Komariv: Old Excavations — New Horizons (The Excavations of Markiyan Smishko, 1950s to 1960s)
Abstract
The paper outlines the history and prospects of the study of the archaeological materials excavated near the village of Komariv (Dniester District, Chernivtsi Region) under the leadership of Markiyan Smishko in the 1950s to 1960s. Discovered in the middle of the last century, this site is primarily known as a unique center of glass working outside the limes, located in the area of the Cherniakhiv/Sântana de Mureș culture, more than 300 km from the nearest section of the Roman border. Evidence of glass working, including the remains of a glass-melting furnace, pieces of raw glass, and fragments of moils and molds for blowing vessels, was first documented in Komariv during the excavations of M. Smishko. In total, during the five field seasons of 1956–1957, 1962, 1965, and 1969, across a section that encompasses almost half of the area of the settlement excavated so far, archaeologists discovered 37 structures of the late Roman and early Migration periods (including the glassmelting furnace remains and a stone building) and three structures from the early Iron Age, thousands of fragments of glassware, imported and local ceramic vessels, hundreds of non-ferrous metal objects, and many other elements of the material culture of the local population. The results of this extensive work were published by M. Smishko in the form of a brief review article. Later research into this material focused mainly on certain categories of finds — first and foremost those pertaining to glass working in Komariv. Other evidence from the settlement has not yet been the subject of scholarly scrutiny. The results of M. Smishko’s excavations remain an important source for the study of life in Komariv in the late Roman and early Migration periods, and can throw light on various developments that go far beyond the borders of the Middle Dniester region. This rich trove of information undoubtedly deserves careful assessment and deeper rethinking. Its comprehensive analysis, systematization, and publication should be an important step in this direction.
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References
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