Histria antiqua, Vol. 20 No. 20, 2011.
Original scientific paper
Architectonic Ruins in Antique Centres of Central part of Dardania (Kosovë)
Exhlale Dobruna-Salihu
; Instituti Albanologjik 10000 Prishtinë – Kosovë
Abstract
Architectonic ruins in the region of central part of Dardania (of nowadays Kosova) during the Antique period have been found not only in greater centres, but also in other settlements beginning from the period of incorporation of Dardania in the Roman Empire till the end of destruction of the last antique important center, Ulpiana (nearby Prishtina) in the end of the 6th century. Starting from the fact that architectonic monuments represent important source for determining characteristics of a settlement and a region, we are presenting here these survey of these ruins a wider context of settlement, including dwellings and other buildings elated to the way of living in general, which are presented with two groups of architectonic monuments: objects (buildings) and plastic. For presentation of these materials we have relied on archaeological researches (excavations) – which besides in well-known municipal regions of Ulpiana and Municipium DD (at Socanica near Mitrovica), very few have been done in other antique centres – in recognition of terrain and accidental discoveries. On the basis of reviewing all the material we can say that despite excavations in a smaller scale in antique centres, the ruins of architectonic objects, with their peculiarities, which is best reflected in Municipium DD in the complex of forum and the basilica urbana, in harmony with architectonics of those objects in centres of other regions of antique world. They are arranged according to regulations of urbanity scheme, and in that case they take certain part of the town according to the function: dwellings, where the main part belongs to villas with mosaics of high artistic level (in Ulpiana and Vendedis), the main buildings of public character at the town core – forum horrea temple and basilica urbana (in Municipium DD), horrea as an independent object in important parts of the town (in Ulpiana and in the big antique settlement in nowadays town of Peja – ant. Siparuntum?), termes, which are proved to be in several places, they are found very near the town core or nearby town entrance gates (in Ulpiana, Municipium DD and in a settlement of greater scale of nowadays village of Çifllak on the riverbank of White Drin - Drini i Bardhë), and trade and craftsman buildings along the porticus on both sides of main road, among which of particular importance are workshops for smelting and processing of metals with several furnaces (in Ulpiana). Their belonging time is connected with building phases implemented in the settlement and lasting period of the settlement itself – Municipium DD 1st – 4th century, settlement in nowadays Çifllak 1st – 5th century, while Ulpiana (Justiniana Secunda) 1st – 7th century, with so far discovered early Christian basilica, two buildings southwards of it, and castrum outside of walls. Dependently of building phases it was changed urban modelling of the town. On the other hand, elements of architectonic plastics discovered in different locations contribute to know about ruins of antique building objects. They in most cases are made from capitals and the bases of pillars and less of pillars, and rarely of architraves and antefixes. One of these monuments with its forms and decoration represents rare samples of architectonic plastics. We hope that the future intensive excavations in the most important antique town of Ulpiana and researches in other antique centers will contribute to the discovery of a greater number of architectonic ruins.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
79763
URI
Publication date:
1.10.2011.
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