Етнодемографски и етнокултурни процеси по Добруджанското Черноморие през средновековието
Ethnodemographic and Ethnocultural Processes along the Black Sea Coastline of Dodrudja during the Middle Ages

Summary/Abstract: Initially the author follows the life in the settlements in the period VI–VII century and ascertains that the Black Sea cities Odesos, Tomi, Dionisopolis and Istria were inhabited before the arrival of Asparuh. In the period of the First Bulgarian Kingdom a dens settlement network was established. The remaining of over 60 settlements, fortresses, monasteries and necropolises were registered between Varna and Kilia. By the end of VII and the beginning of VIII century the hinterland of the big ports of the antiquity – Odesos, Tomi, Istria and Dionisopolis was settles, in order to prevent a possible landing of the Byzantine troops. During the IX–X centuries the settlement network became even denser and the Dobrudla coastline became one of the densest populated areas in Bulgaria. Due to the events of the end of the X century some settlements were abandoned and the fortresses near Durankulak and Constantsa were destroyed. Byzantium restored the ports of Varna, Balchik, Kalatis, Kavarna, Konstantsa where in introduces high ranking clergy and military garrisons. The barbarian invasions between the 30s and the 60s of the XI century lead to the destruction of most of the fortresses were desolated and by the end of the XI century and during the XII century the only settlements with registered life were Varna, Balchik, Kavarna and possibly Kilia. The restoration of the settlement network began in the XIII centuries with the restoration of the Bulgarian kingdom. The life in Balchik and Kavarna was activated, Kaliakra was restored, new settlements sprung, such as Kranea, Kestry Enisala and others. On some portulans and maps XIII–XIV were marked the ports of Shabla, Mangalia, Konstantsa, Vadu and Istria, but the researches show that until the end of XIV century there were not permanent settlements, only temporary ports. The restoration of the settled life along the Dobrudja coastline during the XIII century was connected with the migration of Bulgarians from the Northern slopes of the Balkan mountain and with the infiltration of many Kumans after 1240. They are widely believed to be the ancestors of the Gagauses.

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