- Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Numismatics, Byzantine Archaeology, Byzantine Numismatics, and 12 moreByzantine Pottery, Byzantine Studies, Medieval Bulgarian and Byzantine History, Byzantine cities, castles, fortresses, Transformation of Byzantine Empire during the Early Middle Ages, Albanian archaeology, South Slavic Medieval history, Early medieval Bulgaria, Byzantine Epigraphy, Late Antique and Medieval History of Ohrid, Byzantine History, and Byzantine glazed potteryedit
Medieval Philippopolis (present-day Plovdiv) inherited the fortification system constructed in the 1 st-6 th c. It consists of three "belts". There are no data about changes up to the 12 th c., with the exception of a ditch which... more
Medieval Philippopolis (present-day Plovdiv) inherited the fortification system constructed in the 1 st-6 th c. It consists of three "belts". There are no data about changes up to the 12 th c., with the exception of a ditch which protected the populated territories north of the fortress wall but has not yet been registered archaeologically. At the end of the 12 th-beginning of the 13 th c., there are data concerning several additions and later instances of destruction. Traces of those can be found at several places along the wall enclosing the high part of the Three Hills (Trimontium). It was at this time that significant changes took place-the vast area in the plain was abandoned, and a citadel was set up in the northern part of the Three Hills, in which a capacious water reservoir was built. At a later time, in the 13 th-14 th c., a second wall was built, which fenced off the furthest northern part of the citadel. The latest information about the use of the Philippopolis fortifications is from 1410, and after their being badly damaged in the wars between the sons of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I, their maintenance was abandoned.
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The necropolis is located inside the medieval Philippopolis (Fig. 1; 2.1; 5). Part of the terrain was explored in the 60s and 70s of the 20 th c., and a large water reservoir from the 13 th-14 th c. was discovered. (Fig. 2.2; 3.1; 5).... more
The necropolis is located inside the medieval Philippopolis (Fig. 1; 2.1; 5). Part of the terrain was explored in the 60s and 70s of the 20 th c., and a large water reservoir from the 13 th-14 th c. was discovered. (Fig. 2.2; 3.1; 5). Graves were most likely discovered during these surveys, but there are no published data on them. In 2016, archaeological excavations resumed, extending into 2017 and 2021. 20 graves were examined, most severely disturbed by later digs. The stratigraphic data and the few finds found in the graves (Fig. 10) show that the necropolis functioned in the 14 th c. The rite is Christian and completely in the traditions of the necropolises of that time in the Bulgarian lands. There is a deviation only in grave No. 14 (Fig. 17). An elderly woman was buried in it, lying on her stomach with her hands tied behind her back. Anthropological studies suggest that she suffered from neurofibromatosis, resulting in severe physical deformities. According to popular belief, it was precisely such people who were most at risk of becoming vampires, and perhaps this is the explanation for the unusual burial.
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The fifth Slavic siege of Thessaloniki took place in 676 – 678 and it shows that the relationship between the Slavic tribes and Byzantium, as well as between the Slavic tribes themselves, is much more complex than is traditionally... more
The fifth Slavic siege of Thessaloniki took place in 676 – 678 and it shows that the relationship between the Slavic tribes and Byzantium, as well as between the Slavic tribes themselves, is much more complex than is traditionally presented in the historiography. The hostile actions of the slavs against the city can be divided into two periods. In the first stage participated the Rhynchines, Strymonites and Sagudates. During this period, in Thessaloniki, as Byzantine allies, there was also a Slavic squad, without specifying which tribe it was from. The fact that the Dragovites, who lived west of the city during this period, are not among the tribes fighting with Thessaloniki shows that perhaps it is from them the slavs in question, allies of the Byzanatines.This is also the reason why the first two years there is no real siege, only separate attacks on land and sea. At one point, the Slavic squad, which was helping Thessaloniki, turned against the Byzantines. This is the moment when...
