ACTA MUSEI TIBERIOPOLITANI VOL. 3 Strumica, 2020 Publisher Издавач NI Institute for protetction of cultural НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците monuments and Museum Strumica на културата и Музеј Струмица Advisory Board Издавачки совет Ina Minoglav (Croatia) Ина Миноглав (Хрватска) Martina Blecic Kavur (Slovenia) Мартина Блечич Кавур (Словенија) Adam Crnobrnja (Serbia) Адам Црнобрња (Србија) Svetla Petrova (Bulgaria) Светла Петрова (Бугарија) Zoran Rujak (N. Macedonia) Зоран Рујак (С.Македонија) Elena Kanzurova (N. Macedonia) Елена Канзурова (С.Македонија) Slavica Babamova (N. Macedonia) Славица Бабамова (С.Македонија) Anita Vasilkova Midoska (N. Macedonia) Анита Василкова Мидоска (С.Македонија) Editorial Committe Редакциски одбор Zoran Rujak Зоран Рујак Vane P. Sekulov Ване П. Секулов Duško Cvetanov Душко Цветанов Editor Уредник Vane P.Sekulov Ване П. Секулов Technical Editor Технички уредник Daniela Doncheva Даниела Дончева Computer Layout Компјутерска подготовка EPP studio ЕПП студио Printed by Печат DUPT Fokus Repro DOOEL ДУПТ Фокус Репро ДООЕЛ Copies Тираж 250 250 This Acta has been published with Зборникот е финансиран со средства од funds from the Ministry of culture of the Министерството за култура на Republic of North Macedonia Република Северна Македонија Contents Dragoş Gheorghiu Constanze Graml THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF A MYTH: DECODING CREATING THE THREE FIGURED HEKATE GÖBEKLI TEPE’S ICONOGRAPHY – FROM IMAGE TO IMAGINATION [9] [103] Elena Stojanova Kanzurova Rostislava G. Todorova GENESIS, MODIFICATION AND SYMBOLISM SACRED SPACE ON DISPLAY: OF SOME ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS IN THE THE PLACE WHERE GOD DWELLS AND PREHISTORIC AND PROTOHISTORIC CULTURES ITS VISUAL REPRESENTATION [15] [121] Zoran Rujak Vane P.Sekulov, Mitko Shterjov IMAGINATIVE CORPUS OF CHALCOLITHIC THE HORSE OF PILAV TEPE ANTROPOMORPHIC TERRACOTTA FIGURINES [135] FROM “CAREVI KULI – STRUMICA” Nikos Čausidis THAT CROSSES TRADITIONAL BORDERS LONGSTANDING SANCTUARIES IN BETWEEN IDEA AND RELIGION NORTH MACEDONIA [25] [151] Adela Kovács Dora Kušan Špalj STYLISED BUCRANIA FROM CUCUTENI ROMAN SETTLEMENT AQUAE IASAE-RECENT CULTURE-MEANS OF REPRESENTATIONS AND DISCOVERIES IN THE SANCTUARY AREA CONNECTIONS [171] [33] Vane P.Sekulov Aurel Melniciuc, Adela Kovács IS THERE ANY TEMPLE IN BANYA BANSKO? REPRESENTATIONS OF THE APRON AND IF THERE IS, WHY IT WAS DEDICATED TO ON THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC STATUETTES THE GOD OF HERMES? OF THE CUCUTENI CULTURE [185] [51] Svetla Petrova Sergiu-Constantin Enea, CULTS AND CULT SCULPTURE FROM Dumitru Boghian, Sorin Ignătescu NICOPOLIS AD NESTUM AND ITS VICINITY REPRESENTATIONS OF THE APRON [201] ON THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC STATUETTES Meri Zornija, PhD, Goran Pajović OF THE CUCUTENI CULTURE ON THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CAPITALS FROM [63] THE VILLAGE OF LASTVA GRBALJSKA Jacqueline Balen IN THE BAY OF KOTOR (MONTENEGRO) RELIGIOUS ASPECTS OF THE COPPER AGE [229] LASINJA CULTURE IN NORTHERN CROATIA Nikolay Markov [87] FROM MYTHS TO TALES. Silvia Fogliazza NOTES ON THE STORY OF WOLVES AND GODS IN “THE GIRL WITH THE CUT OFF HANDS” THE ETRUSCAN WORLD [237] [95] Duško Cvetanov THE KNIGHTE ORDER OF THE DRAGON POSSIBLE REPRESENTATIVES OF MEDIEVAL STRUMICA [251] part of the participants in 5 international symposia in archeology UDC 27-523[902.2:903.2(497.16) ON THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CAPITALS FROM THE VILLAGE OF LASTVA GRBALJSKA IN THE BAY OF KOTOR (MONTENEGRO) Meri Zornija, PhD Assistant Professor University of Zadar Department of Art History Obala Petra Krešimira IV. Nr. 2, 23000 Zadar, Croatia [email protected] Goran Pajović Custodian researcher National museum of Montenegro Archaeological museum Novice Cerovića b. b. 81250 Cetinje, Crna Gora [email protected] Key words: Lastva Grbaljska, triconch church, Early Christian sculpture, capital Abstract The paper focuses on three capitals, which are situated at three different locations in Montenegro. Intrigued by curiosity and by scientifically comparing each capital against two other ones, the authors have come to realize that all three pieces of the architectural sculp- ture may be interconnected with respect to an interesting museological situation and some unique archaeological circumstances. The appearance of some morphologically striking relief motifs suggests that these artefacts should be viewed as parts of one architectural whole - an assumed, though still unexplored Early Christian church, possibly of triconch plan, in the Grbalj field, between the Bay of Kotor and Budva. Analysis, as well as ultimate understanding of inner structure of stone installations in Early Christian churches can additionally shed light on their geographical position and their role in sacred apparatus of the Early Christianity in the area of the eastern Adriatic coast. The Montenegrin coast, throughout its Empire, is the site of Lastva Grbaljska, where length from Boka bay to Ada Bojana, repre- we want to point the