EXPLORATIONS OF THE ‘LATE ANTIQUE BATHS’ SITE IN DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) Excavations were conducted to the north of the hypocaust premises of the baths, in an area of 200 sq. m down to 2.60 – 3.15 m in depth. It became clear that the baths were set on fire in the first half of the 5th century AD, presumably during the incursions of the Huns. A small rectangular pool, which was not used after the fire, was explored in the eastern part of the excavated area. A pylon was built in the southwestern corner of the pool. The pylon was constructed of reused stone material, ashlars and broken stones bonded with mortar. The burnt level was registered everywhere on the floor of the baths. Coins of the emperors Honorius and Theodosius, which date the fire, were found within the burnt level. During the second half of the 5th century AD, dwellings were built on the ruins of the baths. Their foundations were constructed of stones bonded with mud, and the walls were built of adobe. Some preserved parts of the older walls of the baths were incorporated in the dwellings, too. A number of pottery, terracotta lamps, agricultural tools, etc. were found within the remains of the dwellings. At the end of the 6th century AD, there was another big fire dated by coins minted by Justinian I and by Justin II and Sophia. Presumably, the fire was result of the invasions of Slavs and Avars. Ramshackle dwellings were discovered within the Early Mediaeval stratum dated to the 7th – 9th century. Pottery and arrowheads were found within the stratum, which was disturbed by later diggings for collecting building material.

EXPLORATIONS OF THE ‘LATE ANTIQUE BATHS’ SITE IN DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova–Voikova) The cultural stratum below the walls constructed of stones with a bonding medium of mud during the 5th – 6th centuries was explored. It contained traces of conflagration that happened in the first half of the 5th century AD. The flooring level of the hypocaust was discovered. The floor is partly preserved and consists of rectangular terracotta plates placed on a mortar plaster. The hypocaust consists of stone pillars supporting the floor. The trench was widened to the northwest with an additional area of 150 sq. m, which was excavated down to 2.60 – 3.95 m in depth. A small quantity of pottery was found in the layer containing building material from the baths. Some 50 tesserae of mosaics, three of them gilded, were discovered. The stratum containing traces of conflagration is 40 – 60 cm in thickness and was registered above all flooring levels of the baths. Coins of Arcadius, Honorius and Theodosius II were found in the stratum, which date the conflagration to the first half of the 5th century AD, the terminus ante quem for the use of the baths. During the second half of the 5th century AD, a warehouse was built over the ruins of the baths. Seven dolia, instruments, tools and pottery were found. During the construction of the warehouse, preserved walls of the baths were reused, its rooms were divided and new rooms were built. The foundations of the new rooms were constructed of stones with a bonding medium of mud and their walls were built of adobe. A roofing construction that collapsed because of a conflagration covered the cultural stratum of the end of the 5th – beginning of the 6th centuries AD. Coins of Iustinus II date the conflagration to the end of the 6th century AD. Most likely, it was result of the invasions of Avars and Slavs.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova–Voikova) The trench was widened with 250 sq. m. It was reconfirmed that the baths were burned during the first half of the 5th century AD. A hypocaust with terracotta and stone-built small columns was discovered. Fragments of mortar plasters with grey and white tesserae, marble fragments of cornices and wall facings were found. Probably the floor was covered with mosaics and there was a marble plinth, while the plaster of the wall above it was painted in red. An air duct built of bricks, probably connected with the prefurnium, was discovered. During the second half of the 5th century AD, a fortification wall of ashlars bonded with mortar was built over the air duct and the hypocaust, and storage rooms connected with the fortification wall were constructed over the ruins of the baths. In the beginning of the reign of Justinian I, the storage rooms were reconstructed after a fire. Eight dolia in situ, amphorae, pottery, terracotta lamps, tools, jewellery and a bronze stamp for stamping breads, with a Greek inscription that reads: MAPTYPI, were found. The occupation stratum of the 6th century AD was covered by the roofing construction, which had collapsed during the fire. The fire is dated by coins of Justin II and probably is result of the invasions of Slavs and Avars at the end of the 6th and beginning of the 7th centuries AD. Houses with foundations of stones bonded with mud were built over the remains of the fire. Sunken-floored houses, partly dug into the ground, were constructed on the site during the first half of the 9th century AD. An occupation stratum was discovered in the southern room No. 1 of the baths. The stratum comes from the period before the room was partitioned and dates to the 2nd century AD, according to the pottery (a terracotta lamp with stamp [АТІ]МЕТІ and red-gloss dishes). The wall in the western part of the room, which is connected with the southern wall of a tepidarium, is related to the stratum.

