Археологически данни за металодобив и металообработване в Мелник
Archaeological Data on Ore Mining and Metal Processing in Melnik

Summary/Abstract: In the Middle Ages and the National Revival period Melnik was one of the oustanding centres of town crafts in the Bulgarian lands. Situated in the so-called Murvak region, according to written data this town was an important centre of mining and metal processing in the period of Ottoman domination. Recent archaeological finds have amply confirmed these data, also considerably supplementing to general picture in this respect. The authoress focuses her attention on the buildings and equipment discovered, all connected with the mining and processing of iron and copper in the Chatala district of the town which lies on a large hill in the eastern part of Melnik. Here, on an area of 1.6ha digging has brought to light pits, hearths, the ruins of a furnace for smelting iron, and forges. The iron and copper slag found in large quantities, clay pots, iron and copper articles, etc., mostly go back to the National Revival period, but some were also found connecting the discoveries with the Middle Ages, as early as the first half of the 13th century. Taking archaeological data from other parts of the town into consideration, this traces the development of an economic activity which developed in the course of centuries; it reached the dimensions of intensive production which met the needs of the army, as well as of daily life and the church. It was varied and considerable in volume. This study is a contribution to the somewhat slightly researched so far, and particularly as far as archaeology is concerned, region of the Middle Strouma.

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