hrvatski

Numizmatički nalazi kasnog srednjeg vijeka, novog vijeka i modernog doba

NUMISMATIC FINDS FROM THE LATE MEDIEVAL, POST-MEDIEVAL AND MODERN PERIOD Luka Bekić Department of Archaeological Heritage Croatian Conservation Institute Besides Roman coins that we discussed in the first part of the book, during the archaeological excavations on the site Rijeka -Principia, a small quantity of late medieval, post-medieval and modern coins was found as well. Jetons, saint and other medallions, leaden bulls and other items are also included in those finds, because it is a common practice they are analyzed together with the coins. Except 76 examples of the Roman coins, 10 finds belong to the period from the 15th to 19th century and 30 finds, together with 7 other numismatic finds, belong to the period from the 19th to 20th century. There has not been systematic work in the Rijeka area concerning archaeological numismatic finds until now, so this contribution is going to help in creating a realistic picture of the town area through numismatic. Roman coins as well as some younger examples found at Principia have mostly been found in a very bad state. Especially poorly preserved are the coins from the period of the First and Second World War because in this period, due to the lacks of quality metals and inflation, coins were made of poorer alloys, very sensitive to corrosive processes. As opposed to Roman coins, the stratigraphy of the younger coins on Principia reveals some illogicalities. Several older examples can be well connected with the stratigraphic unit from which they originate. The examples number 3 and 4 were found in closed context, in the midden SU 8a, which has been, according to other finds as well, dated in the 16th century. The example number 5 was found on the top of the layer SU 83, which in the sector IX turned into SU 86, and which according to the other finds, has characteristics of the 16th century. SU 86 can be determined as occupational layer of the 15th and 16th century. It is also covered with even younger layers. Majority of the younger coins has mostly been found in the contexts that correspond to them, regarding other finds as well. This is especially true for the examples that origin from the black pits, canals and other physically separated contexts. However, part of the finds origin from the layers that had been disturbed during the building of houses in the 19th and 20th century or from the layers of alluvium that covered the square later. Such layers cannot be dated according to the majority of the remains found (they contain Roman, late medieval, post medieval and modern finds), but only according the youngest find inside the context. They are often completely modern finds so we can conclude that majority of digging of this square took place at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. We have to bear in mind this is the area where people have been living for centuries, where buildings have been built and pulled down one across the other so the younger layers are considerably mixed up. However, the finds of late medieval, early modern and modern coins are very useful for the understanding of the site stratigraphy. Younger coins also confirms tumultuous historic development of Rijeka up to the present moment and it is a base for the research on the fluctuation of money in Rijeka from the 15th to 20th century. Conclusion On the Principia, less coins from the period from the 15th -20th century were found than the Roman coins. However, these finds present the main historic sequence of resettlement of Roman Tarsatica, that is, what today is Rijeka. Although Rijeka was, from the 14th century, rebuilt and surrounded by defensive walls which included the Principia as well (ŽIC 2006, 17), we do not have numismatic finds from this period. Our oldest find is a Kreutzer of Sigismund I of Austria, minted between 1446 and 1490 (no. 1), lost in the period when Rijeka was under the rule of Walsee family, or what is more probable, origins from the period after 1466, when Rijeka was taken over by Habsburg Emperor Fridrich III (ŽIC 2006, 28). Coin minted in his honour was pfennig, minted in Vienna after 1457 (no. 2). Austrians took great care of this city, which was important for its mercantile position so in the 15th century, there was a big population inflow (ŽIC 2006, 30). Venetians were not satisfied with the development of Rijeka so they tried in every possible way to stop the town’ s progress. That is why they, under the leadership of Trevisiano in 1509, captured Rijeka and started killing and pillaging ruthlessly. The people of Rijeka fought back attacking Venetian fleet, but the restoring peace did not happen and Rijeka was burned down again (ŽIC 2006, 34). One more aggravating circumstance was the fact that Ottoman conquerors were getting close to the Rijeka’ s hinterland in the 16th century. Rijeka’ s support given to Uskoks who fought against Turks, but also pillaged and plundered the property of all those they consider their enemies, was also unacceptable to Venetians so that was also the reason why conflicts between Rijeka and Venetians prolonged to the 17th century. However, trading has no bounds so on the Principia we found Venetian coins from the 16th and 17th century (no. 3, 4, 5, and 6). It was, due to the economic and commercial power of Venice, very widespread currency throughout the Adriatic and east Mediterranean. Venetians never established order in the town that continued to be under Austrian rule, that is, Habsburg Dynasty. That is why the coins from the 17th century found on the Principia belong to the period of Karl III Habsburg, Maria Theresa and Leopold II (no. 7, 8, 9, 10). These are mostly issues of coins for Gorica and, in the early 19th century, for the Austrian province Lombardy-Venetia (no. 11). During the whole 19th century only the money of Austro-Hungarian Empire existed in Rijeka, minted in Austria, but in Hungary as well. The period of great growth of Rijeka was in the 18th and 19th century, and the town became an exceptionally important for Austro-Hungary (ŽIC 2006). Lead seal from Ljubljana (no. 26) is a proof of developed trade with the hinterland of Rijeka, and two saint medals with inscription in German witness about the pilgrimages of believers in the country’ s inland (Maria Zell, no. 25, no. 27). At the beginning of the 20th century the First World War started, bringing radical changes for the future of the town. Rijeka took part in the war as an important port, but also as an area from which numerous soldiers were recruited to the remote battlefields. An Austrian war medal, a memory of a battlefield, present an evidence of that (no. 31). During the war, in 1915, Italy was offered to join the allies and promised to get in return an important territorial expansion to the east part of the Adriatic Sea, that is Istria and Dalmatia. Italy accepted that so the London Pact was signed (ŽIC 2006, 126). According to this contract, Rijeka should not have been annexed to Italy so D’ Annuzio, helped by his legionaries, took over Rijeka in 1919 (ŽIC 2006, 127-133).Through various political turbulences in those years, Italy finally in 1924, took complete control over Rijeka. This was the time of the Fascist rule and this is evident among several examples (no. 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 43).The vicinity of the border of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes left trace on the three coin examples (no. 45, 46, 47).After the Second World War and about 25 years of Italian rule, Rijeka was returned to Croatia, inside of what was SFRJ. Three examples of coins (no. 45, 46, 47) are witnesses of that time. One coin found (no. 44) might witness about frequent travelling of people of Rijeka to Trieste for shopping. As it was already said, coins found on the Principia have been quite helpful in following historic events that took place in Rijeka. If there had been more of these finds, we surely could have reconstructed many other events that have not been mentioned here. Anyway, the finds of the coins described in this work, evoke turbulent history of the town on the Rječina river.

