Milomir Maksimović | University of Belgrade (original) (raw)

Papers by Milomir Maksimović

Ужички зборник 47/Užički zbornik 47, 2023

This year marks the 650th anniversary of the siege of Užice and the defeat of župan Nikola Altoma... more This year marks the 650th anniversary of the siege of Užice and the defeat of župan Nikola Altomanović, a member of Vojinović noble family. That was an event of great significance for both local and national history. The siege of Užice in 1373. was the first historical event that was ever recorded in Užice. Prince Lazar managed to conquer the fortress of Užice and to capture young župan Nikola, his most powerful opponent in the struggle for succession the Serbian crown. After that, Prince Lazar and his ally, Bosnian ban Tvrtko, divided Nikola’s country. Considering the place of Užice in Altomanović’s biography we came to conclusion that it was neither the largest, nor the richest, nor the most important settlement of Nikola Altomanović, nor was it his capital. No traces of the palace were found in the fortress of Užice, but we can not rule out the possibility of the existence of a palace in the settlement in the valley of Đetinja river. Nevertheless, Užice is one of the most significant places in his biography. He came to the city more by a combination of unfavorable circumstances than by his own choice, but he found loyalty in fortress garrison when other nobelman turned their backs on him. The commander of the fort and his soldiers let their lord into the city, and made the decision to fight when an overwhelming enemy army appeared. The weight and cost of that decision certainly contributed to the later oral tradition that the made Užice not just Nikola's last stand but the Capital Town of his country . The defense of Užice was the last act of a seven-year long warrior and statesman career. Nikola suffered the most severe defeat and his the dreams of the Serbian throne were shattered. Prince Lazar had him blinded. Nikola Altomanović has remained the important person in the historical memory of the inhabitants of the Užice region to this day. The heraldic legacy of Nikola Altomanović is present in the the coat of arms of the City of Užice.

Rudnik i Venčac sa okolinom u srednjem veku i ranoj moderni, 2018

Vlachs in the area of Rudnik are mentioned in extant sources only since the 15th century. However... more Vlachs in the area of Rudnik are mentioned in extant sources only since the 15th century. However, we may be certain that they were present in that area even before that and are related to the so called Vlachs of Srem or Panonia, which were migrating southward, to the area of Serbian state. Within the despot Đurađ’s reaffirmation of the great chelnik Radič’s rights to hold feudal estates in 1428/9 lays the reaffirmation of Radič’s right to hold the village Vlasi Vojkovci, for which it is stated to belong to metoch (city territory) of Rudnik. The great chelnik Radič was one of the most powerful people in the Despotate of Serbia during the reign of despot Stefan and his heir, the aforementioned despot Đurađ. Besides his rights to hold several Vlach communities, Radič also had some income from mining, which had previously been an exclusive regal right. The village Vlasi Vojkovci was probably located in the area of modern day village Vojkovci (municipality Topola), north of modern day settlement Rudnik in whose immediate area were discovered the traces of medieval urban settlement Rudnik. The bare fact that Vojkovci is mentioned as Vlach village corroborates the fact that the village’s territorialization in this area was already complete before the charter was awarded to the great chelnik. The population of Vojkovci was primarily occupied with animal husbandry by grazing their herds on the northern reaches of mountain Rudnik and the adjacent ranges. Animal husbandry was highly developed among the Rudnik villages up until the 20th century. Bearing in mind that besides animal husbandry, another of Vlachs’ dominant occupations was caravan transport, mostly of ore exported by merchants from Dubrovnik, and the fact that they occupied the urban district of Rudnik, an important mining center since the end of the 15th century, we may come to a conclusion that Vlachs were taking part in trade of the ore mined in Rudnik area. During the 14th century that trade was probably directed southward – towards Dubrovnik and northward – towards Dmitrovica, which was one of the most important economic centers where the citizens of Dubrovnik had their quarter before the Ottoman conquests. Both in the areas to the north and northeast of Rudnik in 1428, there were Vlach villages, already inhabited by Vlachs for a substantial period of time, which is one of the conditions for the territorialization and transformation of Vlach population into peasants (nisam siguran sta tacno znaci zaseljacivanje). Even the last name of nobleman Zubrovic (zubr is an extinct bovine species) who most definitely, like chelnik Radič, was in possession of feudal estates in the area, corroborates the fact that animal husbandry was developed in the aforementioned area.
Great destruction and population massacres which followed the Ottoman conquest of the state of Serbian despots affected Rudnik area as well. Ostrovica (Sivrice Hisar) was destroyed both during the first and the second conquest of Serbia. The Ottoman authorities brought new inhabitants with the status of Vlachs-filurdzijas to the area of Sanjak of Smederevo. Those brought to Rudnik area previously inhabited the areas of Niksic and Trebinje. In the oldest extant Ottoman defter of Sanjak of Smederevo there is mention of Vojkovci, a Vlach village with only 25 inhabitants. In Rudnik area there is mention of other Vlach villages which were part of the Nahia of Ostrovica. In the city itself, primićur Stepan the goldsmith was listed, to whom were subordinated one married and six unmarried males (approximately 31 person), and one person explicitly mentioned as Vlach – Bratoj Vlach. Of great importance there was the family of Vlach knezes – Bakić, which played a prominent role in the life of Serbs, both in the area of Sanjak of Smederevo and medieval Hungary. Beside knez Radovan Bakić (who’s knežina was south of Rudnik), the family’s most prominent member was Pavle Bakić, the last Serbian despot in Hungary, and a commander of light cavalry which moved from Serbia to areas ruled by the King of Hungary. According to the extant folk tradition, his court was located at locality of Dvorina on mountain Venčac. In the areas to the north, northwest and west of urban settlement Rudnik, many Vlach toponyms remain – Lipet, Jelet, Brezet, Vlaški potok etc. They all bear witness to the presence of Vlachs in areas around Rudnik.

