Archaeological culture from the Lower Danube region in the 8th–11th centuries
The Balkan–Danubian culture[1][2] was an
early medievalarchaeological culture which emerged in the region of the
Lower Danube in the 8th century and flourished until the 11th century. In
Bulgaria it is usually referred to as the Pliska–Preslav culture,[3] while in
Romania it is called the Dridu culture.[1][2] It is better represented in the territory of modern-day Central and Northern Bulgaria, although it probably spread north of the Danube as well due to the
continuous extension of the
First Bulgarian Empire over the territory of present-day Romania.[4] The Balkan–Danubian culture is described as an early Slavic-
Bulgar culture,[5][6] but besides Slavic and Bulgar elements it also possesses some Romance components. However, this only appears in the southern regions of what is now southern Bulgaria, all of which were heavily influenced by the
Byzantine Empire.[7] Famous examples of this architecture are the early Bulgarian capitals of
Pliska and
Preslav, in addition to the
Palace of Omurtag and the
Murfatlar Cave Complex. Some scholars partition this culture in two subgroups.[8][9] Because the Byzantine influence was stronger in the south, the northern finds are entirely Slavic with some Turkic impression.[10][11]
Fiedler, Uwe (2008). "Bulgars in the Lower Danube region: A survey of the archaeological evidence and of the state of current research". In Curta, Florin; Kovalev, Roman (eds.). The Other Europe in the Middle Ages: Avars, Bulgars, Khazars, and Cumans. Brill. pp. 151–236.
ISBN978-90-04-16389-8.
Madgearu, Alexandru (2005). The Romanians in the Anonymous Gesta Hungarorum: Truth and Fiction. Romanian Cultural Institute, Center for Transylvanian Studies.
ISBN973-7784-01-4.
Opreanu, Coriolan Horaţiu (2005). "The North-Danube Regions from the Roman Province of Dacia to the Emergence of the Romanian Language (2nd–8th Centuries AD)". In Pop, Ioan-Aurel; Bolovan, Ioan (eds.). History of Romania: Compendium. Romanian Cultural Institute (Center for Transylvanian Studies). pp. 59–132.
ISBN978-973-7784-12-4.
Spinei, Victor (2009). The Romanians and the Turkic Nomads North of the Danube Delta from the Tenth to the Mid-Thirteenth century. Koninklijke Brill NV.
ISBN978-90-04-17536-5.