EXPLORATIONS IN DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) The explorations continued in front of the eastern Early Byzantine fortification wall and inside the fortified area. In 2006, a stratum with a semi-dug sunken-floored house of the 9th – 10th century AD was explored on the inner side of the fortification wall. A stratum with traces of fire of the end of the 6th century AD, dated by coins minted by Emperors Justin II and Sophia, was reached. In 2007, two parallel walls, built of stones bonded with mud, were discovered under the stratum. Four drain pipes, which led the waste water out of the fortification walls, were discovered under the foundation of the western wall. Pieces of mortar and fragmentary plaster painted in Pompeian red were found in a destruction deposit 60 – 83 cm thick. The mortar floor of the baths was discovered under the destruction deposit. Fragmentary plaster painted in Pompeian red was found fallen on the floor. In 2006, the eastern face of the fortification wall, built over a room with hypocaust belonging to the baths, was explored. In 2007, a stratum 60 – 85 cm thick, containing amphorae sherds, was explored. In 2005, the stratum was dated to the 8th century AD by a coin of Emperor Leo III. The level of the fortification wall was reached. An occupation level of the middle of the 5th century AD with traces of fire, dated by coins of Emperors Theodosius II and Valentinian III, was explored below the level of the fortification wall. A place for mixing mortar, containing coins of Emperor Valens, was discovered. The stratum contained pottery, amphorae, including a Gaza amphora, and terracotta lamps, including a Corinthian lamp showing Serapis with two cobras and a male personage. The baths were destroyed at the end of the 4th – beginning of the 5th century AD. The exploration of the room located to the west of the nymphaeum, which was excavated in 1988, was resumed. The finds include sherds, terracotta lamps, an amphora of Dressel 24 type and a carnelian gem.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) The sondage was widened on an area of 50 sq. m to the east. A layer formed after the construction of the Early Byzantine fortification wall, 48 – 90 cm thick, was explored. The finds include sherds, two bronze coins of the second half of the 5th century AD, a terracotta lamp, an iron arrowhead and an amphora of the 8th – 9th century AD. The exploration of the sector in front of the eastern fortification wall and the bastion continued. Coins of the 4th century AD, minted by Constantine I, Constantius II and the latest one minted by Valens, were found in the layer of debris. Probably, the Gothic invasion in Thrace in AD 377 – 378 was the terminus ante quem for the existence of the public baths. Systems of water-conduits and drains were discovered in the baths. The eastern end of the room with a hypocaust was documented. An air duct crossed the room. The finds include a carnelian gem showing two eagles, fragmentary unguentaria, carnelian and bone beads, fragmentary bone hair-pins, fragmentary terracotta lamps, five Roman bronze coins of the 1st – 3rd centuries AD. The coins of the 1st – first half of the 2 centuries AD allow us to suppose that the public baths were built during the first several decades after Colonia Flavia Pacis Deultensium was founded, i.e. at the end of the 1st or the beginning of the 2nd century AD. Four pre-Roman bronze coins were found in the foundations of the baths.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) The explorations in the eastern part of the thermae continued. House of the second half of the 7th – beginning of the 9th century AD was documented. It was situated at 12 m to the east from the outer side of the fortification wall of AD 475 – 500 and was built of sun-dried bricks and was destroyed by fire. A pile of fragmentary pottery, amphorae, five bronze coins of the second half of the 4th century AD and a coin of Justinian I, was discovered. During the end of the 6th – beginning of the 7th century AD the fortification walls were not maintained and during the second half of the 7th century AD buildings were constructed in the area in front of them. An occupation level of the end of the 4th – first half of the 5th century AD was reached and in that period the thermae were already not existing and houses of sun-dried bricks were constructed over their ruins. Three dolia with traces from fire, dated with coins of Theodosius II, were discovered. The finds included pottery, loom weights, fragments from terracotta lamps of Asia Minor type (Мiltner Type XI), amphorae LR 1/A, LR 1/B, LR 2, LR 4 (Gaza Type), a small cross, bronze belt buckles and a needle. The cardo adjoining the eastern side of the thermae was documented, paved with slabs. A drain was discovered. Two bronze coins were found in the joints between the slabs of the cardo: the first one of the first half of the 4th century AD and the second one of Constantius II. A room from the eastern side of the tepidarium was explored, with a floor paved with marble slabs. A latrine was built adjoining the room. A marble dolphin over a base and a fragment of a marble seat of latrine were found. Destructions were documented, probably a result from an earthquake that was documented in AD 357/358.