attention of the expert sents a true “Eldorado” for the archaeological public in this short article. and art-historical profession, a treasury that The village of Lastva Grbaljska is located has not yet been explored to the extent in the southern part of the Grbalj field, which that it deserves. Within the Roman province in the north-south direction stretches between of Dalmatia, this southern part of the east- the Bay of Kotor and Budva. The wider area ern Adriatic coast was part of the antique of the village is repeatedly mentioned in the world, subsequently incorporated into the literature as the place where most likely a newly founded Praevalis province. Right on Roman settlement was situated, judging by the border between late-antique Dalmatia the fragments of architectural decorations and Praevalis, which will later be the border incorporated into some houses and stone- between the Eastern and Western Roman TIBERIOPOLITANI vol. 3 229 ON THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CAPITALS FROM THE VILLAGE OF LASTVA GRBALJSKA IN THE BAY OF KOTOR (MONTENEGRO) visible on its surface, which indicates that the stone was exposed to weathering for a long time. The dimensions of the upper surface of the capital are 32 x 39 cm, and its height makes 17 cm. The thickness of the upper plate of the abacus above the bevelled sides is 4 cm. The decoration consists of a motif of a large vine leaf in the center, flanked on each side by a vine tendril curling at its end and bearing a single grape cluster, both clusters being pecked by a small figure of a simply designed dove. The dove is situated above the vine leaf, a little bit off the center turned to the right grape cluster on three sides, and to the left one on one of the shorter sides. On two longer, lateral sides some 3.2-3.8 cm wide and maximum 6 cm deep grooves were subsequently carved over the relief dec- oration. In the center of the lower surface of the capital, which dimensions are 16 x 17 cm, there is a preserved hole which was used to join the capital with the shaft, and in its inside Tabel 1 - Capital from museum in Buva there is still a part of an iron wedge and lead walls,1 as well as by local traditions which tells about ancient towns of Šebegrad and Mirin- grad.2 A Roman road used to pass through this area leading from Resinum to Butua,3 that is to say, from today Rose to Budva: besides that, under the foundations of the nearby monastery of Podlastva remains of the Early Christian church and baptismal font were discovered, as well as parts of mosaics and fragments of church furniture.4 In the depository of the Museum of the Town of Budva, among Early Christian frag- ments of the basilica in Budva, a wholly preserved capital has been kept without any information about place and circumstances of its discovery, hitherto unpublished. It is made of limestone in the shape of a truncated pyra- mid turned upside down, decorated on all four sides with the same motif carved in bas-relief (Table 1). A strong yellowish-brown patina is 1 M. Garašanin, 1967, p. 167; I. Pušić, 1969, p. 18; M. Parović-Peši- kan – J. Martinović et al, 1978, pp. 164-165. 2 S. Nakićenović, 1913 (reprint Podgorica, 1999), p. 113; J. Marti- nović – V. Kovačević, 2005, p. 28; M. Milinković, 2005, p. 38 3 M. Vrzić, 2005, p. 80. Fig. 1 - Detail of the vine and bird on capital from Budva 4 Č. Marković, 2005, pp. 55-68. 230 ACTA MUSEI MERI ZORNIJA / GORAN PAJOVIĆ with which the wedge was sealed so that stone parts could be firmly joined together. That it is an early Christian capital is obviously due to the stylistic features of the relief itself, shallow cut in two planes. A stone mason created the main motif by carving the background, thereby letting both edges of the capital (where they have remained preserved) and the upper plate of the abacus project in relief. The artist was trying to get inspired by natural shapes: curling the tendril, highlighting the natural flow of veins of the vine leaf, fur- ther finely shaping the wing and the line of the tail on the bird’s body (Fig. 1.). No tendency toward stylization or geometrization of motifs can be observed yet as it will be the case in the later period of the Early Christian sculp- ture, and particularly the pre-Romanesque one. This would suggest an earlier date within the Early Christian art, closer to the realistic features of the art of Antiquity. A choice of the motifs is emphatically sym- bolic, with a clear Eucharistic symbolism of Tabel 2 - Capital from National museum of Montenegro the vine as a symbol of the blood of Christ and the Resurrection, and eventually the salvation It is not known from where and under of a Christian soul, depicted by a bird figure, which circumstances the capital came into which most likely represents a dove.5 The the depository of the Museum of the Town morphology of the capital itself also points of Budva. When we cooperated on catalogu- to the Early Christianity, especially a typi- ing and analysing the stone fragments from cal form of truncated pyramid turned upside the Early Christian basilica in Budva, the first down.