The world of the Slavs : studies on the East, West and South Slavs: civitas, oppidas, villas and archeological evidence (7th to 11th centuries AD)

468 Pages·2013·13.42 MB·English

by  Tibor Živković

THE WORLD OF THE SLAVS
Studies on the East, West and South Slavs:
Civitas, Oppidas, Villas and Archeological Evidence
(7th to 11th Centuries AD)
Reviewers:
Academician Jovanka Kalić
Prof. Vlada Stanković
Assist. Prof. Dejan Radičević
Milan Radujko, Ph.D.
Lovorka Čoralić, Ph.D.
This book has been published with the financial support of
THE MINISTRY OF THE EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TEHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
(project NoIII 47025)
THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORY
Monographs
Vol. 64
Tibor Živković Dejan Crnčević, Dejan Bulić
Vladeta Petrović, Irena Cvijanović, Bojana Radovanović
THE WORLD OF THE SLAVS
Studies on the East, West and South Slavs:
Civitas, Oppidas, Villas and Archeological Evidence
(7th to 11th Centuries AD)
Editor in chief
Srđan Rudić, Ph.D.
Director of The Institute of History
Belgrade
2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS
9 Preface
13 List of Abbreviations
15 The Urban Landcape of Early Medieval Slavic Principalities in
the Territories of the Former Praefectura Illyricumand in the
Province of Dalmatia (ca. 610 –950)
TIBOR ŽIVKOVIĆ
37 The Architecture of Cathedral Churches on the Eastern Adriatic
Coast at the Time of the First Principalities of South Slavs (9th– 11th
Centuries)
DEJAN CRNČEVIĆ
137 The Fortifications of the Late Antiquity and the Early Byzantine
Period on the Later Territory of the South-Slavic Principalities,
and Their Re-occupation
DEJAN BULIĆ
235 Terrestrial Communications in the Late Antiquity and the Early
Middle Ages in the Western Part of the Balkan Peninsula
VLADETA PETROVIĆ
289 The Typology of Early Medieval Settlements in Bohemia, Poland
and Russia
IRENA CVIJANOVIĆ
345 The Typology of Slavic Settlements in Central Europe in the
Middle Ages According to Latin Sources (8th–12thCenturies)
BOJANA RADOVANOVIĆ
List of References
369
List of Illustrations
413
Резиме
421
General Index
429

In memory of
Tibor Živković
(1966-2013)

PREFACE
This study is an attempt to give an insight into some aspects of
Slavic civilization that flourished in vast territories of Europe during Early
Middle Ages. Through the examination of cross-regional similarities and
differences the authors described concepts of space amongst various Slavic
tribes. Their different experiences, historical heritage and social development
related to distinct territories, resulted in a very complex perception of
individual and public, or urban and rural space. The neat fabric of antique
organization of space marked the concepts of confrontation or coexistence
of various spatial layers in the territories occupied by South Slaves. In the
same time, vast areas of East European wild habitats conditioned specific
way of building, space organization and living.
Following the above-mentioned approaches, as well as the
specificity of studied written records and physical remains, this book is
divided into following chapters:The Urban Landscape of Early Medieval
Slavic Principalities in the Territories of the Former Praefectura Illyricum
and in the Province od Dalmatia (ca. 610 -950)(written by Tibor Živković),
The Architecture of Cathedral Churches on the Eastern Adriatic Coast at the
Time of the First Principalities of South Slavs (9th– 11thCenturies)(written
by Dejan Crnčević), The Fortifications of the Late Antiquity and the Early
Byzantine Period on the Later Territory of the South-Slavic Principalities,
and Their Re-occupation (written by Dejan Bulić), Terrestrial
Communications in the Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages in the
Western Part of the Balkan Peninsula(written by Vladeta Petrović), Тhe
Typology of Early Medieval Settlements in Bohemia, Poland and Russia
(written by Irena Cvijanović), and The Typology of Slavic Settlements in
Central Europe in the Middle Ages According to Latin Sources (9th– 12th
Centuries)(written by Bojana Radovanović).
10 Preface
The first chapter titled The Urban Landscape of Early Medieval
Slavic Principalities in the Territories of the Former Praefectura Illyricum
and in the Province of Dalmatia (ca. 610 - 950)represents a research of the
urban development in the South-Slavic principalities. It relies on two
types of sources: archaeological evidence and written documents of
different types (those of epigraphic origin, charters and varia acta, and
narrative sources). The most important narrative source is the famous
work De administrando imperio (DAI)that covers many different subjects:
the earliest history of the Croats and the Serbs, the social classes in their
society, Byzantine policy towards the Croats and the Serbs, especially from
the time of Basil I (867 – 886), and unique data on the kastra oikoumena
in the principalities of Croatia, Serbia, Pagania, Terbounia, Zachlumia,
Diocleia, and Bosnia. Relying on these data, the deep-rooted opinion in
the historiography that the Southern Slavs did not develop any urban
centres in the early stages of their history is challenged and the new
approach in research is based on a new question: What is considered to be
an urban centre?
The history and artistic expression of cathedral churches, as the
most important sacral buildings of the epoch, are discussed in the chapter
The Architecture of Cathedral Churches on the Eastern Adriatic Coast at
the Time of the First Principalities of South Slavs (9th– 11thCenturies). In
this chapter, cathedral churches, being the seats of different dioceses, are
placed in a broader political, cultural and religious context. Their
construction and artistic expression allow profound insight into the
different aspects of the spiritual and social life of that period as a whole. The
specific focus is given to distinct but complementary approaches in
research, i.e. studying on the micro and macro level. In that way, the
cathedral churches of the eastern Adriatic coast and their influence are
presented as a part of larger political and social horizon, as well as a base
of urban morphology and sacral topography in specific urban centers.
The aim of third chapter The Fortifications of the Late Antiquity
and the Early Byzantine Period on the Later Territory of the South-Slavic
Principalities, and Their Re-occupationis to present an overview of late
Roman and early Byzantine fortification sites in the Western Balkans and
a start point for their further studying. In the course of research, the main
objective was to indentify medieval strata of the existing fortifications and
to determine continuity or discontinuity of early Byzantine and Medieval
era. The analysis of archaeological material is focused on relationship of