Između Podunavlja i Sredozemlja, 2021

Archaeologists from the National Museum Užice uncovered a tombstone with an inscription during ex... more Archaeologists from the National Museum Užice uncovered a tombstone with an inscription during excavations in the churchyard of the White Church in the village of Karan (municipality of Užice, Serbia) in the trench 1, which took place in 1998. Today this tombstone is located in the outer churchyard, north of the church, and it is partly damaged. It is a horizontal tombstone, which was the basic shape of lying monuments in medieval Serbia. This inscription has seven lines, its letters are large in size and mostly clear. If we compare it with other preserved monuments, the shape of letters dates back to from the last decade of the 13th to the beginning of the 15th century. The translation of the inscription says the following: This is the tombstone of Brajiša, who was slain by the ''Tatere''. Amen. Indisputably, Brajiša was a local nobleman, although, the absence of a title shows that he wasn’t among the most influential people of his time. In order to answer the question who are the ones who killed him – ''tatere''–we have considered phonetically similar terms: ''tat'' – used to describe thieves in medieval Serbia – and ''Tatar'' (Mongolian) – warriors who were fighting against Serbs in the second half of the 13th and the first half of 14th century. We could not solve whether Brajiša was killed by thieves or Tatars, so the question of his killers and the time of his death should remain unanswered. This monument is the only medieval monument with completely preserved inscription in the area of Užice, and is of great importance for local history and culture.

Црквене студије= Church Studies 16/2, 2019

VLACHS OF THE MILEŠEVA MONASTERY (13TH–15TH CENTURY) King Vladislav, by looking up to his father... more VLACHS OF THE MILEŠEVA MONASTERY (13TH–15TH CENTURY)

