Streets of Medieval Bolgar

Abstract

The article considers the topical study issues associated with the urban planning of medieval Bolgar (9th –15th cc.) – the issues of localization and organization of the street space. The results of archaeological studies allow not only to trace the layout of individual streets, but also to determine the connection of the street structure of the Golden Horde Bolgar with the elements of urban planning dating back to the Pre-Mongol period. Proceeding from the results of many years of archaeological activities, the author classifies the medieval Bolgar streets into the following two types on the basis of their functional purpose: primary (connecting the individual areas of the town) and district streets. The author outlines the various types of street paving with wood and stone slabs (white stone or sandstone) and building materials (crushed brick and fine tuff). Most of the streets located on the periphery of the town were presumably unpaved. In any case, the availability of paving on the streets has not been archaeologically traced.

Keywords

• archaeology
• Volga Bolgaria
• medieval town
• Pre-Mongol period
• urban planning