The Tundzha Regional Archaeology Project: Surface Survey, Palaeoecology, and Associated Studies in Central and Southeast Bulgaria, 2009 - 2015: Final Report

281 Pages·2018·56.111 MB·English

by  Shawn A. Ross, Adela Sobotkova, Julia Tzvetkova, Georgi Nekhrizov, Simon Connor

THE TUNDZHA REGIONAL
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT

THE TUNDZHA REGIONAL
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT
, ,
SurfaCe Survey palaeoeColoGy and aSSoCiated StudieS in
,
Central and SoutheaSt BulGaria 2009–2015 final report
Edited by
SHAWN A. ROSS, ADELA SOBOTKOVA, JULIA TZVETKOVA,
GEORGI NEKHRIZOV, AND SIMON CONNOR
Oxford & Philadelphia
Published in the United Kingdom in 2018 by
OXBOW BOOKS
The Old Music Hall, 106–108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE
and in the United States by
OXBOW BOOKS
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© Oxbow Books and the individual authors 2018
Hardback Edition: ISBN 978-1-78925-054-1
Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78925-055-8 (epub)
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2018943150
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Front cover: Top: View of the Kazanlak Valley looking north to Mt Botev (courtesy Matyáš Kracík); bottom: view of the Yambol
province landscape looking north to the Stara Planina (courtesy Shawn Ross).
Back cover: Top: landscape in Kazanlak (courtesy Matyáš Kracík); insert: pottery find (line drawing by Julia Tzvetkova).
Contents
List of figures vii
List of tables ix
List of colour figures x
Links to digital resources xi
List of contributors xii
List of participants xiii
Absolute chronology xiv
Acknowledgements xv
Abstract xvii
Part I: Background and Methods 1
1. The Tundzha Regional Archaeology Project: history, aims, and outcomes 2
Shawn Ross, Adela Sobotkova, and Simon Connor
2. Surface surveys and the Archaeological Map of Bulgaria 11
Georgi Nekhrizov
3. Survey methodology 17
Adela Sobotkova and Shawn Ross
4. Archaeological sciences: approaches and methods 31
Simon Connor and Robbi Bishop-Taylor
Part II: Kazanlak Valley 37
5. Kazanlak Valley: topography and environment 38
Adela Sobotkova and Shawn Ross
6. A history of archaeological research in the Kazanlak Valley 45
Julia Tzvetkova, Nadezhda Kecheva, and Yulia Dimitrova
7. Surface soil survey in an archaeological context: the Kazanlak Geoscience Project 51
Robbi Bishop-Taylor, Karina L. Judd, Lauren Clear, and Lennard Martin
8. Kazanlak survey results 66
Adela Sobotkova and Shawn Ross
9. Assessing contemporaneity and uncertainty in the Kazanlak Valley survey datasets 82
Adela Sobotkova
10. Spatial variability in surface artefact distributions in the Kazanlak Valley 93
Adela Sobotkova
Part III: Yambol Study Areas 117
11. Yambol: topography and environment 118
Adela Sobotkova and Shawn Ross
vi Contents
12. A history of archaeological research in the Yambol province 126
Todor Valchev
13. Palaeoecology of the middle Tundzha Plain 134
Simon Connor, Andy Herries, and Scott Mooney
14 Yambol survey results 146
Adela Sobotkova, Shawn Ross, and Ilija K. Iliev
15. Assessing contemporaneity and uncertainty in the Yambol province datasets 157
Adela Sobotkova
16. Spatial variability in surface artefact distributions in the Yambol study areas 164
Adela Sobotkova
Part IV: Associated Studies 181
17 Excavation and palaeodietary analysis of Bronze Age human remains from Boyanovo, Yambol province 182
Karen Privat, Adela Sobotkova, Stefan Bakardzhiev, and Victoria Russeva
18. Excavations at the Roman site of Stroyno-Yurta, Yambol province (2014–2015): an interim report 191
Petra Tušlová, Barbora Weissová, and Stefan Bakardzhiev
19. Excavations at Dodoparon, Yambol province 200
Adela Sobotkova, Catherine Longford, and Stefan Bakardzhiev
20. Classical and Hellenistic transport amphorae from the Yambol province 211
Petra Tušlová and Barbora Weissová
21. Greek and Latin inscriptions from the Kazanlak and Yambol regions ca. 500 BC to AD 300 217
Petra Janouchová
Bibliography 229
Index 255
List of figures
Figure 1.1 L ocation of Kazanlak and Yambol study Figure 7.7 S oil geochemistry element compositions
areas across the Kazanlak Valley study area
Figure 1.2 V iew of the Kazanlak Valley looking Figure 7.8 S patial factor datasets used to determine rates
westwards of erosion within the Kazanlak Valley study
Figure 1.3 V iew of the southern Thracian Plain looking area using the Revised Universal Soil Loss
south towards Dodoparon Equation (RUSLE)
Figure 3.1 Field walkers prepared to survey a new field Figure 7.9 F inal soil property and erosion outputs for
Figure 4.1 M ap of Bulgaria showing sampling locations the Kazanlak Valley study area
