Happy Independence Day: Bulgaria Celebrates 116th Anniversary since Declaration of Independence from Ottoman Turkey in 1908

Bulgaria celebrates on Sunday, September 22, 2024, the 116th anniversary since its Declaration of Independence from Ottoman Turkey which was proclaimed on September 22, 1908.

A poster for The Lords of Salt exhibition dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the archaeological excavations of the Provadiya-Solnitsata Settlement Mound in Northeast Bulgaria. Poster by the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The special jubilee exhibition entitled “The Lords of Salt,” which was opened in June 2024 in Sofia, has just been extended due to the huge interest in the most startling finds from the 20 years of archaeological excavations at what…

Happy Unification Day: Bulgaria Celebrates 139th Anniversary since National Reunification of Principality of Bulgaria and ‘Eastern Rumelia’ in 1885

Bulgaria celebrates on Thursday, September 6, 2018, the 139th anniversary since the Unification of what is today North and South Bulgaria, back then the Principality of Bulgaria, a vassal of Ottoman Turkey, and Eastern Roumelia, an autonomous region of Ottoman…

The Euripides Papyrus discovered in Philadelphia, Egypt, in 2022. Photo: Yvona Trnka-Amrhein/Artnet

In a landmark discovery for Ancient Greek literature, archaeologists have unearthed portions of two previously lost plays by the 5th-century B.C.E. dramatist Euripides. This revelation, which includes about 100 lines from “Ino” and “Polyidos,” marks one of the most important…

A bronze pitcher from the Late Antiquity has been unearthed by archaeologists in the Ancient Roman colony of Deultum near Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, in the Deultum-Debelt Archaeological Preserve. Photo: Deultum-Debelt Archaeological Preserve Facebook Page

A perfectly preserved bronze pitcher from the Late Antiquity has been discovered by archaeologists in the Ancient Roman colony Deultum near the town of Debelt, Burgas District, close to the Black Sea coast. Deultum was a Roman colony, which according…

New research of a submerged bridge inside Genovesa Cave reveals humans lived on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea much earlier than believed. Photo: R. Landreth/CNN

A recently analyzed submerged bridge in Genovesa Cave on the Spanish island of Mallorca is reshaping scientists’ understanding of when humans first settled the islands of the western Mediterranean Sea. This ancient stone structure, extending 25 feet in length, has…

The 9th century seal found in Bulgaria’s early medieval capital Pliska features the Virgin Mary with a “grown-up” Baby Jesus on one side, and the Calvary Hill with the cross on the other. Photo: TV grab from BNT

A 9th century lead seal with a weird depiction of Jesus Christ alongside Virgin Mary has been discovered by archaeologists excavating an aristocrat’s mansion from the Early Middle Ages in Pliska, the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire at the…

A likely chariot bronze applique showing ancient deity Dionysus with a panther (leopard) has been discovered at the prehistoric, Antiquity, and medieval settlement at Bulgaria’s Skutare near Plovdiv. Photo by lead archaeologist Elena Bozhinova, Plovdiv Museum of Archaeology

A highly intriguing ancient artifact – a bronze applique depicting wine god Dionysus together with what is believed to be a panther, which was most likely decorating a chariot – has been discovered in Bulgaria’s Skutare, close to the city…

Unseen 3rd Century BC Thracian Temple Discovered by Archaeologists beneath ‘Large Mound’ in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv

An Ancient Thracian temple from the 3rd century BC, of a type that has never been seen before, has been unearthed by archaeologists in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv, underneath a massive man-made hill known as “the Large Mound” (“Golyamata Mogila”). The Large…

Striking Stake Burial with Gold Finds of Thracian – Roman Noble Warrior Discovered in Southeast Bulgaria

Archaeologists have just made a striking discovery – the burial of an Ancient Thracian aristocrat who was also a Roman warrior – and it is packed full of armaments and gold and precious stone finds, in a rare, previously untouched…

Archaeologists Set Out to Resolve Mystery of 20,000 Waterloo Battle Bodies from Napoleonic Wars in 1815

An upcoming archaeological excavation aims to uncover the fate of the remains of 20,000 men who perished during one of the most important and famous battles in world history, the Battle of Waterloo during the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. This…

