Treasure Hunters Looting Bulgaria’s Black Sea Underwater Archaeology Riches As Well, Diving Instructor Reveals
The rampant treasure hunting which affects pretty much every single known archaeological site in Bulgaria apparently also does damage to the country’s underwater archaeology potential in the Black Sea.
Vicious Treasure Hunters Shatter Newly Excavated Ruins of Ancient Roman City Ratiaria Defying Archaeologists
The newly discovered archaeological structures in the Ancient Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria located on the Danube, near the town of Archar in Northwest Bulgaria, have been viciously destroyed by treasure hunters apparently seeking to defy the hard…
Archaeologists Find Building’s Portico, Governor’s Residence Hypocaust in Ancient Roman Colony Ratiaria near Bulgaria’s Archar
The portico (porch at the entrance of a building or a colonnade) of 4th century AD Roman building has been discovered during the October 2015 excavations of the Ancient Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria in Bulgaria’s northwestern town…
Gold Rush Reminding of Ancient Thracian Treasures Draws Hundreds to Bulgaria’s Rivers – AFP
Bulgaria is experiencing a gold rush 2,000 years after the civilization of Ancient Thrace created their gold treasures, writes AFP in a report about modern-day gold panners along the Bulgarian rivers where once the Ancient Thracians mined their gold.
Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office Charges 3 Treasure Hunters for Raiding Medieval Fortress
Three men have been charged with treasure hunting by the District Prosecutor’s Office in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv after they have been arrested for raiding a medieval fortress.
Bulgarian Police Bust 2 Treasure Hunters Bulldozing Ancient Thracian Burial Mound
Bulgarian police officers from the southern town of Nova Zagora have caught red-handed two treasure hunters while they were bulldozing an Ancient Thracian burial mound (tumuli) near the town of Sadiysko Pole.
Bulgarian Police Bust Antique Trafficking Ring, Seize Roman Decurion’s Gravestone, 800 Invaluable Artifacts
Bulgaria’s Unit for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) has shattered a ring for antiques trafficking, and has confiscated over 800 archaeological artifacts and coins, including a very valuable marble gravestone of a Roman Decurion.
Bulgarian Court Puts Off Trial against High Profile Traffickers of Archaeological Artifacts
The District Court in the southern Bulgarian city of Pazardzhik has postponed once again the hearing of the trial of two high profile traffickers of archaeological artifacts.
Archaeologists Resume Excavations of Ancient Roman Colony Ratiaria in Bulgaria’s Archar with Limited Government Funding
The archaeological excavations of the Ancient Roman colony Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria in Bulgaria’s northwestern town of Archar on the Danube River have been resumed as of October 8, 2015, with limited funding from the Bulgarian government.
2 Men Arrested for Treasure Hunting at Late Antiquity and Medieval Fortress near Bulgaria’s Chuypetlovo
Bulgarian police have arrested two men for illegal treasure hunting at a Late Antiquity and medieval fortress known as Gradishte near the town of Chuypetlovo, Pernik Municipality, located to the southwest of the Bulgarian capital Sofia.
Treasure Hunters Rush in Search of Legendary Gold Loaded Carriage at Burun Kale Fortress near Bulgaria’s Shirokovo
The search for a medieval carriage loaded with gold treasures which is said to be hidden somewhere around the Late Antiquity fortress Burun Kale near the town of Shirokovo in Northeast Bulgaria is the latest craze among Bulgarian treasure hunters.
3 Treasure Hunters to Be Tried for Looting Ancient Roman City Novae in Bulgaria’s Svishtov
Three men are going to be tried for treasure hunting by the District Court in the northern Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo as they have been caught looting the Ancient Roman military camp and city of Novae near today’s town…
Treasure Hunters Keep Destroying Ancient Thracian Burial Mounds in Southeast Bulgaria, Archaeologist Alarms
Ruthless treasure hunters continue to destroy entire Ancient Thracian burial mounds (tumuli) in the region of the town of Elhovo in Southeast Bulgaria, archaeologists alarm.
Police Raid Artist’s Private Museum, Confiscate Archaeological Artifacts in Bulgaria’s Melyane
A private museum containing historical and archaeological artifacts set up by a famous artist and wood carver has been raided by the police in the northwestern Bulgarian town of Melyane, Georgi Damyanovo Municipality, Montana District.
Bulgarian Court Seizes 3,000 Ancient and Medieval Coins from Man in Stara Zagora
A total of 3,000 ancient and medieval coins have been confiscated by the Regional Court in the southern Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora after a plea bargain with a local man.
Marble Bust of Roman Emperor Gordian III Seized from Trafficker Makes It to Bulgaria’s National Museum of History
A marble bust of Roman Emperor Gordian III (r. 238-244 AD) has been seized by the Bulgarian police from a trafficker of antiques, and has been transferred to Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia, the Museum has announced in…
Bulgarian Police Seize from Traffickers Ancient Roman Sacrificial Altar Dedicated to Jupiter Dolichenus
An Ancient Roman sacrificial altar with a well preserved inscription in Latin has been seized from antique traffickers by the Bulgarian police, and has been turned over to the National Museum of History in Sofia.
