Archaeological Research at the Maltepe Mound

The Maltepe Mound lies near the southeastern edge of Manole village. Before excavations began, it measured 125 m east to west and 130 m north to south, stood 21 m high in its east–west profile and 18.5 m in its north–south profile, and contained an estimated 73,000 m³ of mound fill. A 5 × 3.5 m excavation pit was found at the summit; the mound is thought to have originally stood 26 m high before the pit was dug.

2014 г.

Archaeological excavations were carried out from 2016 to 2020 under the direction of Associate Professor Dr K. Kisyov, with funding from Maritsa Municipality and Plovdiv Municipality.

2016 г.

The initial aim of the excavations was to locate a Thracian-type burial structure dating from the 4th to the 1st century BC. For this reason, work in 2016 focused on the southeastern, eastern and southern edges of the mound. Three Roman-period ritual pits were discovered, along with coins of the emperors Aurelian (AD 270–275) and Constantius II (AD 354–361).

Ritual pit measuring 0.40 m in diameter and 0.45 m deep.

2017 г.

Marble ashlar blocks were discovered for the first time during the 2017 excavations. Six were located in the eastern section and another four in the southern section.

The ashlar blocks are marble and are almost uniform in size; one has a moulded face. The pits measure 1.20 m in diameter and 0.70 m deep. Ceramic fragments and deposited bronze coins were found at different depths, including coins of Septimius Severus (AD 193–211), Julia Domna (AD 193–217), minted at Philippopolis, Probus (AD 276–282), Claudius II (AD 268–270) and Aurelian (AD 270–275).

2018 г.

In 2018, excavations began at the top of the mound. Broken marble ashlar blocks were found at a depth of 3.8 m, and at 4.41 m a square stone structure measuring 6.60 × 6.60 m was uncovered. Immediately south of the structure, four large marble ashlar blocks were found with traces of iron clamps. Four metres farther in the same direction, fragments of broken marble blocks and a marble block with a corner base moulding were uncovered. Finds from this level around the stone structure also include a large quantity of lead castings used to secure the marble ashlar blocks with iron clamps, as well as lead blanks. The position, workmanship, shape and dimensions of the marble blocks in relation to the stone structure, together with the many lead remains associated with fastening the blocks, led archaeologists to conclude that the blocks most likely formed part of a monumental pedestal built on top of the stone structure.

During the investigation of the mound around the stone structure, lime kilns of various sizes and a considerable quantity of lime lumps were found at different horizontal levels. The presence of lime kilns and unused building materials at different levels in the mound suggests that the stone structure and the mound were built at the same time. Coins found during the 2017–2018 excavations indicate that activity around the structure was greatest during the reign of Emperor Aurelian (AD 270–275), then gradually declined under Emperors Probus (AD 276–282) and Maximian I (AD 286–310).

2019 г.

During the 2019 archaeological season, the entire southern part of the stone structure, including its base, was exposed. It is about 22 m high and pyramid-shaped, consisting of four sections separated by three courses of bricks. НThe top section measures 6.6 × 6.6 m. Each section below it increases by 0.15–0.17 m in every direction. The base measures approximately 7.2 × 7.2 m, and the total volume is about 1,100 m³. The three lower sections are built of roughly shaped limestone blocks bonded with white mortar; the outermost course is also pointed with the same material. 

The partly ruined top section has a different construction: its four corners are made of bricks bonded with mortar, with roughly shaped, mortar-jointed stones between them. Each lower corner contains two syenite blocks.

Looters’ tunnels and damage to the structure were found at various heights. Some stones had been removed, leaving cavities of different sizes. On the floor in the western part of one looters’ trench, archaeologists found an iron bridle fitting and a copper mangır coin of Suleiman I (1520–1566).

Coins found in the excavated sectors along the southern, northern and northwestern edges, as well as in the ritual pits, were minted under Emperors Antoninus Pius (AD 138–161), Caracalla (AD 198–217), Elagabalus (AD 218–222), Gordian III (AD 238–268), Gallienus (AD 260–268), Saloninus (AD 253–268), Claudius II Gothicus (AD 268–270), Aurelian (AD 270–275), Probus (AD 276–282), Diocletian (AD 284–311) and Maximian (AD 293–311). Of the 63 coins found, 80% date to AD 260–275, with coins of Emperor Aurelian being the most numerous. The domestic pottery found in the areas excavated so far dates to the same period.

View of the foundation from the south

2020 г.

The 2020 excavations marked the completion of the archaeological investigation of the site. Geophysical surveys using electrical and magnetic measurements were carried out in the northern half of the mound at elevation 156 m, 7 m below the surrounding ground level. At ground level, an anomaly measuring 30 m long and 3–5 m wide was recorded, extending from the base of the masonry structure towards the edge of the mound. Excavations were carried out in this area in a section along the mound’s edge, 15 m from the northern wall of the stone foundation.

No structural remains were found at the base of the investigated section. The recorded anomaly was determined to be a build-up of dense clay and carbonate soil layers that continue below ground level.

In the western and southwestern sectors along the edge of the mound, archaeologists found three marble ashlar blocks, four capitals and fragments of two columns.

These are the last surviving architectural elements of the pedestal that stood atop the foundation. At the end of the season, on-site restoration and conservation work was carried out on the mound.

The excavations around the mound uncovered remains of three dwellings, graves, numerous pits and, above all, everyday objects. These finds indicate that the mound was settled and inhabited during the second half of the 3rd century AD.

It is still unclear why the mound and the structure were built, or what stood at the summit. Although only a small number of architectural elements have survived, the marble ashlar blocks, capitals and column fragments provide an indication of the building’s size and appearance—essential information for the site’s future restoration. The planning, construction and financing of a project on this scale suggest that it was connected with a major event or an important person. One working hypothesis is that the mound and the building were erected in honour of Emperor Philip I the Arab (AD 244–249).

References

K. Kisyov and S. Khristeva. “Archaeological Excavations of the Mal Tepe Mound near Manole, Maritsa Municipality, Plovdiv Province.” In Archaeological Discoveries and Excavations in 2016. Sofia, 2017, pp. 219–222

K. Kisyov and L. Merdzhanov. “Archaeological Excavations of the Mal Tepe Mound near Manole, Maritsa Municipality.” In Archaeological Discoveries and Excavations in 2017. Sofia, 2018, pp. 141–143.

K. Kisyov and L. Merdzhanov. “Archaeological Excavations of the Mal Tepe Mound near Manole, Maritsa Municipality, Plovdiv Province.” In Archaeological Discoveries and Excavations in 2018. Sofia, 2019, pp. 175–178.

Kisyov and Merdzhanov 2020: K. Kisyov and L. Merdzhanov. “Archaeological Excavations of the Mal Tepe Mound (3rd century AD) near Manole, Maritsa Municipality, Plovdiv Province.” In Archaeological Discoveries and Excavations in 2019. Sofia, 2020, pp. 596–599.

Kisyov and Merdzhanov. “Archaeological Excavations of the Mal Tepe Mound (3rd century AD) near Manole, Maritsa Municipality, Plovdiv Province.” In Archaeological Discoveries and Excavations in 2020. Sofia, 2021, pp. 538–542.