Inventory of Late Antique and Medieval Ports Along the Western Black Sea
Inventory of Late Antique and Medieval Ports Along the Western Black Sea

Summary/Abstract: The study aims to investigate the historical and economic use of the Bulgarian coastline, which is an integral part of the wider port networks and maritime connectivity of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. A systematic archaeological research of the topographic evolution of the coast in association to the functionality of port sites and other coastal facilities during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages shall provide new data on the development of coastal life and especially the nature of marine resources and agricultural as well as industrial exploitation in context of maritime commerce. Building upon this base, the research project emphasizes on the analysis of the palaeogeographic environment linked to the Black Sea level fluctuations in areas of preselected archaeological sites. By using orthophotography and 3D shooting, as well as geoarchaeological data of the landscapes, the investigation complements the already existing archaeological information. Latter will eventually be used for the study of network patterns and comparative studies of port hierarchies and interrelated functionalities of coastal infrastructures. This eventually will provide a new platform for a better understanding of maritime economy as well as social and cultural connectivity throughout the Black Sea region. It can often be observed that ancient port sites show a continuation to the medieval or Ottoman periods and some of them even up to modern times. However, a different utilization of the coastal landscape and its connectivity to the maritime networks is given due to physical changes of the coastline caused by the rise of sea -level, migration and political or ethnic changes of the coastal population. The initial stage of the research programme focuses on collecting and analysing relevant secondary literature, information from medieval to post-medieval nautical charts and Periploi as well as historiographical accounts in written sources. These will be set against the already published archaeological data of in total thirty-three registered ports, harbours and anchorages along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

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