for analyses conducted as part of TRAP Figure 8.1 M ap of all sites and burial mounds in the
Figure 5.1 M ap of the Kazanlak Valley. Study area Kazanlak study area documented during
indicated TRAP survey (2009–2011)
Figure 5.2 A view of the Kazanlak Valley looking from Figure 8.2 M arks left by ploughing visible in the eastern
the centre of the valley north to Mt Botev profile of trench at 2032 East during trial
Figure 5.3 A comparison of average temperature (°C) excavations
and rainfall (mm) between Kazanlak and Figure 8.3 S urvey on 12 November 2011 at the typical
Bulgaria water line of the Koprinka Reservoir
Figure 5.4 A spring snowfall during survey in the Figure 8.4 B oxplots of Kazanlak site nucleus and
Kazanlak Valley margin sizes
Figure 5.5 T he profile at the Leshnitsa Creek (site Figure 8.5 A medium sized, damaged burial mound in
3122) showing erosion typical of the streams the Kazanlak Valley
descending from the Stara Planina Figure 8.6 A n undisturbed mound of the smallest size
Figure 5.6 R ose fields in the Kazanlak Valley rank in the Gorno Sahrane area
Figure 5.7 Lavender fields in the Kazanlak Valley. Figure 8.7 B urial mounds within the Kazanlak study
Figure 5.8 A shepherd drives his flock from a village area, classified by size
to pasture in the Kazanlak Valley Figure 9.1 R epresentation of Dewar’s site occupation
Figure 5.9 R ock outcrops overlooking a gorge in the span types
Stara Planina Figure 9.2 H istograms of Dewar’s A–D components in
Figure 5.10 Kazanlak Valley landscape the broad site dataset from the Late Bronze
Figure 7.1 S ample locations for soil analysis in the Age through Early Byzantine period
Kazanlak Valley Figure 9.3 C ount of identified versus estimates of
Figure 7.2 Surface soil field sampling contemporary sites and habitations in
Figure 7.3 Daily soil analysis at the Kazanlak base Kazanlak from Late Bronze Age to the
Figure 7.4 K azanlak soil samples classified by USDA Byzantine period
soil texture Figure 9.4 A verage use span from the Early Iron Age
Figure 7.5 S patial distribution of soil components across through Byzantine period
the Kazanlak Valley study area Figure 9.5 C ounts of identified versus estimates of
Figure 7.6 S patial distribution of soil organic matter contemporary sites and habitations in
content and carbonates across the Kazanlak Kazanlak
Valley study area
viii List of figures
Figure 9.6 T otal counts of identified sites and habitations Figure 15.4 Comparison of the average use span between
and estimates of contemporary sites and site and habitation datasets in Yambol
contemporary habitations Figure 15.5 Patterns of Dewar’s occupation span types
Figure 9.7 H istograms of Dewar’s A–D components A–D in Yambol site and habitation datasets
from the Late Bronze Age through Early from the Late Bronze Age through the Early
Byzantine period Byzantine period
Figure 10.1 Kazanlak Valley survey results Figure 16.1 Overview of results for the Dodoparon and
Figure 10.2 Kazanlak site size histograms over time Elhovo study areas
Figure 10.3 Results of Ripley’s K analysis on the Figure 16.2 Illustration of settlement infilling along a
Kazanlak broad site dataset from the Late linear pattern
Bronze Age to Ottoman period Figure 16.3 Site size histograms from the Neolithic
Figure 11.1 Map of the Yambol province with the two through the Ottoman period
study areas of Dodoparon and Elhovo Figure 17.1 Satellite image of the Boyanovo quarry
Figure 11.2 View of the Yambol province landscape, showing the three excavated mounds and
from the Elhovo study area north to the Stara another necropolis to the north
Planina Figure 17.2 Cross-section of mound 8007 looking east
Figure 11.3 Ploughed fields south of the Kabyle outcrop, Figure 17.3 The earliest rock-cut chamber in mound 8007
looking north with a typical Early Bronze Age burial
Figure 11.4 A comparison of average temperature (°C) Figure 17.4 The human δ13C and δ15N data obtained in
and rainfall (mm) between Yambol and this study of the Boyanovo burial mound,
Elhovo towns with comparative faunal data from Eurasian
Figure 11.5 Water station at the foot of Kabyle outcrop steppe and forest-steppe sites
with Late Roman remains in the foreground Figure 17.5 Human δ15N values plotted against predicted
Figure 11.6 Fallow fields and grazing donkey δ15N ranges for potential dietary resources
Figure 11.7 A view looking southward from the acropolis Figure 17.6 δ13C and δ15N values for the Boyanovo
of Kabyle humans by period
Figure 13.1 Summary of the main palaeoenvironmental Figure 17.7 A comparison of the palaeodietary data from
results for the entire Straldzha Mire record Boyanovo to data from other Eurasian sites
presented stratigraphically Figure 18.1 Detail view of the site extent. Survey results
