Pages: 193-208

The geographic vicinity of the Golden Horde and Bulgarian lands in the 13th—14th centuries was reflected in a number of monetary artefacts found in the southern part of the Prut-Dniester interfluvial area. The authors address 69 individual coins by Bulgarian issuers found, mainly, over the last decade. Noteworthy, almost four out of five coins are related to the Golden Horde Costeşti settlement, to various degrees of probability. The majority of small Bulgarian coins minted in Tarnovo and, probably, in Cherven on behalf of Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331—1371) reached the region about 1355—1360. Their most plausible itinerary must be connected with the Danube and the Prut rivers, as well as an important river ferry at Orlovka. The reason for this massive movement of small coins from Bulgaria into central and south-western part of the modern Moldova could be traced not only in the history of military raids and international trade of the Golden Horde, but also in the big transformations caused by the terrible plague pandemic, which hit Europe from the east.

Keywords: Prut-Dniester interfluve, Golden Horde period, Bulgarian coins of the 13th—14th centuries, trade relations, plague pandemic, Tsar Ivan Alexander, Costeşti, Tarnovo, Cherven, Orlovka

Information about authors:

Nicolai Russev (Kishinev, Moldova). Doctor Habilitat of History. High Anthropological School University. N. Iorga St., 5, Kishinev, MD-2009, Moldova
E-mail: [email protected]
Andrei Crivenco (Tiraspol, Moldova). Candidate of Geographical Sciences. Pridnestrovian State University named after T. G. Shevchenko. 25 Oktiabria St., 128, Tiraspol, 3300, Moldova
E-mail: [email protected]
Vladimir Ovtcharov (Sofia, Bulgaria). Doctor of Technical Sciences. Technical University of Varna. Studentska St., 1, Varna, 9010, Bulgaria
E-mail: [email protected]