Books by Ivan Bugarski
The book deals with Sarmatian and Early Avar cemeteries at Čik in southern part of the Pannonian ... more The book deals with Sarmatian and Early Avar cemeteries at Čik in southern part of the Pannonian Plain.
Edited/Co-Edited Monographs and Volumes by Ivan Bugarski
Izreka ka`e: "^ovek snuje, a Bog odlu~uje". Tako je i sa kwigom Svet sredwovekovnih utvr|ewa, gra... more Izreka ka`e: "^ovek snuje, a Bog odlu~uje". Tako je i sa kwigom Svet sredwovekovnih utvr|ewa, gradova i manastira-namera uredni{tva i `eqa prilo`nika bila je da ona bude zbornik radova u ~ast Marka Popovi}a. Uz veliko po{tovawe prema wegovim doprinosima u spoznavawu sredwovekovne pro{losti Srbije i o~uvawu nacionalnog kulturnog nasle|a, zbornik je tako|e trebalo da poka`e, kako stru~noj javnosti tako i samom Popovi}u, a na na~in uobi~ajen u nau~nom svetu, da wegovo delo predstavqa istinsku inspiraciju istra`iva~ima razli~itih disciplina i generacija. Na`alost, pred kraj rada na uobli~avawu publikacije zatekla nas je tu`na vest o wegovom odlasku. Ovom kwigom odajemo po~ast velikom arheologu, kolegi i prijatequ Marku Popovi}u. The saying goes that man proposes, but God disposes, and it has proved to be true for the book The World of Medieval Fortresses, Cities and Monasteries. Its editors and contributors intended it as a festschrift to honour Marko Popovi}. With great appreciation for his many contributions to unravelling the medieval past of Serbia and preserving the national cultural heritage, it was also meant to show, to specialised publics and Marko Popovi} himself, in the form common in the academic world, how truly inspiring his exhaustive work has been to researchers from different disciplines and generations. To our deep regret, the sad news of his passing came just as this collection of essays was being put into final form. With this book, we pay homage to the great archaeologist, colleague and friend Marko Popovi}. * * * Marko Popovi} slovio je za posve}enog, energi~nog i autoritativnog arheologa, a wegov zahtevan karakter nadaleko je poznat. Vojni~ka disciplina i {tedqivost resursa, naro~ito izra`eni u toku terenskih istra`ivawa, a mnogima nezamislivi kako u onom a jo{ vi{e u ovom vremenu, ~esto su mamili osmehe wegovih saradnika. Saradwa s wim predstavqala je izazov svakojake vrste, ali u kona~nici rezultat je uvek bio utemeqen i nesporan. Nesporna je i wegova nesebi~na pomo} koju je pru`ao kolegama u svakoj situaciji i pod svim uslovima. S velikim ponosom i zahvalno{}u mo`emo da istaknemo da je Marko Popovi} stvorio prepoznatqivu {kolu u okviru Arheolo{kog instituta. Dosta rano u karijeri postao je sinonim za srpsku sredwovekovnu arheologiju i uzor mnogim kolegama i u zemqi i u okru`ewu, a to je-zbog {irokog znawa, izuzetne motivacije, efikasnosti i izvanrednog istra`iva~kog dara-ostao i do danas. Zbornikom koji posve}ujemo uspomeni na Marka Popovi}a odajemo po~ast wegovoj nepresu{noj istra-iva~koj radoznalosti. Urednici * * * Marko Popovi} was reputed to be a dedicated, energetic and authoritative archaeologist, and his demanding nature preceded him. Unconceivable to many in earlier times and even more so today, his iron work discipline and careful management of resources, which could best be seen during fieldwork, often brought a smile to the faces of his colleagues. Working with him was a challenge in many ways but, at the end of the day, the results were always there, well founded and indisputable. And he generously shared his knowledge and assisted his colleagues in all situations and under all circumstances. It is