EXPLORATIONS OF HISARLAKA FORTRESS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF ANEVO (Ivan Dzhambov – history@uni-plovdiv.bg, Maria Deyanova) The Early Byzantine fortress dates to the 4th – 6th centuries AD and has a rectangular layout and a proteichisma. Dwellings and farm buildings were situated inside. During the second period of inhabitation: 9th – 10th centuries AD, semi-sunken floored dwellings were built inside the fortress. The foundations of the northeastern tower that was additionally used as a dwelling were explored. The tower is 4.45 m by 6.40 m in size. The width of the wall is 1 m and the entrance is from the south. The pottery shows the tower was inhabited during the 5th – 6th and 9th – 10th centuries AD. A dwelling situated inside the fortress was discovered. Its foundations were built of stones with a bonding medium of mud, while the width of the walls is 70 cm. Pottery from the 5th – 6th and 9th – 10th centuries AD, animal bones, parts of iron tools, a bronze applique etc. were found. A heavily burnt copper coin, most likely minted by Justinian I or Iustinus II, was discovered, thus supporting the fact that the fortress was destroyed during a conflagration. During the 9th – 10th centuries AD, a semi-sunken floored dwelling was constructed over the remains of the stone building. Its floor was of trampled clay and the walls were lath-and-plaster. A large dwelling with walls 90 cm in width was discovered close to the northern fortification wall. Its entrance was from the west. The walls were constructed of uneven stones with a bonding medium of mud. The building was inhabited during the 5th – 6th and 9th – 10th centuries AD. A copper coin of Justinian I and a significant quantity of 10th century pottery, besides sherds of the 5th – 6th centuries AD, were found.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS OF HISARLAKA FORTRESS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF ANEVO (Ivan Dzhambov – history@uni-plovdiv.bg, Maria Deyanova) The excavations in Sector E 1 near the northern fortification wall continued and the explorations of Sector E 2 in the inner part of the fortress, near the eastern fortification wall, began. The southwestern part of the house located in Sector E 1 was discovered. It was built of broken stones with a bonding medium of mud and the walls are 90 cm wide. The entrance of the building is from the south. The house had two periods of occupation (4th – 6th centuries and 9th – 10th centuries) and was destroyed because of a conflagration. The conflagration destroyed the other houses discovered in the fortress. Pottery (fragments of dolia, amphora-like vessels, etc.) dated to the 4th – 6th centuries and the 9th – 10th centuries was found in the house. Most likely, during the second period of occupation, the foundation of the building was reused for a sunken-floored house. Its floor was made of bricks and tiles originating from the roofing construction of the Early Byzantine house. Most of the pottery of the 9th – 10th centuries was discovered on the floor level. A stone pot for melting a metal was also found in the building. The stone pot testifies to the metallurgical production, which is additionally supported by the presence of pieces of slag and other metal objects found during the excavation. Pottery from the two periods of occupation of the fortress (4th – 6th centuries and 9th – 10th centuries), metal fragments, slag and animal bones were found in Sector E 2. Traces of fire were visible in the cultural strata and on the finds.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS OF HISARLAKA FORTRESS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF ANEVO (Ivan Dzhambov – djambov@uni-plovdiv.bg, Petya Kaloferova) A semi-sunken-floored dwelling was explored in trenches F1 and F2, in the center of the fortress. Stones, bricks and sherds of the Early Byzantine period of the fortress were reused for constructing its foundations with a bonding medium of mud. Fragmentary wall plaster was found. Fragments of a dolium reused for a frame of a hearth containing burned animal bones were discovered inside the dwelling. The dwelling was burned. The finds from trenches F1 and F2 include windows glass, an iron hinge and a latch for a door, Early Byzantine (4th – 6th centuries AD) and mediaeval (9th – 10th centuries) pottery, and a coin of 20 nummi minted by Justinian I. Part of the proteichisma situated at 16 m to the north of the northern fortification wall was explored in trench F3. The northern proteichisma has the same features as the eastern proteichisma: the width of the wall and its construction with a bonding medium of mortar, the size of the flying buttresses (90 cm by 80 cm) and the distance between them (2.90 m). Most likely, the northern proteichisma had an entrance. The finds include an iron cramp, fragments of a dolium, Early Byzantine pottery with traces of burning and mortar on its surface.