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A significant change in the material culture is noted in Philippopolis at around the middle of the 12th century. This change is also to be seen in the mass housing. The traditional partially dug in the ground dwellings, with thatched or... more
A significant change in the material culture is noted in Philippopolis at around the middle of the 12th century. This change is also to be seen in the mass housing. The traditional partially dug in the ground dwellings, with thatched or reed roofs, have been replaced by houses with stone walls and bricks with mud solder. The new roofs were covered with roof tiles, with clay gutters on the periphery of the eaves. These roof tiles and gutters are found everywhere in the present-day Plovdiv, where archaeological research is made and layers and structures from the period are studied. They are of the same type as shape, size, technological features and specific elements. The roof tiles are made of red clay with a very large admixture of finely chopped straw, as a result of which they are highly porous. Although they are thick, the tiles are always well baked and, unlike the household ceramics of the period, do not have a grеy stripe in the fracture. The roof tiles follow the ancient system of lower ones - tegulae and upper ones - imbrices. The tegulae are rectangular, with low arc profiles. Characteristic elements for them are an arcuate groove on the upper part, most likely for gripping when worn, shallow grooves that served as stoppers to prevent the covering imbrices from sliding, and shallow vertical furrows for easier drainage of water. The imbrices have a profile of the inverted letter V. The clay gutters are made as a clay pipe cut longitudinally before firing. They always have a strip of mortar on one periphery, with which they were attached to the roof. It is a characteristic of the gutters that they are not made of the same clay with which the tiles are made, but of the clay used in the production of household ceramics. It has no admixture of straw, the sand is much less, the gutters are much thinner than the tiles and, unlike them, almost always with grey scrap in the fracture. Most of the gutters were covered with red slip, such as a large part of the household ceramics in the city at that period. Though the clay gutters are typical for Philippopolis, only one of them has been published so far on the territory of Bulgaria, but identified as a tile. Their appearance in the city coincided with the appearance of red-slipped ware, which is believed to have been brought by Armenian settlers. Probably they also passed on the tradition of making rain gutters.
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In the written sources from the middle o f the 12th - the beginning o f the 13th century, Philippopolis, today Plovdiv, is described as a very large and rich city. However, they do not contain data to give an idea o f its territory and... more
In the written sources from the middle o f the 12th - the beginning o f the
13th century, Philippopolis, today Plovdiv, is described as a very large and rich city. However, they do not contain data to give an idea o f its territory and population. This gap can
be filled by archaeological studies. So far, 75 archaeological sites in Plovdiv with layers and structures o f the period have been published, with two churches mentioned in the sources to be added. When mapping these sites, the inhabited territory is delineated. Its borders are not very clear as there are parts of the present-day city where archeological studies are not carried out. The data available so far indicate that during the period the territory of Philippopolis measured approximately 1.2 km east-west and 1.2 km north-south, with a habitable area of about 900 decares. Based on the population density coefficientfor the medieval Bulgarian cities of13-15 inhabitants per one decare o f urban area, as suggested in the scientific publications, as well as the fact that the inhabited area was certainly a bit larger than we know it, it can be estimated that the city had about 15,000 inhabitants at the time.
13th century, Philippopolis, today Plovdiv, is described as a very large and rich city. However, they do not contain data to give an idea o f its territory and population. This gap can
be filled by archaeological studies. So far, 75 archaeological sites in Plovdiv with layers and structures o f the period have been published, with two churches mentioned in the sources to be added. When mapping these sites, the inhabited territory is delineated. Its borders are not very clear as there are parts of the present-day city where archeological studies are not carried out. The data available so far indicate that during the period the territory of Philippopolis measured approximately 1.2 km east-west and 1.2 km north-south, with a habitable area of about 900 decares. Based on the population density coefficientfor the medieval Bulgarian cities of13-15 inhabitants per one decare o f urban area, as suggested in the scientific publications, as well as the fact that the inhabited area was certainly a bit larger than we know it, it can be estimated that the city had about 15,000 inhabitants at the time.
