A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 44. (Nyíregyháza, 2002)

Régészet - Igor Gavritukhin: On the study of double-plate fibulas of the first subgroup

Igor Gavritukhin possible to attribute the fibula of the Kosanovo circle from Boromlia to the group of objects having western and southwestern analogies (fig. 1: 19, cf. fig.l: 18, 28). Rich ornamentation (fig. 1: 13, cf. fig. 1: 31, 33) and the decorative band (fig. 1: 7, cf. fig. 1: 15, 28, 2: 14, 17, 3: 20, 27 etc.) on the mentioned fibulas, along with some other facts (see below about the Boromlia-Zhurovka series), also point to the existence of these connections. The specimens with one spring are close to the series of the 6 cm double-plate fibulas with double-spring. Some of them have a narrow foot, a plain head-plate with a knob on it, and a subtriangular bow section; such pieces are registered only in the North Pontic region (fig. 6: 30, 9: 17). The small quantity of specimens and the defects of publications on them prevent us from presenting a more detailed characterisation of these fibulas. The find from Malaesti (fig. 5: 42) differs from the ones mentioned above, beginning with the absence of a knob on its head. The specimens with bow, semicircular in section, and head-plate decorated with open-work border "cymation" (fig. 5: 34, 37, 40^41 - Odobescu variations) are notable against the background of others. The area of distribution of these objects covers the Lower Danube and Southern Bug regions (map 2: 2). The undecorated find from Kobillia (fig. 5: 31) is close to them. Typologically the prototypes of two-spring design on the double-plate fibulas could be either articles of the Sackrau/Zakrzów circle (fig. 1: 31-33) or specimens of the Dniester-Danube zone (fig. 1: 26, 29 - type Gälänesti, cf. with fig. 1: 30). But the first contradicts the inclination of distribution zones of archaic two-spring double-plate fibulas to the Lower Danube area of the limes of the Empire (cf. maps 1: 7 and 2: 2, 6). Few fibulas of Gälänesti type are known, and the finds themselves are not expressive enough to consider the problem solved, though the form itself and its distribution are rather symptomatic (map 1: 10). Work has recently begun to clarify the role of Lower Danubian Roman provincial culture in the formation of the double-plate fibulas and other Cherniakhov fibulas in the form of systematic study of finds from the territory of modern Bulgaria and Romania. Among the finds of the Dnieper basin region, the specimens from Cherniakhov and Gavrilovka are close to the objects mentioned above (fig. 7: 20-21, 31, see on map 2 signes similar to map 4: 1 + 9). They have an identical wide foot, a B-shaped post for the spring that can be used for fastening both a double spring and a single one with upper string, and extended outlines of a head-plate (on the Cherniakhov fibula its sides are cut off and fastened with a lateral post for springs that fixes the ends of spring axes). The closest prototypes of the described constructive details can be found on the fibulas of the Sackrau/Zakrzów circle (fig. 1:33- post for spring, fig. 1: 31-32 - post for springs); there are analogies to the small expansion of bows closer to the head as well (fig. 1: 32-33). In the above discussion of single-spring fibulas with upper string, I have referred to some other examples of western influence on fibulas of the Dnieper region. Among the "archaic" double-plated fibulas described above, those of variation Odobescu are the ones best supplied with dating finds (fig. 5: 35^41). They are found twice with goblets of Kowalk type. In the most detailed work about such objects by Straume, the vessels in question are listed among the objects of series A, type I dated to "late C2-C3, mainly C3" (STRAUME 1987. 28-29, 31-32). There is no need to debate the question of the possibility of appearance of goblets of Kowalk type in the period C2, as in the studied assemblages there is a comb of type III by Thomas (not earlier than period C3) and a buckle typical for the Cherniakhov assemblages synchronised with C3 (TEJRAL 1986. 184; GOROKHOVSKI 1988. characteristic 118