Tarsatica, Rijeka, Principia, arheološka iskopavanja, novac

nije evidentirano

engleski

Numismatic finds from the late medieval, post-medieval and modern period

NUMISMATIC FINDS FROM THE LATE MEDIEVAL, POST-MEDIEVAL AND MODERN PERIOD Luka Bekić Department of Archaeological Heritage Croatian Conservation Institute Besides Roman coins that we discussed in the first part of the book, during the archaeological excavations on the site Rijeka -Principia, a small quantity of late medieval, post-medieval and modern coins was found as well. Jetons, saint and other medallions, leaden bulls and other items are also included in those finds, because it is a common practice they are analyzed together with the coins. Except 76 examples of the Roman coins, 10 finds belong to the period from the 15th to 19th century and 30 finds, together with 7 other numismatic finds, belong to the period from the 19th to 20th century. There has not been systematic work in the Rijeka area concerning archaeological numismatic finds until now, so this contribution is going to help in creating a realistic picture of the town area through numismatic. Roman coins as well as some younger examples found at Principia have mostly been found in a very bad state. Especially poorly preserved are the coins from the period of the First and Second World War because in this period, due to the lacks of quality metals and inflation, coins were made of poorer alloys, very sensitive to corrosive processes. As opposed to Roman coins, the stratigraphy of the younger coins on Principia reveals some illogicalities. Several older examples can be well connected with the stratigraphic unit from which they originate. The examples number 3 and 4 were found in closed context, in the midden SU 8a, which has been, according to other finds as well, dated in the 16th century. The example number 5 was found on the top of the layer SU 83, which in the sector IX turned into SU 86, and which according to the other finds, has characteristics of the 16th century. SU 86 can be determined as occupational layer of the 15th and 16th century. It is also covered with even younger layers. Majority of the younger coins has mostly been found in the contexts that correspond to them, regarding other finds as well. This is especially true for the examples that origin from the black pits, canals and other physically separated contexts. However, part of the finds origin from the layers that had been disturbed during the building of houses in the 19th and 20th century or from the layers of alluvium that covered the square later. Such layers cannot be dated according to the majority of the remains found (they contain Roman, late medieval, post medieval and modern finds), but only according the youngest find inside the context. They are often completely modern finds so we can conclude that majority of digging of this square took place at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. We have to bear in mind this is the area where people have been living for centuries, where buildings have been built and pulled down one across the other so the younger layers are considerably mixed up. However, the finds of late medieval, early modern and modern coins are very useful for the understanding of the site stratigraphy. Younger coins also confirms tumultuous historic development of Rijeka up to the present moment and it is a base for the research on the fluctuation of money in Rijeka from the 15th to 20th century. Conclusion On the Principia, less coins from the period from the 15th -20th century were found than the Roman coins. However, these finds present the main historic sequence of resettlement of Roman Tarsatica, that is, what today is Rijeka. Although Rijeka was, from the 14th century, rebuilt and surrounded by defensive walls which included the Principia as well (ŽIC 2006, 17), we do not have numismatic finds from this period. Our oldest find is a Kreutzer of Sigismund I of Austria, minted between 1446 and 1490 (no. 1), lost in the period when Rijeka was under the rule of Walsee family, or what is more probable, origins from the period after 1466, when Rijeka was taken over by Habsburg Emperor