Culverin Cannonballs from Vlad Dracula’s 1461 Victory over Ottoman Turks Found in Danube Fortress Zishtova in Bulgaria’s Svishtov
Cannonballs from culverins – primitive early medieval cannons – most probably used in 1461 during the conquest of the Zishtova Fortress by Wallacian Voivode Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, from the Ottoman Turks have been discovered…
For the First Time Fortress Gate of Ancient Odessos Discovered in Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna
Archaeologists have discovered for the first time one of the fortress gates of the Ancient Thracian, Greek, and Roman city of Odessos (Odessus), namely, its southwestern gate, in Varna, the largest modern-day city on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
Early Byzantine City Palmate with Huge Christian Basilica Was Pillaged Twice by Avars, Slavs, Bulgarian Archaeologists Find
The Palmate Fortress, a Late Antiquity and Early Byzantine city in today’s Northeast Bulgaria, was conquered and looted at least twice during the barbarian invasions of Avars and Slavs in the late 6th – early 7th century AD, archaeologists have…
World’s First Medieval Gold Cross Reliquary with Holy Cross Particle Discovered in Trapesitsa Fortress in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
A 12th century cross, which is a reliquary (engolpion) containing a particle from the Holy Cross from Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and is the first known artifact of its kind that is made of pure gold, has been discovered by archaeologists…
Slavs, Avars Burned Down Byzantine City Chrisosotira in Early 7th Century, Digs on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast Reveal
The Early Byzantine city of Chrisosotira on Cape Chervenka on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast was most likely sacked by the Slavs and Avars during their invasions of the Byzantine Empire in the first half of the 7th century AD, archaeologists…
3,200-Year-Old Cyclopean Masonry Fortress Found in South Bulgaria, Shows Ancient Thrace Was Part of Mycenaean Civilization
An ancient fortress which is 3,000 – 3,200 years old and was built with the so called Cyclopean masonry has been found by archaeologists in Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains, near the town of Zlatograd and the border with Greece, and is…
Intriguing 13th Century Church with Surviving Frescos of Jesus Christ Discovered in Trapesitsa Fortress in Medieval Bulgarian Capital Veliko Tarnovo
A previously unknown 13th century church has been discovered in the Trapesitsa Fortress, one of the citadels of medieval Tarnovgrad (today’s Veliko Tarnovo), capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396/1422), with the temple featuring surviving frescoes of Jesus Christ.
Decagonal Roman Fortress Tower from Ancient Bononia Unearthed in Bulgaria’s Danube City Vidin
The ruins of a decagonal fortress tower from the Ancient Roman city of Bononia – said to be the largest Roman fortress on the Lower Danube – have been uncovered by archaeologists in the city of Vidin in Northwest Bulgaria.
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…
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…
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.
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…
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…
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 Byzantium’s Haemimontus Province on Bulgaria’s Southern Black Sea Coast Presented in New Book Based on 8 Years of Excavations
A new book presents findings about the Haemimontus province of the Early Byzantine Empire in the Late Antiquity (5th – 7th century AD) based on 8 years of archaeological field research of fortresses and settlements on the southern Black Sea…
Ancient Roman Antonine Wall in Scotland Was Partly Painted in Bright Colors for ‘Propaganda’ Purposes, Research Finds
The 2nd century AD Antonine Wall in Scotland, the northernmost border wall built by the Ancient Romans, was painted in bright colors at least partly, an archaeologist from the University of Glasgow archaeologist has found.
Latest Finds from Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv: Roman Fortress Tower, Bronze Horse Harness Appliques, 2,000-Year-Old Wheat Barrel
A number of intriguing archaeological structures and artifacts have been found during the 2017 excavations of the Ancient Thracian and Ancient Roman Nebet Tepe Fortress in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, including a previously unknown Roman fortress tower, a…
Latest Discoveries in Nebet Tepe Fortress Cast Doubt on Status of Bulgaria’s Plovdiv as Oldest City in Europe
The latest excavations of the Ancient Thracian and Ancient Roman Nebet Tepe Fortress in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv have revealed issues with earlier archaeological research casting doubt on whether Plovdiv indeed was the oldest city in Europe, while…
Archaeologist Indignant over Damage Done by Tourists, Locals to Ancient, Medieval Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
Lead archaeologist Sofiya Hristeva has called for ending the unlimited access of tourists and locals to the Ancient Thracian and Ancient Roman Nebet Tepe Fortress in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv because of the damages caused constantly to the…
Little Known Late Antiquity, Medieval Fortress Verdittsa in Bulgaria’s Travditsa Granted ‘Monument of Culture’ Status
The little known but picturesque ruins of the Late Antiquity and medieval Bulgarian and Byzantine fortress of Verdittsa, originally an Ancient Thracian settlement, near the town of Tvarditsa in Southeast Bulgaria has been granted the highest status of a monument…
Fortress Tower of Ancient Odessos Found by Chance in Bulgaria’s Varna Affirms Data about Odd Early Byzantine District Quaestura Exercitus
A Late Antiquity fortress wall tower from the Ancient Thracian, Greek, and Roman city of Odessos (Odessus) has been discovered by accident in the Black Sea city of Varna, with rescue archaeological excavations affirming data about the existence of Quaestura…
‘Salt Pit’ Prehistoric Town in Bulgaria’s Provadiya Built Oldest Stone Fortress Walls in Europe to Protect Its Riches, Archaeologist Says
Some 6,700 years ago the residents of the Solnitsata (“The Salt Pit”) prehistoric town in today’s Provadiya in Northeast Bulgaria built what were Europe’s first fortress walls made of stone in order to protect their riches accumulated from the large-scale…
Medieval Fortress Wall, Lady’s Ring with Crystal Discovered in Rescue Digs in Bulgaria’s Asenovgrad
A fortress wall from the medieval Byzantine and Bulgarian town of Stanimachos / Stanimaka has been discovered in the southern Bulgarian town of Asenovgrad, together with luxury sgraffito ceramics and lady’s ring with a crystal.
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.
1,000-Year-Old Child’s Bracelet with Virgin Mary Stamp Found at Momchil’s Fortress in Southern Bulgaria
A metal child’s bracelet from the 11th-12th century with a stamp depicting the Virgin Mary – or the Holy Mother of God, as she is known in Eastern Orthodox Christianity – has been discovered by archaeologists during the excavations of…
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…
Medieval Byzantine, Bulgarian Fortress Tuida in Bulgaria’s Sliven Generating Growing Interest among Tourists
The Tuida Fortress in the eastern Bulgarian city of Sliven, a major archaeological, historica, and cultural landmark, is gaining popularity as a destination for cultural tourism even though it was opened for visitors just three years ago, according to a…
Archaeologists Find Gold Coin of Early Byzantine Emperor Phocas in Bulgaria’s Rusocastro Fortress
An early Byzantine gold coin from the beginning of the 7th century AD has been discovered by archaeologists excavating the major medieval fortress of Rusocastro in today’s Southeast Bulgaria.
Museum of Sofia History in Bulgaria’s Capital Attracted 60,000 Visitors in 2016
The Sofia Regional Museum of History, more widely known as the Museum of Sofia History, in the Bulgarian capital, welcomed a total of 60,000 visitors in 2016.
Archaeologists Find Roman Fortress Wall, 2nd Century BC Colored Plaster in Nebet Tepe Fortress in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A previously unknown part of a fortress wall from the Roman Era and numerous fragments of plaster which are even older are the latest archaeological discoveries from the 2016 excavations of Nebet Tepe, the prehistoric, ancient, and medieval settlement and…
