Early Byzantine City Palmate with Huge Christian Basilica Was Pillaged Twice by Avars, Slavs, Bulgarian Archaeologists Find
The Palmate Fortress, a Late Antiquity and Early Byzantine city in today’s Northeast Bulgaria, was conquered and looted at least twice during the barbarian invasions of Avars and Slavs in the late 6th – early 7th century AD, archaeologists have…
World’s First Medieval Gold Cross Reliquary with Holy Cross Particle Discovered in Trapesitsa Fortress in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
A 12th century cross, which is a reliquary (engolpion) containing a particle from the Holy Cross from Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and is the first known artifact of its kind that is made of pure gold, has been discovered by archaeologists…
Slavs, Avars Burned Down Byzantine City Chrisosotira in Early 7th Century, Digs on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast Reveal
The Early Byzantine city of Chrisosotira on Cape Chervenka on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast was most likely sacked by the Slavs and Avars during their invasions of the Byzantine Empire in the first half of the 7th century AD, archaeologists…
2,500-Year-Old ‘Metallurgical Plant’ at Ancient Copper Mine Discovered near Bulgaria’s Black Sea Town Sozopol
An ancient metallurgical plant from the 6th century BC located at an Antiquity copper mine has been discovered by archaeologists during rescue excavations near the Black Sea town of Sozopol in Southeast Bulgaria, the successor of the Ancient Greek colony…
Discovery of 8,000-Year-Old Veiled Mother Goddess near Bulgaria’s Vidin ‘Pushes Back’ Neolithic Revolution in Europe
Part of a ceramic figurine depicting the head of the Mother Goddess, the earliest deity of Europe’s first agriculturalists, has been discovered by archaeologists in an 8,000-year-old Early Neolithic prehistoric settlement near the town of Mayor Uzunovo, Vidin District, close…
3rd Century BC Decree Found on Black Sea Island Proves Ties between Ancient Greek Cities Apollonia Pontica in Bulgaria, Heraclea Pontica in Turkey
A rare ancient document, a decree of the assembly of the Ancient Greek colony of Apollonia Pontica, today’s Sozopol in Southeast Bulgaria, has been discovered during excavations on the Black Sea island of St. Ivan (St. John), providing a first-hand…
Intriguing 13th Century Church with Surviving Frescos of Jesus Christ Discovered in Trapesitsa Fortress in Medieval Bulgarian Capital Veliko Tarnovo
A previously unknown 13th century church has been discovered in the Trapesitsa Fortress, one of the citadels of medieval Tarnovgrad (today’s Veliko Tarnovo), capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396/1422), with the temple featuring surviving frescoes of Jesus Christ.
First Ever Gold Coin Found in Bulgaria’s Lyutitsa Fortress, of Byzantine (Nicaean) Emperor John III Ducas Vatatzes
A gold coin has been discovered for the first time by the archaeologists excavating the medieval fortress Lyutitsa near the town of Ivaylovgrad in Southern Bulgaria – it is from the mid-13th century, and of the type minted by Byzantine,…
Smallest Ancient Thracian Brick Tomb Found near Bulgaria’s Rozovo, Thoroughly Looted by Treasure Hunters
The smallest Ancient Thracian brick tomb, out of a total of 14 Thracian tombs made of bricks that have been excavated so far in Bulgaria, has been found by archaeologists near the town of Rozovo near the town of Kazanlak,…
Altar of Destiny Goddess Tyche with Demosthenes Epigram Inscription Found in Ancient Roman City Nicopolis ad Istrum in Bulgaria
An altar dedicated to ancient goddess Tyche, a deity of city fortune and destiny, with an inscription in Ancient Greek which is a modified epigram by Demosthenes, has been discovered by archaeologists in the huge Ancient Roman city of Nicopolis…
14th Century ‘Poor People’s Quarter’ Discovered in Ancient, Medieval Rock City Perperikon in Southern Bulgaria
A quarter containing the homes of the then “poor people” from the first half of the 14th century, the last decades of the Second Bulgarian Empire before it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, has been discovered by archaeologists excavating…
Gladiator Fight Relief Discovered in Ancient Roman City of Nicopolis ad Istrum near Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
An ancient stone relief from the 2nd – 3rd century AD depicting a gladiator fight has been discovered by archaeologists in the huge Ancient Roman city of Nicopolis ad Istrum, whose ruins are located near the city of Veliko Tarnovo…
Decline of Bulgarian, Byzantine Empires before Ottoman Conquest Revealed by Tatar Plunder Treasure Pot from Black Sea Fortress Kaliakra
The contents of the gold and silver treasure pot of plunder of a Tatar (Mongol) leader from ca. 1400, which has recently been discovered in Bulgaria’s Kaliakara Cape Fortress on the Black Sea coast, is a true testimony to the…
13th Century Woman Buried in Bulgaria’s Rahovets Fortress Had 12,000-Year-Old Gene Mutation of Europe’s Last Hunter-Gatherers
A 13th century woman, whose grave was discovered in 2017 in the Antiquity and medieval Rahovets Fortress in Central North Bulgaria, has turned to carry a 12,000-year-old gene mutation from Europe’s last nomads, hunter-gatherers who wandered through the continent as…
Mysterious ‘Game of Thrones’ – Type Find, Agate Jewel for Throne’s Spikes, Discovered in Bulgaria’s Rusocastro Fortress
A mysterious 14th century artifact made of agate, a firm semi-precious stone, has been discovered in the Rusocastro Fortress in Southeast Bulgaria, is reminiscent of “Game of Thrones” in the sense that it might have been a jewel decorating the…
Archaeologists Find Thracian, Byzantine Settlements, Medieval Monastery on Bulgaria’s St. Thomas Island in Black Sea
An Ancient Thracian settlement, an Early Byzantine settlement, and a small monastery from the Late Middle Ages have been discovered by archaeologists on Bulgaria’s tiny St. Thomas Island (Snake Island) in the Black Sea.
