ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS OF A TUMULUS NEAR THE TOWN OF TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva, Veselin Ignatov) The explorations continued for the eighth archaeological season. Parts of the southern and northern halves of the tumulus were explored during the previous seven seasons. Three circles built of stones, with a diameter of c. 10 m each, were discovered. A small mound of stones that covered a grave of a Thracian aristocrat was excavated within the tumulus embankment. The burial dates to the 4th – 3rd century BC. In addition, 15 cremation burials of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD, 74 inhumation burials of the 4th – 5th centuries AD and 23 ritual pits dated before the 4th – 5th centuries AD were discovered. In 2005, a stone construction with an oval layout, measuring 6.10 m by 5.80 m and 80 cm in height, was explored in the northeastern sector of the tumulus. The stones were bonded with mud and single charcoals were found among them. No pottery and other archaeological material were discovered. The stone construction is earlier than the Thracian grave of the 4th – 3rd century BC. In addition, four inhumation burials and one ritual pit were excavated. Two silver bracelets, a silver earring, a silver clasp and three glass beads were found in grave No. 91. The excavated graves date to the 4th – 5th centuries AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva, Veselin Ignatov) Parts of the southern and northern halves of the tumulus were explored during the previous eight archaeological seasons. Parts of three circles of stones, each with a diameter of c. 10 m, were discovered. A stone construction, 5.80 – 6.10 m in diameter and up to 80 cm in height, was discovered. It was partly destroyed by grave No. 60 of the 4th – 3rd century BC and by ritual pits Nos. 11 and 23. A pile a stones above the burial of a Thracian aristocrat of the 4th – 3rd century BC was explored. During the previous archaeological seasons, the total number of the graves discovered in the tumulus reached 94: one inhumation burial of the 4th – 3rd century BC, 15 cremation burials of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD, 78 inhumation burials of the 4th – 5th centuries AD and 24 ritual pits that are earlier than the graves of the 4th – 5th centuries AD. During the archaeological excavations in 2007, an area of 215 sq. m was explored in the northern half of the tumular embankment. Four inhumation burials were discovered: graves Nos. 95, 96 and 97 were entirely excavated and grave No. 98 was partly explored. Two ceramic dishes, a ceramic cup and a necklace of glass beads were found in grave No. 95 and an iron arrowhead was found in grave No. 97. The graves date to the 4th – 5th centuries AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva) The explorations in the northern half of Tumulus No. 1 continued. It belonged to a necropolis of six tumuli. Ritual pit No. 25 was discovered. It had a beehive shape and was 1.50 – 1.70 m in diameter and 76 cm in depth. A fire burned on its bottom or embers were placed there. The ritual pit cut the surrounding circle of stones that was documented in the eastern half of the tumular embankment. Two inhumation graves (Nos. 66 and 92) were thoroughly explored and two more (Nos. 98 – 99) were discovered. Thus the total number of the graves discovered so far reached 99. Grave No. 98 was oriented northwest – southeast and grave No. 99 was oriented southwest – northeast. The deceased were laid supine, with their heads to the northwest and southwest. Charcoal was discovered in the burial pits. The graves dated to the 4th – 5th century AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva) The explorations have been carried out since 1994 and stone circles, ritual pits and graves from the 4th century BC to the 5th century AD were discovered. In 2012, the stone circles were thoroughly explored in the western half of the tumulus and six graves (two cremations and four inhumations) were discovered. Thus the total number of the graves discovered in the tumulus so far reached 105. The cremations in Graves Nos. 100 and 101 were performed outside the burial pits and the grave goods included a small ceramic cup of the 2nd – 4th century AD and dishes of the 3rd – 4th century AD. The burial pit of grave No. 101 was 1.50 m by 0.74 m in size and 22 cm in depth, with a layer of charcoal and ash 10 – 15 cm thick. Graves Nos. 102, 104 and 105 were inhumations in burial pits covered with boulders. A child was buried in Grave No. 103 and the burial pit was covered with fragmentary tegulae. All the deceased were laid supine. A bronze ring was found in Grave No. 105. The cremation burials dated to the 3rd century AD and the inhumation burials dated to the 4th – 5th centuries AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva) The enclosure constructed of roughly-cut stones and boulders, 13.50 m in diameter, was thoroughly explored in the southeastern quarter of the tumular embankment. Eight burials were discovered: one cremation and seven inhumations. Thus the total number of the burials discovered in the tumulus so far reached 113. The dead buried in Grave No. 113 was a man, 20 – 40 years old, laid in a Hocker position on his right side with head to the south. The burial probably dated to the Early Bronze Age. The cremation in Grave No. 111 was carried out outside the burial pit, which measured 1.20 m by 0.90 cm, 20 cm in depth. The burial dated to the 3rd century AD. The other six inhumation burials had features, similar to the burials discovered during the previous excavations. An adult was buried in Grave No. 107 and a child was buried in Grave No. 110. The dead were laid supine with heads to the west. The inhumation burials dated to the 4th – 5th centuries AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR TVARDITSA (Krasimir Velkov – dakras@abv.bg, Tatyana Kancheva–Ruseva) The explorations in the southeastern quarter of Tumulus No. 1 continued. Ten secondary inhumation burials were discovered and the total number of the burials found in the tumulus reached 123. The dead were laid supine with heads to the west / northwest. Pieces of charcoal were found in the graves. The grave goods comprised silver and bronze earrings of the 4th – 5th centuries AD, a necklace of glass beads, two bronze bracelets, a finger-ring and a bronze belt buckle (Grave No. 115). The burials were Christian and dated to the 4th – 5th centuries AD.