with great pride and gratitude that we can say that Marko Popovi} created a recognisable school within the Institute of Archaeology. Quite early in his career he became a synonym for Serbian medieval archaeology, and a role model for many colleagues both in the country and in the region. And he remained one by virtue of his broad knowledge, exceptional motivation, efficiency and outstanding research talent. With this volume dedicated to Marko Popovi} we pay homage to his insatiable spirit of inquiry. Editors 2007 224. Kapije srednjovekovnog Stala}a : analiza konstrukcija i sistema odbrane // Du{ica Mini}, Obrenija Vukadin // Srednjovekovni Stala}.-Beograd : Arheolo{ki institut ; Kraljevo : Zavod za za{titu spomenika kulture, 2007.-Str. 268-283. 225. Crkva Svetog Stefana na [}epan poqu pod Soko-gradom / Svetlana Vukadinovi} // Starinar (Beograd). 57 (2007) 137-174. 226. Arheolo{ka svedo~anstva o ktitorskim sahranama u sredwem veku // Novopazarski zbornik (Novi Pazar). 30 (2007) 15-47. 227. Kula Neboj{a sa delom Priobalnog bedema i Vodenom kapijom II // Nasle|e (Beograd). 8 (2007) 9-28. 228. Manastirski kompleks u Uro{evici : prvi rezultati istra`ivawa // Mile{evski zapisi (Prijepoqe). 7 (2007) 25-30. 229. Smederevski grad-problemi istra`ivawa i obnove // Smederevski zbornik (Smederevo). 7 (2007) 29-41. 230. Beogradska tvr|ava, Priobalni bedem-deo izme|u kule Neboj{e i Vodene kapije II // Glasnik dru{tva konzervatora Srbije (Beograd). 31 (2007) 68-71. 2008 231. Nova saznawa o gorwogradskom Jugoisto~nom bedemu // Nasle|e (Beograd). 9 (2008) 89-104. 232. Jugoisto~ni bedem Beogradske tvr|ave : rezultati dopunskih istra`ivawa / Goran Iliji} // Glasnik Dru{tva konzervatora Srbije (Beograd). 32 (2008) 77-80. 2009 233. An example of anchoritic monasticism in the Balkans : the monastery complex at Kaludra near Berane / Danica Popovi} // Archeologia Abrahamica : Issledovaniÿ v oblasti arheologii i hudo`estvennoé tradicii iudaizma, hristianstva i islama.
The time between AD 300 and 800 is seen as a period of transition between Antiquity and the Middl... more The time between AD 300 and 800 is seen as a period of transition between Antiquity and the Middle Ages; archaeologists and historians increasingly acknowledge its existence under the term ‘Late Antiquity’ as a period in its own right. Categories such as ‘Late Roman’, ‘Early Christian’ or ‘Early Byzantine’ appear in this context as competing concepts that describe chronologically and geographically overlapping phenomena. They are primarily termini technici used in historical research and hence expressions of thought patterns and interpretative models which must be subjected to critical scrutiny. This volume contains the proceedings of the 27th annual conference dedicated to major Issues in the Protohistory of the Middle Danube. Ist focus is on a region covering Noricum, Pannonia and Moesia. It addresses questions of interdisciplinarity and periodisation within the region, in contributions on methods as well as in case studies examining the use, meaning and interpretation of concepts and sources. This forms the basis of a discussion about the elements that separate and connect the ‘boundaries’ and ‘crossings’ between periods, spaces and approaches to studying the past on both sides of the Danube.
Recovering Lost Landscapes
Petrographical and mineralogical analyses of pottery from the cemetery of Mödling-An der Goldenen... more Petrographical and mineralogical analyses of pottery from the cemetery of Mödling-An der Goldenen Stiege (Lower Austria): Methods and preliminary results .
