EXPLORATIONS IN THE ‘MONASTERY OF MOSTICH’ IN PRESLAV (Kazimir Popkonstantinov – popkonstantinov@yahoo.com, Rossina Kostova) A funerary inscription of Chargubilya Mostich, inscribed sherds containing the names of Saints whose relics were kept in the church, lead seals of Georgi the Bulgarian Synkellos, etc. were discovered during the previous excavations in the monastery. It was found that the monastery was built over a settlement and in addition, a cemetery was explored. The territory of the complex was occupied from the 9th to 13th centuries. The nature of the site dynamically changed: semi-dug sunken-floored houses during the 9th century, buildings during the first half of the 10th century, building of a church and abandoning the complex during the beginning of the 11th century, and a cemetery above the debris during the 12th – 13th centuries. In fact, the ‘Monastery of Mostich’ has developed from a secular domain to a holy cloister. The foundations of the buildings in the eastern and southern sectors of the monastery were traced out during the excavations that were renewed in 2005. The foundations of the church and the ‘chambers’ that contained the relics of the Saints were cleaned up. An elbow bone was found in the presbytery, but no burial was discovered. The explorations of the foundations of the building that preceded the church continued. Foundations of a building were discovered to the southeast of the church. Sherds of the 10th – 13th centuries were found. Foundations of a building were traced out to the east of the church. Separate sherds of the 10th – 11th centuries were found.

THE MONASTERY OF CHARGUBILYA MOSTICH (Kazimir Popkonstantinov, Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com) A foundation was discovered and a lead astragal, a belt appliqué and sherds of the 10th century originating from a semi-dug sunken-floored house were found at the southwestern corner of the narthex of the ‘Church of Mostich’. The house was earlier than the church. A burnt layer with sherds was explored alongside the northern wall of the nave. It comes from the houses that were earlier than the church. The foundation of a building oriented north – south and consisting of rooms arranged in a line close to each other was explored to the south. The foundation of the ‘Church of Mostich’ consists of boulders and slabs with a bonding medium of mud. The highest course of the foundation is covered with mortar and the lowest course of the wall is lying above. Tombs were discovered in front of the southern façade. Tomb No. 1 was built of bricks and its interior was plastered with mortar. Disturbed human bones, five iron nails, a bronze buckle and a lead Byzantine seal were found in the tomb. Tomb No. 2 was covered with slabs and built of bricks. It was built simultaneously with the church. Tomb No. 3 was covered with two slabs plastered with mortar and built of bricks. A human skeleton was discovered. Tomb No. 4 was covered with a slab plastered with mortar and was built of bricks. Bones of three adults were found. Most likely, ‘The Monastery of Mostich’ was abandoned in the beginning of the 11th century. Church No. 5 is situated to the east of the ‘Church of Mostich’. A slab from the later period of its reconstruction was discovered in front of its western entrance. An earlier layer containing remains of houses of the end of the 9th – beginning of the 10th centuries was explored. Twenty-four graves, most belonging to children, were discovered in the later cemetery.

THE MONASTERY OF CHARGUBILYA MOSTICH (Kazimir Popkonstantinov, Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com) The foundation of the building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line and located to the south of the “Church of Mostich” was constructed of boulders bonded with clay. The building was demolished after the construction of the church. Part of a building, discovered at 12 m in length for the moment, was explored to the southeast of the church. The sherds date to 10th century AD. Foundations of two buildings were registered to the south of the church. Sherds of the end of 10th – 11th centuries AD prevail. Tomb No. 5 was discovered in front of the western entrance of the “Church of Mostich”. It has a burial chamber built of bricks, covered with a stone slab and plastered with mortar. A brick with incised Greek cross under an arch was placed on the eastern side of the tomb. The burial chamber is divided in two sections. Re-buried remains of a woman were discovered in the eastern section, which is smaller in size. A brick with a Cyrillic inscription in Old-Bulgarian was discovered to the northern wall of the eastern section: СЕ ЕСТЬ СVНКЕЛ МАТЕРH СРДОБОЛ ПОГРЕБЛЪ. The text is a replica of an inscription on a marble funerary monument placed above the floor, which was discovered in 1952. The Synkellos who has re-buried his mother, according to the inscription, was most probably Georgi. Three seals of Georgi the Bulgarian Synkellos (first half of the 10th century AD) were found 20 years ago near the “Church of Mostich”. The western section of the tomb contained re-buried bones of a man c. 25 years old, a woman 30 – 35 years old and five children from 5 months to 2 years and 7 months old. Two Christian graves were discovered in the southern half of the portico. A man, c. 35 years old and 181 cm in height, was buried in grave No. 25. Two Christian graves were explored to the north of the portico. A pavement of slabs was discovered around church No. 5. The pentahedral apse of the church is built on a step lying on a platform constructed of boulders and mortar.