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In 2016, one of the hills (Nebet Tepe), included in the fortified territory of the medieval Philippopolis, trench excavations were carried out. In Trench 1, a large structure cut into the ground was partially excavated, with a second... more
In 2016, one of the hills (Nebet Tepe), included in the fortified territory of the medieval Philippopolis, trench excavations were carried out. In Trench 1, a large structure cut into the ground was partially
excavated, with a second smaller one in it as well as wood remains. The structure is distinguished from
the numerous medieval pits and can be interpreted as a basement. The numerous disturbances made in
later periods do not allow to define whether it was related to other structures of the period or was free
standing. It is dated back between the late 12th and the early 13th century, and the date is confirmed by
the stratigraphic position, the unearthed pottery and the bronze coin of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
(1143 - 1180). The pottery found here is typical of this period in Philippopolis, including mica-dusted
ware, red slipped ware, mica-dusted painted with red, green and yellow glaze, marble glaze, various
types of sgraffito and plain vessels with inline and polished decoration. Undoubtedly, a bowl made of
pink clay and decorated with lustrous technology is especially interesting. It was imported from the Middle East. In addition to the small finds and the household pottery, bone artefacts yielded by the structure
are also published here
excavated, with a second smaller one in it as well as wood remains. The structure is distinguished from
the numerous medieval pits and can be interpreted as a basement. The numerous disturbances made in
later periods do not allow to define whether it was related to other structures of the period or was free
standing. It is dated back between the late 12th and the early 13th century, and the date is confirmed by
the stratigraphic position, the unearthed pottery and the bronze coin of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
(1143 - 1180). The pottery found here is typical of this period in Philippopolis, including mica-dusted
ware, red slipped ware, mica-dusted painted with red, green and yellow glaze, marble glaze, various
types of sgraffito and plain vessels with inline and polished decoration. Undoubtedly, a bowl made of
pink clay and decorated with lustrous technology is especially interesting. It was imported from the Middle East. In addition to the small finds and the household pottery, bone artefacts yielded by the structure
are also published here
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The site is located at the western foot of the Trihalmie locality (the Three Hills), outside the territory fortified during the Mediaeval period. The area has never been excavated before. These excavations were carried out as part of a... more
The site is located at the western foot of the Trihalmie locality (the Three Hills), outside the territory fortified during the Mediaeval period. The area has never been excavated before. These excavations were carried out as part of a construction project. However, a significant part of the archaeological remains found at the start of the project were removed by an excavator without recording any archaeological observations. Despite the significant destructions of the upper part of the archaeological layers and structures, the excavations allowed to study six pits in the lower part. One of the pits is dated back to the 11th century and the rest – to the second half of the 12 th – the early 13 th century. The yielded artefacts are similar to those yielded by contemporary structures excavated in other parts of the town of Plovdiv. For the first time, the artifacts found at the site provided archaeological evidence that this area had been occupied during the 11 th – the early 13 th century.
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The three sigils of Emperor Basil II were issued in 1018 – 1025, and there in the territorial scope of Bulgarian (Ohrid) Archdiocese was defined. The texts of the sigils reached us in much later copies. In the second sigil the emperor... more
The three sigils of Emperor Basil II were issued in 1018 – 1025, and there in the territorial scope of Bulgarian (Ohrid) Archdiocese was defined. The texts of the sigils reached us in much later copies. In the second sigil the emperor explicitly stated thatthe. Archdiocesehad the same rangeas the one in the time of Tsar Petera nd Tsar Samuil. Both the analysis of the listed in the sigils Episcopal centers and a comparison with other written data and archaeological survey indicate a very serious discrepancy. This discrepancy can be explained only by the fact that the preserved texts of the sigils had undergone adjustments in a later period, note earlier than the end of the XI th century, and the before can not be used as a reliable historical source.