Археологически обекти от късната желязна епоха и ранното средновековие в м. Тандарски баир до с. Хаджидимитрово, Ямболско (Archaeological sites from the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval Period in Tandarski bair near Hadzhidimitrovo village, Yambol District) (original) (raw)

Archaeological sites from the Late Bronze Age and Early Medieval Period, situated 13 km north-west of Yambol town, are located over the northern slopes of Tandarski bair, directly north of Hadzhidimitrovo village. The excavations took place due to the development and construction of gas-station, truck parking and motel. A total of 11 dka, situated north of Trakia Highway, were examined. Archaeological excavations were undertaken at the end of 2012 and in 2013. A total of 121 sondages were excavated. They measured 1.00 x 5.00 m and 0.50 x 5.00 m, and were oriented by the four cardinal points. The soil profile on the western border of the site included 5 stratigraphic layers (from the base upwards): sterile base with displacement around 5.00 – 5.50 m in north-east direction; brown colour, solid layer excluding artefacts (sondages 77, 77а, 78, 78а, 79, 79а), in which the structure from Early Medieval period was dug; gray-brown colour, solid layer with inclusions from small, isolated finds (sondages 54, 61, 62, 88, 93, 97), with thickness 0.40 – 0.50 m and dated to Late Iron Age; grey colour layer with inclusions from archaeological finds, measuring 0.30 – 0.40 m thick, covered the archaeological structures from the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval period; embankment, piled up during construction of Trakia Highway. During the archaeological excavation, 15 pits and 5 concentrations of ceramic fragments and animal bones, dating to the Late Iron Age period were examined. The pits are mainly comprised of circular or oval hole, ranging in dimensions from 0.90 to 1.50 m. They have a bell-shape or conical section. The pottery found in them was both hand-made and wheel-made. The vessels are turned-conical, or shaped with a cylindrical neck, spherical belly and turned-conical bottom part. They are decorated with horizontal relief lines with holes, and oval-shaped relief protrusions or handles. Part of an amphora rim with stamp was found. The pits and the concentration of pottery fragments, animal bones and remains from wattle-and-daub constructions continued beyond the trench boundaries. The size and function of some of them remain unknown. A damaged pit-house and one oven dug into the sterile layer were found from the Early Medieval Period. The oven is ovoid measuring 1.2 x 1.0 m. The maximum height of the oven is 0.85 m. In the northern part there is an oval entrance measuring 0.57 x 0.36 m. In front of it there is a 0.03 m step. The oven has two floors, a lower and upper floor are connected by a hole of irregular form, close to the oval measuring 0.32 x 0.40 m in size. The thickness of the layer between two floors varied from 0.08 to 0.26 m. On the periphery there are 4 holes with diameters between 0.08 and 0.10 m. The upper floor is 0.42 m high. Two stones and piece of brick were found on the bottom of upper floor. The bottom floor is 0.40 m high and 1.20 m in diameter. In it pieces of hand-made and wheel-made pottery were found. Two graves were also examined. They belong to an infant and adult. The orientation is north-south. The grave of the infant is dug 0.30 m shallower than the adult grave. The dictation between the two graves pits is 0.15 m. The skeletons are orientated with the heads to the north. It is difficult to accurately date the graves due to the lack of artefacts contained within them.