King Vladislav, by looking up to his father and grandfather, founded an endowment – the Mileševa Monastery, which he bestowed with land estates and dependent population: farmers and herdsmen (Vlachs). Even though the founding charter of the monastery is not extant, Vlachs of the Mileševa Monastery are familiar to us through other 13th and 14th century documents – both of Serbian and Dubrovnik provenance. The status of Vlachs on the estates of the Mileševa Monatery was defined by the “Canon of Saint Sava”. This “canon”, that is to say a collection of legal norms was similar to the “Canon of Saint Simeon” which regulated the status of Vlachs and other subject population on the estates of the Studenica Monastery. These laws were actually also used for regulating the status of subject population on the estates of future endowments, and thus memory of them remains preserved in history. Vlachs subject to the Studenica Monastery and to the Mileševa Monastery had better status (fewer duties) than those subject to the Monatsery of St. George near Skopje in year 1299/1300, and they lived in accordance with the ancient norms and duties defined long before the first rulers of the Nemanjic dynasty. Vlachs of the Mileševa Monastery started taking part in caravan trade of Dubrovnik, from an early age. The trade was a main link between the Mediterranean and the inside of the Balkans and it was contributing to the economic development of medieval Serbia. In the period from 1278 until 1282, we find Vlach Vladimir Gostimiri who was doing business in the area between Dubrovnik, Brskovo and Polimlje. In the 14th century, Monastery Vlachs were no longer mentioned in the caravan trade, and neither are Vlachs of other monasteries. Their place was taken by those who were directly subject to the King. That could be due to multiple factors – the change of status of those taking part in trade activities, the structure of Vlach katuns in which there were not enough Vlachs soldiers required for the needs of the developing trade, or difference in status of Vlachs under the King’s rule in comparison to those on monastery estates. The Mileševa Monastery fell to the Turkish rule in 1465, at the latest. After that the Monastery was left without its Vlachs as they became a part of sultan’s hass, and the revenue from various law violations (niyabet) committed by them (Vlachs of Polimlje) belonged to the sanjak-bey. According to the 1475/1477. census there were four nahias inhabited by Vlachs-filurdzijas in the Central Polimlje region: Mileševa, Ljubovidja, Mataruge and Kukanj. It was a unique Vlach community headed by knez Herak Vranes, one of the most respected Vlach lords ever recorded. He was very close to the Ottoman authorities. He had 38 katuns under his rule, that is to say around 4704 registered Vlachs (according to the demographic formula used in the paper). The highest number of Vlachs was registered in the Mileševa nahia – 22 katuns, that is to say 2165 Vlachs, according to the formula used. The lowest number of Vlachs was registered in the Mataruga nahia – a mere total of 3 katuns, which, according to the formula used, amounts to 495 Vlachs. According to the Ottoman sources, the Vlach population was moving northwards, so we can’t be sure what proportion of these Vlachs are descendants of the old monasteries of Mileseva. The descendants of the old Vlachs were certainly most numerous in the areas around the monasteries (Mileševa nahia). The presence of a priest, a smith, a tailor and professional musicians among the registered Vlachs is a precious material for research of the social structure of Vlach katuns in the 15th century. Antrhoponymic analysis in Mileševa nahia shows that among the registered Vlachs, the most common names are of Slavic origin (around 75%), followed by Romanic (and other non-Slavic and non-Christian) names – Herak, Selak, Radul, Alan, Bogul, Luhća, Kričak, Ilavenda etc. (around 13%) and in the end the Christian names (around 12%). We saw that the first Vlach from Mileševa known by name bears a Slavic name Vladimir and a Slavic patronymic Gostimiri, i.e. Gostimirić. The presence of a priest, then the presence of Christian names, and the presence of just a single Muslim name, undoubtedly testifies about the religious denomination to which the members of this cemaat belonged. The islamization process had just begun. Endowment activities of one of the Vlach lords – Djuradj Vranes, son of Vlach knez Herak who restored the Zastup Monastery despite the disapproval for the Ottoman authorities (1537), as well as his engagement in the advancement of fresco painting and compiling of liturgical books testifies that the Vlach lords were the heirs and keepers of the medieval Serbian culture, which alongside their Slavic names is an indicator of their Serbization.

Anthropozoologica, Nov 29, 2019

The paper focuses on fish consumption and long-distance fish trade in the medieval monastery Stud... more The paper focuses on fish consumption and long-distance fish trade in the medieval monastery Studenica in Serbia, from the perspective of archaeozoology and historical evidence. Medieval written sources
on the subject suggest that fish was available primarily to particular social classes – the royalty, nobles and monasteries. Preserved muniments indicate that during the 13th-15th centuries the majority of
distinguished monasteries had their own fishing ponds, fishing grounds and their own fishermen. Fish consumption occupied an important role in monastic contexts, both in Christian religious practices (e.g. Lent) and in celebrations commemorating the Virgin Mary and the monastery founder, during which high-quality fish was obtained from greater distances. The ichthyoarchaeological remains discussed in this paper originate from waste deposition areas within and outside of the ramparts of the Studenica Monastery, accumulated during the 14th and the first half of the 15th century. Apart from the remains of the species available more or less locally (Wels catfish [Silurus glanis Linnaeus,
1758], carp [Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758], pike [Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758]), the faunal assemblage contained the remains of migratory sturgeons (beluga [Huso huso Linnaeus, 1758], Russian sturgeon [Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt & Ratzeburg, 1833], stellate sturgeon [Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771]) most likely transported from the Danube area, about 200 km away as the crow flies. Skeletal element distribution, butchering traces and size estimations (of beluga in particular) indicate that large specimens (c. 2-3.6 m in total length) were brought whole to the monastery, possibly dried or salted. Their occurrence is an additional indicator of long-distance fish trade recorded in muniments, and it offers new insights into economic, social and religious practices in medieval Eastern Orthodox monasteries.

In this paper the author made an attempt to point out the relation between the Serbian rulers and... more In this paper the author made an attempt to point out the relation between the Serbian rulers and Vlachs which were under their direct rule. Extant medieval charters bring information about a great number of Vlach groups which the rulers of the Nemanjić dynasty assigned to the estates of some of the most important Serbian monasteries – Hilandar, Žiča, Studenica, Mileševa, Banjska, Gračanica, Dečani and St. Archangels. All of these groups have previously been under the direct rule of the Serbian crown. There are no reliable testimonies which would show that during the rule of Nemanjić dynasty, on the territory they controlled, there were any Vlach groups which under the rule of some local nobility. It is possible that Jovan Oliver, one of the most powerful people of emperor Dušan’s empire had Vlachs under his own rule, bur his enigmatic origin and status and his ties with Byzantium all indicate that this case should be considered a precedent. Due to political changes which occurred in the 14th century, a part of royal Vlachs came under the direct rule of Bosnian rulers. After the death of emperor Dušan, and especially after the death of emperor Uroš and the end of the Nemanjić dynasty, local dynasts in Serbia started assuming regal rights, among which the prerogatives over Vlach groups which until then were under the direct rule of the Crown. The same phenomenon occurred in Bosnia during the weakening of the King’s authority, at the beginning of the 15th century. The royal Vlachs existed in medieval Hungary as well. During the Ottoman rule over Serbia and Bosnia, Vlach groups were registered as a part of sultan’s or sanjak-bey’s hass. By comparing all the known legal norms which referred to Vlach population, a conclusion may be drawn that that they were a privileged group compared to the rest of the dependent population. The roots of that privileged status should definitely be sought in the period preceding the Nemnjić rule, because the status of Vlachs must have been regulated in much earlier times. That status probably represents the remnants of a former compromise between the Serbian rulers from the early middle ages and at that time still numerous remnants of Romanic population, which were guaranteed certain privileges in return for recognizing the supreme Serbian rule. The exceptionality of Vlachs status greatly outlived the times in which it was formed. Thanks to the medieval legal particularism, it has, counting in the necessary changes, moved through time from one state and legal framework to another and it has always remained tied to the highest authority in the state, until its dissolution.

Апстракт: У раду су досадашња сазнања о путевима који су повезивали Ужице са Подрињем и Полимљем ... more Апстракт: У раду су досадашња сазнања о путевима који су повезивали Ужице са Подрињем и Полимљем допуњена информацијама из османских извора, путописа, антропогеографских и археолошких радова, материјалних остатака путева, некропола и утврђења. Посебна пажња посвећена је топонимији и микротопонимији, посведоченој на картама 18-20. века, као и локалној традицији, коју пружају (записана и усмена) сведочења мештана појединих насеља. Представљени су и резултати теренских истраживања на овом подручју.

Српска теологија данас 2014. Зборник радова са шестог годишњег симпосиона одржаног на Православном богословском факултету 30. маја 2014., 2015

У раду се, на основу оскудних писаних извора (османских и српских) и резултата истраживања локали... more У раду се, на основу оскудних писаних извора (османских и српских) и резултата истраживања локалитета Црква Ружица – Ше'ова џамија (у данашњој Топличкој улици), разматра постојање најстарије познате цркве у Ужицу. Аутор ће такође представити резултате својих дугогодишњих истраживања локалне историје бајинобаштанског села Јакаљ, са нагласком на црквену историју, коју прати пре свега кроз микротопониме, народна предања и сачуване некрополе.