Woolly mammoths, and other megafauna in North America were hunted by Prehistory humans using Clovis points, archaeologists have found. Image by Pictavio, Pixabay

Archaeologists have unveiled new insights into the hunting strategies employed by prehistoric humans in North America, focusing on their interactions with large megafauna like mammoths. The findings, detailed in the journal PLOS ONE, suggest that these ancient hunters utilized specially…

Underwater Archaeologists Find 3 Shipwrecks from World War II’s ‘Forgotten Battle’ Off Alaska’s Coast

Underwater archaeologists have successfully identified the wrecks of three military ships that played roles in the WWII conflict during Japan’s invasion of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands—a battle often overlooked and dubbed the “forgotten battle” by historians. The discoveries include two Japanese…

Archaeologists Research Two Noble Families in First Bulgarian Empire’s Capital Veliki Preslav

Archaeologists are researching the lives of two noble families from Veliki Preslav (“Great Preslav”), the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire in 893-970 AD during the excavation of an early medieval monastery there, a report informs. The excavations at the…

Highly Acclaimed ‘Armor of Thracian Warriors’ Exhibition Presented in Bulgaria’s Kazanlak

A poster presentation of the highly acclaimed exhibition entitled “The Panoply of the Thracian Warriors,” a project of Bulgaria’s National Institute and Museum of Archaeology, has been opened in Kazanlak as part of the annual Celebrations at the Valley of…

'Spectacular’ Viking Silver Treasure Linked to Russia, Ukraine, British Isles Found by Archaeology Student in Denmark

A remarkable Viking treasure of silver jewelry from the 9th century AD has been discovered by chance by an archaeology student in Denmark, with the finds indicating the Vikings’ connections to Russia, Ukraine, Britain, and Ireland, according to scholars. Gustav…

Massive Hoard of 500 Antiquity Coins Found at Eastern Gate of Ancient Philipopolis in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv

A massive hoard of some 500 Antiquity coins from different time periods, some of them going back 2,500 years, has been discovered by archaeologists doing rescue excavations close to the eastern gate of the ancient city of Thracian and Roman…

The newly discovered medieval Christian engolpion (reliquary) cross from the Small Fortress near Bulgaria's Voden. Photo: Yambol Regional Museum of History

A bronze reliquary cross from the High Middle Ages of the engolpion type – i.e. a hollow cross used for keeping holy Christian relics – has been discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists during the excavations of the “Small Kale,” a fortress…

Celebrated ‘Armor of Thracian Warriors’ Exhibition to Be Showcased at Valley of Odrysian Kings

А poster presentation of the celebrated exhibition entitled “The Panoply of the Thracian Warriors,” a project of Bulgaria’s National Institute and Museum of Archaeology, is set to be showcased in Kazanlak as part of the annual Celebrations at the Valley…

Headless Horse Skeleton Found in Likely First Known Cuman Settlement from Second Bulgarian Empire

A well-preserved headless animal skeleton, most likely of a horse, has been discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists excavating a settlement from the High Middle Ages at the foot of the Rahovets Fortress, which might prove to be the very first known…

‘The Mudbrick Swamp,’ First Book in ‘Rodiniya’s Reason’ Fantasy Series, Published by Writer Ivan Dikov

“The Mudbrick Swamp,” the first book in the “Rodiniya’s Reason” fantasy series, has been published by Bulgarian English-language writer and journalist Ivan Dikov on Amazon.com. “pThe Mudbrick Swam” is actually Volume 1 of what is conceived as a vast epic…

The 5th century BC Scythian warrior's bone scepter discovered at the Salt Pit Settlement Mound in Bulgaria's Provadiya has become the August 2024 "Exhibit of the Month" of Bulgaria's National Museum of Archaeology. Photo: P. Leshtakov, National Institute and Museum of Archaeology

A truly impressive and sophisticated artifact – a bone scepter that belonged a Scythian warrior from the 5th century BC discovered in Europe’s oldest town, the Provadiya-Solnitsata Settlement Mound in Northeast Bulgaria – has been declared “Exhibit of the Month”…

Special Jubilee Exhibition Presents Startling Finds from 20 Years of Digs at Provadiya-Solnitsata Prehistoric Settlement – Europe’s Oldest Town

A special jubilee exhibition entitled “The Lords of Salt” has been opened in Sofia to showcase the most startling finds from the 20 years of archaeological excavations at what is proving to be the oldest town in Europe – the…

Bulgaria Celebrates Day of Bulgarian (Cyrillic) Alphabet and Culture (Day of St. Cyril & St. Methodius): May 24

Bulgaria and Bulgarians around the world celebrate on May 24, 2021, the Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, i.e. the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet (the Bulgaric alphabet more widely known internationally as the Cyrillic Alphabet) and Bulgarian Culture.