Papers and Book Chapters by Ivan Bugarski
D. Milanović et al., Aleksinačka kotlina kroz milenijume. Arheološki, istorijski i geografski aspekti naseljavanja od neolita do srednjeg veka, 2025
Communicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae , 2024
Lying between the Danube and Sava rivers, the region of Syrmia used to be the northern fringe of ... more Lying between the Danube and Sava rivers, the region of Syrmia used to be the northern fringe of the Roman Empire and, later on, the southernmost land of the Avars. It had been named after one of its few cities, Sirmium,
which started to lose its importance by the beginning of the fifth century. After the fall of the Hunnic Empire, Syrmia was controlled by the Ostrogoths. In 510 the Romans had to accept that the whole of Syrmia was Ostrogothic, except for its southeastern corner with the city of Bassianae. Around the year 512 Emperor Anastasius settled the Heruli there. The Gepids, with short interruptions, held Sirmium for almost a century, from 474 to 567. In the course of more than a century, the way of life and space use in Syrmia underwent significant changes, and it appears that the crisis was further deepened with the arrival of the Avars, who seem not to have settled the region on a large scale.
Contributions to Bulgarian Archaeology XIV, 2024
This article presents the belt fittings of the Stubline – Hajdúnánás type. Only three such finds ... more This article presents the belt fittings of the Stubline – Hajdúnánás type. Only three such finds are known to the present authors, which come from Stubline near Obrenovac in modern-day Serbia, Hajdúnánás –
Mácsi-dűlő in the Great Hungarian Plain and from the Stara Bulgaria Collection. The last fitting allegedly originates from northeastern Bulgaria. Our mounts are up to 2.5 cm tall, oval-shaped with a round ending, and perforated for rivets. Remarkably similar to one another, they can be dated to the second half of the 8th c.
Pots as media: Decoration, technology and message transmission , 2024
Avari i Slaveni, Dvije strane pojasnog jezičca — Avari na sjeveru i jugu kaganata / Avars and Slavs, Two Sides of a Belt Strap End — Avars on the North and South of the Khaganate, 2022
This article will bring together the archaeological finds from Syrmia and
southern Bačka, mostly ... more This article will bring together the archaeological finds from Syrmia and
southern Bačka, mostly numismatic, which apparently testify to the supraregional trade that was taking place in the southern parts of the Late Avar state: Abbasid coins from Sirmium, Zemun, Čelarevo, Futog, and Šišatovci, as well as a well-known hoard from Donji Petrovci (also containing nine dinars), and an eighth-century solidus from Maglić. In doing so, it will build upon the studies of, first of all, Michael McCormick, Falko Daim, and Péter Somogyi. These finds have been mistakenly connected with migrations, or left without interpretation; only occasionally some of them were described as pointing to inter-ethnic trade relations. On the other hand, the belt-set from Zemun, bearing human representations in a Late Roman style, may be seen as indicative of connections between the northern Mediterranean region
and the southern parts of the Khaganate.
Балканы, Подунавье и Восточная Европа в римское время и эпоху Средневековья: Материалы II российско-сербской археологической конференции «Славяне в мире Балкан и Восточной Европы: историко-археологическая панорама» (14–21 мая 2017, г. Москва) , 2022
Despite the fact that the Slavs were one of the most significant ethnic groups under the Avar rul... more Despite the fact that the Slavs were one of the most significant ethnic groups under the Avar rule, the evidence of their presence cannot usually be unambiguously confirmed either on the basis of funerary rites or of material culture. The article discusses the way the ethnic interpretation of
early medieval finds from Vojvodina, in the south of the Avar Khaganate, has been attempted; it also singles out the finds which can be attributed to the Slavs with a greater degree of certainty. This refers to unearthed funerary urns, the so-called Slavic brooches and particular hand-made
pottery vessels. A small number of these finds, which spread chiefly along the Danube shore, does not, however, indicate that the Slavs were sparse in the southern part of the Khaganate, where their presence is attested by written sources. The available analogous finds from non-Slavic archeological contexts do not speak against their possible Slavic affiliation, but warn that the ethnic attribution of such artefacts should be conducted with great caution.
