Results of Survey Works on the Periphery of the Bolgar Fortified Settlement in 2018-2019

Abstract

When studying medieval Bolgar, A.P. Smirnov and his colleagues paid attention not only to the site of the ancient settlement surrounded by the preserved defensive structures, but also excavated the areas adjacent to the fortifications from the south and west – Maliy Gorodok and Armenian colony, respectively, as well as the foot of the upper Volga terrace and backland parts of the monument and "Aga-Bazar" settlement. Continuing these traditions in 2018-2019 the archaeological reconnaissances were conducted by the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences on the periphery of the Bolgar fortified settlement in order to establish the current condition of the monuments in the neighbourhood of the settlement, as well as to verify cartographic, archival materials and reports of residents on the discovery of individual finds on the territory of the modern town of Bolgar. "Armenian colony" as well as seven sites, located on the territory of the modern town of Bolgar and settlement of Privolzhsky, archaeologically surveyed. It was found that the preserved areas of the cultural layer of the "Armenian colony" are covered with modern ballast. Previously unknown archaeological objects – Bolgar urban-type unfortified settlement, preliminary dated to the middle of XIII–XIV centuries, and Privolzhskoye (Podyvanovskoye) III unfortified settlement (middle of XIII-XIV centuries and single finds of Imenkovo culture of IV–VII centuries AD) were revealed on two sites of the survey.

Keywords

• archaeology
• middle ages
• cultural heritage
• bolgar
• fortified settlement/city
• unfortified settlement
• golden horde
• cultural layer