Papers by Miglena Stamberova
Bulgarian-Italian scientific and cultural collaboration through the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2024
Archaeology of Western Anatolia, 2024
Fibulae are often used as reliable chronological markers in archaeology. Their use-life could var... more Fibulae are often used as reliable chronological markers in archaeology. Their use-life could vary greatly depending on their shape, size and the material they were made of. Gold fibulae were extremely rare, although they were a sign of authority and wealth. Two miniature Early La Tène type of fibulae from the Early Hellenistic period and four massive Roman crossbow fibulae, all from the collection of the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum in Sofia were examined by a non-destructive XRF analysis and microscopic traceological observation. The present research aims to investigate the possibilities to determine if and how long these artefacts were used before their deposition and what happened to them after their discovery.
The paper examines six double pins found in two necropolises in the area of Staro Selo, Radomir r... more The paper examines six double pins found in two necropolises in the area of Staro Selo, Radomir region – Vetrilnika and Ravnishteto localities, and provides important information about the culture of the people who inhabited the Upper Struma valley in the period from the 6th to the 1st century BC.
Poster exhibition “The panoply of the Thracian warriors” in Tsaribrod/Dimitrovgrad, Serbia, 2023
Poster exhibitions serve as one of the most accessible means of communication with the public. Th... more Poster exhibitions serve as one of the most accessible means of communication with the public. This paper presents the poster exhibition "The Panoply of the Thracian Warriors", organized by the National Archaeological Institute with the Museum, displayed in Tsaribrod, Serbia, in the autumn of 2023. It was supported by the National Scientific Programme "Development and Promotion of Bulgarian Studies Abroad".
Всички права са запазени. Нито една част от тази книга не може да бъде репродуцирана, публикувана... more Всички права са запазени. Нито една част от тази книга не може да бъде репродуцирана, публикувана, изцяло или отчасти, или в съкратен вариант, преразказана или преработена с фабрични или електронни средства, препечатвана или записвана под каквато и да било форма без изричното писмено разрешение на издателя.
Early Hellenistic cemetery near the village of Bohot, 2023
Early Hellenistic cemetery near the village of Bohot, 2023
От 25-ти до 28-ми септември 2013 г. в град Делфи, Гърция се проведе Първият международен симпозиу... more От 25-ти до 28-ми септември 2013 г. в град Делфи, Гърция се проведе Първият международен симпозиум "Виртуална археология, музеи и културен туризъм" ("Virtual Archaeology, Museums & Cultural Tourism"), организиран от Департамента по средизменоморски изследвания и Департамента по продуктов и системен инженерен дизайн към Егейския университет в Лесбос, Гърция в сътрудничество с изследователския и иновационен център "Атина", Гърция и Департамента по антични изследвания към университета Дюк в Северна Каролина, САЩ. Събитието бе под патронажа на гръцкото Министерство на културата и спорта. Заседанията бяха провеждани в конферентната зала на Европейския културен център в Делфи. През първия ден на форума се състояха четири заседания. Първото започна с доклада на Мария Русо от Атинския университет, която представи реализирания в музея на Акропола в Атина изследователски проект CHESS-Cultural Heritage Experiences through Socio-personal interactions and Storytelling, съфинансиран от Европейската комисия по Седма рамкова оперативна програма 2007-2013 г. (обр. 1). Основната цел на проекта е създаване, прилагане и оценяване на иновативна технологична схема, създадена от експерти в областта и използвана за преживяване на персонализирани интерактивни истории от страна на посетителите на музея 1. Чрез въпросници по проекта са изготвени профили на шест персонажа, които характеризират основните категории посетители на музея на Акропола. На базата на Отзиви / News Be-JA Bulgarian e-Journal of Archaeology Бе-СА Българско е-Списание за Археология http://be-ja.org
Българско е-Списание за Археология, 2015
The paper presents the ICP-AES analysis of thirty-three artifacts made of copper alloys (tin bron... more The paper presents the ICP-AES analysis of thirty-three artifacts made of copper alloys (tin bronze, lead bronze and brass) – adornments, vessels, weapons and several plates, strips and sticks gathered in the category "others". They are found in southeastern Bulgaria and dated between the 8th and the 3rd century BC. The trend for targeted selection of alloys according to the way of working and the function of items are discussed, as well as some features of technology. The composition of all samples is compared with cluster analysis. The clusters and the data for local production of some artifacts like jewels, helmets, horse-harness appliqués etc. admit the presumption that part of bronze vessels found in ancient Thrace could be local as well.