Fridrich III (ŽIC 2006, 28). Coin minted in his honour was pfennig, minted in Vienna after 1457 (no. 2). Austrians took great care of this city, which was important for its mercantile position so in the 15th century, there was a big population inflow (ŽIC 2006, 30). Venetians were not satisfied with the development of Rijeka so they tried in every possible way to stop the town’ s progress. That is why they, under the leadership of Trevisiano in 1509, captured Rijeka and started killing and pillaging ruthlessly. The people of Rijeka fought back attacking Venetian fleet, but the restoring peace did not happen and Rijeka was burned down again (ŽIC 2006, 34). One more aggravating circumstance was the fact that Ottoman conquerors were getting close to the Rijeka’ s hinterland in the 16th century. Rijeka’ s support given to Uskoks who fought against Turks, but also pillaged and plundered the property of all those they consider their enemies, was also unacceptable to Venetians so that was also the reason why conflicts between Rijeka and Venetians prolonged to the 17th century. However, trading has no bounds so on the Principia we found Venetian coins from the 16th and 17th century (no. 3, 4, 5, and 6). It was, due to the economic and commercial power of Venice, very widespread currency throughout the Adriatic and east Mediterranean. Venetians never established order in the town that continued to be under Austrian rule, that is, Habsburg Dynasty. That is why the coins from the 17th century found on the Principia belong to the period of Karl III Habsburg, Maria Theresa and Leopold II (no. 7, 8, 9, 10). These are mostly issues of coins for Gorica and, in the early 19th century, for the Austrian province Lombardy-Venetia (no. 11). During the whole 19th century only the money of Austro-Hungarian Empire existed in Rijeka, minted in Austria, but in Hungary as well. The period of great growth of Rijeka was in the 18th and 19th century, and the town became an exceptionally important for Austro-Hungary (ŽIC 2006). Lead seal from Ljubljana (no. 26) is a proof of developed trade with the hinterland of Rijeka, and two saint medals with inscription in German witness about the pilgrimages of believers in the country’ s inland (Maria Zell, no. 25, no. 27). At the beginning of the 20th century the First World War started, bringing radical changes for the future of the town. Rijeka took part in the war as an important port, but also as an area from which numerous soldiers were recruited to the remote battlefields. An Austrian war medal, a memory of a battlefield, present an evidence of that (no. 31). During the war, in 1915, Italy was offered to join the allies and promised to get in return an important territorial expansion to the east part of the Adriatic Sea, that is Istria and Dalmatia. Italy accepted that so the London Pact was signed (ŽIC 2006, 126). According to this contract, Rijeka should not have been annexed to Italy so D’ Annuzio, helped by his legionaries, took over Rijeka in 1919 (ŽIC 2006, 127-133).Through various political turbulences in those years, Italy finally in 1924, took complete control over Rijeka. This was the time of the Fascist rule and this is evident among several examples (no. 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 43).The vicinity of the border of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes left trace on the three coin examples (no. 45, 46, 47).After the Second World War and about 25 years of Italian rule, Rijeka was returned to Croatia, inside of what was SFRJ. Three examples of coins (no. 45, 46, 47) are witnesses of that time. One coin found (no. 44) might witness about frequent travelling of people of Rijeka to Trieste for shopping. As it was already said, coins found on the Principia have been quite helpful in following historic events that took place in Rijeka. If there had been more of these finds, we surely could have reconstructed many other events that have not been mentioned here. Anyway, the finds of the coins described in this work, evoke turbulent history of the town on the Rječina river.

Tarsatica, Rijeka, Principia, archaeological excavations, coins

nije evidentirano