Bolgar Archaeological Expedition

The Institute of Archeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences continued the study of Bolgar settlement in 2015-2016. The work was conducted with the participation of representatives of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolgar State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Russian Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage named after D. S. Likhachev, Institute of Archeology of the Crimea and other domestic and foreign scientific and educational institutions, as well as students, pupils and volunteers from Tatarstan, the Republics of Crimea, Mari El, Astrakhan, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Orenburg, Penza, and other Russian regions.
Excavations 179 and 192 continued the studies in the central part of the settlement, south-west of the Cathedral Mosque, where the remains of the central town bazaar of Bolgar operating in the 1350-70s, were localized, together with the preceding estates accommodating glass and non-ferrous metal workshops.

Buildings of the pre-Mongol and Golden Horde Bolgar dating back to the pre-Mongol and Golden Horde periods were studied at excavations 199 (with an area of 2500 square meters), 225 (with an area of 128 square meters) and 226 (with an area of 120 square meters) located in the central area of the site.

Activities at excavation 216 with an area of 256 square meters located in the western portion of Bolgar settlement included a study of kilns for firing non-irrigated ceramic tableware.
Excavations 201, 202 and 203 in the southern part of the settlement uncovered the remains of stone buildings, two of which were mausoleums dated late 13th – 14th centuries adjoined by necropolises with Muslim burials. The burials performed in accordance with the canons of Islam were studied at excavations 221, 222, 223 and 224, as well as under a rampart at excavation 206.

Activities at excavations 206, 207 and 215 involved an investigation the Bolgar fortifications dating back to the Golden Horde period, and a 10th-11th century pre-Mongol moat 55 meters in length was traced at the excavation 199.

In addition, salvage investigations were conducted at Bolgar settlement in the areas of underground communications.
More detailed preliminary study results are available on the pages of a publication featuring the annual results of studies conducted in Bolgar and Sviyazhsk.