Attila's Europe? Structural Transformation and Strategies of Success in the European Hun Period , 2021
According to Priscus, in 447 the Roman Empire and the Huns agreed to
move their border away from ... more According to Priscus, in 447 the Roman Empire and the Huns agreed to
move their border away from the Danube, to a distance of five days’ journey from this river to the vicinity of Naissus. Yet, already in the next year Attila himself suggested that the border should be shifted back to the Danube. The death of this legendary Hunnic leader in 453 was soon followed by the collapse of their empire, but at least the northern parts of the Central Balkans remained out of Roman reach. Unlike
those of earlier or later dates, Germanic finds from the second half of the 5th century belonged to the ruling people and not to foederati. Together with them, this paper will bring together the Roman finds from the second half of the 5th century, mostly numismatic, to investigate their spatial distribution. These finds provide a glimpse
into the Eastern Gothic strategy in these parts and an overview of the Roman strongholds upon which the 6th-century reconquista could have rested.
The Medieval World of Fortresses, Towns and Monasteries. Homage to Marko Popović, 2021
ИСТОРИЯ ВЕЩЕЙ - ИСТОРИЯ И ВЕЩИ. К 60-летнему юбилею И. О. Гавритухина. РАННЕСЛАВЯНСКИЙ МИР, АРХЕОЛОГИЯ СЛАВЯН И ИХ СОСЕДЕЙ, Выпуск 20. Москва, 2020
The buckle from Vrćenovac hillfort and Byzantine finds from the middle and the second half of the... more The buckle from Vrćenovac hillfort and Byzantine finds from the middle and the second half of the seventh century in the Serbian Morava region
The article presents the fragmented early Byzantine buckle found at the Vrćenovac hillfort in the south of present-day Serbia. Archaeological finds from this hillfort, stored at the Heritage Museum of Aleksinac, can be attributed to two main occupation phases. In addition to several pottery fragments and two folles struck for Emperor Anastasius I, the buckle belongs to the early Byzantine period. The first find of this kind in the Central Balkans, it resembles lyrenförmige Drachenpaarschnallen from Transdanubia, dated to the last third of the seventh century. Judging by its quality and the location of the finding site, we may consider it one of the models after which the similar buckles from Transdanubia were made. The date of our buckle does not go beyond the middle of the seventh century. Around the year 620, the circulation of Byzantine coins in the Central Balkans had almost completely collapsed; however, a small number of finds from the later seventh century, including the buckle from the Vrćenovac hillfort, cluster in the Serbian Morava region.
Stratum plus, 2020
I. Bugarski
On the Sixth-century Germanic Finds from the Central Balkan Hill-top Sites
The crisis... more I. Bugarski
On the Sixth-century Germanic Finds from the Central Balkan Hill-top Sites
The crisis of the Late Antiqity was reflected in a long-lasting process of the immigration, notably of Germanic groups, into the Empire. Even during Justinian’s reign, protection of the weakened Balkan provinces had to rely on Germanic troops. The foederati were chiefly detached in Roman cities and forts along the Danube. The present article discusses a rather small sample of sixth-century Germanic artefacts from the poorly urbanised Central Balkan hinterlands. These finds have
traditionally been ascribed to Gepid refugees after their 567 defeat by the Lombards and Avars; however, they could likewise be dated to the first half of the sixth century. Moreover, historical accounts do not provide a solid backing for such an interpretation. Spatial distribution of these finds points to a planned detachment of the Germanic mercenaries. While most of them were to defend the Danube border, some objects of Germanic origin have been found in a newly-built city
of Justiniana Prima, a restored city of Justiniana Secunda, and in the regional centre of Gradina on the Jelica Mountain. Several other Germanic finds cluster in the Velika Morava valley. The mercenaries were an important and expensive resource; therefore the finds discussed here should not be attributed to the refugees, but rather seen as reflecting the Byzantine defence strategy. Assessing their ethnic affiliation seems premature, however.
In this article we present some of the most characteristic possessions (and status symbols) of si... more In this article we present some of the most characteristic possessions (and status symbols) of sixth-century Germanic foederati in the Upper Moesian limes – their weapons. According to archaeological dating and historical records, the finds from the Jakovo, Batajnica, Singidunum, Margum and Viminacium cemeteries may be first ascribed to the Heruli, settled in the area from c. 512. The article studies weapon combinations in graves and recapitulates Herulic military practices. Our evidence reveals a clearly differentiated and internally stratified community with a privileged position, derived from its role in the defence of the border and engagement in numerous military campaigns of the Empire.
