1st Century BC Traces of Earliest Roman Presence in Bulgaria on Danube Discovered Halfway between Major Antiquity Cities Bononia (Vidin) and Ratiaria (Archar)
A vast archaeological site, which was an Ancient Roman settlement with traces from the earliest Roman presence in today’s Bulgaria in the 1st century BC and was located halfway between the large Roman Empire cities of Bononia (today’s Vidin) and…
Archaeologists Discover Western Gate of Ancient Roman, Byzantine Fortress Bononia in Bulgaria’s Danube City Vidin
The massive western fortress gate and seemingly the main entrance of the Ancient Roman and Early Byzantine city of Bononia has been discovered by archaeologists in the city of Vidin in Northwest Bulgaria, on the Danube River.
3 Species of Treasure Hunters Are Destroying Archaeology in Bulgaria’s ‘Plunder Paradise’ worth up to USD 1 Billion a Year, New Book Reveals
Three “species” of treasure hunters dubbed “diggers”, “yuppies” and “super experts”, whose a total number is in the low six figures, are destroying the world archaeology and history heritage found in Bulgaria in a criminal industry worth up to 1…
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.
Bulgarian Archaeologists Tracking Treasure Hunters’ Raids Using Google Maps, Google Earth
Some Bulgarian archaeologists have found a novel way of tackling the damage done to the country’s tremendous archaeological heritage on a daily basis by ruthless treasure hunters by using Google Maps and Google Earth, an archaeologist reveals.
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…
Bulgarian Archaeologists Seek to Restore 1980s Research Cooperation with Italy in Bid to Save Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria
The Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria, which has been brutally looted and destroyed by treasure hunters over the past 25 years, could still be rescued, and a renewed research cooperation with Italy, which existed back in the…
Archaeologists Discover Italian Red Pottery, First Doric Capital in Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria
Red pottery (terra sigillata) imported from the Italian Peninsula and for the first time a Doric capital have been discovered by archaeologists during the brief and underfunded 2016 excavations of the Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria in Northwest Bulgaria, an…
Authorities Seek to Reassure Archaeologists of Policing of Utterly Looted Ancient Roman City Ratiaria
Local authorities and the police in the Vidin District in Northwest Bulgaria have sought to reassure of their policing efforts the archaeologists working on the excavation of the huge Ancient Roman city of Ratiaria, an archaeological site which has been…
Bulgaria’s Dimovo to Finally Build Open-air Museum of Ratiaria – Huge Ancient Roman Danube Colony Obliterated by Looters
The Town Council of Dimovo Municipality on the Danube in Northwest Bulgaria has voted to establish an open-air museum at the Ancient Roman colony Ratiaria, a huge Roman arsenal city which has been brutally destroyed by treasure hunters over the…
Bulgaria’s Ruse, Romania’s Constanta Start Project for ‘Interactive Visualization’ of Roman Empire’s Lower Danube Frontier (Limes Moesiae)
Universities and museums from Bulgaria’s Danube city of Ruse and Romania’s Black Sea city of Constanta are starting an EU funded project for creating “interactive visualization” of the Ancient Roman heritage of their respective regions.
2 Treasure Hunters Arrested While Destroying Ancient Roman City Ratiaria near Bulgaria’s Archar
Two treasure hunters have been arrested in the latest reported encroachment against the ruins of the once glorious Ancient Roman colony Ratiaria (Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria) located on the right bank of the Danube near the town of Archar in…
Bulgaria’s Magura Cave, Belogradchik Fortress Attracted 90,000 Tourists in 2015
About 90,000 Bulgarian and international tourists visited the archaeological, historical, and natural sites in the northwestern town of Belogradchik in 2015, including the Belogradchik Fortress and the Belogradchik Rocks, and the Magura Cave with its prehistoric drawings.
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…
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.
Archaeologists Find Roman Fortress Almus in Bulgaria’s Lom Had Reconstructions in Late Ottoman Period
Archaeologists working on the rescue excavations in the Roman fortress of Almus in the Bulgarian Danube town of Lom, who recently discovered the western gate of the ancient city, have now found evidence that the fortifications underwent reconstructions during the…
Ratiaria (Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria) – Archar, Bulgaria
Ratiaria, also known as Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria, is an Ancient Roman arsenal city located on the right bank of the Lower Danube, near today’s Bulgarian town of Archar, in the Vidin District. Some scholars believe that the city of…
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.
Bulgaria’s Culture Ministry Gives Zero Funding for Excavation of Roman Fortress Bononia in Vidin
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture has allocated no government funding whatsoever for the supposed continuation of the archaeological excavations of the Ancient Roman fortress Bononia in the northwestern Danube city of Vidin.
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.
Bulgaria’s Montana Reenacts Ancient Thracian Food and Wine Rituals at Restored Fortress Montanesium
Reenactments of Ancient Thracian food and wine rituals have been presented at a performance held at the restored Ancient Thracian and Roman fortress of Montanesium in the northwestern Bulgarian city of Montana.
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.
Archaeologists Find Altars Showing Ancient Roman Colony Ratiaria in Bulgaria’s Archar Had Temple of Goddess Diana
The Ancient Roman colony Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria, whose ruins are located near the town of Archar, Vidin District, in Northwest Bulgaria, had a temple of the ancient goddess Diana, show the latest discoveries of the archaeologists who are carrying…
Archaeologists Finds Sacrificial Altar of Unknown Pagan God Porobonus at Roman Road Station Ad Putea in Bulgaria’s Riben
A sacrificial altar dedicated to the practically unknown pagan deity Porobonus has been found during the archaeological excavations of the Ancient Roman fortress and road station Ad Putea, which is located near the town of Riben, Dolna Mitropoliya Municipality, Pleven…
