В 2020 г. в ходе охранно-спасательных археологических наблюдений в Дербенте был выявлен мусульманский могильник, представляющий обособленный участок некогда обширного средневекового городского некрополя Дербента, располагавшегося за пределами архитектурного выделенного шахристана. Данный участок насчитывает свыше 80 саркофагообразных надмогильных памятников, которые условно именуются по их форме «саркофаги» и датируются последней третью XI—XII вв. Среди них представлен единственный саркофаг, на южной продольной боковой стороне которого имеется врезная надпись — эпитафия, выполненная на арабском языке почерком куфи. Текст ее гласит: «Это могила Мухаммада, лудильщика. Да будет над ним милость Аллаха!».Памятник представляет редкий образец саркофагообразных надмогильных памятников с надписью. Согласно эпитафии, погребенный являлся лудильщиком и эта информация расширяет круг ремесленных специальностей, существовавших в Дербенте XI—XII вв., и служит указанием на специализацию ремесленного...

In 2020 during secure and rescue archaeological observations in Derbent, the Muslim burial ground, representing once vast separate section of medieval urban necropolis of Derbent outside the architecturally allocated shahristan, was identified. This site has more than 80 sarcophagus-shaped tombstones, which are conventionally referred to by their shape as “sarcophaguses” and dated to the last third of the 11th — 12th inset inscription — epitaph, written in Arabic in Kufi handwriting. Its text reads: “This is the grave of Muhammad, the Tinsmith. May Allah have mercy on him!” The monument is a rare example of sarcophagus-shaped tombstones with inscription. According to the epitaph, the buried man was a tinker and this information expands the range of craft specialties that existed in Derbent in the 11th — 12th centuries, and indicates the specialization of handicraft work in the processing of non-ferrous metals, taking into account the existence of manufacturers of copper objects, coppersmiths in Derbent. At the same time, the text of the epitaph shows not only the profession, but also the nickname of the buried man — Muhammad Lahim “Muhammad Tinsmith”. It’s possible that this sarcophagus was installed over the burial of one of the respected representative of the Sufi community in Derbent of the last third of the 11th — 12th centuries.

The necropolis was studied in the period 2012–2014 and revealed 12 graves. It is situated above the ruins of the Roman Forum of Philipopolis. Stratigraphy of the graves located above the buried and partially buried houses (dugouts), shows that the cemetery was founded after their destruction. The archaeological material found there – pottery and coins, shows that this kind of homes weredestroyed around the middle of 11th century, probably in one of the Pechenegs invasions in Thrace. Grave 9 is heavily damaged by digging of foundations of overground house, which can be dated in the second half of the 12th century. The stratigraphic position of the tomb shows that the grave is prior to this date but after the destruction of the dugouts i. e. the second half of the 11th–the first half of the 12thcentury. The burial pit of grave 12 intersects a buried house from the first construction period – late 10th–early 11th century. In grave 5 a coin of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081 -1112) was discovered, minted in the period 1081-1091. According to the found funerary assemblages and stratigraphy graves 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 can be dated to the first period of the functioning of the necropolis - i.e. the second half of the 11th–early 12th century. Only grave 4 dates to the second period, which differs significantly from the other studied graves. The grave complex (grave 4) compromise a building, which was demolished at late 12th–early 13th century. Probably in the capture of the city by the Crusaders of the 3 rd Crusade (1189–1180) or by Tsar Kaloyan (1197–1207) when much of the medieval Philipopolis was destroyed. Considering stratigraphy of the researched site and the position of the grave (destroyed home), it can be dated 1220s or 1230s.The analysis of the studied graves, their orientation, the position of the skeletons and the jewelry point to searching for analogies to determine the ethnicity of the population that left those type of monuments. Analogies can be found in the studied necropolis of nomads in Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary and Slovakia. Much of the necropolis in Bulgaria are dated around the middle or the second half of the 11th century – Pliska, Iskra, Bozhurets and Odartsi. Necropolis from this period can probably be attributed to the Pechenegs. We can reach to this conclusion due to the details of the burial rituals – putting horses or parts of them into the burial pit and putting a "scarecrow" on top.Similar graves have been explored in Kazakhstan, the North Caucasus, Sark, the Volga region and others.