EXPLORATIONS IN PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The eastern and the western foundations of the Early Building, consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line and situated to the south of the “Church of Mostich”, were discovered. The building was constructed at the end of the 9th century AD and preceded the construction of the church and the monastery. A later building was discovered over part of the earlier one. It consisted of parallel rooms arranged in a line and was oriented east – west. The building was part of the monastery complex. Four rooms were documented. The finds included sherds of the 10th century, a bronze Roman coin, small copper plates, a lead disc for striking a seal and a clasp of a book. The collapsed roof was discovered in front of the southern foundation of the building. It was covered with tegulae and imbrices. The proto-Bulgarian sign IYI was incised on some tegulae. The finds included two anonymous Byzantine folles: class A1 (AD 969 – 976) and class A2 (AD 976 – 1020), a half of a Byzantine lead seal of the 10th – 11th centuries and sherds of the 10th century. The building existed until AD 1025. The northeastern corner of a room was documented to the west of the Early Building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line. The finds included sherds of the 10th century, a bronze pendant made from a follis of Leo VI the Wise, nails and animal bones. The so-called glassworks, explored in 1953, was discovered to the west of the “Church of Mostich”. The foundations of an earlier building were documented at 80 cm in depth. The finds included a coin of Romanos I Lekapenos, coins (Latin imitations, type A of the 1230s), pottery of the 12th – 13th centuries and a gilded bronze appliqué. Three Christian graves (Nos. 32 – 34) were explored in front of the portico of the “Church of Mostich”. Skeletons of at least three individuals, rested on top of each other, were discovered in grave No. 33. The western portico was connected with the “Church of Mostich”.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The monastery is situated in the southeastern end of the Outer Town of Preslav. It was founded by monk Georgi, the Bulgarian Synkellos. A parallel Southwestern Building, consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line, was discovered to the west of the Southern Monastery Building. It was oriented east – west and was 20 m long and 3.20 m wide. The first room from the east measured 5.20 m by 3.20 m and the second room measured 9.20 m by 3.20 m. The foundations of the building were 70 – 80 cm wide and the walls were constructed of stones bonded with clay and the roof was covered with tiles. The finds included fragmentary roof tiles, small pieces of charcoal, sherds of the 10th century, including green-glazed sherds and sherds from a dish produced from white clay with painted decoration showing peacock feather ornaments and a gryphon. Sherds from the 12th – 13th centuries and five coins (Bulgarian and Latin imitations) of the 1230s – 1250s were found in the stratum situated above the debris of the building. A building with two rooms was explored to the west of the Early Building, consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line. The building was oriented east – west, measured 5.75 m by 3.20 m and was parallel to the newly discovered Southwestern Building, consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line. The finds included sherds of the 10th century and animal bones. A coin of the 1230s – 1240s was found above the debris of the building. A yard was probably situated to the northwest of the building consisting of two rooms and the Southwestern Building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line. Two anonymous Byzantine folles of Classes A2 and A3 were found there. Sondages were carried out in four rooms of the Southern Monastery Building. Charcoal, animal bones, green-glazed sherds, nails, marble segments from floor mosaics, fragments of marble veneer and cornices, and fragmentary bricks and roof tiles were found. One or more earlier buildings existed on the place of the Southern Monastery Building before its construction.

PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The monastery of Chargubilya Mostich, situated in the southeastern end of the Outer Town of Preslav, was founded during the first half of the 10th century under the patronage of monk Georgi, the Bulgarian Synkellos. The explorations of the Southwestern Building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line continued. It was over 35 m long and 4.75 m wide. Its foundations were 80 cm wide and its walls were 50 – 90 cm wide. The building had a roof covered with tegulae and imbrices. Three parallel rooms arranged in a line were documented, 5.20 m, 9.25 m and 10.60 m long. There was an entrance, 70 cm wide, between Rooms No. 1 and No. 2. The finds in Room No. 1 included more sherds from the dish produced from white clay with painted decoration showing peacock feather ornaments and a gryphon that was discovered in 2009, a bronze clasp from a book, a small lead cross and pottery of the 10th – 11th centuries. The finds in Room No. 2 included two bronze coins of Leo VI the Wise, a coin of John II Komnenos minted in Thessalonica, a bone plate showing a saint in devotional gesture (probably from a triptych with the scene of Deesis), an iron ploughshare and a lead Byzantine seal. A secondary constructed oven with three pots of the 12th – 13th century placed in front of it was discovered in Room No. 3. The finds included a ceramic spindle whorl, a stem from a small glass and a coin of the 1240s – 1250s. A coin of Leo VI the Wise, a belt appliqué and an anonymous Byzantine follis of the Class A3 (c. 1020 – 1030) were found in front of the southern façade of the building. The total number of the coins found during the excavations was 23: a gold coin of Theophilos and 22 bronze coins of Leo VI the Wise, anonymous Byzantine folles of the Classes A2, A3 and B, and coins of the 1230s – 1250s, mainly Latin imitations. The Southwestern Building was a dwelling constructed during the first half of the 10th century and reconstructed during the 12th – 13th centuries.

PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The explorations in Rooms Nos. 1 and 2 continued Southwestern Building I, consisting of four parallel rooms arrange in a line. The building was constructed during the first half of the 10th century at the latest and was situated to the west from the Southern Minastery Building. Two pits were discovered in Room No. 1. Pit No. 1 contained sherds from pitcher of the 10th century, fragments from a glass vessel with decoration in relief (probably an icon-lamp), sherds from kitchen ware of the 10th century, animal bones and a human skull. Pit No. 2 contained fragments from a glass vessel identical to those discovered in Pit No. 1 and sherds from the lid of a ceramic vessel found in Pit No. 1. Sherds of the 10th – 11th centuries, a bronze finger-ring and a pin from a clasp for a book were found in Room No. 2. A building oriented north – south was documented and a room, 4.10 m by 2.90 m in size, was discovered. Sherds and coins of the 13th century were found. Southwestern Building II, consisting of parallel rooms arrange in a line, was documented. Two rooms were discovered. Sherds from Preslav painted pottery were found in Room No. 2. Four pillars were discovered, which outlined a rectangular space, 4.50 m by 2 m in size. A layer from fallen roof tiles was discovered and sherds of the 12th – 13th centuries and a coin of the 1230s were found. The finds from the excavations included two lead seals of monk Georgi, the Bulgarian Synkellos, found in Room No. 2 of Southwestern Building I and Room No. 2 of Southwestern Building II, bronze coins: three of the 4th – 5th centuries AD, one of the 6th – 7th century AD, three of the second half of the 10th – first half of the 11th centuries and six of the 1220s – 1250s.

PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) A loading platform from the excavations of 1915 was documented to the east of the apse of Church No. 5. The northern part of the Long Building consisting of four parallel rooms arranged in a line was explored. The building was 22.50 m by 4 m in size and was situated to the east of Church No. 5. The foundations of the building were 1 m wide and were constructed of boulders and roughly-cut stones bonded with clay. Sherds of the end of the 10th – 12th centuries were found. Spolia were used in the construction of Room No. 2. An amphora dug out into the floor was discovered in Room No. 4; a Byzantine lead seal of the 10th century was found as well, belonging to Michael who was Antipathos, Patrikios, imperial Protospatarios and Sakellarios. The eastern foundation of the Long Building continued to the north beyond Room No. 1 and made an angle with another building with walls 80 cm wide, constructed of roughly-cut stones bonded with clay. A hoard of 102 bronze coins of the first half of the 13th century was found there. The Northern Building was located at 10.50 m to the northeast of Church No. 5. A bronze appliqué of the 10th century and sherds of the end of the 10th – 11th centuries were found. The Rectangular Building was 11 m by 5.60 m in size and was situated at 1.85 m to the north of the Northern Building. Its foundations were 1 m wide, constructed of boulders bonded with clay. Sherds of the 11th century and a cross of copper alloy showing the crucifixion of Christ, dated to AD 900 – 1030 were found. The buildings dated to the end of the 10th – 12th centuries and were constructed according to a preliminary plan. Earlier buildings previously existed on that site.

PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The explorations of the Northern Building continued. Its walls were 80 cm wide. A room 10 m by 4.40 m in size was explored and the finds included tegulae and imbrices, sherds of the end of the 10th – 11th centuries, an anonymous Byzantine follis of the Class A1 (AD 970 – 976) and a lead seal of monk Georgi the Bulgarian Synkellos (first half of the 10th century AD). This is the fifth seal of Georgi the Bulgarian Synkellos discovered in the monastery and so far, eight of these seals are known. The southern and the western walls of the Rectangular Building were dug into layers with debris and traces from fire. Fragmentary bricks and roof-tiles were discovered in the buildings and a layer with traces from fire was discovered beneath, containing sherds of the 10th – 11th centuries, a mouth of a dish with polychrome decoration produced from white earthenware, a bronze belt appliqué and lead styli. A circular structure 2 m in diameter was discovered, built of stone slabs and boulders bonded with clay, with a storage pit located beneath. The finds from the excavations included 11 coins: two anonymous Byzantine folles of the Class A1 (AD 970 – 976), an anonymous Byzantine follis of the Class B (AD 1030 – 1050), seven coins of the first half of the 13th century and a Roman coin. The Northern Building and the Rectangular Building dated to the 10th – 11th centuries and were built near to Church No. 5 on a site that was previously occupied, while the earlier structures were burned and destroyed.

PRESLAV (Rossina Kostova – korina68bg@yahoo.com, Kazimir Popkonstantinov) The walls of the Northern Building were 75 – 80 cm wide, built of roughly-cut stones bonded with clay. Two rooms were discovered in the building, one of them with traces from fire. The finds included sherds of the 10th – 11th centuries, iron nails, a hammer-chisel, lead weights, lead bars, bronze belt appliqués, two lead and one bronze crosses. Tegulae and imbrices were discovered in front of the southern wall of the building and three folles were found minted by Leo VI the Wise, Constantine VIII and Romanos III Argyros. The finds from the excavations included also a coin of Constantine the Great, a follis of Leo VI the Wise, a follis of Nikephoros II Phokas, a Byzantine anonymous follis of the Class A1 and two coins of 1220 – 1250.