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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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,…
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…
Bulgarian Police Seize Rare 5th Century BC Ancient Greek Krater from Treasure Hunter
Bulgarian police officers have confiscated a unique 5th century BC Ancient Greek krater, a special vessel for mixing wine (and water) used in Ancient Greece and Thrace, from a treasure hunter from the southern town of Susam, Haskovo District.
Archaeology Museum in Bulgaria’s Silistra Presents Newly Found Bronze Age Tools Seized from Treasure Hunters
The Museum of Archaeology in Bulgaria’s Danube city of Silistra has shown to the public for the first time a newly discovered “prehistoric treasure” of 22 copper adzes from the Bronze Age that have been confiscated from local treasure hunters…
Expedition Sets Out in Search of Archaeology Sites in Bulgaria’s General Toshevo Municipality
A special expedition of archaeologists from several institutions has set out to explore the archaeological heritage of one of Bulgaria’s most remote municipalities, General Toshevo Municipality, located in the very northeast of the country along the land border with Romania.
History Museum in Bulgaria’s Sliven Receives Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Austrian Coins Seized from Treasure Hunters
The Regional History Museum in the eastern Bulgarian city of Sliven has received from the police and judicial authorities a total of 386 coins and other archaeological artifacts from different archaeological periods which have been confiscated from now sentenced treasure…
Bulgarian Prosecutors Charge 3 Men with Treasure Hunting Digs in Ancient Roman Military Camp Novae
Three men from the District of Pleven in Northern Bulgarian have been charged with treasure hunting on the territory of the Ancient Roman legionary base and city Novae located near today’s Danube city of Svishtov, Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry has announced.
Bulgarian Archaeologist Finds 5000-Year-Old Relief from Ancient Mesopotamia among Artifacts Seized from Treasure Hunters
A 5000-year-old stone relief from Ancient Sumer in Mesopotamia has been identified by Bulgarian archaeologist Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov among the impressive artifacts confiscated recently from treasure hunters and antique traffickers by the police in the northeastern Bulgarian city of Shumen.
Bulgarian Man Finds Silver Treasure of Western European, Ottoman Coins While Plowing Field
A man has stumbled upon an earthen jar with about 90 silver coins from the 16th-18th century while plowing a field with a tractor in the town of Zahari Stoyanovo, Popovo Municipality, in Northeastern Bulgaria.
Bulgarian Police Seize Ancient Roman Archaeology Artifacts, Slab with Sumerian Motifs from Treasure Hunters
Police in the District of Shumen in Northeast Bulgaria have raided the homes of several local treasure hunters rescuing priceless archaeology artifacts, including 9000 coins, dozens of Ancient Roman statues, and a stone slab with possibly Ancient Sumerian motifs, which…
Bulgarian Archaeologists Display Stunning Ancient Finds Snatched from Treasure Hunters, Traffickers
The Regional Museum of History in the northeastern Bulgarian city of Shumen has put together an exhibition of stunning archaeological artifacts rescued from the hands of treasure hunters and antique traffickers from the Shumen District.
18th Century Ottoman Naval Cannon Seized from Black Sea Treasure Hunters Exhibited in Bulgaria’s Dobrich
An 18th century cannon with a gun carriage of the Ottoman Navy in the Black Sea has been restored and showcased by the Regional Museum of History in the city of Dobrich in Northeast Bulgaria.
St. John the Baptist Relics Theft ‘Inside Job’, Says Archaeologist Who Found Them on Bulgarian Black Sea Island
The recent theft of a particle from the relics of St. John the Baptist committed in the city of Sliven in Southeast Bulgaria is an inside job, according to archaeologist Prof. Kazimir Popkonstantinov, the researcher who discovered the holy relics…
Particle from Newly Found St. John the Baptist Relics Stolen from Church in Bulgaria’s Sliven
A particle from the relics of St. John the Baptist, which were discovered during archaeological excavations in an early Christian monastery on the St. Ivan (St. John) Island near Bulgaria’s Sozopol, has been stolen from a church in the city…