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) A stratum of the second half of the 7th – 9th centuries AD was reached in the eastern part of Sondage East. Sherds were found, including from amphorae of Saraçhane, Istanbul Type 35. A warehouse was explored in front of the bastion of the Early Byzantine fortification wall. It was built after the construction of the fortification wall, i.e. after AD 450 – 475. Three dolia, seven amphorae of the Type LR 4 (Gaza), four amphorae of the Type LR 2, amphorae of the Type LR 1, pots, pitchers, bowls and a mortarium of the 5th – 6th centuries AD were found in the building. An occupation level of the end of the 4th – beginning of the 5th centuries AD was explored. It was burned during AD 400 – 425. Coins of Honorius and Theodosius II were terminus post quem for the occupation level. A layer was explored under the occupation level, containing fragmentary mortar, fragments from floor with hypocaust of the thermae, dark grey and white tesserae from floor mosaics in opus tessellatum. The small columns of the hypocaust were discovered, built of bricks bonded with mortar. The latest coins discovered were minted by Constantius II. The explorations of the _latrina_ with marble floor continued. A house of the end of the 4th – first quarter of the 5th centuries AD was documented, burned during AD 400 – 425. Coins of Honorius and Theodosius II were a terminus post quem. The earliest street pavement of the first eastern cardo was built of ashlars in the 2nd century AD. A pile was explored, consisting of fragmentary pottery, terracotta lamps and amphorae of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD, coins of Severus Alexander and Maximinus Thrax and Roman provincial bronze coins of Deultum. After a fire, which occurred probably during the Gothic invasion in the middle of the 3rd century AD, the street pavement was repaired. At the end of the 4th century AD, buildings were constructed over the earlier streets. A fire of AD 400 – 425 was documented.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) An area of 120 sq. m was explored to the east of the praefurnium in the eastern part of the thermae and to the southeast of the bastion of the Early Byzantine fortification wall. The strata were 2 – 2.70 m thick. A stratum of the end of the 7th – 8th centuries AD was discovered, containing sherds including from amphorae of the Type 35 Saraçhane, Istanbul, and a coin of Constantine V Copronymus. The explorations of the latrine continued to the east of the tepidarium explored in 2011 – 2012. Two water-conduits and a drain were discovered to the west of the latrine. After the thermae were destroyed in AD 358, the eastern tepidarium was reconstructed during AD 360 – 375. A layer with traces from fire was discovered, dated by coins of Theodosius I and Valentinian II. The fire occurred after AD 383. The explorations of the layer with traces from fire that occurred in AD 450 – 455 continued. A pile of sherds was discovered and burned sun-dried bricks and agricultural tools were found. The pottery was represented by four amphorae of the LR 1 Type, one of which full with carbonized grain, three amphorae of the LR 2 Type, one amphora of the LR 7 Type, sherds from amphorae of the LR 3 and LR 4 Types. The mains drain of the eastern cardo was explored, 74 cm wide and 1.73 m deep, built of cut stones bonded with mortar. Sherds, mostly of pots and bowls of the 1st – 3rd centuries AD, and 68 coins were found in the drain. The earliest coins were of Domitian and a sestertius of Ulpia Marciana. The coins minted in AD 150 – 250 prevailed and the latest coin was minted by Valens.