6 PLURAL Vol. 5, nr. 2, 2017 The specific features of the Getic fortifications in the Middle Dniester region (the Saharna and Horodişte-Ţipova micro-zones) Aurel Zanoci, Mihail Băţ Abstract In the Middle Dniester region, as a result of field investigation, surveys, and archaeological researches 40 fortifications and 70 open settlements attrib- uted to the Getic communities of the 4th-3rd centuries BC were discovered. In recent years, increased attention has been paid to the research of fortifications in the Saharna (16 sites) and Horodişte-Ţipova (7 sites) micro-zones. Based on field investigations and archaeological research, it has been observed that the defensive system of the fortifications in this region has some specific features, which are not attested in the rest of the Getic fortresses. Among these are the so-called “bastions”, which can be divided into two types according to the place of arrangement within the defensive system: bastions placed in front of the en- trance gates, and “bastions” located on the perimeter of the fortification. The erection of defensive constructions of the bastion type as additional elements of the fortifications denotes the fact that the Getic communities of the Middle Dniester region had a thorough knowledge of the military architecture. Keywords: Middle Dniester region, Iron Age, Getae, fortifications, bastions. Due to the favorable physical and geographic conditions (Ciobotaru 2014, 11-13; Revenco, Castraveţ and Nicu 2016, 9-18), the southern part of the Dnies- ter region (Fig. 1) has served as a living place for human communities since the earliest times, as evidenced by numerous archaeological sites. However, a real “demographic explosion” in this space (Fig. 3) is attested in the 4th-3rd centur- ies BC, which about 40 fortifications and about 70 open settlements are dated to (Kašuba, Haheu and Leviţki 2000, 119-130; Zanoci and Băţ 2011, 17-19, tab. 1; Zanoci, Niculiţă and Băţ 2015, 82-100; Niculiţă, Zanoci and Băţ 2016, 7, 329-374, tab. 4; Zanoci, Niculiţă and Băţ 2017, 7-46). However, in the last years, the Getic sites concentrated in two distinct micro-zones of the Middle Dniester region – Saharna and Horodişte-Ţipova were given special attention (Fig. 3); there were conducted systematic archae- ological research, surveys, and wide-scale investigations. These have resulted in the publication of several articles (Niculiţă et al. 2013, 219-292; Niculiţă, Zanoci and Băţ 2013, 295-314; Niculiţă, Zanoci and Băţ 2014, 235-252; Zanoci, Niculiţă and Băţ 2015, 82-100 etc.) and monographs (Niculiţă, Zanoci and Arnăut 2008; Niculiţă, Zanoci and Băţ 2016). The specific features of the Getic fortifications in the Middle Dniester region (the Saharna and Horodişte-Ţipova micro-zones) PLURAL 7 S outhe R rn B ăut ug S ir e r th pe nie D Dnie s ter P r uth ube Dan Black Sea Olt Ialomița Fig. 1. Location of the Middle Dniester region. The Saharna micro-zone is a strip of land with a width of about 2.0-4.5 km, which extends along the right bank of the Dniester River for about 8.5 km, between the villages of Stohnaia (in the north) and Buciuşca (in the south). The Dniester River bank in this re- gion is rather steep and has a relative altitude of about 80-130 m from the riverbed. The micro-zone is segment- ed by three gorges, which go from the Dniester riverbed and continue to- wards the interior of the territory, thus forming a series of promontories favor- able for the location of the fortresses (Fig. 2; 4). As a result of field investi- gations, surveys and archaeological research, 16 fortifications and 14 open settlements have been documented in this area, which date to the 4th-3rd cen- turies BC (Fig. 4) (Niculiţă, Zanoci 0 2 10 and Băţ 2016, 388-396). km The Horodişte-Ţipova micro-zone, Fig. 2. Relief of the Middle Dniester region (af- with an area of about 6 sq. km, is lo- ter https://www.moldova-map.md/). 