3 Species of Treasure Hunters Are Destroying Archaeology in Bulgaria’s ‘Plunder Paradise’ worth up to USD 1 Billion a Year, New Book Reveals
Three “species” of treasure hunters dubbed “diggers”, “yuppies” and “super experts”, whose a total number is in the low six figures, are destroying the world archaeology and history heritage found in Bulgaria in a criminal industry worth up to 1…
15,000 Attend Grand Opening of World’s Largest Historical Park near Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna
More than 15,000 people have attended the grand opening of the world’s largest “Historical Park” for cultural tourism, education, and entertainment located in the town of Neofit Rilski, near the Black Sea city of Varna in Northeast Bulgaria.
Grand Opening of World’s Largest Historical Park Set for June 22 near Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna
The world’s largest “Historical Park” for cultural tourism, education, and entertainment purposes, which is located in the town of Neofit Rilski, near the Black Sea city of Varna in Northeast Bulgaria, is going to be officially opened on June 22,…
Culverin Cannonballs from Vlad Dracula’s 1461 Victory over Ottoman Turks Found in Danube Fortress Zishtova in Bulgaria’s Svishtov
Cannonballs from culverins – primitive early medieval cannons – most probably used in 1461 during the conquest of the Zishtova Fortress by Wallacian Voivode Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, from the Ottoman Turks have been discovered…
Late Bronze Age Settlement Discovered in Northwest Bulgaria in Turkish Stream Gas Pipeline Rescue Digs
A settlement originally dating back to the Late Bronze Age, which was also subsequently inhabited in the Thracian and Roman Antiquity, and the Middle Age, has been discovered by archaeologists near Rasovo in Northwest Bulgaria during rescue excavation on the…
World’s Largest ‘Historical Park’ to Be Opened near Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna in Spring 2019
A “Historical Park” for cultural tourism, education, and entertainment purposes described as “the world’s largest and first of its kind” by its creators is going to open doors in the spring of 2019 in the town of Neofit Rilski, near…
Baby Burial in Clay Pot Found in 1330s Church in Trapesitsa Fortress in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
An odd burial in which a very young child, or a baby, was buried inside a clay pot has been discovered together with over 50 other graves under the floor of a 14th century church in the Trapesitsa Fortress in…
Bulgaria’s Nikopol to Build Fishing Settlements from Paleolithic till Middle Ages in New Danube Archaeological Park
An archaeological park with a total of five fishing settlements recreating fishermen’s in the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Chalcolithic (Copper Age, Aeneolithic), the Bronze Age, the Roman Antiquity, and the Middle Ages will be built by the Danube town of…
Ancient Panacea Theriac Meddled ‘Successfully’ in One of the Last Wars of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires in 1323
Theriac is a legendary heal-all from the Antiquity and the Middle Ages, whose panacea effects seem doubtful, including because it was often forged, but which nonetheless made a supposedly “successful” appearance in 1323, in one of the last episodes of…
Wooden Buildings from Ancient Thrace, Colorful Roman Building Discovered at Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
The foundations of wooden buildings from Ancient Thrace dating to the 1st millennium BC and a colorful Ancient Roman building above them have been discovered by archaeologists excavating a private property at the Nebet Tepe Fortress, a prehistoric, ancient, and…
Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo Sees Big Hikes in Numbers of Chinese, American, French Tourists in 2018
The archaeological, historical, and cultural tourism sites from the Antiquity, Middle Ages and the Modern Age in the city of Veliko Tarnovo, including Bulgaria’s most popular landmark, the Tsarevets Fortress, saw major increases in the numbers of foreign tourists from…
Top 50: Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in Calendar Year 2018
Following are the 50 most popular stories with you, the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com, during the calendar year of 2018.
Weird 15th Century Miners’ Burials, Venetian Theriac Cap Found in Bulgaria’s Kremikovtsi Monastery near Sofia
Dozens of weird Christian burials in which 15th and 16th century local miners were buried with bricks on their heads have been discovered in a late medieval necropolis at the Kremikovtsi Monastery right outside of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia.
Top 20: Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in December 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories with you, the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com, during the month of December 2018.
New Board Game Pits Archaeologists against Treasure Hunters in Archaeological Sites All across Bulgaria
A new board entitled “Archaeologists vs. Treasure Hunters”, which pits the two groups against one another on a map featuring some of Bulgaria’s most remarkable archaeological sites, has been developed and released by a group of archaeologists.
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…
Top 20 of the Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in October 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories among the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com during the month of October 2018.
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.
Top 20 of the Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in September 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories among the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com during the month of September 2018.
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,…
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…
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.
Bulgaria’s Aquae Calidae, ‘Most Visited Spa Resort in Eastern Europe in Past 2,000 Years’, to Mark 10 Years of Archaeological Excavations
The ancient spa resort Aquae Calidae (called Thermopolis in the Middle Ages) in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas – described as “Eastern Europe’s most visited spa resort in the past 2,000 years – marks this summer the 10th anniversary…
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…
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…
Ivory Trade in Medieval Europe Spurred Rise and Fall of Viking Colonies in Greenland, Walrus DNA Study Finds
The Norse, or Viking colonies in Greenland had a near monopoly on medieval Western Europe’s trade in ivory but precisely overreliance on it may have led to their mysterious vanishing, an analysis of walrus DNA suggests.
Bulgaria’s Top Cultural Tourism Destination Veliko Tarnovo Sees 260,000 Tourists in January – July 2018
Almost 258,000 tourists have visited the rich historical, archaeological, and cultural tourism sites from the Antiquity, Middle Ages and the Modern Age in the city of Veliko Tarnovo in Central North Bulgaria.
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…