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg, Elka Docheva, Maria Manolova-Voikova) Sondage East was widened to the south inside the southeastern part of the thermae. A stratum of the 7th – 9th centuries AD was explored. The finds included an ox-shoe, sherds, including from amphorae of the Type 35 from Saraçhane, Istanbul, and from pots of the Pastoralist Type. At some places the stratum of the 7th – 9th centuries AD cut the levels with the fire of the middle of the 5th century AD dated by coins of Theodosius II and Valentinian III. The storage room with two construction periods was completely excavated. The finds included fragmentary amphorae of the Type LR 1 and LR 2, one of them containing carbonized grain, 60 terracotta loom weights, terracotta lamps, a pot, bone awls, iron tools, a bronze pan with an iron handle, two hoards of 174 bronze coins in total, minted by Theodosius I, Arcadius, Honorius and Theodosius II. The first construction period of the room dated to the end of the 4th – beginning of the 5th century AD, dated by coins of Valentinian II minted until AD 408. The second construction period ended with the fire of the middle of the 5th century AD dated by coins of Theodosius II and Valentinian III. The first construction level of the room was dug out at 60 cm beneath the level of the Late Antique junction of the eastern cardo and the decumanus. The pavement of the cardo of the 2nd century AD was discovered. In the Sector East – South 2, the foundation of a wall of the thermae was discovered and three coins of Constantine I, Valens and Arcadius were found. Two more coins of Arcadius were found in the sector as well.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg) The explorations at the junction of the eastern cardo and the decumanus, adjoining the southeastern side of the thermae and dated to the 4th century AD, continued. In 1988, the eastern gate of Byzantine Dobeltos built after AD 457 and part of the fortification wall were explored in the neighboring sector. In 2015, a pavement of small crushed stones was discovered in front of the eastern fortification gate and the trampled layer under the pavement contained spolia: fragments from architectural decoration (volutes from Doric capitals, friezes and marble frames of windows). During the explorations of the pavement, 165 bronze coins were found. In the neighboring sectors, finds that originated from destroyed strata were discovered: sherds of the 5th – 8th centuries AD and 95 bronze coins, mostly of the first half of the 5th century AD. A stratum of the second half of the 7th – 8th centuries AD was explored and the finds included sherds, including from amphorae of the Type 35, Saraçhane, Istanbul, spindle whorls, bronze belt buckles, iron rings and arrowheads. Probably at the end of the 7th – beginning of the 8th centuries AD houses of sun-dried bricks were constructed in front of the fortification wall. Two sunken-floored dugouts of the 9th – 10th centuries AD were discovered, from the period after the proto-Bulgarian Han Krum conquered the town in AD 812. The finds from the dugouts included sherds, including from amphorae of the Type 35, Saraçhane, Istanbul, and pots of the Pastoral Type typical of the people of the First Bulgarian Kingdom.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg) In Sector East/South 4, the explorations at the junction of the eastern cardo and the decumanus, adjoining the southeastern side of the thermae, continued. The Roman decumanus was discovered beneath the pavement of the street of the second half of the 5th – 6th centuries AD. The decumanus was paved with stone slabs and had a central drain 94 cm deep, built of stones bonded with mortar. A water-conduit of terracotta pipes bonded with mortar was explored. It was constructed when the drain was already not functional. Parallel shops arranged in a line were discovered to the south of the decumanus, built in _opus mixtum_. A marble base of a column placed over a pedestal was discovered on the decumanus, showing the existence of a portico that stood on the street.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg) The excavations continued in Sector East, in the junction between the eastern cardo and the decumanus which adjoined the southeastern part of the thermae. The pavement of the cardo consisted of two rows of slabs. The western kerb was 25 cm wide, built of ashlars. Three water-conduits were discovered, constructed of terracotta pipes 47/50 cm long and 15 cm in diameter, bonded with mortar. Some of the pipes had openings that were closed with terracotta caps. Two of the water-conduits were built in the beginning of the 4th century AD, judging from a coin of Licinius. Two more water-conduits were discovered, built of terracotta pipes 40/42 cm long and 10 – 12 cm in diameter, bonded with mortar. The central drain built of stones bonded with mortar, was discovered on the junction