Bulgaria’s Archaeology Faces Grave Danger of ‘Privatization’, National Museum Director Raises Alarm
Bulgaria’s archaeology and archaeological, historical, and cultural heritage faces a potential collapse if proposed amendments to the Cultural Heritage Act are adopted, Assoc. Prof. Lyudmil Vagalinski, Director of the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia, has warned.
Archaeologists Find Ancient Thracian Fortress near Bulgaria’s Burgas Bulldozed by Treasure Hunter
An Ancient Thracian fortress from the Late Hellenistic Period (2th-1st century BC) has been discovered by archaeologists near the town of Izvor, Burgas District, in Southeast Bulgaria, after the site had been damaged by a treasure hunter.
Large Medieval Gold Treasure Found by Accident by Police, Seized from Treasure Hunters in Bulgaria’s Kazanlak
A large medieval gold treasure consisting of adornments made of the precious metal and semi-precious stones has been discovered by accident by the police in the town of Kazanlak in Central Bulgaria inside the car of what appear to be…
Archaeologists Surprisingly Find Western Fortress Wall of Roman Colony Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria Has Survived Treasure Hunters’ Bulldozers
Archaeologists excavating the Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria, which has been brutally looted and destroyed by treasure hunters in the 1990s and 2000s, have surprisingly discovered that the Roman colony’s western fortress wall has survived almost intact…
Bulgarian, Turkish Man Sentenced in Shumen for Trafficking Roman Artifacts from Middle East
A Bulgarian and a Turkish citizen have confessed their guilt in the smuggling of dozens of Ancient Roman artifacts, and possibly a Sumerian slab, after their arrest in a police operation almost two years ago generated international interest.
Bulgarian Archaeologists Seek to Restore 1980s Research Cooperation with Italy in Bid to Save Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria
The Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria, which has been brutally looted and destroyed by treasure hunters over the past 25 years, could still be rescued, and a renewed research cooperation with Italy, which existed back in the…
Ancient Apollo Head Sculpture ‘Found in Field’, ‘Donated’ to Bulgaria’s National Museum of History
A head from an ancient stone sculpture believed to depict Ancient Greek, Thracian, and Roman god Apollo wearing a wreath has been turned in Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia.
Archaeologists Discover Italian Red Pottery, First Doric Capital in Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria
Red pottery (terra sigillata) imported from the Italian Peninsula and for the first time a Doric capital have been discovered by archaeologists during the brief and underfunded 2016 excavations of the Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria, an…
Suspected Arson by Treasure Hunters Destroys Ruins of Glorious Roman City Ulpia Oescus near Bulgaria’s Gigen
The ruins of Ulpia Oescus, a colony of Ancient Rome and one of the most important Roman cities in today’s Bulgaria, whose ruins are located near Gigen, Pleven District, in Northern Bulgaria, have been badly damaged by two fires, apparently…
Authorities Seek to Reassure Archaeologists of Policing of Utterly Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria
Local authorities and the police in the Vidin District in Northwest Bulgaria have sought to reassure of their policing efforts the archaeologists working on the excavation of the huge Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria, an archaeological site which has been…
Museum Workers Urge Special Permits for Metal Detectors to Combat Bulgaria’s Rampant Treasure Hunting
Special permits for the ownership and usage of metal detectors must be introduced in Bulgaria as a measure designed to crack down on the rampant treasure hunting destroying thousands of archaeological, historical, and cultural monuments, museum workers have urged.
5 Treasure Hunters Arrested While ‘Trenching’ Late Antiquity Settlement with Tractor near Bulgaria’s Petarnitsa
A group of five treasure hunters has been arrested on the spot while plowing a field where a Late Antiquity and early medieval settlement was located near the town of Petarnitsa, Pleven District, in Northern Bulgaria, in order to extract archaeological…
Bulgaria’s Archaeological Sites Might Be Headed for Disaster, Protesters against New Cultural Heritage Law Alarm
A group of Bulgarian archaeologists, architects, and artists have staged a new protest rally in downtown Sofia against newly adopted amendments to the country’s Cultural Heritage Act which they fear may lead to irreparable damages to numerous archaeological sites and…
Roman Era Getae-Dacian Family Tomb Discovered in Bulgaria’s Velikovo in Rescue Excavations after Treasure Hunting Raid
A Roman Era family tomb with Getae-Dacian, i.e. Thracian features has been discovered near the town of Velikovo, General Toshevo Municipality, in Bulgaria’s northeastern Dobrich District.
Police Seize over 400 Archaeological Artifacts from Treasure Hunter in Northwest Bulgaria
Over 400 archaeological artifacts acquired through illegal excavations have been seized from a treasure hunter by the police in the town of Slatina, Berkovitsa Municipality, Montana District, in Northwest Bulgaria.
Stolen Thracian-Roman Silver Mask Helmet Restored, Showcased in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv 21 Years after Theft
A very rare Thracian-Roman mask helmet made of iron and silver, which was stolen in a brazen museum robbery back in 1995, and was recovered by the Bulgarian intelligence in 2015, has now been restored and showcased once again at…
Some 500,000 Treasure Hunters Destroying Bulgaria’s Archaeological Heritage on Daily Basis, Archaeologist Estimates
About 500,000 people in Bulgaria are dealing with treasure hunting and thus destroying the country’s archaeological, historical, and cultural heritage, an archaeologist estimates.
