit sites in extreme upland locations within a small microregion in the Liptov region in the Western Carpathians – Demänovská hora, Končitý vrch and Poludnica – newly investigated during the last decade. We questioned whether all similar sites located in the extreme alpine environment in the Western Carpathians served as refuge places within a narrow time span in the settlement structure as stated in the earlier archaeological literature. Based on an in-depth analysis of archaeological artefacts and ecofacts (employing archaeology, archaeobotany, and radiocarbon dating) from these sites we found that although they were located in spots with very similar geographic characteristics and yielded finds of similar nature upon closer inspection, the find assemblages from each of them showed certain variations. Based on this evidence, along with the knowledge of the general settlement structure in the Liptov region from the Final Bronze age till the end of the La Tène period, we propose that these sites were multifunctional and repeatedly used during prehistory and early history for specific purposes (refugia – places of rituals – [seasonal] settlements/economic activity areas, etc.).
The Roman fort at Iža was a strategic advanced site of the Limes Romanus/Ripa Pannonica defence system opposite Brigetio, on the northern bank of the Danube. So far there have been no targeted researches about the direct documents concerning supply and communication modes used in this site (in the context of the adjacent defence system). Historical records and early archaeological researches described walled structures with various interpretations (cloaca, pier). According to their position with regard to river course, it is possible to assume that such structures were used for bank defence purposes or as constructions of an independent port. In order to find an answer to this question, the authors of this paper have exploited both traditional and innovative methods (LIDAR, various types of sonars).
This contribution reports on results of multidisciplinary research in Duweym Wad Haj in January and February 2022. The archaeological excavations focused on the internal structures and architecture of the old mosque and discovered eleven residuals of bases of pillars and/or columns of a riwaq. These results indicate the existence of the riwaq along all the perimeter walls, with a different number of arcades along each wall, which enclosed an open internal yard. The soil survey confirmed a ca 7 metres high eolian dune below the old mosque, without traces of any significant settlement down to a depth of ca 5.5 m. The research on the mudbricks and construction of the old mosque confirmed its irregular plan, due to the orientation of the qibla wall and the making of mudbricks sourced from both local and imported material. The analysis of ceramics indicated the presence of pottery largely from the Funj period. Samples taken during the season will be subject to further research.
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