Introduction

The Tundzha Regional Archaeological Project (TRAP) is a long-term, international, multi-disciplinary project exploring the landscape archaeology and palaeo-environments of the upper and middle Tundzha (Tonzos) river valley from the Kazanlak region in the northwest through the Yambol region in the southeast.

Methods

TRAP uses a range of approaches to explore the ancient landscape of our region, emphasising:

  • Systematic surface survey
  • Satellite remote sensing
  • Palynology, palaeoecology & palaeobotany
  • IT for archaeology (relational databases; GIS; mobile computing)
  • Geophysical prospection (magnetometry)
  • Excavation

For more information, contact us; if you are a student interested in developing expertise in any of these fields, consider volunteering.

News and announcements

Fall 2022 Field Season completed

In September 2022 we completed a short and intense mound monitoring and field survey campaign in the Elhovo municipality of the Yambol province. Assisted by the Regional History Museum of Yambol and History Museum of Elhovo staff, students and fans of archaeology from Denmark, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Australia, we visited and digitally registered over 320 archaeological sites in a challenging borderland terrain using the FAIMS Mobile platform v2.6

TRAP edited volume is out!

The final publication of 2009-2011 survey seasons and associated studies appeared in December 2018 from Oxbow Books. Read about it here; datasets are being published through Open Context but are not ready yet. We apologize for the delay, we hope to make them all available shortly.

Fall 2018 Field Season completed

In September 2018, we completed mound monitoring campaign in the Bolyarovo municipality of the Yambol province. Macquarie University students and Yambol History Museum staff visited and digitally documented surface remains in this border region using the FAIMS Mobile platform.

Fall 2017 Field Season completed

In September 2017, we conducted a mound monitoring campaign in the Yambol province. Macquarie University students and Yambol History Museum staff spent three weeks visiting and digitally documenting nearly 300 map features using the FAIMS Mobile platform.

Fall 2011 Field Season completed

The final ARC-funded season of survey in the Kazanlak Valley was successfully completed, covering some 25 sq km. All artefacts from our Kazanlak study area have also been processed.

Fall 2010 Field Season completed

The fall season of visiting and registering legacy sites and excavation finished in mid-December! Activities centred on the Thracian (?) - Late Roman fortified settlement of Dodoparon, near the village of Golyam Manastir in the Elhovo district of the Yambol region. All artefacts from the Yambol region study areas have been fully processed.

Spring 2010 Field Season completed

Surface survey and satellite remote sensing planned for the Kazanlak region was completed on 11 April 2010. Finds processing, total pick ups and follow-up environmental analyses have followed.