RURAL
TYPOLOGIES IN SOUTH DOBRUDJA(I)
ABSTRACT
 | |||
| Orthodox church in the hamlet of Furnica Source : Romanian Orthodox Church Archives |
The dominant agricultural character
outlined a stencil for the communities of this region , not being
radically different from the one of other agricultural communities
from near by regions but în the same time showing a collection of
interesting particularities.
This section of the historic province of
Dobrudja has been the subject of a number a social changes which left
their marks on the psycho-social and physical configuration of many
rural settlements.
The changes that we bring in to
discussion here have as main cause the deep economic depression that
the region is facing for more then two decades , this is leading in
the near future to the depopulation of many villages , thus ,
breaking the social-economic balance of the region .
Every settlement that we find in South
Dobrudja shares the features of a certain rural typology , this
features have as source the evolution patterns and maximum points
.
Rural typologies can be defined in a
variety of ways , depending what aspects of rural life are
highlighted . In this study , the concept aims to create a
theoretical platform for three dimensions of rural life :a) the human
factor , all aspect regarding daily life, ritualism, conceptions and
values ; b) vernecular architecture ; c) labour and traditional
professions .
The combination of this aspects generate
images of rural typologies , the variety of typologies is generated
by the content of factors , the different crossings between this
three created the solid typologies that we will analyse .
From a exclusive psycho-sociologic point
of view ,rural typologies can take a one dimensional approach ,
referring to the most representative psychic portraits found in
certain rural environment. This second perspective being closely
linked to concept of cultural stereotype.
The usage of typologies in the
sociological analysis of this communities make the translation in to
theory of data easier , even though , some villages can be fitted in
same typology , the matches are possible only by generalization,each
community sharing a number of particularities that gives every
village its unique identity .
Ranging from villages with a radial
structure with a predominant romanian population and a local economy
based on agriculture to villages with a heterogeneous structure
(hamlets) with a predominant turkish population and a mixed economy
based on agriculture and the raising of animals.
South Dobrudja is outlined as a result
of this mixture of factors its own demographic , cultural and
economic frame which derives in to the following keywords : hills ,
rocky valleys , depopulation , changes in toponymy , vernecular
architecture,natural resources,moral depression , migration ,
colonization , aridity , draught , bilingual .
INTRODUCTION
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| Coroana village church | Source : R.O.C. Archives |
The unique characteristics of this region are
given by a number of factors , such as : land forms , hydrographic
network , agriculture , traditional professions , ethnic structure ,
linguistic structure and degree of isolation .
This factors play a fundamental role în
outlining the rural typologies that we will be working with in this
study , the typology formation is conditioned by repetition of a
combination of factors in a number of villages from the region .
Rural typologies – theoretic platform :
Is a theoretic concept which attempts to explain the different
developmental patterns found in rural areas , the reasons behind
the existence of similar development patterns between rural settlements
from the same region . This patterns are not useful only the
historical researches , they have a practical usage in the design of
public policies by the public institutions from the region , the
patterns give answers list and explain the correlation between events
, resources and the human factor which has as result a certain
social-economic state at a given time. Rural patters also play a
prediction role , rural settlements with similar development patterns in the past more likely will share similar development patterns for the
future.
Rural typologies can be linked , to a certain
degree , to cultural stencils and stereotypization . This is do to
the fact that they must neglect certain particular characteristics
which would make impossible the design of a theoretical platform if
taken in to account. This particularities are important components
of a settlement's individual identity , they are important to be
taken in to account in studies which have aș subject only one
rural settlement but they are taken out of use when we are talking
about studies that are made at a regional scale.
In this study will be listed the different rural
typologies of South Dobrudja , the factorial combination that lead to
their design , development patterns and psycho-social portraits of
the peasants of South Dobrudja. The rural settlements (villages ,
hamlets and farming communities) that will make the subject of the
study are situated south of the Danube-South Agigea Canal with the
addition of the commune of Cumpana and the village of Lazu (Agigea
commune).
A interesting feature of the region is the
presence of depopulated settlements and of ones that will be
depopulated in the near future do to deep economic depression ,
aged population and poor of access to basic utilities .
I.
Research area
I.1.Delimitation of the research area
Dobrudja is divided , from a cultural point of
view , in to three enities : a) North Dobrudja , comprising half of
Tulcea county , having its limit south of town of Babadag ; b)
Central Dobrudja , comprising the the settlements south of Babadag
and north of the Tasaul Lake , easy to identify with the territory of
the Plateau of Central Dobrudja ; c) South Dobrudja , comprising the
area of the homonymous plateau .
