Peuce (Nov 2020)
Roman Fibulae in the Collection of the Lower Danube Museum Călărași
Abstract
In the collection of the Museum of Lower Danube Călărași is housed a large number of fibulae discovered, in particular, on the iconic sites of Ostrov-Ferma 4 and Izvoarele (former Pîrjoaia, settlement associated with Sucidava of Moesia). These were discovered during the archaeological investigations and field surveys carried out at Ostrov-Ferma 4 or exclusively during field surveys in the case of the settlement/settlements from Izvoarele/Sucidava. In addition to the fibulae discovered in these sites, several other examples were donated to the Museum or left in custody, following confiscations at the Bulgarian-Romanian border, by the Romanian Border Police. The authors present this small assemblage discovered, according to the available information, on the territory of Bulgaria, in the Silistra area (Durostorum), respectively in an unknown place in Greece. We consider that their publication is necessary as some of the finds have unique traits and have few analogies in the corpus of brooches from the Lower Moesia. Moreover, because these finds were discovered outside a clear archaeological context, the question arises as to their authenticity. While some of the finds (Figs. 1-2, 8) they have not been cleaned and have all the characteristics of the antique (bronze) alloy, other finds (Figs. 3-7) – probably purchased in Greece – were somehow cleaned and kept for a long time. For this reason, the material (a bronze alloy) has become whitish. Even if we have close parallels to them, we maintain some suspicion about their authenticity.
