Interesting finds were discovered by the team of Yavor Ivanov – head of the archaeological excavations and Dimitar Nedev – director of the Archaeological Museum in Sozopol already in the first days of the rescue excavations on the ground where the bus station in Sozopol will be built.
The field is 30m wide. and length 20m. In the northeast corner, a stone building is being explored, the purpose of which is still unclear. It is probably a 12th-13th century dwelling. Two lead seals from the 13th century were found in the layer above it. with images of saints and inscriptions that relate to correspondence, probably between high clergy.
South of this place, 10 burials and reburials have been discovered so far.
“As in the modern world, when a close relative dies, he is buried in the grave of a previously deceased family member. It is possible that there is a layering of 10-15 burials on top of each other,” explains Yavor Ivanov.
So far, during the excavations, they have been found several skeletons of children and even a baby. Presumably buried above one of its parents.
The human remains are well preserved. They are oriented with their heads to the west according to the Christian custom. The ceramics that have been discovered are from the 11th to the beginning of the 13th century. To date, no grave goods have been found, apart from coins and ceramics. More iron nails were found, but there are no signs of a wooden structure into which they were driven. Burials are in burial pits.
South of this sector, a structure of small and medium-sized rubble stones is revealed. This could be a building in depth or a pathway to other structures, its purpose yet to be determined. It will give a more general picture of what lies in the isthmus between the old and the new town of Sozopol. Studies were carried out there during the construction of the water cycle in 2012-2013. and a single-nave church was opened opposite the municipal building and other funerary structures.
In the current excavations, the depth reached by the archaeologists is about 3m. The work continues in depth, and the expectation is that there will be great saturation in the medieval necropolis with burials and reburials. Archaeologists hope to study the burial customs of local people during the Middle Ages.
According to Yavor Ivanov, other earlier burials from the 4th century are expected to be found in depth, deeper and Roman, and at the bottom and from the Late Hellenistic era, as found near the site during previous excavations.
A large pithos was found in the southwest corner – a vessel for storing cereals, but sometimes and for funerals. The vessel found at the site was empty, but will be examined for organic remains.
To the east of it, a small arch of broken stones was exposed and this is most likely the horizon of this medieval stratum.
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