ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS OF THE MEDIAEVAL FORTRESS MARKELI NEAR THE TOWN OF KARNOBAT (Zhivko Aladzhov – aim-bas@aclubcable.com, Tsonya Drazheva, Dimcho Momchilov) The excavations allowed us to clarify the stratigraphy in the eastern end of the fortress (in the area of the Christian building complex of the 4th – 14th centuries) as well as the chronology of the town development in that part of the site. The inner face of the eastern fortifying wall, between towers Nos. 17 and 18, was uncovered in order to clarify the fortification system and its reconstruction. The foundations of the platform that supported the stairs from the northern side of tower No. 18, whose construction was related to that of the eastern fortification, were excavated. The tower dates to the second half of the 5th century AD. In addition, eight Christian burials, coming from the end of the 10th – 11th centuries, were discovered in the eastern part of the churchyard. The water supply tower near the river of Azmak was also explored. Its construction was related to an early building period of the fortress. A deep reservoir cut into the bedrock was discovered. The bottom of the reservoir lies below the river level and was related to the river by means of an overflow drain for keeping the water column within the supply tower. From its northern side, the reservoir was protected by a rectangular fortification tower with an entrance to the passage leading towards the fortress. Finally, the profile of the lower fortification rampart was cleared. Four ritual pits with burnt earthen plasters, filled with sherds and burnt animal bones, were discovered in the rampart basis. The pottery dates from the 8th to 5th centuries BC.

EXPLORATIONS IN THE MARKELI FORTRESS NEAR THE TOWN OF KARNOBAT (Zhivko Aladzhov – aim-bas@aclubcable.com) The sondage in the southern earthen rampart was cleaned and widened. Four Thracian ritual pits discovered in 2004 and situated below the rampart were thoroughly explored and other two pits were discovered. Sherds of the Late Iron Age (5th – 1st centuries BC) were found within the pits. The western profile of the southern earthen rampart was explored. The northeastern tower of the eastern fortification wall was thoroughly explored. Stones originating from the construction, bricks, tiles and sherds were found. A house was discovered there, with metal objects and fragmentary glass bracelets found inside. The area between the northern apse of the church and the eastern fortification wall in front of it was explored. Sherds of the 13th –14th centuries were found. It was found that the length of the wall of the water reservoir from the side of the river is 7.80 m in length and 95 cm in height. A human skeleton was discovered to the west of the wall at 1.10 m in depth. A layout of a grave pit was not visible. Most likely, the burial is not related in any way to the reservoir. No material was found.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE MARKELI FORTRESS (Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) It was found that the fortification fosse is 18 m in width and 5.80 m in depth (the main part of which is an embankment). The main rampart is 5.50 m in height and 27 m in width, while the small southern front rampart is c. 1.20 m in height and 10 m in width. Excavations of the layers around the Late Antique and Mediaeval bridge were carried out. Several types of building technique were registered and building ceramics were found. The excavations on the western fortification wall were concentrated around the southwestern tower. Part of the fortification wall was discovered at 12 m in length. It is preserved up to six courses, 1.80 m in height. The wall was built in opus quadratum bonded with mortar, but there are some remains of opus mixtum. Remains of Proto-Bulgarian houses with pottery were discovered. The explorations on the eastern fortification wall were concentrated around tower No. 18 and to the north of it: alongside the wall up to tower No. 1 situated in the northeastern corner of the fortress. Remains of houses were discovered in front of tower No. 1: most likely dating after the 11th century in the upper layers and dated to the 9th – 10th centuries AD in the lower layers. The fortification wall between towers Nos. 18 and 1 is preserved up to 1.20 m in height. Several construction periods were registered. The exploration of an Early Mediaeval house of the First Bulgarian Kingdom dug into the inner southern rampart was accomplished.

