Inland trade and consumption in context. A case study on the organic residue analysis of transport amphorae from the Balkan Peninsula (Yambol District, South-eastern Bulgaria)
Abstract
The case study presented here concerns the analysis of organic residues in amphorae excavated at two rural Roman and Late Antique inland settlements located along the mid-stream of the Tundza River in the Yambol District (south-eastern Bulgaria). The first group of amphorae finds comes from the Late Antique site of Dodoparon (1.5km north-west of the village of Golyam Manastir).
The assemblage incorporates five containers belonging to the type Late Roman Amphorae 2 and two smaller amphorae of type Kuzmanov XIV sub-variant I. The second group of finds comes from the Roman rural settlement known as Yurta (1.5km north-east of the village of Stroyno).
During the campaign of 2014, two major types of amphorae were recognized: Kapitän II and Dressel 24 Family. The analysis of nine samples delivered preliminary results on the content of these amphorae types.
Site taphonomy and recycling/ reuse practices are also considered in the interpretation of the results.