In some contexts , the area of South Dobrudja is
formed by the Plateau of South Dobrudja from Romania and the
north-east of Bulgaria , also named Cadrilater. When referring to the
region in the context of balkan and european history , the territory
of Dobrudja situated between romanian borders is referred to as North
Dobrudja and the bulgarian section as South Dobrudja.
As mentioned în the lines above , the study
area dose not comprise the whole territory of South Dobrudja , it is
limited on the north by the Danube-South Agigea Canal with the
addition of the commune of Cumpana and the village of Lazu (Agigea
commune) , to the south by the bulgarian border , to the east by the
Black Sea and to the west by the Danube.
The area between the canal and the Central
Dobrudja delimitation line was ruled out do to its high level of
urbanization and industrialization.
I.2. General characteristics
When
referring to the characteristics of this research area it is necessary
to group them în to two classes : a) physical characteristics ,
those referring to the terrain , land forms and hydrographic network
; b) social-economic characteristic , those referring to the
ethnicities , regional languages , religious structure together with
aspects of economic life : professions , agriculture , trade and the
job market .
From a geographic perspective , South Dobrudja
is described as plateau region with more proeminent land form in
the south and and south-west sector . The south and south sector is abundant in rocky valleys, semipermanent rivers , derele and chalk
hills. Derelele are a signature mark of the region , being
semipermanent rivers with a very low flow and muddy water which drain
in to the lagoons or lakes next to the Black Sea or Danube.
The richness of chalk from the region left a
significant mark on the vernecular architecture , the traditional house
in many of the region's rural settlements being made of chalk blocks
.
South Dobrudja has a predominant agricultural
character , having a impact on the structure of the human communities
there , all of them being permanent with insignificant population
fluctuations during the year.
Social-economic aspects include significant
issues with the access to basic utilities , depopulation of many
settlements , moral depression , high birth rates in poor families
and poor access to primary and secondary education .
II.South
dobrudjan rural typologies
1.
Radial and semiradial typology - This configuration is
characterized by a focal in the village's plan , the focal point is
usually is the church area where a semnificative part of the
village's social life is concentrated . South Dobrudja has a number
of villages that have a semiradial , it is hard to talk about a
perfect radial plan which implies that all the road from within the
village would have their meeting point in the church square. Even so
, examples of villages with semiradial plan are found in the region
, this configuration is associated exclusively to villages . Hamlets
and farming communities have linear configuration , this preference is
motivated by the different dimension that social life takes in a
settlement that is not constantly inhabited or that has significant
population shifts during the year- analogy to farming communities .
Villages have a bigger need for a solid social life which is
expressed through gatherings , secular celebrations , weddings ,
funerals and religious celebrations , thus , in some cases the existence of well define villages center is needed.
1.1. Radial and semiradial typology - This type of typology is found in a number of villages from the region , it is characterized by a homogeneous layout with a focal point which acts as a meeting point for at least half of the streets. The focal point of the layout is in many cases the church area which can also incorporate the commune hall (if the village is the commune capital) and other important buildings for the community's life - the village store , the cultural center , the bar , etc. In some cases , the village center acts as a junction point for only a few streets , in others , it can open up to half of the village's streets. This typology is associated with settlements from the flat terrains of the region . The valleys and hills sectors not giving the possibility of developing a well defined layout. Examples of south dobrudjan villages with a semiradial typology include Darabani (Dauluchioi) and Dumbraveni (Hairam-Chioi).
1.2. Prominent church square typology - It can be associated with the semiradial typology but it can be associated with other typologies , being rather a typology characteristic then a typology on its own . It is centered around a imposing church , many of which are built in the byzantine wallachian style with a big central tower and two smaller ones of the main facade. This architectural type became popular in Dobrudja after the end of the ottoman period when many of the villages of South Dobrudja romanians started to settle . Some villages conserved their ottoman age churches which are more modest in style and in size.
1.3. Hamlet typology - Is a representative type of settlement for the region , being characterized by a very small number on inhabitants , usually being formed by a few households. Unlike villages , hamlets had a small size from their foundation day , usually the inhabitants being the descendants of one or two families. The hamlets of South Dobrudja face major challenges in this century , struggling with issues as very poor or no access at all to basic utilities and education . They are isolated do to their lack of access to any major national or county road which inhibits their future development , most of them are predicted to disappear in the following decades. In the romanian administrative system the notion of "hamlet" is not longer used in order to distinct this type of settlements from others , on paper , they are labelled as villages even though they have a lot of particularities which villages do not have. Hamlets from South Dobrudja : Furnica, Coroana , Magura , Curcani and Strunga.
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