Gold, Silver Treasure Pot with Tatar Leader’s Plunder Discovered in Kaliakra Fortress on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast
A clay treasure pot containing almost 1,000 gold and silver archaeological artifacts believed to have been looted by a Tatar (Mongol) leader, whose horde was eventually subjugated by the Ottomans ca. 1400, has been discovered during excavations in the Kaliakra…
Sunken Fortress from Ancient Thrace Discovered at Bulgaria’s St. Thomas Island Which Used to Be Black Sea Peninsula
A now sunken fortress from Ancient Thrace has been discovered at the tiny St. Thomas Island (also known as Snake Island) off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast during an underwater archaeology expedition, which has also found that the island used to…
Roman Magistrate’s Statue from ca. 100 AD Found by Archaeologists in Ancient City Heraclea Sintica in Southwest Bulgaria
An Ancient Roman statue from the end of the 1rd – beginning of the 2nd century AD depicting a local Roman magistrate has been discovered by the archaeologists excavating the Ancient Greek, Thracian, and Roman city of Heraclea Sintica near…
Second Bulgarian Empire Demolished 6th Century Byzantine Walls of Rusocastro to Build Far More Massive Fortress, Archaeologists Find
The 6th century AD Early Byzantine fortress walls of the Rusocastro Fortress in today’s Southeast Bulgaria were almost completely demolished by the Second Bulgarian Empire in the 13th century so much more massive walls could be erected, the archaeologists excavating…
14th Century Blacksmith’s Workshop with Kilns Found at Tsarevets Fortress in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
A blacksmith’s workshop with two kilns dating back to the 14th century AD has been discovered by archaeologists at the foot of the Tsarevets Hill Fortress in today’s Veliko Tarnovo, the successor of the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire…
Archaeologists Find 3,000-Year-Old Likely Thracian Child Burial in Bulgaria’s Rahovets Fortress
A 3,000-year-old child burial, most likely Ancient Thracian, has been discovered at the Antiquity and medieval fortress of Rahovets near Gorna Oryahovitsa in Central North Bulgaria, providing more evidence the site had been inhabited earlier than originally thought.
Early Christian Bishop’s Residence, Reliquary Cross with Crucified Jesus Christ Found in Bulgaria’s Rock City Perperikon
An Early Christian bishop’s residence from the 5th century AD and a bronze engolpion cross depicting the crucified Jesus Christ have been discovered, among numerous other finds, by the archaeologists excavating the ancient rock city of Perperikon in Bulgaria’s Eastern…
Inscription Granting Roman Man ‘Front Row Seat Right’, Main Façade of Antiquity Odeon Discovered in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A fragment from a statue of a prominent Ancient Roman citizen who had been granted “proedria”, i.e. the right of occupying the front row of seats next to the orchestra at the dramatic performances, has been discovered during the excavations…
Bulgaria’s Nikyup Set to Hold 3rd Antiquity Festival of Ancient Roman City Nicopolis ad Istrum
The town of Nikyup near the city of Veliko Tarnovo in Central North Bulgaria is going to hold the 3rd edition of the annual Antiquity Festival dedicated to the heritage of the huge Ancient Roman city of Nicopolis ad Istrum,…
Silver Tornese Coins from Crusaders’ Principality of Achaea (Morea) Found by Archaeologists in Bulgaria’s Rusocastro Fortress
A hoard of seven silver coins minted in the Principality of Achaea, also known as Morea, a 13th century successor state of Byzantium founded by the Crusaders from the Fourth Crusade, has been discovered by archaeologists in the Rusocastro Fortress…
Unknown 4th Century Tower, Gold Coin of Byzantine Emperors Andronicus II, Andronicus III Found in Bulgaria’s Rusocastro Fortress
A previously unknown fortress tower from the 4th century AD as well as a Byzantine gold coin from the 14th century, the High Middle Ages, are the most recent discoveries in the large fortress Rusocastro in Southeast Bulgaria.
Archaeologists Find 4th Century Early Christian Monastery on Top of Thracian Horseman Shrine near Bulgaria’s Dragoynovo
One of the oldest known Early Christian monasteries in the region of the Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria has been discovered by archaeologists on top of an Ancient Thracian deity’s shrine near the town of Dragoynovo, Plovdiv District.
Archaeologists Discover ‘Monumental’ Roman Era Tomb of Thracian Aristocrat in Bulgaria’s Largest Burial Mound
A “monumental” Roman Era tomb from the 3rd century AD which most probably belongs to an Ancient Thracian aristocrat has been discovered by archaeologists excavating the Maltepe Burial Mound near the town of Manole, outside of the city of Plovdiv,…
Archaeologists Find Seal of Byzantine Empress Yolande of Montferrat in Bulgaria’s Lyutitsa Fortress
A rare find, a lead seal of Yolande of Montferrat, Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire, the second wife of Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus (r. 1282 – 1328), has been discovered by archaeologists excavating the medieval Bulgarian fortress Lyutitsa near…