8 PLURAL Vol. 5, nr. 2, 2017 14 Cot Alexeevca Bursuc 166.3 211.6 270.6 231.0 90 227.2 200.0 215.4 138.7 21 91 204.0 5 Sloboda-Raşcov Salcia Raşcov Climăuţii de Jos 233.8 ipordei 275.5 Vadul-Turcului Caterinovca 207.0 217.3 233.9 235.9 Vadul-Raşcov 212.5 210.7 178.2 208.6 61 62 63 Cunicea Cuşmirca Socol 7 190.5 264.0 104 84 85 300.9 186.7 86 87 264.0 88 265.3 89 260.6 60 284.0 37 204.1 Poiana 8 Stroieşti 256.0 17 ¼ 277.6 57 58 59 6 268.7 286.0 Curătura Tarasovca Beloci 289.2 Alcedar 197.7 Cobâlnea 251.2 271.8 295.6 109 Odaia 286.9 Şestaci 108 74 270.3 1 41 273.7 219.0 Legend: Şipca 105 226.5 15 70 fortication open settlement Mihuleni 215.9 71 9 0 1000 5000 72 194.4 76 73 77 78 16 m 79 Glinjeni 19 66 75 Şoldăneşti Parcani 20 10 69 65 160.8 68 Lipceni Mateuţi Fortications 32. Saharna 73. OlişcaniMihuleni VII 1. Alcedar „La Nouă III 74. Odaia 81 82 Cordon” 33. Saharna 75. Olişcani II 272.8 235.8 Popăuţi 80 2. Buciuşca Nouă V 76. Olişcani III 253.6 267.3 178.] Boşerniţa 3. Buciuşca II 34. Saharna-Ţiglău 77. Parcani I 231.6 4. Buciuşca III „Cetate” 78. Parcani II 282.4 233.3 5. Caterinovca 35. Stohnaia III 79. Parcani III 264.7 6. Cogâlniceni 36. Stohnaia IV 80. Păpăuţi 273.7 246.0 225.3 22 7. Cunicea 37. Stroieşti „Hlinaia” 46 8. Curătura 38. Ţareuca 81. Păpăuţi I Ciorna RÎBNIŢA 9. Glinjeni (Stohnaia I) 82. Păpăuţi II 274.8 Piscăreşti „La Lacuri” 39. Ţipova III 0183. Pere23ni km 235.6 10. Glinjeni 40. Ţipova IV 84. Poiana III Ţareuca „La Şanţ” 85. Poiana IV REZINA 11. Horodişte II Open selements 86. Poiana V Ţahnăuţi 12. Horodişte 41. Alcedar 87. Poiana VI 259.1 176.3 „La Cot” 42. Buciuşca IV 88. Poiana VII Sîrcov 38 106 13. Horodişte 43. Buciuşca V 89. Poiana VIII 271.0 „La Şanţ” 44. Buşeuca I 90. Raşcov VIIIa 36 291.7 35 14. Japca 45. Buşeuca II 91. Raşcov XI 281.3 287.1 107 15. Mateuţi 46. Ciorna III 92. Saharna I 242.0 286.8 16. Mihuleni X 47. Cogâlniceni I 93. Saharna 95 25 17. Molochişul 48. Cogâlniceni II „Budei” 100 103 275.4 Ghidirim Mare 49. Cogâlniceni III 94. Saharna „Gura 240.8 34 zone 92 281.0 18. Ofatinţi 50. Cogâlniceni IV Hulboacei” o- 96 29 31 19. Olişcani 51. Cogâlniceni V 95. Saharna Gordineşti 23 Cinişeuţi 27 „Roata 52. Cogâlniceni VI „La Revichin” I 30 28 Echimăuţi 26 Saharna Pripiceni-Rezeş 216.3 Turcilor” 53. Cogâlniceni VII 96. Saharna Mică I 101 aharna micr 98 20. Parcani 54. Cogâlniceni VIII 97. Saharna Nouă I Pripiceni-Curchi S 93 18 102 97 32 „Zanova” 55. Cogâlniceni IX 98. Saharna 99 21. Raşcov 56. Cogâlniceni X Nouă II Trifeşti Saharna Nouă 33 22. Rezina 57. Curatura IIIa 99. Saharna 261.3 273.7 23. Saharna „Dealul 58. Curatura IIIb Nouă IV Ofatinţi Grimidon” 59. Curatura IIIc 100. Saharna 298.3 94 24 24. Saharna 60. Cuşmirca I „Pădure” 282.9 „Hulboaca” 61. Cuşmirca II 101. Saharna „Rude” 265.0 Pereni 2 25. Saharna 62. Cuşmirca III 102. Saharna „Valea 83 Minceştii de Sus „La Revichin” 63. Cuşmirca IV de Mijloc” 274.3 56 (Stohnaia II) 64. Ghiduleni I 103. Saharna „Valea 243.5 6 232.6 26. Saharna 65. Glinjeni Furnicar” 47- 50- 101.8 49 53 230.6 Buciuşca „La Şanţ” 66. Glinjeni V 104. Socol „Craina” Cogîlniceni Mincenii de Jos Roşcani 55 288.2 179.8 Horodiște-Ţipova micro-zone 27. Saharna 67. Horodişte 105. Solonceni 54 250.2 227.1 235.8 „La Şanţ” I 68. Lipceni IV „Hlinaia” 4 106.8 28. Saharna 69. Lipceni „Râpa 106. Stohnaia V 11 42 12 Zozuleni „La Şanţ” II Zanova” 107. Stohnaia VI 67 Cuizăuca 13 43 Horodişte 3 29. Saharna 70. Mateuţi 108. Şestaci 224.9 64 187.9 39 45 253.4 „La Vile” „La Başne” 109. Şipca I 40 44 30. Saharna Mare 71. Mihuleni II 110. Ţipova 110 Ţipova 31. Saharna Mică 72. Mihuleni III „Jidavca” B 218 7 Fig. 3. Spreading of Getic sites in the Middle Dniester region (4th-3rd centuries BC). The specific features of the Getic fortifications in the Middle Dniester region (the Saharna and Horodişte-Ţipova micro-zones) PLURAL 9 Ni s t r u Fortications: Open selements: 1. Stohnaia IV; 2. Stohnaia III; 3. Saharna „Revechin”; 4. Saharna-Ţiglău „Cetate”; 17. Stohnaia V; 18. Stohnaia VI; 19. Saharna „Revechin I”; 20. Saharna „Valea Furnicar”; 5. Saharna „La Vile”; 6. Saharna „Dealul Grimidon”; 7. Saharna Mică; 8. Saharna Mare; 21. Saharna „Pădure”; 22. Saharna I; 23. Saharna Mică I; 24. Saharna „Rude”; 25. Saharna 9. Saharna „La Şanţ”; 10. Saharna „La Şanţ I”; 11. Saharna „La Şanţ II”; 12. Saharna „Budei”; 26. Saharna Nouă I; 27. Saharna Nouă II; 28. Saharna „Valea de Mijloc”; Nouă III; 13. Saharna Nouă V(?); 14. Saharna „Hulboaca”; 15. Buciuşca; 16. Ofatinţi. 29. Saharna Nouă IV; 30. Saharna „Gura Hulboacei”. 0 200 1000 Legend: village fortication open settlement m Fig. 4. Distribution of Getic sites in the Saharna micro-zone (orthophotomap after Google Earth Pro). cated on the right bank of the Dniester at a distance of about 5 km to the south of the previous one. In this region the river bank is also steep and rises about 100-130 m above the surface of the water.