Police Bust Treasure Hunters with 400 Archaeological Artifacts from Ancient Roman City Ulpia Oescus in Northern Bulgaria
A total 387 archaeological artifacts have been seized from two men residing near the Ancient Roman city of Ulpia Oescus by the police in Pleven District in Northern Bulgaria.
Treasure Hunters Get Away with Suspended Sentences in High Profile Trial in Bulgaria’s Pazardzhik
Three men have been found guilty of treasure hunting and antiques trafficking in a high profile trial in the southern Bulgarian city of Pazardzhik but have gotten away with suspended sentences.
USD 1 Billion Worth of Archaeological Artifacts Smuggled Out of Bulgaria Annually, Archaeologist Claims
The archaeological artifacts extracted and exported from Bulgaria through treasure hunting and illegal trafficking of antiques are worth about USD 1 billion annually, according to Assoc. Prof. Konstantin Dochev, head of the Veliko Tarnovo Office of the Sofia-based National Institute…
Senior Bulgarian Civil Servant Caught with Diverse Collection of Archaeological Artifacts, Coins in Anti-Treasure Hunting Raid
A senior Bulgarian civil servant has been arrested together with an accomplice for alleged treasure hunting and illegal possession of valuable archaeological artifacts and coins, some of which said to be dating back to 2,500 BC.
Bulgaria’s Customs Capture Nearly 700 Archaeological Artifacts, Coins at Sofia Airport
Bulgaria’s Customs Agency has captured almost 700 archaeological artifacts and coins in a parcel inspected at Sofia International Airport.
Police Arrest 3 Men for Illegal Possession of Archaeological Artifacts in Bulgaria’s Nova Zagora
Three men with criminal records have been arrested for the illegal possession of archaeological artifacts, as well as drugs and firearms, in the southern Bulgarian town of Nova Zagora.
Bulgarian, Greek Treasure Hunting Gang Busted by Border Police
A gang of Bulgarian and Greek treasure hunters has been arrested near the town of Huhla, Ivaylovgrad Municipality, in Southern Bulgaria.
Bulgarian Archaeologists, Architects Rally against Controversial Amendments to Cultural Heritage Act
Leading Bulgarian archaeologists and architects have staged a protest rally before the Parliament building in Sofia against controversial draft amendments to the Cultural Heritage Act.
Medieval Reliquary Discovered at Christian Monastery Looted by Treasure Hunters ahead of Archaeological Excavations
A medieval reliquary and a piece of a bronze cross have been found at the ruins of a monastery from the 11th-12th century located near the town of Dobromirtsi in Bulgaria’s southernmost municipality Kirkovo.
Treasure Hunters Destroy Ancient Roman Bridge near Bulgaria’s Drangovo in Search of Legendary Gold Treasure
An old arch bridge located in the picturesque Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria, which was built by the Ancient Romans back at the time of the Roman Empire, has been shattered by ruthless modern-day Bulgarian or Greek treasure hunters who…
Renowned Egyptian Archaeologist Zahi Hawass Calls for Defying Terrorists to Protect Archaeological Heritage during Visit to Bulgaria
During a visit in Bulgaria world-famous Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass has called for defying the radical Islamic terrorists in the Middle East in order to protect the archaeological heritage of Ancient Egypt and the other ancient civilizations that existed in…
2 Treasure Hunters Arrested While Destroying Ancient Roman City Ratiaria near Bulgaria’s Archar
Two treasure hunters have been arrested in the latest reported encroachment against the ruins of the once glorious Ancient Roman colony Ratiaria (Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria) located on the right bank of the Danube near the town of Archar in…
Bulgarian Man Receives Suspended Sentence for Holding ‘Unregistered’ Archaeological Artifacts
A man from the northeastern Bulgarian town of Novi Pazar has been given a suspended sentence under the country’s Cultural Heritage Act for holding archaeological artifacts that he had failed to register with a local museum.
Bulgaria’s Police Donates 14th Century Silver Icon to National Museum of History
A 14th century silver icon of Jesus Christ from the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) has been donated to Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia by the Bulgarian police.
Bulgaria’s Customs Capture Thousands of UK Bound Likely Fake Archaeological Artifacts on Border with Romania
Thousands of archaeological artifacts destined to the UK, which are most probably fakes, have been detained by Bulgaria’s Customs Agency in the Danube city of Ruse before their smuggling into Romania.
Bulgarian Police Seize Almost 1,000 Archaeological Artifacts from Treasure Hunters
A total of 946 archaeological artifacts have been seized from treasure hunters by the Bulgarian police in the northeastern Silistra District.
Appellate Court in Bulgaria’s Burgas Terminates High Profile Treasure Hunting Trial over Technicality
The Appellate Court in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas has confirmed the acquittal of Zhivko Chepishev and Zdravko Chepishev, lawyer twin brothers, on charges of treasure hunting and destruction of an Ancient Thracian burial mound (tumulus) in a…
Ancient Coins, Archaeological Artifacts Seized from Treasure Hunters Make It to History Museum in Bulgaria’s Provadiya
A total of 26 ancient and medieval coins and a number of archaeological artifacts have been donated by Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency to the Museum of History in the town of Provadiya in Northeast Bulgaria.
