Archaeology: Byzantine coins found at dig at Bulgaria’s Misionis fortress
Archaeologists working at the site of the Misionis fortress near the town of Turgovishte in Bulgaria said that summer 2012 excavations at the site had led to finds of Byzantine coins, jewellery and other artifacts.
Misionis fortress dates back to about the fifth to sixth centuries CE. Previous exploration of the site has uncovered the remnants of a large church, guardrooms and residential buildings.
Archaeologists working on the site during the summer 2012 archaeological season said that an ancient cistern, designed to stockpile water for the town, had been found. The facility had a capacity of about 1000 cubic metres and was a construction of hewn stone, was sealed in plaster and was founded on rock.
Items found during this summer’s excavations included Byzantine coins from the 13th to 14th centuries, arrows, chisels and other items. Work on the site is to continue in summer 2013.
Misionis is recorded as having been a trading post in the 12th century CE, a significant outpost on the ancient route to Bulgaria’s then capital city at Turnovo. However, the town predates that time, given evidence that it had been destroyed previously, a few centuries before, during barbarian invasions.
The town is believed to have been razed after the Ottoman conquest of the area in the late 14th century.
