site.btaScientists Complete Annual Exploration Programme for Early Medieval Settlement in Sboryanovo Archaeological Reserve

Scientists have completed their annual exploration programme for an early medieval settlement in the Sboryanovo Archaeological Reserve in the northeastern Razgrad Region. The excavations were financed by the Culture Ministry under a project of the Museum of History in Isperih and the University of Sofia, BTA learned from the deputy leader of the archaeological team, Maria Nikolaeva, who is Deputy Director of the Isperih Museum.

The early medieval settlement consists of many dwellings, including dugouts and semi-dugouts as well as more recent above-ground buildings. Exploration of the site has gone into a 16th year. Recent work has been focused on the southwestern section of the settlement, with special emphasis on uncovering still-buried parts of structures, mainly dwellings.

Nikolaeva described the outgoing archaeological season as successful. "Our goals were to go deeper, to determine the outer limits of dug-in structures, which we assume to be dwellings. The materials we find support our conclusion about the time the settlement emerged, which was between the 9th and 10th centuries." She said most of the finds shed light on the lifestyle of the medieval residents. These objects include fragments of spindles and knives, various other metal tools, needles, bone awls and Roman-era coins.

The archaeological team is led by Elena Pencheva, PhD, Chief Assistant Professor at the University of Sofia. Archaeology students from the university do field practice in the place every year. Workers and young people from the area contribute to the excavations, Nikolaeva said.