GrenzÜbergänge. Spätrömisch, frühchristlich, frühbyzantinisch als Kategorien der historisch-archäologischen Forschung an der mittleren Donau. Forschungen zu Spätantike und Mittelalter 4.
In the course of rescue excavations in 2011 a grave was found at the Davidovac-Gradište site. Th ... more In the course of rescue excavations in 2011 a grave was found at the Davidovac-Gradište site. Th e locality is situated in the southernmost part of present-day Serbia, in the South Morava valley, on the route of the Roman Via publica. In the grave, a 30–40 year old male was buried with his belt and a battle axe. Th e belt consists of pressed bronze sheet strap-ends and a cast bronze buckle. Alongside them there was a purse buckle, also a characteristic early seventh-century Byzantine product. The anthropological analysis indicates that the deceased had military training. Such graves are rarely found throughout the Byzantine Empire. Being very diff erent from the sixth-century Roman burials, they were commonly attributed to migratory mercenaries of the Empire. Having surveyed similar burials of that date from Corinth, Pergamon, present-day Albania and Sardinia, we are in favour of interpreting them in the context of social changes which occurred at a time of crisis in the Empire, and not in ethnic terms.
Close to the bone: current studies in bone technologies
Two previously published antler tools, so-called disentangling hooks, are commented on in this pa... more Two previously published antler tools, so-called disentangling hooks, are commented on in this paper. The finds come from Nosa and Manđelos, located in the southern area of the Avar Khaganate, i.e. in present-day northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. What is special about these tools is that they bear carved representations of – presumably – Avars
and their horses. To this author’s knowledge, these are the only detailed representations of the Avars on antler objects. The conducted archaeological (and art-historical) analyses lead us to the conclusion that the finds come from the second half of the seventh century. In the case of the stray find from Nosa, such a date could be proposed on the basis of the depicted shape of the saddle, while the find from Manđelos comes from a horseman’s grave which can be dated to the middle of the
seventh century. Various details point to a Central Asian (Altai) origin of the representations.
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Books by Ivan Bugarski
Edited/Co-Edited Monographs and Volumes by Ivan Bugarski
Papers and Book Chapters by Ivan Bugarski
which started to lose its importance by the beginning of the fifth century. After the fall of the Hunnic Empire, Syrmia was controlled by the Ostrogoths. In 510 the Romans had to accept that the whole of Syrmia was Ostrogothic, except for its southeastern corner with the city of Bassianae. Around the year 512 Emperor Anastasius settled the Heruli there. The Gepids, with short interruptions, held Sirmium for almost a century, from 474 to 567. In the course of more than a century, the way of life and space use in Syrmia underwent significant changes, and it appears that the crisis was further deepened with the arrival of the Avars, who seem not to have settled the region on a large scale.
Mácsi-dűlő in the Great Hungarian Plain and from the Stara Bulgaria Collection. The last fitting allegedly originates from northeastern Bulgaria. Our mounts are up to 2.5 cm tall, oval-shaped with a round ending, and perforated for rivets. Remarkably similar to one another, they can be dated to the second half of the 8th c.
southern Bačka, mostly numismatic, which apparently testify to the supraregional trade that was taking place in the southern parts of the Late Avar state: Abbasid coins from Sirmium, Zemun, Čelarevo, Futog, and Šišatovci, as well as a well-known hoard from Donji Petrovci (also containing nine dinars), and an eighth-century solidus from Maglić. In doing so, it will build upon the studies of, first of all, Michael McCormick, Falko Daim, and Péter Somogyi. These finds have been mistakenly connected with migrations, or left without interpretation; only occasionally some of them were described as pointing to inter-ethnic trade relations. On the other hand, the belt-set from Zemun, bearing human representations in a Late Roman style, may be seen as indicative of connections between the northern Mediterranean region
and the southern parts of the Khaganate.
