Bizarre 9th Century Seal with ‘Adult’ Baby Jesus, Virgin Mary Discovered in Capital of First Bulgarian Empire Pliska
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…
Intriguing ‘Dionysus with Panther’ Chariot Applique Discovered in Bulgaria’s Skutare in ‘Multi-layer’ Settlement
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…
Early Medieval, Roman Structures Found Close to England-Wales Border at UK’s Wrexham
An “extremely rare” discovery of structures from the early medieval period and remnants of a Roman settlement has been made in Wrexham, a city and county in northeast Wales, close to the Anglo-Welsh border. This revelation came to light during…
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…
Vandals Tear Down Monument of Khan Kubrat, Founder of 7th Century Old Great Bulgaria, in Today’s Ukraine
Unknown vandals have torn down the monument of Ancient Bulgar leader Khan Kubrat (r. 632 – 665 AD), the founder of the so called Old Great Bulgaria, which was erected in 2012 in the town of Mala Pereshchepina, Poltava District,…
Archaeologists to Seek Grave of First Roman Emperor to Die in Battle, Trajan Decius in 251 Battle of Abritus, near Bulgaria’s Razgrad
An international archaeological expedition is seeking EU funding in order to search for the grave of Trajan Decius, the first Emperor of the Roman Empire to die in battle, namely, the 251 AD Battle of Abritus near today’s city of…
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…
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.
5th Millenium BC Prehistoric Settlement near Bulgaria’s Pomorie Was Much Larger Than Known Settlement Mound, Archaeologists Find
The prehistoric settlement known as Kozareva Mogila (“Goat Mound”) near Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort of Pomorie, which dates back to the 5th millenium BC, i.e. the Chalcolithic (Aeneolithic, Copper Age), was substantially larger than the settlement mound known and visible…
Archaeologists Find Medieval Marketplace of Rahovets Fortress near Bulgaria’s Gorna Oryahovitsa
A medieval square which hosted the marketplace of the Rahovets Fortress near the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa in Central North Bulgaria has been discovered during its 2016 summer archaeological excavations.
6,000-Year-Old Cranial Amulet Discovered in Kozareva Mogila Prehistoric Settlement near Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast
A round cranial amulet, i.e. one made out of a human skull, has been discovered during the 2016 archaeological excavations of the Kozareva Mogila (“Goat Mound”) prehistoric settlement near Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort of Pomorie.
10th Century Golden Heart Jewel Worn by Bulgarian Empress Discovered in Medieval Capital Veliki Preslav
A remarkable golden jewel in the shape of a heart decorated with a five-color enamel, which may have belonged to the wife of Tsar Petar I (r. 927-969), has been discovered by archaeologists during excavations in Veliki Preslav (“Great Preslav”),…
Archaeologists Identify Battlefield of 251 AD Roman-Goth Battle of Abritus near Bulgaria’s Dryanovets
The battlefield of one of the greatest battles in the Late Antiquity, the 251 AD Battle of Abritus between the Roman Empire and the invading Goths, which is known for the deaths of two Roman Emperors, has been identified by…
Archaeologists Find Votive Tablets of ‘Thracian Horseman’ Deity in Ancient Roman City Abritus
Two votive tablets with images of the Thracian Horseman, also known as Heros, the alleged supreme deity of the Ancient Thracians, have been found during the 2016 summer archaeological excavations of the Ancient Roman and Byzantine city of Abritus near…
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 National Institute & Museum of Archaeology Publishes Catalog of Exhibition on ‘Female Beauty over the Centuries’
Bulgaria’s National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia has published a catalog of its current dedicated to the exhibition “A Mirror of Time: Female Beauty over the Centuries”.
Monument of Ancient Bulgar Leader Altsek Opened in Italy’s Celle di Bulgheria to Celebrate Ancient Bulgar Heritage
A monument of Altsek, a 7th century Ancient Bulgar leader who is believed to have originated from the ruling dynasty of the founders of the First Bulgarian Empire (632/680-1018), and who led an Ancient Bulgar horde to settle on the…
Bulgaria’s National Museum of Archaeology to Show 2,500-Year-Old Toiletries Box, Medieval Treasure in New Exhibit on “Female Beauty over the Centuries”
A 2,500-year-old Ancient Thracian toiletries box consisting of a gold-coated silver shell will be one of the artifacts on display in the new exhibition of Bulgaria’s National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia entitled “A Mirror of Time: Female…
Archaeologists Find Preserved 7-Meter Tall Late Antiquity Fortress Wall of Ancient Roman City Sexaginta Prista in Bulgaria’s Ruse
A previously unknown section of the Late Antiquity fortress wall of the Ancient Roman city of Sexaginta Prista has been discovered in the Danube city of Ruse in Northeast Bulgaria.
Silver Buckles of Ancient Bulgar Warrior Aristocrats Displayed for the First Time by Bulgaria’s National Museum of History
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia has opened an exhibition showing for the first time weapons, decorations, and treasures of Ancient Bulgar aristocrats and warriors from the early period of the First Bulgarian Empire (632/680-1018 AD).
Bulgarian Toponyms in Italy: Legacy from the Ancient Bulgars and Their Leaders, Khan Altsek and Khan Kubrat*
Bulgarograsso, Bulgaro and Bulgarello, near Como; Bolgare, near Bergamo, Bulgaria (Cesena – Forl?); Bolgheri – near Livorno; Celle di Bulgheria (Salerno) or Monte Bulgheria (in the Cilento natural park (Salerno) and many others. How have these names come into being?
