Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley
The article provides information on building techniques and construction details of a structure and installations uncovered during the excavations at a final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement located in the Klissura locality at the village of Ilinden, in the Mesta River Valley. The available radiocar...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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National Archaeological Institute with Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2021-12-01
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Series: | Studia Praehistorica |
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Online Access: | https://publications.naim.bg/index.php/stprae/article/view/157 |
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author | Nadezhda Todorova Georgi Katsarov Vanya Petrova |
author_facet | Nadezhda Todorova Georgi Katsarov Vanya Petrova |
author_sort | Nadezhda Todorova |
collection | DOAJ |
description |
The article provides information on building techniques and construction details of a structure and installations uncovered during the excavations at a final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement located in the Klissura locality at the village of Ilinden, in the Mesta River Valley. The available radiocarbon dates frame the occupation of the site lie between 4250 and 4000 cal. BC, and the stratigraphic evidence enables the definition of at least two construction levels. The paper focuses on the construction choices directly related to the need to adapt to or modify the local physical environment. A 3D model was made by using a combination of vector, raster and GIS software to provide a better illustration of the topographic features of the area, the place of the archaeological site and the excavated remains of buildings.
The results of the excavations suggest that on the southern terrace of the elevation, there were buildings of a similar construction which reflected the specific features of the terrain. Horizontal wooden platforms and stone slabs were used for the constructions in both occupational levels. The suggested 3D reconstruction includes only the most reliable information on the structures assigned to the later period of occupation. The documented contexts find several parallels in sites with similar topography located in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas, for which the diversity of construction techniques and the use of more unusual constructions can be considered common practice.
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first_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:25:03Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-a038b709db714783995a19948ac1b6fc |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 0204-9880 2815-2697 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:25:03Z |
publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
publisher | National Archaeological Institute with Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences |
record_format | Article |
series | Studia Praehistorica |
spelling | doaj.art-a038b709db714783995a19948ac1b6fc2023-02-05T00:07:22ZengNational Archaeological Institute with Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of SciencesStudia Praehistorica0204-98802815-26972021-12-011510.53250/stprae15.271-295Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River ValleyNadezhda Todorova0Georgi Katsarov1Vanya Petrova2St. Kliment Ohridski University of SofiaNational Institute of Archaeology and Museum, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesNational Institute of Archaeology and Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The article provides information on building techniques and construction details of a structure and installations uncovered during the excavations at a final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement located in the Klissura locality at the village of Ilinden, in the Mesta River Valley. The available radiocarbon dates frame the occupation of the site lie between 4250 and 4000 cal. BC, and the stratigraphic evidence enables the definition of at least two construction levels. The paper focuses on the construction choices directly related to the need to adapt to or modify the local physical environment. A 3D model was made by using a combination of vector, raster and GIS software to provide a better illustration of the topographic features of the area, the place of the archaeological site and the excavated remains of buildings. The results of the excavations suggest that on the southern terrace of the elevation, there were buildings of a similar construction which reflected the specific features of the terrain. Horizontal wooden platforms and stone slabs were used for the constructions in both occupational levels. The suggested 3D reconstruction includes only the most reliable information on the structures assigned to the later period of occupation. The documented contexts find several parallels in sites with similar topography located in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas, for which the diversity of construction techniques and the use of more unusual constructions can be considered common practice. https://publications.naim.bg/index.php/stprae/article/view/157Mesta ValleyFinal Chalcolithicsite topographyconstruction techniquesenvironment adaptation |
spellingShingle | Nadezhda Todorova Georgi Katsarov Vanya Petrova Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley Studia Praehistorica Mesta Valley Final Chalcolithic site topography construction techniques environment adaptation |
title | Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley |
title_full | Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley |
title_fullStr | Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley |
title_full_unstemmed | Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley |
title_short | Constructions and destructions: building practices at the final Chalcolithic hilltop settlement of Ilinden–Klissura in the Mesta River Valley |
title_sort | constructions and destructions building practices at the final chalcolithic hilltop settlement of ilinden klissura in the mesta river valley |
topic | Mesta Valley Final Chalcolithic site topography construction techniques environment adaptation |
url | https://publications.naim.bg/index.php/stprae/article/view/157 |
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