The archaeological survey of plot XX − 503.193 with identifier 67800.503.193 on the plan of the Budzhaka locality was carried out in connection with the implementation of the investment project “Residential building” on the territory of Sozopol, Burgas region. The archaeological site is registered in Archaeological Map of Bulgaria with registration card ˜ 6000003. The site can be defined as part of the ancient necropolis of Apollonia Pontica and supports the observations of its researchers that in the west it is developing beyond its boundaries so far. After the transition to the rescue archaeological excavations, the initially localized two burial complexes increased to ten (fig. 1). The funerals were carried out by cremation (2 graves) and inhumation (8 graves), and were predominantly for children and adolescents between 14 and 20 years old. On the basis of the discovered materials, the site was dated to the end of the 2nd − the beginning of the third quarter of the 4th century BC (fig. 1,2).

Tribe and necropolis: archeological monuments of Adyghean area in the XIII–XVI centuries and their connections with sub-ethnic groups The ethno-cultural history of Circassians in the XIII–XV centuries was largely determined with the processes of sub-ethnic groups' separation. Those processes took place in close connection with formation of principalities. Formation of new principalities proceeded in the conditions of territorial and demographic growth of the Circassian area and inclusion into the scope of its political and cultural influence of significant frontier territories inhabited by neighboring Caucasian and Turkic ethnic groups. The existing sources do not allow to fully understand whether the sub-ethnic separateness was the necessary condition for formation of a principality or a prolonged separate, in political meaning, existence of initially unified community promoted a division of the ethnos on sub-ethnic groups. The author of the article on the basis of archaeological sources traces the territorial and, apparently, «tribal» (family, clan) connection between the two Adygeyan sub-ethnic groups – Zhaneys and Hatukays – with those Adygeyan groups which had left burial mounds of the XIII–XV centuries. Zhaneys were allegedly connected with inhabitants of the valley of Abin (necropolis Gruzinka–VII and Gruzinka–X), as Hatukays – with population that left Ubinskiy burial mound. Similar comparisons of narrative and archaeological materials were successfully undertaken by researchers in relation of big feudal estates – Kremuk (Kemirgoy, Temirgoy) and Kabarda. Within the circle of Kabardian monuments the specific features of the area of burial cemeteries of Little Kabarda stood out. Rather clear connections of the period of the XIII–XV centuries, mostly famous owing to the basis of known archaeological monuments with the later period of the XVI–XVIII centuries, which is perfectly known by narrative sources, allows to trace the genesis of princely estates and sub-ethnic groups of Circassia. Этнокультурная история адыгов в XIII–XV столетиях в значительной степени была обусловлена про-цессами обособления субэтнических групп. Эти процессы происходили в тесной связи с формированием княжеств. Образование новых княжеств происходило в условиях территориального и демографического роста черкесского пространства, включения в сферу его политического и культурного влияния значительных порубежных территорий, населенных соседними кавказскими и тюркскими этносами. Существующие источники не позволяют до конца понять, являлась ли субэтническая обособленность не-обходимым условием для образования княжества или длительное раздельное, в политическом отношении, существование изначально однородной общности способствовало разделению этноса на субэтнические группы. В статье прослеживается, на основе археологических источников, территориальная и, видимо, «племен-ная» (фамильная, родовая) связь двух адыгских субэтнических групп – жанеевцев и хатукаевцев – с теми адыгскими группами населения, которые оставили курганные погребения XIII–XV вв. Жанеевцы предполо-жительно связаны с жителями долины Абин (некрополи Грузинка VII и X), а хатукаевцы – с тем населением, которое оставило Убинский могильник.