ERASMUS+ and Experimental Archaeology, 2022
The paper presents the ICP-AES analysis of thirty-three artifacts made of copper alloys (tin bron... more The paper presents the ICP-AES analysis of thirty-three artifacts made of copper alloys (tin bronze, lead bronze and brass) – adornments, vessels, weapons and several plates, strips and sticks gathered in the category “others”. They are found in southeastern Bulgaria and dated between the 8th and the 3rd century BC. The trend for targeted selection of alloys according to the way of working and the function of items are discussed, as well as some features of technology. The composition of all samples is compared with cluster analysis. The clusters and the data for local production of some artifacts like jewels, helmets, horse-harness appliqués etc. admit the presumption that part of bronze vessels found in ancient Thrace could be local as well.
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Papers by Miglena Stamberova
Two impressive burials within the cemetery deserve special attention. They yielded artefacts of high scientific importance and artistic value, such as six silver hinged fibulae, a large number of bronze Thracian type fibulae and rings, a necklace of gold beads, ornamented silver bracelets, a string of glass beads, iron knives and spear heads. Similar artefacts have been published before, but these were yielded by a reliable and precisely documented archaeological context and were found together, which contributes significantly to our knowledge on the Thracian burial practices. The catalogue presents some of the artefacts yielded by two rich burials, the context of their discovery as well as stylistic and comparative analyses. There is a short review of the burial practices evidenced in the cemetery. The restoration of the artefacts has not been completed yet, and some additional interdisciplinary analyses have to be conducted before the fi nal publication on the excavation results.
These significant discoveries, the possibility to rescue the artefacts for the public, to collect and elicit new scientific information are the result of the dedication of the team that carried out the field work. Additionally, a wide circle of colleagues provided indispensable support during the archaeological excavations, the restoration and the conservation of the artefacts and the special laboratory analyses.
Who were these people? What do we know about them?
This book will take you to all of the sites related to the Thracians, a mysterious nation that had no written language but left behind a lot of marvellous heritage.
Thematically papers were divided into 11 sessions, dealing with different aspects of Greek, Roman and Byzantine fibulae (cf. the program in the abstract booklet). Revised papers will be published in a peer-reviewed proceedings volume.
A fibula is a brooch or pin for fastening garments, typically at the right shoulder. The fibulae developed in a variety of shapes and are usually divided into families that are based upon historical periods, geography, and/or cultures. They are also divided into classes that are based upon their general forms. Fibulae were found in relatively large quantities in the Mediterranean and Black Sea area, where they were in use and produced frequently between the Bronze Age and Medieval periods. So far the study of these multifunctional objects has been overlooked in the Mediterranean whereas there is still a huge amount of unpublished material from excavations and museums in an area from Portugal down to Egypt.
Fibulae can be categorized based on different criteria, including genres of material, production, use and distribution. The purpose of this video conference was to create an analytical framework for understanding the fibulae in their social and material contexts. This conference considered in depth the role played by fibulas – whose uses ranged from clothes pins to status symbols to military badges of rank – in ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine societies. In recent decades, major excavation projects have produced vast quantities of material data that have reshaped our understanding of the fibulae, while also raising new questions about their use and production over the long term. We focused on a study of brooches in general and fibulas in particular. Along the way we looked at the intersection between material culture and ethnicity, dealing with the contentious issue of how much that a people’s material culture can tell us about their ethnicity – or not! In this online conference we only focused on Greek, Roman and Byzantine fibulae from the Mediterranean and Black Sea area between c. early sixth century B.C. and early seventh century A.D., and attempted to set out a comprehensive model for the study of fibulae, including their definition, typology, chronology, contexts, function, regional characteristics and distribution patterns in the whole Mediterranean and Black Sea geographies.
This conference on ancient material culture and instrumenta is dedicated to the 75th birthday of Dr Maurizio Buora, the former director of the Civici Musei Castello di Udine in Italy and an international authority on fibulae.
Such papers that engage the following themes and topics are invited:
- Fibulae from archaeological field projects (especially well-dated finds), museums and private collections,
- Identification of different kinds of fibulas,
- Ancient Greek and Latin textual sources on fibulae,
- Evolution of fibulae in the Mediterranean and Black Sea area during the Etruscan, Lydian, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods,
- The construction of fibula taxonomies,
- Similar instrumenta in the ancient Near East and their relations to ancient Graeco-Roman fibulae, - The nature of different types of surviving material culture,
- What ancient Greeks and Romans thought about afterlife? Fibulae in funerary and votive contexts,
- Comparative studies and issues related to the adoption of Greek and/or Roman fibula models in indigenous contexts: fibulae as major indicators of the relationship between these two communities (indigenous and Greek or Roman),
- Fibula as an indicator of rank and prestige in the ancient world,
- Domestic and commercial use of fibulae,
- Early Christian fibulae,
- Byzantine fibulae,
- Post-Byzantine or modern replicas of Classical fibulae,
- Eastern fibulae in the ancient western world,
- Major production centres of fibulae in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea area,
- Related instrumenta to fibulae in the regards of their function,
- Documentation and analysis of fibulae,
- The creation of a fully annotated and organized corpus,
- Publication of fibulae in the Mediterranean in possible corpara,
- Miscellanea.