3rd Conference for Young Slavists in Budapest, 2014

It has been long observed that Јohn (János) Hunyadi, the Hungarian military leader and governоr, ... more It has been long observed that Јohn (János) Hunyadi, the Hungarian military leader and governоr, has a special place in Serbian folk tradition, where he is known as Sibinjanin Janko. In this paper we are trying to show how his relations to despot George were presented in Serbian epic poems. We are also comparing information from those poems with ones from the contemporary medieval diplomatic and narrative sources, as to give an explanation of the reason why the Hungarian aristocrat is favored in collective memory, in comparison to the Serbian ruler. We will also single out the most mentioned historical events in the epic poems.

Војноисторијски гласник, бр. 1/2013, стр. 45-71.

Conference Presentations by Milomir Maksimović

The aim of our research is to reconstruct the road network between Užice and Monastery of Saint ... more The aim of our research is to reconstruct the road network between Užice and Monastery of Saint Achillius and its nearby settlement Arilje. Previous historical contributions in this research field were extended with information from various sources – Ottoman survey registers, toponyms, microtoponyms, as well as field research.
Užice was late medieval fortress with market town placed below it, in the valley of Đetinja river. It was important both military and economically (it was the center of livestock and animal products trade). Užice was the most importan urban settlement of ''Zemlja Moravice'', an entity within the Kingdom of Serbia. On the other hand, Monastery of Saint Achillius was the seat of the Episkopos (Bishop) of Moravica since 13th century, and thus the spiritual centar of entity. Nearby settlement Arilje was probably market town that belonged to the Monastery, and one of the centers of Ragusian caravan trade. Political and military center of ''Zemlja Moravice'' was placed somewhere near Monastery of Saint Achillius as well. So, connection between Užice – most important urban settlement of entity and Monastery of Saint Achillius – spiritual center of entity, and it's administrative and military center, was of the great importance. There were several roads that connected Užice with Monastery of Saint Achillius and its surrounding area. First one was Užice – Ponikovica – Tvrdići – Zdravčići – Požega – Gorobilje – Arilje. The second one was the road Užice – Potočanje – Zbojštica – Drežnik – Roge – Svrčkovo – Vrane – Arilje. Unlike the first road, the second one was not mention in previous historical contributions. Old, almost ruined stone bridge, known in local traditions as ''Roman bridge'', was built on river Derventa between Potočanje and Zbojštica. It was never an object of archeological researching, neither it is under any kind of institutional protection.

U izlaganju se prikazuje odnos između Srbije i Bosne u vreme krstaških pohoda 1443. i 1444. godin... more U izlaganju se prikazuje odnos između Srbije i Bosne u vreme krstaških pohoda 1443. i 1444. godine, koji predstavljaju neke od najozbiljnijih pokušaja da se spreče dalja osmanska osvajanja na Balkanu, pa čak i da se rezultati osmanski osvajanja u ovom delu Evrope ponište. Iako je bosanski vojvoda Stefan Vukčić Kosača, osmanski vazal, iskoristio pad Srpske despotovine za širenje svojih poseda, krstaški pohod koji se dogodio u jesen 1443. godine, poznatiji kao ''Duga vojna'',promenio je raspoloženje hrišćanske gospode na zapadnom Balkanu. U samom pohodu učestvovali su i bosanski konjanici, pod komandom Petra Kovačevića. U vreme velikih pobeda hrišćanske vojske dolazi do promena na bosanskom prestolu. Novi kralj, Stefan Tomaš, svrstao se na stranu saveznika okupljenih oko vojskovođe Janka Hunjadija i ugarsko-poljskog kralja Vladislava Jagelovića, postavši time i saborac despota Đurđa Brankovića. Potpisivanjem separatnog mira sa sultanom u leto 1444. godine, Država srpskih despota je obnovljena, a despot, kao turski vazal, našao se u taboru neprijatelja ugarskog kralja, ali i bosanskog. Nakon toga došlo je do izmirenja despota Đurđa i vojvode Stefana Vukčića. Postavlja se i pitanje u kojoj meri se pripadnost suprotstavljenim stranama odražavala na odnos bosanskog kralja i srpski despota, i u kojoj meri je opasnost od bosanskog napada na despotove teritorije mogao da utiče na despotovu odluku da ostane veran sultanu u vreme pohoda u jesen 1444. godine, završenim porazom u bici kod Varne.