early medieval finds from Vojvodina, in the south of the Avar Khaganate, has been attempted; it also singles out the finds which can be attributed to the Slavs with a greater degree of certainty. This refers to unearthed funerary urns, the so-called Slavic brooches and particular hand-made
pottery vessels. A small number of these finds, which spread chiefly along the Danube shore, does not, however, indicate that the Slavs were sparse in the southern part of the Khaganate, where their presence is attested by written sources. The available analogous finds from non-Slavic archeological contexts do not speak against their possible Slavic affiliation, but warn that the ethnic attribution of such artefacts should be conducted with great caution.
move their border away from the Danube, to a distance of five days’ journey from this river to the vicinity of Naissus. Yet, already in the next year Attila himself suggested that the border should be shifted back to the Danube. The death of this legendary Hunnic leader in 453 was soon followed by the collapse of their empire, but at least the northern parts of the Central Balkans remained out of Roman reach. Unlike
those of earlier or later dates, Germanic finds from the second half of the 5th century belonged to the ruling people and not to foederati. Together with them, this paper will bring together the Roman finds from the second half of the 5th century, mostly numismatic, to investigate their spatial distribution. These finds provide a glimpse
into the Eastern Gothic strategy in these parts and an overview of the Roman strongholds upon which the 6th-century reconquista could have rested.
The article presents the fragmented early Byzantine buckle found at the Vrćenovac hillfort in the south of present-day Serbia. Archaeological finds from this hillfort, stored at the Heritage Museum of Aleksinac, can be attributed to two main occupation phases. In addition to several pottery fragments and two folles struck for Emperor Anastasius I, the buckle belongs to the early Byzantine period. The first find of this kind in the Central Balkans, it resembles lyrenförmige Drachenpaarschnallen from Transdanubia, dated to the last third of the seventh century. Judging by its quality and the location of the finding site, we may consider it one of the models after which the similar buckles from Transdanubia were made. The date of our buckle does not go beyond the middle of the seventh century. Around the year 620, the circulation of Byzantine coins in the Central Balkans had almost completely collapsed; however, a small number of finds from the later seventh century, including the buckle from the Vrćenovac hillfort, cluster in the Serbian Morava region.
On the Sixth-century Germanic Finds from the Central Balkan Hill-top Sites
The crisis of the Late Antiqity was reflected in a long-lasting process of the immigration, notably of Germanic groups, into the Empire. Even during Justinian’s reign, protection of the weakened Balkan provinces had to rely on Germanic troops. The foederati were chiefly detached in Roman cities and forts along the Danube. The present article discusses a rather small sample of sixth-century Germanic artefacts from the poorly urbanised Central Balkan hinterlands. These finds have
traditionally been ascribed to Gepid refugees after their 567 defeat by the Lombards and Avars; however, they could likewise be dated to the first half of the sixth century. Moreover, historical accounts do not provide a solid backing for such an interpretation. Spatial distribution of these finds points to a planned detachment of the Germanic mercenaries. While most of them were to defend the Danube border, some objects of Germanic origin have been found in a newly-built city
of Justiniana Prima, a restored city of Justiniana Secunda, and in the regional centre of Gradina on the Jelica Mountain. Several other Germanic finds cluster in the Velika Morava valley. The mercenaries were an important and expensive resource; therefore the finds discussed here should not be attributed to the refugees, but rather seen as reflecting the Byzantine defence strategy. Assessing their ethnic affiliation seems premature, however.
and their horses. To this author’s knowledge, these are the only detailed representations of the Avars on antler objects. The conducted archaeological (and art-historical) analyses lead us to the conclusion that the finds come from the second half of the seventh century. In the case of the stray find from Nosa, such a date could be proposed on the basis of the depicted shape of the saddle, while the find from Manđelos comes from a horseman’s grave which can be dated to the middle of the
seventh century. Various details point to a Central Asian (Altai) origin of the representations.