between the eastern cardo and the decumanus. Sherds from amphorae of the types Zeest 64b, Dressel 24 and Peacock & Williams 10, and an as of Hadrian minted in AD 134 – 138 were found in the drain. Six water-conduits were documented, built of terracotta pipes. The building consisting of parallel shops arranged in a line was constructed in _opus mixtum_ to the south of the decumanus. One shop was explored in 2016 and a layer with traces from fire was documented, dated by a coin of Constantius II. In 2017, another layer with traces from fire was documented beneath, dated by coins of Gordian III and Philip II, sherds from amphorae of the types Dressel 43, Peacock & Williams 10, and Kapitӓn II. The foundations of another building constructed of roughly-cut stones bonded with clay were documented beneath the shop; a fire was documented there and three coins were found (two of Trajan minted in AD 114 – 117 and one of Tiberius). The building with the shops was probably constructed in the 2nd century AD after the reign of Trajan.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg) Sondage No. 6 was carried out in Sector East – South, to the south of the latrine, in order to precisely detail the stratigraphy of the thermae. A pit of AD 400 – 450 was excavated, dated by coins of Theodosius II. The southern wall of the thermae was discovered, closing the latrine. An area was explored in the western part of the thermae, situated to the north of the Nymphaeum and covering part of the western cardo and the stylobate that was excavated in 1987 – 1988. A sunken-floored house of the 9th century AD was excavated, containing sherds, including from proto-Bulgarian pots and Byzantine amphorae of Saraçhane Type 30. Sunken-floored houses of the 8th – beginning of the 9th centuries AD were documented as well. A drain and a wall were excavated, dug into a layer with traces from fire of the end of the 6th century AD, dated by coins of Justin II. Parts of the floor of a building were explored. It was constructed of sun-dried bricks with a roof covered with tiles and was burned down at the end of the 6th century AD. The bottoms of two dolia, nine terracotta lamps, an amphora LR 1, a bowl and a lid of a pot were discovered on the floor. A house of sun-dried bricks with a roof covered with tiles was built over the stone plinth of the Late Antique stylobate. The western cardo was paved with stone slabs and it was functional until the beginning of the 6th century AD.

DEULTUM (Krasimira Kostova – kr.kostova@mail.bg) The excavations continued in the western part of the thermae with the adjacent cardo. Debris of houses of the 7th – 8th centuries AD were explored, dated by coins of Phocas, Constantine V Kopronymos, a lead seal of Elpidios, the Logothetes of the Dromos (AD 760 – 775/780) and pottery, including amphorae of Type Hayes 30. A water-conduit of the end of the 4th – beginning of the 5th centuries AD was discovered, dated by a coin of Arcadius. An occupation level of the second half of the 6th century AD, during the reign of Justinian I and Justin II, was documented. Room 4 was excavated, dated to the first half of the 6th century AD and burned after the middle of the 6th century AD. The finds included amphorae of Kuzmanov VI Type, Type Hayes 4B, LRА1, LRА2 and LRА4. Beneath the floor level, a semifollis (20 nummi) of Anastasius I Dicorus minted in AD 512/518 and 10 nummi of Justinian I minted in AD 557/558 were discovered. A fire was documented in Room 3, containing debris of burned fragmentary sun-dried bricks, burned wooden beams and tegulae. A fragment from a Roman military diploma was found, with a decree of Hadrian issued on the 17th July 122 AD, which featured the dismissal of retired soldiers from the auxiliaries in the Roman province of Dacia Inferior with provincial governor Cocceius Naso. The coins from the layer with traces from fire gave AD 347 – 348 as _temimus post quem_ and AD 358 as _terminus ante quem_. The eastern wall of Room 3 was built over the wall of the Roman thermae. The _suspensura_ of the destroyed hypocaust of the thermae contained fragmentary terracotta _tubi_, bricks and marble veneer, and consisted of terracotta tubular _pilae_, 27 cm in diameter and 80 cm in height. The walls were plastered with hydraulic mortar. Two storage rooms were discovered, with traces from fire of the second half of the 5th century AD, dated by coins of Theodosius II; seven dolia, fragmentary amphorae and pots, terracotta lamps and two Gothic pots were also found there. The western cardo was paved with stone slabs and probably was used until the beginning of the 6th century AD.