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Archaeological complex · Dobrich Province

Durankulak–Hamangia

The Big Island settlement and cemeteries trace millennia beside Lake Durankulak.

Durankulak
Stone structure in pit No. 144 at the Durankulak settlement mound.Open and enlarge photograph
Stone structure in pit No. 144 at the Durankulak settlement mound.
Photo: Ivan Vajsov · CC0 · Resized proportionally to a maximum of 960 px and converted to WebP; no crop or scene edits.

The story of this place

The archaeological complex at Durankulak connects the settlement mound on the Big Island with cemeteries beside the lake. Research provides important evidence for the Hamangia culture and Copper Age communities. Stone house foundations and burial assemblages allow archaeologists to compare domestic life with funerary practices. Occupation was not confined to prehistory: later remains include an early medieval Bulgarian settlement. Excavation of the mound began in 1975. Present visitor infrastructure introduces selected parts of this much larger archaeological story. Finds are also preserved and studied in the Dobrich museum, making the island and the museum collection complementary experiences. Neither a walk through the exposed structures nor the objects alone can convey every phase of the long sequence.

Documented evidence

What the evidence shows

  • Prehistoric houses with stone foundations have been excavated.
  • The complex includes a substantial prehistoric cemetery.

Hypotheses and open questions

Different structures and layers do not establish uninterrupted occupation by one unchanged community.

Myths and local traditions

The sources consulted do not document a reliable local tradition. We do not invent legends to fill the gap.

Sources and verification

These accounts are editorial summaries. The sources below let you check dates, discoveries and interpretations.

  1. РИМ–Добрич: Праистория ↗www.dobrichmuseum.bg
  2. Община Шабла: Дуранкулак–Хаманджия ↗shabla.bg
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