ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE KAZLACHA COMPLEX OF CIRCULAR DITCHES (original) (raw)

In 2019, excavations on The Big Island (tell Golemija ostrov), Durankulak village, were carried for the 28th consecutive season. In 2019, work focused on buildings 8/VII, 24/VII and 25/VII–VIII. At Building 8/VII was reached the bedrock and registered the measures for the preparation of the terrain for the construction of the buildings of the earliest horizon VIII: 1. At the time of the initial settling of the island, the entire rocky terrain had been levelled by depositing layers of reddish substance of finely crushed (grain size 0.3–0.5 cm) locally sourced rust-red coloured rock – limestone rock fragments, which likely owe their red hew to naturally occurring inclusions of iron and/or other metal with high content of natural ferromagnetic particles. The thickness of this initial backfill ranges 15–50 cm. 2. On top of the reddish backfill had been laid a “levelling” layer, of fine grey marsh clay, 10–15 cm thick. Actual construction work towards the urbanization and the erection of the earliest buildings of horizon VIII, dated to the time of the Hamangia III culture, began only after the setting of the second backfill. During the resumed excavation of Building 25/VII–VIII we reached the floor of the first phase in the building’s life – the one associated with Hamangia III. During this time, the building featured an entrance at the east side, while to the south wall had been attached several storage cubicles for unsorted wheat – such was found on the floors of the cubicles. In one cubicle was excavated a package of fragmented pottery, consisting of components from large pithoi (2), semi-spherical lids (2), half-preserved (Pl. 3:3) cup with tall neck (1), low bowl on a high hollow foot (1), etc. The stratigraphic situation observed at Building 25/VII–VIII indicates the absence of a hiatus between phase III and phase IV of the Hamangia culture.

The results of the study of building № 25 / VII-VIII showed that it has a slightly trapezoidal shape. The total built-up area is 69 m2. The building has undergone two stages of development: the first stage refers to the Hamangia III Culture, and the second one - to Hamangia IV Culture. The building from sub-stage 1A was small, of a shape close to the square measuring 6.5 × 6.0 m. Internal dimensions are 5.5 × 4.0 m (22 m²). Its massive walls have double-sided stone foundations 0.50 – 0.60 m wide. A thermal structure was attached to the eastern wall – a hearth with a half-dome; and to the western one – a clay podium with a square shape measuring 1.50 × 1.50 m and a height of 10 cm. There were several small and large clay structures of unclear shapes and purposes next to the northern wall. The structures in the room occupied about 15% of the living space. In stage 1B, an annex was added to the building from the south, probably a covered terrace. For this purpose, the eastern and western walls were elongated by 5 m each. The dimensions of this extension are 4.5 × 5.5 m (20 m²). It rose 15 – 20 cm above the room from stage 1A, and the approach to the inner room was stepped. Several additional economic segments were situated there: a domed oven located in its south-eastern corner and an elongated clay trough (?) – in the south-western one. During stage 2 the interior of the building was completely changed. A large room with dimensions of 10.0 × 4.5 m (45 m²) was formed. The building from this stage was open from the south where a wooden colonnade was arranged. This porch was covered with a stone pavement. The life of building № 25 / VII ended with a fire, followed by a strong destructive earthquake, around the IX degree after MSK-64. It also marks the end of the settlement from the period of Hamangia IV Culture. In 2020, the research of building № 24 / VII continued as well. There we came across the northwestern part of an unexplored earlier building – № 23 / V. The remains are framed by a low clay plinth 5 – 6 cm high. On the floor of the structure we found a charred grain of Triticum monococcum and Triticum dicoccum with an approximate ratio of 50:50%.

The article presents information about the International Scientific Conference XXXI Krupnov's readings "Archaeological Heritage of the Caucasus: Topical Problems of Study and Conservation," which was held on October 26-31, 2020 in Makhachkala, Republic of Daghestan. The conference was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Krupnov's readings and the 50th anniversary of the Derbent archaeological expedition. The conference was attended by scientists from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ghent, Grozny, Maykop, Makhachkala, Nazran, Nalchik, Oxford, Pushchino, Pyatigorsk, Tyumen, Stavropol, Sukhum, Vladikavkaz. At the beginning of the conference, a collection of conference materials was published, which included 141 publications of reports by more than 210 authors. The subject of the reports reflected a wide range of archaeological studies, covering the chronological range from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages.