Balkan heritage projects 2011:
A BYZANTINE COLD CASE FILE- EARLY CHRISTIAN MONASTERY
EXCAVATIONS IN VARNA


 
 
 
 
Project type: field school (excavations)
THE PROJECT IS SUITABLE FOR BOTH BEGINNERS AND ADVANCED IN FIELD ARCHAEOLOGY!
 
Site/s: The ruins of the early Christian monastery are on the top of Djanavar hill, app. 7 km. southern from ancient Odessos (present-day Varna), close to Via Pontica road that connected Constantinople and Danube Delta along the Western Black sea coast.
Period(s) of occupation: Late Antiquity (sixth century AD)
The nearest air terminal: Varna, Bulgaria
Travel/access to the site: Varna, Bulgaria is the Bulgaria’s major city on the Black sea coast with an international airport and a harbour. Bus lines and trains connect the city with all major Bulgarian and other European towns. Don't forget checking the low cost  flight options! A pick-up transfer from Varna airport, bus and train stations may be arranged by request (Please, specify this in your application form!). Transfers’ price may vary depending on both distance and number of passengers from 10 to 30 EUR.

Description: The ruins on Djanavara hill near Varna belong to an Early Christian church of Syrian type. Its plan is one of a kind in the Balkan Peninsula. Four additional halls, decorated with marble revetments and mosaics are attached to the single-nave and the narthex. In the crypt archaeologists found three reliquaries (a marble, silver and a golden one - the last decorated with precious stones). The building was constructed  most probably during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565) and destroyed latest in 615 AD during the raid of Avars and Slavs. Scholars’ interpretation connects this church with the small but socially and economically important Monophysite community of Syrian refugees living in sixth century Byzantine Odessos.

First excavation project of that site started in early 1900s and lasted for 20 years. Unfortunately the project documentation was lost on the way to USA, where the dig director Hermengild Schkorpil intended to publish a book. His report in Bulgarian archaeological magazines is no more to be used since it doesn’t give answers to some lingering questions: Was the church a part of a larger monastic compound and what was its role  for the early Christian community at Odessos? When and how long did the monastery existed and how was it destroyed? Who built it and who lived there: Orthodox or Monophysites, local people or migrants from the Near East? What was the everyday life like in the monastic community?

Contemporary excavation project started in 2007 and reopened the Byzantine cold case file after 80 years with the main goal to answer these questions. The buildings around the church, partly excavated in 2009 and 2010  and the artefacts found in them proved the thesis that this was a big and impressive monastery complex of the sixth century AD. However, many of its parts: the abbot's residence, the refectory, the scriptorium and/or library, the church's atrium, the monastery fortification  structures, the cemetery or at least other tombs and graves and possibly other monastery churches are still to be discovered.

Participants in the field school project in 2010 uncovered the foundation walls and the interior of a very large building that once surrounded the church from east and north. The finds: numerous dolia, amphorae etc. show that some of the ground floor rooms of that building were used as stores and kitchens of a rich and populous monastery. The entire excavation area shows evidences of a devastating fire that obviously destroyed in the same time the church and the surrounding buildings. During the next season the work will continue in this area, esp. focusing on a zone covered by roof-tiles and debris of a burnt rooftop. The finds underneath could help archaeologists to answer when was the monastery burnt down and what caused the fire: invaders or an accident? Come and help the project team to reveal the secrets of the lost monastery!

Two field school sessions of the project are available in 2011, each includes following three modules: fieldwork; educational course (lectures, workshops and field trainings in Early Byzantine and Field Archaeology), and excursions (to various cultural and archaeological sites in Varna, Aladja Rock-hewn Monastery, Madara (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Pobiti Kamani Stone Forest (Rock phenomenon) and the Museum of Roman Mosaics  in Marcianopolis-Devnya (refer to the Course description and Field school agenda!).
 
Participants, who join both project sessions are going to have different schedule during the second session, including:
  1. An excursion to the ancient coastal city of Nessebar (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and a guided visit to the Roman baths of Odessos-Varna (it will take place during the second session exclusively for participants in both project sessions);
  2. (In the afternoons) Lab work related to the finds' processing and documentation and workshops on:
  • Early Byzantine  glassware;
  • Early Byzantine pottery;
  • Early Byzantine lamps;
  • Early Byzantine building techniques and materials;

All participants will receive:
  • Project Handbook (in PDF version by e-mail and a hard copy on arrival);
  • Balkan Heritage Field School Certificate specifying the fieldwork hours, educational modules, and sites visited.
New Bulgarian University grants to students 6 credits for participation in one project session and 9 credits for participation in two sessions. Transcripts are available upon request for an additional tuition fee! Click for details!
 
Archaeological and historical context: According to the written records and archaeological excavations ancient Odessos (nowadays Varna) was established by Greek colonists from Miletus in 570 BC. Its name Odessos, first mentioned by Strabo, was pre-Greek, perhaps of Carian origin meaning a settlement on/near water. As independent polis Odessos quickly became one of the most important ports and trade centers in the Black Sea region. In AD 15 the town was included in the Roman province Moesia. St. Andrews established here in 50-s AD an Early Christian community. In the period between second and fourth century Odessos was a really wealthy city serving as a major harbor of the provincial capital Marcianopolis. In AD 536 it became the capital of  a military and administrative unit called  Quaestura exercitus, including Moesia Secunda, Scithia, Caria, Cycladic islands and Cyprus. The town survived the Barbaric attacks in fifth and sixth century but during the raid of Avars and Slavs in AD 615 its Ancient history came to the end. In 11 century, after a gap of several centuries, the town of Varna was re-established on top of the ruins of ancient Odessos .
Affiliation: Balkan Heritage Field School/Foundation, Varna Regional Museum of History, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria)
Dig Director: Dr. Alexander Minchev (archaeologist and curator at Varna Regional Museum of History)
Project Director: Vassil Tenekedjiev (archaeologist at Varna Regional Museum of History; PhD student at St. Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia; Balkan Heritage Branch Manager in Varna)
Season dates: 2-31 July, 2011
Sessions' dates:
Field school session 1: 2-16 July, 2011
Field school session 2: 17 - 31 July, 2011
Application Deadlines: Session 1 - 15 June, 2011; Session 2 - 1 July 2011
Minimum length of stay for volunteers: 1 session (two weeks)
Minimum age: 18 (16, if the participant is accompanied by an adult family member)
Number of field school places available: Maximum 25

Language: English
Special requirements: The project is is not recommended for individuals with solar allergies or other special illnesses that might exacerbate during the intensive outdoor activities. The average summer temperatures in the area are 25-35 C or higher. All participants should bring clothes and cosmetics suitable for hot and sunny weather. All participants are expected to have some (at least theoretical) background in archaeological field techniques and methods. Participants will use the tools and equipment available at the site and are not expected to bring any additional equipment.
Experience required: No

...

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Lecturers, trainers: Dr. Alexander Minchev (archaeologist and curator at Varna Regional Museum of History), Vassil Tenekedjiev (archaeologist at Varna Regional Museum of History; PhD student at St. Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia; Balkan Heritage branch manager in Varna), Kalina Stoyanova (archaeologist, MA in Archaeology, Balkan Heritage) and Ivan Vasilev (archaeologist, MA in Archaeology, Balkan Heritage)

Lectures, workshops and field trainings:
 
Designing of archaeological research
  • Preliminary research (indoor stage);
  • Fieldwalking and site recording;
  • Techniques and methods of preliminary archaeological research;

Excavation
  • Use of tools and working techniques;
  • Methodology and practices of excavation;
  • Stratigraphy and chronology. The Haris Matrix;

Field and graphic documentation
  • Field journal, field finds' catalogue and context sheets;
  • Record cards and bag labels (tags);
  • Graphic documentation (drawn record): drawings of cross-section,  plan, architectural structure (optional), grave (optional);
  • Photographic record;

Artifacts
  • Artefact recording and illustration;
  • Storage of artifacts;
  • "First aid" and consolidation in situ (optional);

Historical and cultural context of the site

  • Introduction to the Early Byzantine History with Focus on Eastern Balkans;
  • Introduction to the Early Christian Architecture with Focus on Eastern Roman Empire;
  • Early Christian Mosaic Art;
  • Early Christian Church – Rites and Architecture;
  • The Everyday Life in the Early Christian Monastery (according to historical and archaeological evidences).

FIELD SCHOOL AGENDA:

Dates
Activities
Notes
First day
Arrival at the hotel (Hotel Reverence) before 6.30 pm 
Registration and check-in.
Traditional Bulgarian welcome dinner.

Additional pick-up may be arranged from Varna airport, train or bus stations upon request.

Second day

Presentation of Balkan Heritage Foundation and Field School, Varna Regional Museum of History, the project and participants. Ice-breaking. Town-orientation walk and visit to Aladja Rock-hewn Monastery.

During the second session participants, who join two project sessions will attend workshops in finds' processing and documentation and a guided visit to the Roman baths of Odessos-Varna.

Working days
 

6.30 - 7.10 am - Breakfast
7.30 am - 1.00 pm – Fieldwork, including 30 min break*
1.00-4.30 pm - Lunch and Siesta break
4.30-5.30/6.00 pm – Lectures/Workshops/Lab work
5.30/6.00 - 8.00 pm – free time
8.00-9.00 pm - Dinner

* in rare cases of rain, the project envisions finds' processing workshops and films projections in the Museum

Lectures and workshops in the area of Early Christian/ Byzantine history and Archaeology/Finds processing

During the free time our team could organize/assist participants to organize various leisure activities: beach-visits, clubbing, attending cultural events etc.

Mid-project

weekend:

Saturday

Visit to Madara (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Pobiti Kamani Stone Forest (Rock phenomenon) and the Museum of Roman Mosaics  in Marcianopolis-Devnya.

Participants, who join two project sessions will participate in an excursion to the ancient coastal city of Nessebar (UNESCO World Heritage Site) during the second session.

Mid-project

weekend:

Sunday

Free time

 

Last day

Departure


Room and Board arrangements:  Hotel Reverence, in comfortable rooms (with two to three beds), equipped with air-conditioning, TV, Wi-Fi and  bathrooms (with shower and WC). Single rooms are available upon request for an additional fee of 350 EUR. The hotel is located in the down town, next to the town’s main pedestrian streets, the Museum and very close to the famous Sea garden. Three meals per day are covered by the admission fee. Requests for vegetarian food are accepted!

Free time: Guided visits around the town of Varna and its environs and to Aladja Rock-hewn Monastery, Madara (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Pobiti Kamani Stone Forest (Rock phenomenon) and the Museum of Roman Mosaics  in Marcianopolis-Devnya are organized for all field school participants.  The town of Varna being the country’s summer holiday capital offers a lot of opportunities for sport and entertainment (including several sandy beaches).  There is an opportunity to join a project follow-up excursion to ISTANBUL (Turkey) after each field school session in 2011.
 
Admission fee for one project session: 1299 EUR (app.1600 USD but check current exchange rates!)* including educational and fieldwork activities, full-board accommodation (hotel + 3 meals per day), tools, materials, Project Handbook, issue of Certificate of Attendance, excursions/sightseeing tours/entrance fees and administrative costs.
 
*5% discount off the admission fee available in case of participation in more than 1 BH project or project session in 2011.(5% discount is valid for all the projects/sessions to be attended).
 
*10% discount off the admission fee available in case of:
  1. Early registration (before 1 January 2011).
  2. Participation in any BH project/s in the past.
  3. Membership in Archaeological Institute of America.
* 15% discount off the admission fee is available for Balkan Heritage alumni, who participate in more than 1 BH project or project session in 2011. (15% discount is valid only for the second, third etc. project/session to be attended).

NOTE, 10% OF EVERY ADMISSION FEE FOR THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE BALKAN HERITAGE PROTECTION FUND’S ACTIVITIES!

 

APPLY ONLINE FOR ADMISSION TO THE BYZANTINE COLD CASE FILE EXCAVATION PROJECT!