Top 20 Stories by ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in April 2021

Following are the 20 most popular stories with the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com from around the worold during the month of April 2021.

Silver Coin of Co-Emperors of Second Bulgarian Empire Ivan Alexander, Mihail Asen Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

A replica of a medieval silver coin minted by Tsar Ivan Alexander of the Second Bulgarian Empire (r. 1331 – 1371) together with his eldest son and Co-Emperor Mihail IV Asen has become the sixth coin to be released by…

1st Century BC Traces of Earliest Roman Presence in Bulgaria on Danube Discovered Halfway between Major Antiquity Cities Bononia (Vidin) and Ratiaria (Archar)

A vast archaeological site, which was an Ancient Roman settlement with traces from the earliest Roman presence in today’s Bulgaria in the 1st century BC and was located halfway between the large Roman Empire cities of Bononia (today’s Vidin) and…

6th Century BC Corinthian Aryballos (Athlete’s Oil Flask) from Varna Becomes April 2021 ‘Exhibit of the Month’ of Bulgaria’s National Museum of Archaeology

Another piece of Ancient Greek pottery, a 6th century AD Late Corinthian aryballos – a pottery flask for oil or perfume found in the Greek colony of Odessos, today’s city of Varna on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast – has been…

Silver Coin of Tsar Ivan Alexander of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

A replica of a silver coin minted by Tsar Ivan Alexander of the Second Bulgarian Empire (r. 1331 – 1371) has become the fifth coin to be released by the Mint of the Bulgarian National Bank and the National Institute…

Archaeologists Find nearly 7,000-Year-Old Copper Age Workshop for Production of Flint Tools near Belogradets in Northeast Bulgaria

A prehistoric workshop, or “manufacturing center”, for the production of flint tools going back to ca. 5,000 BC has been discovered by archaeologists near the town of Belogradets, Varna District, in Northeast Bulgaria, in rescue excavations for the construction of…

7,000-Year-Old Ritual Table with ‘Horned Animal’, First Bulgarian Empire Settlement Found near Varna in Rescue Digs

An archaeological site containing structures from both the Neolithic, with a “horned animal” ritual table as especially intriguing find, and the time of the First Bulgarian Empire in the Early Middle Ages, has been discovered by chance near the Black…

Silver Coin of Tsar Mihail Shishman of Second Bulgarian Empire Released by National Bank, Archaeology Museum in Replica Collection

A replica of a silver coin minted by Tsar Mihail III Shishman Asen of the Second Bulgarian Empire (r. 1323 – 1330) has become the fourth coin to be released by the Mint of the Bulgarian National Bank and the…

4th Century Bishop’s Basilica with Marvelous Early Christian Bird Mosaics Opened for Visitors Bulgaria’s Plovdiv in Big Restoration Project with US Funding

The partly restored ruins of the 4th century Bishop’s Basilica, or Great Basilica, of the Ancient Thracian and Roman city of Philipopolis, with its almost fully restored fabulous Early Christian flood mosaics with birds and other motifs, has been opened…

Ancient Thracian Horse Burial, 'Half a Skeleton' Human Burial from Early Iron Age Found near Bulgaria’s Polski Trambesh

An Ancient Thracian burial of a horse and a human burial containing only the upper half of a person’s body from the Early Iron Age (ca 1,000 – 500 BC) have been discovered by archaeologists near Orlovets and Polski Trambesh…

19th Century Cathedral in Bulgaria’s Danube City of Vidin Gets Restoration Funding from Government

Bulgaria’s outgoing Cabinet has allocated nearly BGN 1 million (app. EUR 500,000) in funding for the conservation and restoration of the St. Great-Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki Cathedral in the Danube city of Vidin, one of the largest churches in the…

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