Figure 13.2 Diagrams showing only the post-glacial left; trenches excavated in 2014–2015 right
(Holocene) sections of the pollen record Figure 18.2 Drawing of the excavated area after the year
from Straldzha Mire 2015 showing the five-room house and its
Figure 13.3 Hypothetical reconstruction of main immediate surroundings
prehistoric vegetation types along a north– Figure 18.3 Terracotta lamp depicting leaves, grape
south transect from Mt Yalandzhia north of clusters, and vines
Straldzha Mire to the area south of Malenovo Figure 19.1 Photo of Manastirski Vazvishenniya from
town northwest
Figure 13.4 Changes in pollen diversity over time at Figure 19.2 Plan of the Dodoparon fortifications with
Straldzha Mire the location of the three trenches excavated
Figure 14.1 Surface concentrations and burial mounds during 2010
classified by size in the Dodoparon and Figure 19.3 An oblique photograph of the exterior wall
Elhovo study areas face in T2; showing the wall in archaeological
Figure 14.2 Boxplots of Yambol site nucleus and margin context
sizes Figure 19.4 Photo of the floor in central trench T3,
Figure 15.1 Count of total sites and estimated looking southeast
contemporaneous sites in Yambol from the Figure 19.5 Profiles of the dolia from central structure
Late Bronze Age through Early Byzantine at Dodoparon
period Figure 19.6 Profiles of amphorae from the central
Figure 15.2 Patterns of Dewar’s occupation span types structure at Dodoparon
A–D in the Yambol site dataset from the Late Figure 21.1 Map of the Kazanlak research area indicating
Bronze Age through the Early Byzantine inscriptions dated to the Classical–Hellenistic
period and Roman periods.
Figure 15.3 A comparison of counts versus estimates of Figure 21.2 Map of the Yambol study areas noting
contemporary sites and habitations in the inscriptions dated to the Classical–Hellenistic
Yambol province from the Late Bronze Age and Roman periods
through the Early Byzantine period
List of tables
Table 1.1 TRAP 2009–2011 campaign by the numbers Table 10.2 Kazanlak site count by size rank over time
Table 1.2 TRAP and associated field activities Table 10.3 Kazanlak site aggregate area by size rank
Table 3.1 Common functional terms used in the volume over time
and their archaeological basis Table 10.4 Kazanlak site average area by size rank over
Table 6.1 B urial mounds excavated by G. Kitov and time
colleagues Table 10.5 Nearest neighbour index of Kazanlak sites
Table 7.1 Vegetation cover and management C-factor over time
values for Corine Land Cover classes Table 13.1 List of pollen types identified in the Straldzha
Table 7.2 Summary statistics for soil properties Mire sediments
Table 7.3 Summary statistics for soil geochemistry Table 14.1 Survey progress during the 2009–2010
element compositions produced using XRF campaigns
geochemistry analysis Table 14.2 Yambol survey coverage, strategy, and
Table 7.4 Proportion of study area falling into each concentration recovery statistics
potential erosion class Table 14.3 Burial mounds classified by size and
Table 8.1 O verview of survey progress over three surrounding land use
campaigns (2009–2011) Table 14.4 Burial mounds classified by size
Table 8.2 Survey coverage divided by land use Table 14.5 A comparison of burial mound condition in
Table 8.3 Kazanlak survey strategy and concentration the Kazanlak dataset
recovery statistics Table 14.6 Yambol burial mounds classified by condition
Table 8.4 K azanlak burial mounds classified by and surrounding land use
condition and land use Table 14.7 Mound recovery rates by land use
Table 8.5 Kazanlak burial mounds (773) classified by Table 15.1 Results of Dewar’s model in the dataset of
land use Yambol province sites
Table 8.6 Kazanlak burial mounds (385) classified by Table 15.2 Results of Dewar’s model in the Yambol
land use dataset of habitations
Table 9.1 Results of Dewar’s model in the dataset of Table 16.1 Yambol site aggregate area, count, and
Kazanlak Valley sites including ‘uncertain’ average area over time
chronological phases Table 16.2 Yambol site count by size rank over time
Table 9.2 R esults of Dewar’s model in the dataset Table 16.3 Yambol site aggregate area by size rank over
of habitations including ‘uncertain’ time
chronological phases. Table 16.4 Yambol site average area by size rank over
Table 9.3 R esults of Dewar’s model on ‘certain’ sites time
in Kazanlak Table 16.5 Nearest Neighbour index of Yambol sites
Table 9.4 Results of Dewar’s model on ‘certain’ over time
habitations in Kazanlak Table 20.1 Chronological overview of provenanced
Table 10.1 Kazanlak site aggregate area, count, and amphorae from the Yambol study areas
average area over time