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Excavation

  • Kulata Fortress
  • Dupnitsa
  •  
  • Bulgaria
  • Kyustendil
  • Dupnitsa

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Credits

  • The Italian Database is the result of a collaboration between:

    MIBAC (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici),

    ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) and

    AIAC (Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica).

  • AIAC_logo logo

Summary (English)

  • EXPLORATIONS IN DUPNITSA (Slavyanka Nikolova – hmuseum_dtsa@mail.bg, Sergey Ustinov) Explorations in the Northeastern and the Northwestern Sectors (designated as I and II, respectively) of the fortress, situated on the hill above the Dzherman River, were carried out. During the excavations in 1993 and 1995, the foundations of a mediaeval tower of the 11th – 12th centuries and parts of the fortification walls of the 4th – 6th centuries AD were discovered. Part of the fortification wall was discovered in Sector I. It was built of stones bonded with mortar, 80 cm wide and preserved up to 80 cm in height. Probably there was an entrance in its southeastern end. The supposed entrance was flanked by two parallel walls constructed of stones bonded with mortar and situated at 2.30 m from each other. Iron nails, clamps and a bronze coin of the end of the 4th century AD were found. Another parallel wall built in rubble masonry was discovered at 1.60 m behind the fortification wall. There was a corridor, 3.50 m long, situated between both walls. The wall constructed in rubble masonry probably belonged to a building with an approximate size of 8 m by 9 m. A marble capital, indicating the existence of a monumental building or a church, was found. The building and part of the fortification walls were demolished during the construction of the tower in the 11th century. During the 11th – 12th centuries, a necropolis appeared in the sector. Three Christian burials (two children and one adult) were discovered. A wall built of stones bonded with mortar was documented in the northwestern part of Sector I. An entrance into the fortress probably existed there. The fortification wall in Sector II was 1.10 m wide and was constructed of stones bonded with mortar. A parallel wall, 85 cm wide, and a corner of a room constructed in rubble masonry were discovered at 3.50 m behind the fortification wall. The room was destroyed by fire. A layer of collapsed roof tiles was discovered inside the room and a bronze coin of Anastasius I Dicorus and a ceramic cup were found below it. Ten dolia were discovered between the fortification wall and the room.

  • Slavyanka Nikolova - Museum of History – Dupnitsa 
  • Sergey Ustinov - Museum of History – Dupnitsa 

Director

Team

Research Body

  • Museum of History – Dupnitsa

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