Keywords : George Brankovic, John Hunyadi, relations, epic poems

Medieval tradition of various categories of Serbian commoners (in Dušan’s Code called ''sebri'') ... more Medieval tradition of various categories of Serbian commoners (in Dušan’s Code called ''sebri'') is preserved in just a few sources. The first one is the work of Konstantin Mihailović, the first Serbian secular writer who himself was not of noble descent. Another source is the first known Serbian epic poem which was written down in 1497, by Rogieri de Pacientia, who heard it from the Serbian refugees in Apulia. ''The Kingdom of Slavs'', a work of scholar Mavro Orbin, which, although written in 1601, contains numerous informations from lost medieval Serbian historical sources, among which were also folk traditions saved in the Serbian hinterlands of Dubrovnik. The aim of our research was not the tradition of nobility and clergy, but that of the members of lower social stratum. The subject of research was not monk Simeon (St. Simeon Nemanja, St. Simeon the Myrrh-streaming), but Stefan Nemanja as a layman. Based on the known inscriptions concerning the medieval tradition which common folk had about Serbian rulers, an impression arises, that the tradition about Nemanja was only present in the old Serbian territories in the hinterland of Dubrovnik. On the contrary, this kind of tradition was completely unfamiliar or barely known at best, in unknown regions, from which Serbian refugees in Apulia came, but also in places where Konstantin Mihajlović spent his childhood – the Novo Brdo area. This impression is emphasized by the results of anthroponymical analysis of Branković Domain’s defter (survey register) from the year 1455, in which Konstantin was taken away to captivity as a young man. Among the 24 795 personal names mentioned in this oldest preserved and all-embracing census of a single Serbian region, the name Nemanja is not mentioned even once. On the other hand, the names of other Serbian rulers from the dynasties of Nemanjić, Lazarević and Branković are recorded, and some of those, especially the name Stefan (also in forms Stepan and Stevan) which was a common name among the Serbian dynasts, and also the name Djuradj, which was the name of the ruler, during whose reign the defter was made, were very popular among the people of the aforementioned region. Concerning the all things said, there is an impression that the further we get from the cultural centers and higher stratum of Serbian society, the character of Stefan Nemanja, as a monarch, becomes more and more vague in the common tradition, and there remains a question to what degree was a common man acquainted with the life of Stefan Nemanja as a layman. There are numerous reasons for such a situation, but unfortunately, we are not familiar with all of them. Nevertheless those reasons are certainly connected with the ideology of the Nemanjić dynasty and with emphasis the way Nemanja was portrayed on frescoes as the founder of the holy dynasty. Also the growing danger of Ottoman invasions was a contributing factor, which caused the heroes of the battles against Ottomans to take central role in the tradition of the common man.

U svetlu sačuvanih pisanih izvora (osmanskih i srpskih) i rezultata arheoloških istraživanja ruš... more U svetlu sačuvanih pisanih izvora (osmanskih i srpskih) i rezultata arheoloških istraživanja ruševina iz osmanskog perioda, koje su se nalazile na brežuljku u Topličkoj ulici, razmatra se postojanje najstarije crkve u Užicu. Predstavićemo i rezultate istraživanja lokalne istorije bajinobaštanskih sela Jakalj i Kostojevići, sa naglaskom na crkvenu istoriju, koju pratimo kroz pisane izvore, mikrotoponime, narodna predanja i sačuvane starije nekropole.

The paper focuses on fish consumption and long-distance fish trade in the Medieval monastery Stud... more The paper focuses on fish consumption and long-distance fish trade in the Medieval monastery Studenica in Serbia, from the perspective of archaeozoology, historical sources and pictorial evidence. Medieval written sources on the subject suggest that fish was available primarily to particular social classes – the royalty, nobles and monasteries. Preserved muniments indicate that the majority of distinguished monasteries during the 13th-15th century had their own fishing ponds, fishing grounds and their own fishermen. Fish consumption occuppied an important role in monastic contexts, both in Christian religious practices (lent periods) as well as in celebrations commemorating Virgin Mary and the monastery founder, during which high-quality fish was obtained from greater distances. Ichthyoarchaeological remains discussed in this paper originate from waste deposition areas within and outside of the ramparts of the Studenica monastery, accumulated during the 14th and first half of the 15th century. Apart from remains of locally available species (catfish, carp, pike), the faunal assemblage contained the remains of migratory sturgeons (beluga, Russian sturgeon, stellate sturgeon) most likely transported from the Danube area, about 200 km away as the crow flies. Skeletal element distribution, butchering traces and size estimations (of beluga in particular) indicate that large specimens (over 2 m in total length) were brought whole to the monastery, possibly dried or salted. Their occurrence is an additional indicator of long-distance fish trade recorded in muniments, and it offers new insights into economic, social and religious practices in Medieval Eastern Orthodox monasteries.

