Christian Reliquary Cross Found in 11th Century Byzantine Fortress in Southeast Bulgaria Destroyed by Crusaders in Third Crusade
A bronze reliquary cross from the High Middle Ages of the engolpion type – i.e. a hollow cross used for keeping holy Christian relics – has been discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists during the excavations of the “Small Kale,” a fortress…
Headless Horse Skeleton Found in Likely First Known Cuman Settlement from Second Bulgarian Empire
A well-preserved headless animal skeleton, most likely of a horse, has been discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists excavating a settlement from the High Middle Ages at the foot of the Rahovets Fortress, which might prove to be the very first known…
Wooden Coffin Burials, Glass Jewels Discovered in Vast Medieval Necropolis near Bulgaria’s Radnevo
A large number of glass jewels and remains of wooden coffins in some of the burials among dozens of newly excavated graves have been discovered by archaeologists in a large necropolis from the 12th century, the High Middle Ages, near…
3 Newly Found Gold Rings Reveal Antiquity, Middle Ages Life in Danube Region of Northeast Bulgaria
Archaeologists have discovered a total of three gold rings from the Antiquity, High Middle Ages, and Late Middle Ages in diverse archaeological sites in the Danube region of Ruse in today’s Northeast Bulgaria.
3 Gold Coins from Byzantine Empire after 1071 Battle of Manzikert Found in Bulgaria’s Lom in Almus, Lomgrad Ruins
Archaeologists have found a small hoard of gold coins from the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) minted after the emblematic Battle of Manzikert in 1071 under Emperor Michael VII Ducas during excavations of the Ancient Roman and medieval Byzantine city…
Unknown Medieval Settlement from Second Bulgarian Empire, Bronze Age Settlement Discovered near Danube City Vidin
A previously unknown settlement from the Second Bulgarian Empire in the High Middle Ages and a layer from an Early Bronze Age settlement from the 3rd millennium BC have been discovered near the Danube city of Vidin in Northwest Bulgaria.
8,000-Year-Old Structures, Medieval Christian Necropolis, Ottoman Slaughter Fire Traces Found in Bulgaria’s Stara Zagora
A wide range of archaeological structures and artifacts “slicing through history” have been discovered during rescue excavations on a construction plot within the Augusta Traiana – Vereia Archaeological Preserve in the Southern Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora – including 8,000-year-old…
‘Pillow’ Brick with Gospel of John Inscription in 13th Century Clergyman Grave, Byzantine Gold Threads Found in Medieval Bulgarian Capital Tarnovgrad
A senior medieval clergyman’s grave from the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire, possibly even one of the patriarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, containing a brick with an inscription quoting the Gospel of John, has been discovered during the…
Crusaders from Third Crusade Destroyed 11th-Century Byzantine Empire’s Fortress in Southeast Bulgaria, Archaeologists Find
A small but remarkable Byzantine fortress, which existed in the 11th – 12th century in today’s Southeast Bulgaria, was seemingly destroyed by the Western European knights from the Third Crusade in 1189 – 1192 AD, the archaeological research team has…
First Ever Gold Coin Found in Bulgaria’s Lyutitsa Fortress, of Byzantine (Nicaean) Emperor John III Ducas Vatatzes
A gold coin has been discovered for the first time by the archaeologists excavating the medieval fortress Lyutitsa near the town of Ivaylovgrad in Southern Bulgaria – it is from the mid-13th century, and of the type minted by Byzantine,…
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.
Archaeologists Find Seal of Byzantine Empress Yolande of Montferrat in Bulgaria’s Lyutitsa Fortress
A rare find, a lead seal of Yolande of Montferrat, Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire, the second wife of Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus (r. 1282 – 1328), has been discovered by archaeologists excavating the medieval Bulgarian fortress Lyutitsa near…
Archeologists Find Rare 12th Century Lusterware Pottery from Medieval Egypt in Building with Rich Murals, Reveal Medieval Streets in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A very rare piece of lusterware, a type of pottery, made in medieval Egypt in the 12th – 13th century AD, has been discovered in a medieval building richly decorated with colorful murals during rescue excavations in the southern Bulgarian…
Antiquity, Medieval Artifacts Exposed by Landslide Show Bulgaria’s Troyan Monastery May Be Much Older than Known
Archaeological artifacts from the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages have been exposed by a landslide near the Troyan Monastery meaning that Bulgaria’s third largest monastery might have been founded long before 1600, as presently thought.
Archaeologists Find Medieval Grave with Skeleton with Arrow in Chest at Antiquity Odeon in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A medieval grave from the 11th-12th century with an arrow in or at the chest of the buried person has been discovered by archaeologists at the start of rescue excavations at the Antiquity Odeon, an ancient performance facility, in the…
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.
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…
Middle Ages vs. Antiquity: ‘Discrepancies’ in the Game of Thrones / Song of Ice and Fire Universe
Fantasy works, especially awesome ones such as Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire, could be deemed immune from criticism; however, comparisons with real history are in order.
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.