The archeological research of the necropolis in Sapareva Banya, the Ancient Germania, an object of the present study, was undertaken in 2014 in connection with private investment intention – construction of a guest house. The research has ascertained that the necropolis is bi-ritual – cremation and inhumation. There have been excavated 30 graves, as 19 among them are with inhumation, 1 is with cremation and 10 are empty. Type I – Graves built of whole and fragmented tegulas, double-pitched arrangement and bounded by vertically placed pieces of tiles at the both edges – 22 in number. Type II – Cist graves with reused construction materials – bricks, tiles or stones for grave’s marking and fencing – 5 in number. They are dated in the Middle Ages – the 12th-13th century. Type III – Graves without any facilities marking. An ordinary grave pit – 2 in number. They are dated in the Middle Ages – the 12th-13th century. Type IV – A built vaulted tomb (Grave №5). The researches revealed several reburials in the tomb and skeletons of five persons were found in it. No grave inventory was found except of an iron bulbous fibula from the fill, as well as bronze coins from the end of the 4th – the beginning of the 5th century connected with the last reburial. А new early Christian church has turned out to be а valuable finding for the archeological research. The parameters of the whole temple can’t be revealed because the alter part and the western narthex are situated outside of the plot. The naos’s parameters are precisely determined – 12,40 m from the separating wall to the apse’s shoulders, and the width is 6,20 m. The large heaping of fragmented bricks in the destructions suggests the use of opus mixtum technique, and the pieces of tegulas suggest double-pitched roof with tiles. There were found 78 coins during the archeological research of the necropolis in Germania. All of them are bronze and cover the period from AD 300/301 till the second half of the 5th century. Majority of the coins were found between the grave facilities. 26 Twelve coins are connected with the tomb building and using and cover the period from 364 till 408. The last group of coins was found during the research of the early Christian church. They are 6 in number. The earliest one is a consecrated coin struck in 318 during the rule of Constantine I (306-337). The latest coin was struck during the rule of Arcadius over the Eastern Roman Empire and Honorius – over the Western Roman Empire within the 402-408 period. Coins struck in the eastern mints of the Roman Empire prevail with an advantage of those from the mint of Thessalonica. The late Ancient coins found during the research of the necropolis in Germania are mainly of small nominal – the so called AE3 and AE4. An exception is a follis of Galerius minted in 300-301. Coins minted in the end of the 4th century during the rule of Valentinian I, Theodosius I and Arcadius predominate – 31 in number. The numismatic material confirms the chronological frames of the examined late Ancient necropolis from the second half of the 4th-5th century and completes the information about the coin circulation in the region of Sapareva Banya in this period.

The cemetery location is on the northeastern periphery of the Asciz culture in the first half of the II millennium AD. The burial ground includes the burning of things and earth graves. In contrast to the previously characterized I.L. Kyzlasov burial grounds of the Minusinsk hollow and Sayan mountains, there are absolutely no gravestones. At the same time, the rich identity of Kyrgyz culture is preserved, which absorbed a variety of cultural elements of the I, II millennium AD.

Настоящото издание представя резултатите от археологическото проучване на могилен некропол от римската епоха, намиращ се в землището на гр. Стралджа, Ямболска област. Изследването е със спасителен характер и е свързано с изграждането на автомагистрала „Тракия“. Напълно са проучени пет могили от некропола. Разкрити са общо 31 гроба, от които 19 са трупоизгаряния, а 12 са трупополагания. Деветнадесет са проучените комплекси, свързани с поменални практики, а две са извършените погребения на коне. От проучените инхумации, 8 се явяват вторични погребения, а един е гроб от бронзовата епоха, заварен на място. При изследването на некропола са установени скелетни останки от 34 индивида, на 22 от които е направена полово-възрастова идентификация. Детайлно са изследвани целият керамичния материал и всички дребни находки, открити в археологическия обект. Датировката на проучвания некропол край гр. Стралджа е направена въз основа на откритите монети и различни предмети, положени като гробни дарове. Периодът на първоначалното му натрупване и използване е началото на ІІ в. до първите десетилетия на ІІІ в. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The volume presents the results of the archaeological survey of a Roman age tumular necropolis in the administrative territory of the town of Straldzha, Yambol region, SE Bulgaria. The investigation was carried out as a rescue excavation due to the construction of the “Trakia” highway. Five tumuli of the necropolis have been thoroughly researched. A total of thirty one graves have been discovered, of which nineteen are cremations and twelve are inhumations. Nineteen complexes related to commemoration practices have been surveyed. There are two horse burials. Eight of the studied inhumations are secondary, and one grave is from the Bronze age and predates the necropolis. The excavation of the necropolis has revealed the skeletal remains of thirty-four individuals, and for twenty-two of them age and sex have been determined. The entire ceramic material and all small finds discovered at the site have been investigated in detail. The date of the researched necropolis near Straldzha is based on the coins found and the various objects put as grave goods. The period of its initial heaping and use is the early 2nd until the first decades of the 3rd century.