Archaeological researches in the Histria site between 1983 and 1992

A. Sector: "Histria - Pod (Bridge)"

Researches: 1980, 1983 - 1992

Team: Konrad Zimmermann, Alexandru Avram.

The excavations, begun in 1980, in this place situated at 4 km from the settlement of Histria, in its rural territory, and concluded in 1993 led to the complete clearing of the site. Three constructions were uncovered, made up of more rooms and annexes, having different stages of conservation. They are disposed around a central square. The pedestal walls are built of schist and earth, while the higher walls are of adobe. This complex of dwellings (probably rural farms) present two phases well dated on the basis of the Attic pottery and of the 53 amphora stamps (38 Thasos, 9 Heracleea Pontica, 2 Sinope, 4 unidentified centres): layer I (around 400 - 325 BC); layer II (around 325 - 310 BC). A later layer (early 3rd century BC) occurs only sporadically and has no constructions. The surveys carried out revealed in different places also a sporadic late archaic layer (around 500 BC) singled out by the existence of some fireplaces that, however, bear no relation to the above horizon.

References: K. Zimmermann, Al. Avram, Archaologische Ausgrabungen in Histria Pod, SR Rumanien, Zwischenbericht uber die vorlaufigen Ergebnisse der kampagnen 1980 - 1985, Klio, 69, 1987, p. 6-27; K. Zimmermann, Struktur - und Funktionsanalyse archaologischer Grabungsbefunde, Wiss. Zeitschr. d. Humboldt-Univ. zu Berlin, R. Geistes - und Sozialwiss, 40, 1991, 6, p. 110 and Figs 42- 48; Al. Avram, Timbres amphoriques et ceramique: quelques associations dans deux sites de la chora d'Istros (Histria Pod et Cogealac), in Y. Gârlan (ed.), Amphores grecques en Mer Noire (Proceedings of the Workshop in Istanbul, May 1994; in print).

B. Sector" "Zona Sacra (The Sacred Zone)"

Researches: 1990 - 1992

Team: Alexandru Avram, Konrad Zimmermann, Monica Mărgineanu - Cârstoiu.

The excavations in the sacred zone, resumed in 1990, aimed at extended this zone towards the south. The team studied the early and late Roman Ages monuments overlapping the sacred zone after its destruction during the time of Burebista. The relative and absolute chronology of the zone is the following:

- a) 1st cent. BC (?) - 1st cent. AD: building by modest means of two monuments (K and L), probably altars (phase I);

- b) urban rebuilding in the 2nd cent. AD singled out especially by the existence of a large construction (phase I b-c);

- c) destruction in mid 3rd cent. AD (Gothic attack), followed by the rebuilding of the precinct wall, partially revealed at the level of the

foundation on its eastern side;

- d) different phases (II - III) whose constructions were completely destroyed and partially uncovered by the interventions from the 6^th cent.;

- e) urban construction from mid 6th cent., by placing an island delimited by four streets, of which the eastern one (str. II) is parallel to the post-Gothic precinct of the fortress (phase IV a);

- f) rebuilding and new constructions on the island and streets (phase IV b);

- g) destruction at the end of the 6th cent., followed by sporadic traces of repairing (phase V); definitive destruction (massive rubble layer) at the beginning of the 7th cent.

C. Sector: "Bishop's Basilica"

Researches: 1983 - 1992

Team: Alexandru Suceveanu, Crişan Muşeţeanu, Octavian Bounegru.

After having carried out the two sections from 1969 - 1970 (published in Pontica, 4, 1971, together with C. Scorpan), the survey on the great bishop's basilica was resumed in 1984 by performing two cassettes of 5 x 5 m. To summarise the results of the 10 archaeological campaigns, it can be asserted that the researches led to the identification of one of the greatest Christian basilicas of Dobrudja (excepting, perhaps, the one discovered at Tomis in 1989, the largest), measuring 60 m in length, 30 m in the width of the transept, and 20 m in the width of the nave. The basilica is made up of an atrium (not yet studied), a narthex (overlaid with limestone slabs), and a nave ( both with three naves, as only the central nave is overlaid with limestone slabs), a transept inside which there is an impressive choir, a pentagonal apse, and a northern and southern annex each. As regards the chronology of the basilica, based on a rich numismatic collection, it can be asserted that it was built in the 6th cent. AD (a nummy thesaurus from the 5th cent. AD constitutes a good terminus postquem), it was repaired in the middle of that century, and definitively destroyed (excepting the narthex and a part of the northern annex) at the end of the 6th cent. AD. On the outside a layer from the beginning of the following century was identified. Finally, the last layer, dating from the 7th cent. AD, covers the whole monument.

D. Sector SG: "Kilns"

Researches: 1991 - 1992

Team: Mircea Angelescu, Pierre Dupont, Livia Buzoianu.

In 1991 the excavations were resumed in sector SG, situated at the west end of the plateau of the settlement. The first two campaigns consisted - on the one hand - in carrying out a series of stratigraphical surveys, and - on the other hand - in extending the old excavation (published in Histria V) northwards and southwards. The surveys shed light on the stratigraphical situation, and the new cassettes led to the identification of a passing track on the east-west road, which constitutes the north end of the pottery workshop in the area, as well as of some constructions (one of them with an "Olbian" foundation) whose functions were determined accurately. The pottery allowed us to date the layer of the archaic settlement in this area back to the second quarter of the 6th cent. BC.