EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg) The tumulus was 4 m in height and 35 m in diameter. The southern half of the tumular embankment was explored. Three rooms of Building 1 were discovered, constructed of ashlars bonded with mud. The walls between the rooms were 60 cm wide and the outer walls of the building were 1.40 m wide. The upper parts of the walls were constructed with sun-dried bricks. There were entrances between the different rooms. The building was burned. Burned timber beams and sun-dried bricks from the collapsed second floor were discovered. The staircase to the second floor was discovered in Room I. The finds included dolia, Thracian and Greek pottery, spindle whorls, loom weights, animal bones, roof tiles and a bronze coin of Antiochus II Theos. Debris (roof tiles, burned timber beams, plaster) from the collapsed second floor was discovered in Room II and Thracian sherds and fragmentary Greek amphorae were found. The finds in Room III included fragmentary dolia, Thracian pottery, two domestic ovens, querns, the basis of a vertical loom with its weights, and a bronze coin of Antiochus II Theos. Part of a room with a clay eschara belonging to Building 2 was explored to the east of Building 1. A fragmentary Greek black-gloss kantharos and an amphora were found. Building 3 adjoined the southeastern corner of Building 1. Four rooms were partly explored, constructed of uneven stones and small ashlars on the outer and inner faces with a core structure of smaller stones bonded with clay. The walls were 50 cm wide. Collapsed tiles from the roofs were discovered. Two domestic ovens were explored close to the southwestern corner of Building 1 and a silver obol of East Locris minted in 338 – 300 BC and a bronze coin of Philip of Macedon were found. The Greek pottery from the buildings dated to 350 – 275 BC. The buildings functioned from the time of Philip of Macedon to Antiochus II Theos. A tumulus with a krepis was built over the debris of the buildings some time after they were destroyed.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg) The Central Building measured 10.40 m by 10.40 m and had five rooms. Tegulae and Corinthian imbrices were found. Room Nos. 4 and 5 and the storage pit in Room No. 2, dug out into the bedrock and 1.40 m deep, were explored. The rooms measured 4.70 m by 4.70 m and their entrances were 1 m wide. An oven was discovered in Room No. 4. The interior walls of the rooms were 60 cm wide and the outer walls were 1.40 m wide. The upper parts of the walls were built of sun-dried bricks, preserved up to 12 courses. The walls were burned during a fire. Debris from the collapsed second floor were discovered in the rooms and sherds from amphorae, lekythoi, ichthyai, small cups, dolia and animal bones were found. Room A in Building II measured 4.90 m by 5 m. Fragmentary roof-tiles were found under the debris of wall plaster. The entrance of the room was 1.20 m wide. An eschara was explored in Room B. Debris from sun-dried bricks, charcoal and slag were found. Building III consisted of three rooms arranged in a line: A, B and C. Each room had its own entrance. Room C was divided in two parts. The walls of the building were 50 cm wide and preserved up to 40 cm in height, built of roughly-cut stones bonded with clay in the lower part and sun-dried bricks in the upper part. Three walls were discovered in Trenches T6/7 and U6/7 in the eastern part of the site.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) The pile of roof-tiles situated in front of the façade of the Central Building was explored. Debris from the collapsed roof with tiles was discovered in Room A of Building II. The floor was plastered with clay. Debris from the collapsed roof was discovered in Room C of Building II. Sherds from amphorae, carbonized grain and an amphora full with carbonized grain were discovered in the room. Debris from the collapsed roof was discovered in Building III. Roof-tiles, a sherd from a black-gloss vessel and pieces of iron ore were discovered in the four rooms. The northern surrounding wall of the residence was explored, 1.20 m wide and preserved up to 80 cm in height. A postern was discovered. The western surrounding wall was explored as well, built in rubble masonry, 1.10 – 1.20 m wide. The upper part of the wall was constructed of sun-dried bricks. A building with at least two stores was documented, most probably a warehouse, adjoined to the western surrounding wall. The building was part of the fortification and played a role of tower. A fortification tower was discovered in the southeastern corner of the site, 6.60 m by 6.60 m in size, built in rubble masonry and with a roof covered with tiles. A ditch was documented at 3 m from the eastern side of the surrounding wall, 2.40 m wide and 0.80 – 1 m deep. Judging from the coins and the pottery, the Thracian residence was build in 325 – 300 BC.

EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) Debris from the roof were discovered in front of the façade of the Central Building and the extension of the wall that began from the southwestern corner of the building was explored. Debris from the roof were discovered to the north of the Central Building. A ceramic vessel, coins and nails were found beneath the debris. In Sector Central, in Trench I5 the exploration of the postern continued. Burned remains from the wooden gate were discovered and iron elements from its construction and facing were found. A sector of the northern fortification wall, up to 1.20 m wide, with a buttress was discovered in Trenches Z5 and I5. The explorations of the tower continued. It measured 6.70 m by 6.80 m and the walls were built in rubble masonry, preserved up to 1.10 m in height. Three fragmentary ceramic vessels, sherds from a Greek amphora, two silver and one bronze coins were found in the tower. The entrance of the tower, 1.20 m wide, was on its western wall. A leveling wall was explored in Trenches S6-8 to the west of the tower and adjoining its northwestern corner. Fragmentary roof-tiles, sherds from Thracian and Greek pottery and slag were found to the south of the leveling wall. The explorations of the ditch, 2.40 m wide and 0.80 – 1 m deep, located at 3 m in front of the eastern fortification wall continued in Trenches U4-6. Sherds, including from Greek amphorae, fragmentary building ceramics and sun-dried bricks, and iron slag were found. In Sector West, in Trenches V7-9 the eastern part of Room 3 and part of the northern fortification wall, up to 1.10 m wide, were discovered. The explorations of Room 2 continued in Trenches B7-10 and slag was found. A wall c. 1.25 m wide, surrounding an outer yard, was discovered in Trenches A8-12 in front of the western fortification wall. In Trenches Z9 and I9-11 a sector of the southern fortification wall and the northern wall of a room were discovered. The finds from the room included fragmentary building ceramics, sherds, two bronze fibulae and a gold stater of Philip III Arrhidaeus. The Thracian royal tyrsis dated to the last quarter of the 4th – beginning of the 3rd centuries BC.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) In the Western Sector, a section of the northern fortification wall was discovered in trenches G7, D6–7. The wall was 1.10 m wide and preserved up to 70 cm in height, built of roughly-cut stones with an emplectum of dry stones. A section of the southern fortification wall was discovered in Trenches E11 and Zh11. The wall was 1.20 m wide and preserved up to 70 cm in height, built of cut stones with an emplectum of stones bonded with mud. In the Central Sector, three walls were discovered to the south of the Central Building. Six pits were explored to the north of the Central Building: three in Trench M3 and three in Trench H3. The pits contained sherds, fragments from building ceramics and animal bones. Debris from the roof of the Central Building was explored as well. Several iron tools were found in Trenches L3–4. A section of the southern wall of Building No. 3 was discovered in Trench P7 to the east of the Central Building. In the Eastern Sector (the Tower), a section of the southern fortification wall 1.25 m wide was discovered in Trenches S8–9. The finds from the excavations included 16 amphora handles with stamps and 14 coins dated to 350 – 275 BC.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) Parts of the western ditch 1.70 m wide and 1.05 m deep, the eastern ditch 1.35 – 1.90 m wide and 55 cm deep and the northern ditch 1.55 – 2.80 m wide and 65 cm deep were explored. In the Central Sector, a room with a hearth was explored in Trenches K3/4, 5.80 m by 4.60 m in size and with walls 50 – 60 cm wide built of uneven stones. In Sector West, parts of the northern fortification wall were documented. A dug out metallurgical kiln for processing iron ore was discovered in Trenches V/G8, filled with iron slag. The foundation of a pillar 1.55 m by 1.15 m in size was discovered, built of cut stones. In Sector South, the explorations of the southern fortification wall continued, 1.20 m wide and preserved up to 1 m in height. A layer with fragmentary roof-tiles was explored in Trenches B/V11 and layers with slag were explored in Trenches E/Zh10–11. In the Central Sector, part of the southern fortification wall was discovered to the south of the central building. The finds from the excavations included 75 amphora stamps and 14 bronze coins of 340 – 275 BC.

EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) The explorations of Building No. 4 continued in the western part of the site. The foundation of a pillar was discovered in Room No. 3, 1.55 m by 1.10 m in size and 50 cm high. It was built of three courses of stones, while its upper part was constructed of sun-dried bricks and timber. A second metallurgical furnace was discovered in Room No. 3. Both furnaces in Building No. 4 dated to 300 – 275 BC. The building consisted of three rooms, respectively 9.80 m by 4.50 m, 13 m by 3.20 m and 14 m by 6.20 m in size. Both monumental pillars of Rooms Nos. 2 and 3 probably supported more than two floors. The building was part of the fortification, but probably it was also a house. The finds from the building included building ceramics, sherds from tableware and Greek amphorae, silver and bronze coins, bronze and silver jewelry. In the Central Sector, a room 5 m by 5 m in size, probably a bath was explored to the south of the Central Building. A layer of roof-tiles was discovered in the room and a terracotta bath-tub partly dug into the bedrock, was explored beneath. A sector of the southern fortification wall, 1.20 m wide, was discovered. Part of the wall was destroyed when a tumulus surrounded with a stone krepis was constructed over the ruins of the Central Building. Fragmentary building ceramics, sherds from amphorae, pieces of slag and charcoal were found in the eastern and the western ditch of the architectural complex. Three sunken-floored rooms with domestic ovens or a hearth, each one 4.50 m by 2.50 – 3 m in size, were explored to the north of the Central Building. Sherds, including from Greek pottery and amphorae, building ceramics, pieces of slag and bronze coins were found in the rooms. The rooms dated to 300 – 275 BC. The Thracian residence had three occupation periods: First Period (340 – 275 BC) which ended with a fire, Second Period (275 – 250 BC) related to metallurgical activities and Third Period (250 – 200 BC) when a tumulus was constructed over the ruins of the Central Building.

EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) The southern half of Room 2 in Building No. 4 was explored. Its western wall was 1.10 m wide and served as the fortification wall of the Thracian _tyrsis_ (residential tower). The eastern wall of the room was 1 m wide and had an entrance towards Room 3. A drachma of Antigonus I Monophthalmus minted in Lampsakos and a bronze coin of Lysimachus were found in the layer with traces from fire spread over the floor of Room 2. The coins testified that the fire that destroyed the complex occurred during 300 – 275 BC. Sherds from Thracian pottery, Greek amphorae and black-gloss pottery were found outside the northern fortification wall. The excavations of the ditch in front of the southern fortification wall continued. Sherds, fragmentary building ceramics and a layer with ash and charcoal were discovered in that area. A pit was discovered in front of the drainage channel in the fortification wall to drain the water from the room with the bathtub and the Central Building towards the ditch. Cut stones were discovered in the Central Sector, to the east of Building No. 2 and in front of its stylobate, probably supporting a timber column. A pit was discovered, containing fragmentary building ceramics, sherds, pieces of slag and iron ore, and fragmentary architectural details, probably from the stylobate of Building No. 2. The pit was probably related to the iron ore smelting furnaces that functioned during the second occupation period. Fragmentary building ceramics, sherds from Greek amphorae, pieces of iron ore, slag and charcoal were found in the eastern ditch. A pit was discovered to the north of the Central Building, containing fragmentary sun-dried bricks, sherds from Thracian and Greek pottery, including amphorae, fragmentary building ceramics, pieces of slag and a bronze coin. The pit dated to the second occupation period (275 – 250 BC) and probably it was a ramshackle sunken-floored house occupied by the people dealing with metallurgy.

EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KNYAZHEVO (Daniela Agre – daniela.agre@abv.bg, Deyan Dichev) In Sector West, a sector of the second fortification wall to the west of the bastion was excavated in Trench А’10; it was 1.10 – 1.15 m wide, built of roughly-cut stones. Fragmentary roof tiles, sherds, including from Greek amphorae, and pieces of iron slag were found to the east of the wall. In Trench A10, Structure I dug into the bedrock was explored, containing pieces of charcoal, animal bones, pieces of iron slag, a bronze arrowhead, fragmentary imbrices of the Laconian and the Corinthian Types, sherds from a dolium, Greek amphorae and black-gloss pottery (kantharoi, small bowls, etc.). Structure II dug into the bedrock was explored, containing fragmentary building ceramics and sherds from amphorae. In Trenches D5 and E5-6, sherds from tableware and Greek black-gloss pottery were found to the north of the northern fortification wall. A sector of the fortification wall was excavated in Trench E6. In the Central Sector, a metallurgical furnace was discovered in Trench I8, to the west of the wall surrounding the central residential building. Fragmentary building ceramics, sherds from Greek amphorae and six bronze coins were found. In Sector North, the explorations of two sunken-floored buildings were completed in Trenches K2, L/M–1/2, to the north of the central residential building. The buildings were c. 4.50 m long and 2.50 – 3 m wide, related to metallurgical activities and dated to the second occupation period. In Trench O2, four ritual pits were discovered, containing fragmentary building ceramics, sherds and animal bones. The exploration of the eastern ditch continued; it contained sherds, mostly from Greek amphorae, fragmentary building ceramics, pieces of slag and charcoal. Three stamped handles of Greek amphorae, a bronze coin and sherds from Greek black-gloss pottery were also found there. The ditch surrounded the fortification wall. In Sector East, a metallurgical furnace was excavated in Trenches R4 – R5 and a large quantity of slag, fragmentary building ceramics and sherds were found. The chronology of the site is: First Period (c. 340 – 275 BC) related to the existence of the Thracian royal _tyrsis_ and its burning at the end of the period; Second Period (c. 275 – 250 BC) related to iron metallurgy; Third Period (c. 250 – 200 BC) related to building a tumulus over the debris of the central residential building and performing ritual activities.