EXPLORATIONS OF THE WESTERN FORTIFICATION WALL OF PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg) The excavations of the southern sector of the western fortification wall were resumed. An area of 125 sq. m was explored. Two side walls beginning from the fortification wall were traced out. They are preserved up to 60 cm in height and are 60 – 65 cm in width. The walls were built of broken marls with a bonding medium of mud. The bottoms of three small furnaces (Nos. 59, 60, 61) for iron metallurgy were discovered close to the northern side wall and below it. They stand from 11.30 to 14 m to the east of the fortification wall and were dug at 1 m depth into the loess. Two bigger patches of charcoals and ash, 80 cm by 1 m and 1 m by 1.20 m in diameters, most likely remains of forge hearths, were found to the south and to the northeast of the furnaces. Many pieces of slag with high concentration of iron, corroded iron objects (chisels, nails, a horseshoe) and fragmentary big pots used for the iron metallurgy were discovered around. Sherds of the 10th century AD are rare at 80 cm – 1 m in depth. Fragments of thin-wall and glazed pots, jugs, pitchers and amphorae, typical in Pliska during the end of the 10th – first half of the 11th centuries, were often found at 40 cm – 60 cm in depth. The anonymous Byzantine folles discovered during the excavations testify to the intensive life in the southwestern part of the inner town of Pliska during the end of the 10th – first half of the 11th centuries.

EXPLORATIONS OF THE WESTERN FORTIFICATION WALL OF PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg, Konstantin Konstantinov) An area of 425 sq. m was explored. It is located to the north of both walls discovered in 2004 that connected the trade and craft buildings with the western fortification wall. A rectangular building, 10.60 m by 8.20 m in size and oriented north – south, was explored to the north of the northern wall, which is 28 m in length. The walls of the building are 70 cm in width and are preserved up to 70 cm in height. They were built of uneven stones bonded with mud, while ashlars were used in the lower courses. The building has two rooms (A and B). The western room (A) is larger. Four stone slabs were discovered on the floor, in the corners of room B, and they supported wooden posts of the roofing construction. The building was destroyed and burnt, most likely during a military action. Broken and burnt pots, amphorae, dolia and ‘Pecheneg’ cauldrons were found. Crosses (one used during processions and two adornments), buckles, appliqués, a small knife, an iron ring and a chisel were found close to the building. Nine anonymous Byzantine folles and a follis minted by Constantine X Doukas were found around the building. They show that the building was occupied from the end of the 10th century AD to the 1060s AD. The destruction of the building could be related to the military campaign of Ouzoi in 1064 AD. A small П–like oven constructed of stones and bricks was discovered to the west of the building. Two hearths containing slag were found to the south of the building, between two walls explored in 2004. Mill-bars, a piece of ore, an axe, a whetstone, an arrowhead, cotters, animal bones and antlers with traces of treatment were found close to the hearths.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg, Konstantin Konstantinov) An area of 850 sq. m was explored in the southwestern corner of the Inner Town of Pliska. Building I was entirely excavated. The finds include small lead cross, a clasp for book and an anonymous Byzantine follis of class A2. Building II was discovered at 2.50 m to the north of building I. The Building is 11/15 m long and its interior is 3.88 m wide. The walls are 40 – 80 cm thick and are constructed of uneven stones bonded with mud. There are four later pits and two houses situated over building II. Building III, 5.70 m by 5.60 m in size, was discovered to the north of building II. There is an entrance, 80 cm wide, on its eastern wall. The finds include pottery, a marble disc and an anonymous Byzantine follis of class B. Two small houses, one of them sunken-floored, were explored over the debris of building II. The finds include sherds, a pot dated not later than the 10th century and a latch of a door. Five pits, containing animal bones, slag and sherds, were discovered to the west of building I. The finds include two anonymous Byzantine folles of class A1, 11 anonymous Byzantine folles of class A2, an anonymous Byzantine follis of class B, an anonymous Byzantine follis of class C, a bronze coin of Emperor Constantine X Doukas (1059 – 1067) that is a restrike of an anonymous Byzantine follis of class A2, 17 appliqués, five belt points, four buckles, glass bracelets, finger-rings, an earring-earpiece, a lead medallion, a Pecheneg pendant and eight crosses. The excavated building and materials date to the later period of Pliska from the 980s to 1060s. Probably, the buildings were constructed during the reign of Emperor Basil II (976 – 1025) and existed until Pliska was destroyed by the Oguzes in 1064.