Top 20 of the Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in August 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories among the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com during the month of August 2018.
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…
17th Century Ottoman Turkish Bath Demolished on Private Property in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
The partly surviving ruins of an Ottoman Turkish bath likely dating to the beginning of the 17th century have been demolished in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, the successor of ancient Philipopolis.
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…
Chalcolithic Necropolis of World’s Oldest Gold Treasure Left Dilapidated in Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna
The Varna Chalcolithic Necropolis where the world’s oldest gold treasure was discovered, the impressive Varna Gold Treasure from the 5th millennium BC, has been left dilapidated and unrecognizable for tourists in spite of promises by the local authorities it is…
6,500-Year-Old Skeleton Discovered in Chalcolithic Settlement with Pottery Workshop near Bulgaria’s Suvorovo
The 6,500-year-old skeleton who inhabited what was a Chalcolithic (Aeneolithic, Copper Age) settlement with a pottery workshop have been discovered by archaeologists near the town of Suvorovo in Northeast Bulgaria.
Statue Head of Roman Emperor Aurelian, Unknown Colonnade Found in Ancient Rome’s Danube Colony Ulpia Oscus in North Bulgaria
The head of a statue which dates back to the 3rd century AD and is believed to be of Roman Emperor Aurelian (r. 250 – 275 AD) has been discovered by archaeologists in Ulpia Oescus, a colony of Ancient Rome,…
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…
Ancient Thracian ‘Bird Headed’ Warship Already under Construction in Bulgaria’s Kazanlak
A replica of a “bird headed” Ancient Thracian warship in already under construction in the Central Bulgarian town of Kazanlak, and will be launched the Koprinka Water Reservoir, whose bottom harbors the ruins of Seuthopolis, the glorious capital of the…
Europe Marks 50 Years since Prague Spring Was Suppressed by Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact in 1968
On August 21, 2018, Czechia, Slovakia, and all of Europe remember the 50th year since the Prague Spring, a push for greater freedom, reforms, and liberalization in the former Czechoslovakia, was violently suppressed by an armed invasion of the Soviet…
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…
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…
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…
Sunken Roman Ship from 2nd-3rd Century AD Discovered in Black Sea off Crimea’s Coast
A well-preserved sunken Roman ship from the 2nd-3rd century AD has been discovered by a Russian underwater archaeology expedition in the Black Sea, off the coast of Balaklava on the Crimean Peninsula.
2,500-Year-Old Sunken Ancient Greek Ship Used to Sail to Crimea Discovered in Ukraine’s Black Sea Waters
An approximately 2,500-year-old sunken Ancient Greek ship, likely the oldest known in the Northern Black Sea, and used by the Ancient Greeks to sail to the Crimean Peninsula, has been discovered by underwater archaeologists in the Black Sea near Ukraine’s…
Restored Model of 6,000-Year-Old Prehistoric Loom with Pre-Alphabetic Signs on Weights Shown in Bulgaria’s Gorna Oryahovitsa
A restored model of a prehistoric loom featuring replicas of real 6,000-year-old loom weights decorated with what seem to be pre-alphabetic writing signs has been showcased by the Museum of History in Bulgaria’s Gorna Oryahovitsa.
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,…
Bulgarian Archaeologists Tracking Treasure Hunters’ Raids Using Google Maps, Google Earth
Some Bulgarian archaeologists have found a novel way of tackling the damage done to the country’s tremendous archaeological heritage on a daily basis by ruthless treasure hunters by using Google Maps and Google Earth, an archaeologist reveals.
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.
‘Unusually Tall’ Skeleton, Severed Arm Found in 4,000-Year-Old Bronze Age Burial Mound near Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast
The skeleton of a Bronze Age man who was untypically tall for his time has been discovered in a 4,000-year-old burial mound by archaeologists near Bulgaria’s Black Sea town of Primorsko, with the grave also containing the arm of another…
Full Set of Four Early Roman ‘Horseshoes’ Discovered at UK’s Vindolanda Fort near Hadrian’s Wall
A full set of four Ancient Roman horseshoes known as hipposandals has been discovered during excavations at the Vindolanda fort near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland in the UK.
Bulgaria’s Belovo Seeks to Promote Impressive Early Christian Basilica as Archaeology, Cultural Tourism Site
Promotion of the rather well preserved but unknown ruins of an impressive Early Christian basilica (the Belovo Basilica) from the long defunct Late Antiquity and medieval city of Leuka (Leuke) is a main objective of the authorities in Belovo Municipality,…
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 Late Antiquity Tomb with Murals Found by Accident in Downtown of Bulgaria’s Capital Sofia
An unknown Late Antiquity tomb has been discovered by accident during repair works on the Moskovska Street in the downtown of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, not far from the 4th century AD St. Sofia Basilica from the Ancient Roman city of…
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.
3rd Century AD Ancient Roman Gold Ring Found by Amateur Detectorists in UK’s Somerset
An Ancient Roman gold ring from the 3rd century AD has been discovered by amateur detectorists in Somerset County, Southwest England, in the UK.