U ovom radu će biti predstavljena rekonstrukcija ishrane i strategije snabdevanja ribom srednjov... more U ovom radu će biti predstavljena rekonstrukcija ishrane i strategije snabdevanja ribom srednjovekovnog manastira Studenice, prvenstveno iz arheozoološke perspektive. Budući da se sva dosadašnja saznanja o ulozi ribe u pravoslavnim srednjovekovnim manastirima temelje isključivo na pisanoj reči, ovaj rad predstavlja pionirski interdisciplinarni poduhvat koji kombinuje rezultate arheozoološke analize i istorijske izvore. Relevantni izvori navode na zaključak da je riba prvenstveno bila dostupna određenim društvenim kategorijama, na prvom mestu vladarskom dvoru, plemstvu i manastirima. Sačuvane manastirske povelje ukazuju da su u periodu od XIII-og do XV-og veka svi iole značajni manastiri imali svoje ribnjake, ribolovišta (pregrađene delove reke u kojima se lovila riba) i svoje ribolovce koji su ih snabdevali ribom. Značaj ribe za manastirsku trpezu je bio dvojak – najpre kao vid ispovedanja hrišćanstva (u vreme posta), ali i u vreme obeležavanja značajnijih događaja (praznika posvećenih Bogorodici i ktitoru), kada se u manastir dopremala kvalitetna riba iz udaljenih oblasti. Ostaci riba koji su u ovom radu analizirani prikupljeni su tokom dugogodišnjih sistematskih arheoloških istraživanja manastira Studenice, i potiču iz otpadnih prostora datovanih u XIV-ti i prvu polovinu XV-og veka. Rezultati arheozoološke analize pokazali su da su pored lokalno dostupnih vrsta (som, šaran, štuka), u manastir stizale i visoko kvalitetne ribe sa Dunava (morune, ruske jesetre, pastruge). Rekonstrukcije veličine i tragovi kasapljenja na kostima moruna ukazuju da su krupni primerci ove vrste (po pravilu veći od 2 metra) u manastir dopremani celi, moguće sušeni ili usoljeni. Ova studija doprinosi novom i drugačijem pogledu na ekonomski i religijski značaj ribe u manastiru Studenica, i istovremeno predstavlja prvo arheozoološko istraživanje ostataka faune iz srednjovekovnih pravoslavnih manastira uopšte.

History Textbooks by Milomir Maksimović

Talks by Milomir Maksimović

Predavanje održano 21.2.2022. godine u Centru za kulturu Smederevo (Talk given by M.Maksimovic on... more Predavanje održano 21.2.2022. godine u Centru za kulturu Smederevo (Talk given by M.Maksimovic on 21.2.2022. in Cultural Center of Smederevo)

Najava predavanja:
''Tokom programa biće izložene osobenosti krstaškog pohoda poznatog pod nazivom "Duga vojna" u kome je kao jedan od predvodnika učestvovao i despot Đurađ Branković. U ovom smelom pohodu hrišćanske vojske prodrle su duboko u teritoriju Osmanskog carstva, a Srbi su u njemu imali značajno učešće. Predavanje će doneti osvrt na istorijske prilike koje su vezane za odluku da se krene u pohod, ukazaće na saznanja do kojih se došlo iz istorijskih izvora o sastavu vojske, njenom kretanju , borbama sa Turcima kao i odnosima despota Đurđa sa ugarskim vojskovođom Jankom Hunjadijem i sa kraljem Vladislavom. Koje su teritorije oslobođene tokom "Duge vojne", kakvi su strateški potezi primenjivani, koje su se teškoće javljale i šta je za Srbe značio ovaj poduhvat, čućemo u izlaganju koje predstoji.''