MARKELI FORTRESS (Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The explorations of the eastern fortification wall continued between towers Nos. 17 and 18. A circular kiln of bricks, situated in rectangular room, was documented. A second room, probably a workshop or a shop, was documented. The room was built of cut and uneven stones, bricks and pieces of mortar with a bonding medium of mud. Occupation layers, up to 1.10 in depth, were explored. A hoard of 37 Byzantine gold coins (31 of Nikephoros III Botaneiates, 4 of Alexios I Komnenos and 2 of John II Komnenos) was discovered. The finds include a golden finger-ring, five gilded rings, a belt buckle, earrings, iron tools, iron hinges, nails, an arrowhead and pottery. The eastern fortification wall, between tower No. 17 and the southern fortification wall, was discovered. The section was 22 m long. The fortification wall is up to 3.50 m in width. The explorations of the western fortification wall and the houses situated around it continued. Part of the wall was built in opus mixtum. The occupation layers were more than 50 cm in thickness. The finds include a Neolithic stone axe, pottery (Roman, proto-Bulgarian of the 9th – 10th centuries and mediaeval after the 11th century), terracotta spindle whorls, bone tools, iron knives, glass bracelets and animal bones. Occupation layers with materials from the 5th – 13th centuries were explored at the eastern side of the church. The finds include pottery, bracelets, fragmentary glass, iron and bone tools, animal bones, terracotta spindle whorls and a bronze appliqué.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE MARKELI FORTRESS (Zhivko Aladzhov, Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The explorations of the eastern fortification wall continued. The entrance of the fortress and the southeastern corner tower were documented. The fortification tower was built in opus mixtum and was identical to the northeastern corner tower and the two intermediate towers Nos. 17 and 18. A room, adjacent to the eastern fortification wall and tower No. 17, was explored. Judging from the numerous iron tools (knives, awls, axes, nails, etc.), which were found inside the room, it was a workshop. The foundations of another room, 70 cm wide, were discovered to the south of tower No. 17. A drainage trench, 40 cm high, 27 cm wide and 5 m long, was explored in the fortification wall. The explorations of the strata in the area between the church and the eastern fortification wall continued. The materials of the 11th – 12th centuries prevailed. Septic pits Nos. 3 and 4 were documented. They contained iron nails, agricultural tools and pottery of the 11th – 12th centuries. The explorations of the western fortification wall continued. The finds included sherds of the 9th – 12th centuries, a bronze appliqué of the 9th – 10th century, a lead stamp of the 11th century, two coins, etc.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE MARKELI FORTRESS (Zhivko Aladzhov, Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The southern fortification wall was discovered up to the bastion, which was preserved up to 3.25 m in height and measured 3 m by 3.20 m. The interior of the southeastern corner tower measured 4.10 m by 4.45 m with walls 2.10 – 2.80 m wide, preserved up to 2.70 m in height. The entrance of the tower was 2.05 – 2.35 m wide. The interior of the southeastern corner tower and the three towers along the eastern fortification wall had a cross-like layout. The towers and the eastern fortification wall were built in _opus mixtum_. Early Byzantine debris and proto-Bulgarian pottery were found on the floor of the southeastern corner tower. Material of the 11th – 13th centuries was found in the upper stratum. The explorations of the eastern fortification wall 3.10 m wide continued between both corner towers. A place for stirring mortar dated after the 11th century and three consecutive floor levels were discovered in Tower No. 18. A Byzantine seal of the 11th century was found, showing St. Mary Oranta with Christ and an unidentified Saint. The northeastern corner tower measured 5/7.90 m by 9 m. A staircase was discovered from the southern side of the tower, probably related with farm rooms of the 11th – 13th centuries, situated in front of the eastern fortification wall. The finds from the excavations included a medallion, an Early Byzantine coin, a Byzantine scyphate coin, a seal, two iron picks, small knives, awls, querns, whetstones and a stone mould. The Early Byzantine fortress was destroyed by the proto-Bulgars. During the 11th – beginning of the 13th centuries the fortress was not functional and Markeli was an unfortified town within the Byzantine Empire.

MARKELI FORTRESS (Zhivko Aladzhov, Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The explorations of the Early Byzantine three-naved basilica with later reconstructions, explored until 1992, were resumed. A house with walls built of uneven and cut stones bonded with clay, 80 cm wide, was thoroughly excavated. The house was situated in front of the western entrance of the Byzantine cross-dome church of the 11th – beginning of the 13th centuries. It was built after the cross-dome church stopped functioning in 1207 when the fortress was destroyed by the crusaders of Henry of Flanders. Christian grave 1/2012 of the 13th century was explored as well. The western wall of the nave of the Early Byzantine basilica was discovered, built of ashlars bonded with mortar. The southwestern corner of the basilica was discovered as well and it was established that the southern nave was 19.30 m long. A dugout was discovered in the western nave and proto-Bulgarian pottery of the 9th century AD was found. The dugout was occupied from the beginning of the 9th century AD until the proto-Bulgarian church was built there at the end of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century AD. The dugout is synchronous with several dugouts discovered in the southern nave of the basilica in 1991. Mixed pottery of the 5th – 7th centuries AD and of the 11th – 12th centuries was found in the narthex of the basilica.

MARKELI FORTRESS (Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Yavor Rusev) Three strata were documented in the southeastern corner of the inner earthen military camp. The finds included proto-Bulgarian sherds of the 9th – 10th centuries AD and animal bones.

MARKELI FORTRESS (Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The Mediaeval fortress Markeli is situated on Hisar Hill. A rampart with a ditch protected the fortress from the north – northeast, where the easiest access towards the fortification was situated. The northern rampart is identical to the southern inner rampart of the fortress. A stratum containing sherds of the Bronze Age (probably the Early Bronze Age) and fragmentary wattle-and-daub was documented to the southwest of the fortress, beyond the outer rampart.