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg, Konstantin Konstantinov, Evgenia Komatarova–Balinova) The sector explored had an area of 250 sq. m and was located in the northern part of the trade and craft rooms and to the west of them. The northern outer wall of building No. 3, discovered in 2006, was explored. The wall is 4.50 m long and 70 cm wide. A domestic oven, constructed of clay and stones, was discovered. Charcoal, animal bones, sherds and a small pot of the 10th century were found inside the oven. A wall, 2.20 m long and 80 cm wide, built of ashlars, was discovered against the northern wall of building No. 3. Room No. 19, 4.50 m by 3.70 m in size, and room No. 20 (or building No. 4), 11.65 m long, were discovered. An oven and five pits were documented in room No. 20. Pit No. 11 contained a Byzantine anonymous follis of Class A-2 (AD 976 – 1030/1035). The room was a workshop. The pottery from the upper layers of the sector dates to the 11th century. Pots and jugs, some of them glazed, and Pecheneg cauldrons occurred. The finds include two finger-rings, appliqués, belt points, glass bracelets and two arrowheads. Eleven postholes arranged in two rows were documented.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg, Konstantin Konstantinov, Evgenia Komatarova–Balinova) A sunken-floored house No. 3, 2.90 m by 1.85 – 1.95 m in size, was discovered at the northern wall of Building III. There were four postholes in its corners. The finds include fragments of pots of the 10th century, a small whetstone and animal bones. Two millstone platforms were discovered at the northeastern corner of Building III. A tray for stirring mortar was discovered in front of the northwestern corner of Building III. Fragments of a pot and two jugs, one with incised sign IYI, were found in pit No. 20, which lay over the tray for stirring mortar. House No. 4 was discovered under room No. 19 in the southern end of Building IV. Two platforms for millstones were situated inside house No. 4. Nine pits of the 8th – beginning of the 9th centuries AD were explored under Building IV. Pit No. 14 was situated under Building IV and contained two anonymous Byzantine folles of Class A2 (AD 976 – 1030/1035), fragments of glass bracelets, sherds and animal bones. Lead, bronze and bone objects were produced in Building V. The finds include a lead cross, unfinished and defective lead appliqués, belt points, a buckle, lead pieces and bone awls. An anonymous Byzantine follis of Class D (AD 1050 – 1060) was found in pit No. 17.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PLISKA (Lyudmila Doncheva–Petkova – ldoncheva_petkova@abv.bg, Konstantin Konstantinov) The excavations of the southern sector of the western fortification wall of Pliska continued. The area to the west and north of the shops and the workshops was explored. Building VI, consisting of two rooms, was excavated. A cowbell, a whetstone, a bronze appliqué, and sherds from dolia, pots, bowls, amphorae and cauldrons were found. The building dated to the 1060s and was the latest one in the architectural complex. It was burned. Pits Nos. 21, 22 and 23 were explored to the east of the building. Pits Nos. 22, 23 and 18 (partly explored in 2008) were dug out into the debris of Building V and were related to Building VI. Pit No. 17, which was explored in 2008 and contained an anonymous Byzantine follis of Class D (AD 1050 – 1060), was also related to Building VI. A sunken-floored house (or a storage room) No. 5 existed on the place of Building III before its construction. The sunken-floored house had a quadrangle layout and walls c. 3.20 m long. There was a quern inside the room. House No. 5 was synchronous with semi-dug sunken-floored House No. 3, which was discovered under the northern wall of Building III. A bronze finger-ring was found. A bed for stirring mortar was documented and sherds from three amphora-like pitchers of the second half of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century were found. A Christian grave of an adult was discovered at 14 m to the east from the fortification wall. The grave was related to the necropolis situated along the fortification wall and explored during the 1970s and 1980s. The finds from the excavations included an anonymous Byzantine follis of Class A2, three appliqués, two belt buckles, two finger-rings, fragments from glass bracelets, spindle whorls, small iron knives and lead ingots.