Archaeologists Excavate Early Christian Basilica Destroyed by Barbarian Invasion, Ancient Earthquake in Bulgaria’s Cherven Breg
An Early Christian basilica which was destroyed by a barbarian invasion and a major earthquake in the Late Antiquity has been excavated by archaeologists near the town of Cherven Breg, Dupnitsa Municipality, in Southwest Bulgaria.
Necropolis with Rich Inventories from Second Bulgarian Empire Discovered in Bulgaria’s Vratsa
A necropolis from the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396/1422), i.e. the High Middle Ages, containing rich funeral inventories of silver and copper jewels has been discovered as a result of construction, and has been excavated by archaeologists in…
Archaeologists Find 6th Century AD Brazier in Kalyata Fortress near Bulgaria’s Yakoruda
A ceramic brazier, a container for hot coal typically used for heating, which dates back to the 6th century AD, i.e. the Early Byzantine period, has been discovered by archaeologists excavating the Late Antiquity and medieval fortress of Kalyata near…
Archaeologists Find Byzantine General’s Seal, Medieval Necropolis in Lyutitsa Fortress near Bulgaria’s Ivaylovgrad
A well preserved lead seal of a medieval Byzantine general is just one of the numerous artifacts which have been discovered by the archaeologists excavating the Late Antiquity and medieval fortress Lyutitsa near the town of Ivaylovgrad in Southern Bulgaria.
Medieval Clothing in Second Bulgarian Empire Unveiled by Artist in Book Based on Archaeological Research
Detailed reconstructions of medieval clothing from Bulgaria in the High and Late Middle Ages which are based on profound archaeological research have been unveiled in a book by Bulgarian artist and designer Kalina Atanasova.
Mural Portrairs of Tsars from Second Bulgarian Empire Identified in Largest Study of Frescoes from Medieval Capital Tarnovgrad (Veliko Tarnovo)
Previously unkown mural portraits of Tsar Ivan Asen II (r 1218-1241), one of his wifes, and three other medieval Bulgarian rulers from the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) have been identified in the most comprehensive study to date of the frescoes…
Coin Indicates Second Bulgarian Empire Gained Control over Thessaloniki (Salonica) in Mid 13th Century, Collector, Archaeologists Hypothesize
Thessaloniki (also known in English as Salonica or Thessalonica), the second largest city in today’s Greece and the second most important city of the Byzantine Empire in the Middle Ages, may have come under the control of the Second Bulgarian…
Archaeologists Discover 10th Century Church, Coins Testifying about 1242 Tatar (Mongol) Invasion of Medieval Drastar in Bulgaria’s Silistra
A church from the 10th century, dozens of medieval graves, and coins testifying to the Tatar (Mongol) invasion of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396 AD) in 1242 AD have been discovered during rescue excavations of the medieval city of Drastar,…
Archaeologist Finds Wooden Homes on Platforms: First Ever Middle Bronze Age Discoveries in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
Structures dating back to the 1900-1700 BC, i.e. the Middle Bronze Age, which are remains from wooden homes, have been discovered for the first time in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, also known as the oldest city in Europe.
Archaeologists Find Fragment of 11th Century Rakia Distillation Vessel in Lyutitsa Fortress near Bulgaria’s Ivaylovgrad
A fragment from an 11th century vessel for the distillation of rakia, a traditional fruit brandy drink popular in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries, has been discovered by the archaeologists excavating the Late Antiquity and medieval fortress Lyutitsa near the…
Bulgarian Archaeologists Unearth Entire Residential Quarter in Medieval Fortress Kastritsi on Black Sea Coast
Bulgarian archaeologists excavating the Early Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian city and fortress of Kastritsi, whose ruins are located in the Euxinograd Residence of the Bulgarian government near Varna, have unearthed an entire residential quarter from the Middle Ages.
Rahovets Fortress Was Ancient Thracian City Zikideva, Bulgarian Archaeologist Hypothesizes
The ancient and medieval fortress Rahovets, which is being excavated near the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa in Central Northern Bulgaria, was probably the the place of the legendary Ancient Thracian city Zikideva, Bulgarian archaeologist Prof. Hitko Vachev has hypothesized.
Bulgarian Archaeologists Find Tall Medieval Man’s Skeleton in Vratitsa (Gradishte) Fortress near Vratsa
The skeleton of a tall medieval man has been found in a Christian grave in the necropolis of the Ancient Thracian, Roman, Early Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian fortress known as Gradishte or Vratitsa near the northwestern Bulgarian city Vratsa. The…
Medieval Rahovets Fortress in Central Bulgaria Was Also Thracian Rock Shrine, Archaeological Excavations Reveal
The ancient and medieval settlement and fortress Rahovets located near the northern Bulgarian town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, and the city of Veliko Tarnovo was also used as a rock shrine by the Ancient Thracians, according to archaeologist Iliyan Petrakiev from…
Ancient, Medieval Fortress Rahovets near Bulgaria’s Gorna Oryahovitsa Promised ‘Monument of Culture’ Status
The ancient and medieval settlement and fortress Rahovets located near the northern Bulgarian town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, and the city of Veliko Tarnovo has been promised a “monument of culture” status by the Bulgarian government.