Archaeologists Unearth Marble Sarcophagus, Tomb with Murals in Raided Ancient Thracian Mound from Roman Period in Bulgaria’s Boyanovo
A massive marble sarcophagus of a rich Ancient Thracian aristocrat has been unearthed in a Thracian tumulus (burial mound) from the period of the Roman Empire by archaeologist Daniela Agre and her team during rescue excavations near the town of…
Bulgarian Archaeologist Concludes Roman Artifacts Seized from Smugglers Authentic, Originated in Asia Minor and the Middle East
The 19 statues and slabs which were seized from several treasure hunters and antique traffickers, including a citizen of Turkey, by the Bulgarian police in the northeastern city of Shumen back in March 2015 are fine examples of Ancient Roman art…
Bulgarian Antique Traffickers Flood Europe with Fake Archaeological Artifacts, Forged Thracian Treasure on Sale for EUR 200,000
Bulgarian antique traffickers and treasure hunters are flooding the European black market with forged ancient coins and fake archaeological artifacts such as a fake Ancient Thracian treasure which is “on sale” for EUR 200,000, according to the police.
Bulgarian Police Capture Treasure Hunter with over 300 Archaeological Artifacts , Coins
Police officers in the southern Bulgarian city of Smolyan have arrested a treasure hunter confiscating over 300 ancient and/or medieval coins as well as a number of other archaeological artifacts.
Bulgaria’s National History Museum Receives Ancient Roman Gravestone, Bulgarian Tsars’ Seals Seized from Treasure Hunters
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia has released a photo of a richly decorated Ancient Thracian – Roman gravestone which together with other archaeological artifacts has been donated to it after having been seized from treasure hunters.
Treasure Hunters Steal Ancient Artifacts from Roman and Byzantine Fortress Zaldapa in Northeast Bulgaria
Two cases of theft of ancient artifacts by treasure hunters have been registered during the second excavations of the large Late Roman and Early Byzantine fortress Zaldapa built on top of an Ancient Thracian settlement near the town of Abrit…
Bulgarian Court Acquits Lawyer Brothers in High-profile Treasure Hunting Trial over Destruction of Thracian Mound
The District Court in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas has acquitted Zhivko Chepishev and Zdravko Chepishev, lawyer twin brothers, on charges of treasure hunting and destruction of an Ancient Thracian burial mound (tumulus) in a trial that has…
Bulgaria, Italy Sign Agreement to Crack Down on Treasure Hunting, Illegal Trafficking of Antiques
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture and Italy’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism have signed a memorandum providing for joint efforts against treasure hunting, theft of cultural heritage artifacts and illegal trafficking of antiques.
Bulgarian Police Nab 2 Men for Selling Illegal Archaeological Artifacts in Downtown Sofia
Bulgaria’s police have arrested two men for selling illegally archaeological artifacts near the famous antique market in front of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in downtown Sofia.
Persisting Myths about Legendary Rebel’s Gold Keep Drawing Bulgarian Treasure Hunters to Archaeological Sites
Large numbers of Bulgarian treasure hunters keep searching for alleged gold treasure(s) motivated by countless legends, thus damaging or destroying ancient and medieval archaeological sites, as it is believed that Robin Hood-like Bulgarian rebels from the 19th century used them…
Bulldozers, Treasure Hunters Destroying Ancient Thracian Archaeological Sites in Bulgaria’s Satovcha Municipality
Construction bulldozers and treasure hunters have been destroying and raiding a large area of Ancient Thracian archaeological sites dating back as early as the 8th century BC in Satovcha Municipality, Blagoevgrad District, in Southwest Bulgaria.
Bulgarian Treasure Hunters Raiding Western Thrace in Greece in Search of Legendary Freedom Fighter’s Treasure
Treasure hunters from Bulgaria have started raiding archaeological sites in the historical region of Western Thrace in Greece in search of a huge treasure allegedly buried there by Captain Petko Voyvoda, a Bulgarian “haidutin”, freedom fighter, and national hero who…
Treasure Hunters Raid over 40 Archaeological Sites in Bulgaria’s Yambol District
Treasure hunters have looted and damaged over 40 archaeological sites from different time periods in Bulgaria’s archaeology-rich southeastern Yambol District since 2014.
Treasure Hunters in Bulgaria Get Away with Crimes Because of Undesignated Archaeological Sites, Archaeologist Says
Many treasure hunters in Bulgaria get away with punishments because of what appears to be a legislative loophole – charges against them fail in court if the archaeological sites where they had been caught digging are not designated as such,…
Treasure Hunters Raid Soon-to-Be-Excavated Ancient Thracian Tumuli in Bulgaria’s Tatarevo
At least one of the Ancient Thracian burial mounds (tumuli) in the southern Bulgarian town of Tatarevo, Plovdiv District, which are soon supposed to be excavated by the Director of the Plovdiv Museum of Archaeology, Kostadin Kisyov, has been raided…
Bulgarian Archaeologist Discouraged over Meager Funding for Excavations of Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture has allocated only BGN 12,000 (app. EUR 6,100) for the 2015 summer archaeological excavations of the Ancient Roman Danube city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria, which is located near today’s town of Archar in Northwest Bulgaria.
Krater Seized from Bulgarian Treasure Hunter Made in Ancient Greece during Age of Pericles
The 5th century BC krater, a special vessel for mixing wine (and water), which has recently been confiscated from a treasure hunter by the Bulgarian police, was made in Ancient Greece during the Age of Pericles, part of the Golden…
Ancient Roman City Ratiaria in Bulgaria’s Archar Assaulted by Brutal Treasure Hunters Yet Again
The Ancient Roman arsenal city of Ratiaria, also known as Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria, which is located near the northwestern Bulgarian town of Archar on the Danube River, has suffered brand new major damages from looting treasure hunters.
