Bansko needs to correct a major fact in its city guide, Katya Melamed, the archaeologist supervising ongoing digs in the vicinity of Bulgaria’s major ski resort, said to The Sofia Echo. All reference books state that the first signs of settlements can be dated back to the 15th century, Melamed said, but recent findings indicate that active life in the area started around fourth century CE.

Her team is continuing a series of excavations that initially began almost 15 years ago. Now they are looking into a large building from the seventh century, and with a quite complex architectural plan, Melamed said. The remaining structure displays evidence of adjoining spacious warehouses with floors, covered with wooden grids.

According to Melamed, this was an early Christian basilica as it is evident by the fragments of stained glass as well as richly adorned Byzantine glasses recently unearthed.

The scholar suggested that most likely the basilica was burnt down by a Slavic tribe that later built a settlement over the ruins. Melamed discovered another layer of remnants consisting of rectangular-like dwellings. Later on, around the 10th century, another religious building was erected, a church perhaps, which also crumbled in a fire, the archaeologist said.

What happened after that is hard to determine, Melamed said, but the settlement was abruptly abandoned and turned into a necropolis. More than 150 graves have been located, as the majority of them have been excavated. Melamed said that the findings are typical for a burial site, such as various adornments and coins.

Thus far, the most valuable objects Melamed and her team have found are a silver ring with a engraved cross and an inscription written in Greek, as well as a coin left from the time of Bulgarian ruler Ivan Assen II (1218/1241).

Melamed said that a great quantity of Slavic pottery has been unearthed. The basilica’s roof was covered with locally manufactured tiles. Earlier archaeological discoveries have found that a Slavic pottery factory functioned in the area and supplied the nearby region.

Source: SofiaEcho

According to a recent report by the news agency, Novinite, the leading top archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov, says that Perperikon was once densely populated and with huge water supplies.

The city of Perperikon has been inhabited since around 5000 BC, while a nearby shrine dedicated to Orpheus, near the village of Tatul, dates back to 6000 BC and is older than the Pyramids of Giza.

Bulgarian archaeologists announced they have discovered the biggest ancient tank for storing water on the Balkans, etched into the rock sanctuary of Perperikon, near Kardzhali in southern Bulgaria.

Top archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov, who unearthed the water tank to add it to the long list of exciting finds from the rock sanctuary, says the discovery proves that there were times when Perperikon was densely populated and with huge water supplies.

The tank, measuring twelve-meter-long, six-meter-wide and six-meter-deep, has a capacity of 432 000 litres.

It was just last month that Ovcharov showed the press two unique ceramic figurines of a cobra, dragon heads and a throne with an upright phallus that were discovered at the rock sanctuary of Perperikon.

Source: Novinite

Bulgaria is recognised as one of the key countries by the World Register of Historical Sites created by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Nine recognised sites include two nature reserves and seven cultural sites. UNESCO was founded on 16 November 1945 after the Second World War. The World Register was established in 1972, with Bulgaria being one of the 20 joint countries participating.

The Bulgarian World Hertiage Site Series by Kate Oakley will look at Heritage Sites throughout Bulgaria, bringing to you exciting and unusual places to visit.

Recent changes in Eastern Europe has brought much of the treasures of Bulgaria to the attention of the world; nature parks, Thracian tombs in Kazanlak and Sveshtari, the Horseman of Madara, the Church at Boyana – Sofia, Rock Monasteries in Ivanovo, the Rila Monastery, Old Nesebar, the Nature Reserve at Sreburna and the Pirin National Park, Bulgaria has much to offer both culturally and as a holiday resort.

Thracian tomb – Kazanlak 

The Thracian tomb at Kazanlak dates back to the 4th century B.C. Upon encountering the tomb, it appears like a corridor and is approximately 1.95m in length, 1.12m in width and 2.24m in height, which leads to a domed tomb, 3.25m in height and 2.65m in diameter at the base. You don’t really get a feeling of its dome shape until you enter the centre of it.

Forming part of the Hellenistic period, the tomb is located near Seutopolis, the ancient city of the Thracian King Seutes III and was discovered in 1944. Made of brick, the building was used by other conquering forces such as the Romans. Brick and clay form the basis of this beautiful site, where paintings from the Hellenistic period tell stories of ancient Thracian rituals and culture. 

The famous mural in the tomb covers an area of up to 40 square meters, exquisitely painted in wet fresco and tempera. Upon entering the tomb from its South facing entrance, you are captivated by its beauty and imagination of the murals that remain a unique feature in Bulgaria and throughout the world.

Visually striking, the mural paints a vivid picture of life in 4th century BC in ancient Bulgaria; scenes of battles and day to day living, funeral processions, chariots, horses, the Thracian ruler and his consort along with details of the armoury and clothes worn during that era.

Painted by an unknown painter, the tomb at Kazanlak is highly original. There really seems to be no comparison to its artistry according to experts. When compared to Greek art (as that is the closest comparison), the depictions in the tomb at Kazanlak is much more fluid.

Even the battle scenes are very different in their composition to the way that Greek artists showed battle scenes. According to archaeologists, the tomb at Kazanlak shows no heroic scenes but the painter has focused on different kinds of groups, illustrating the kinds of clothes worn, weapons carried – these are painted in great detail.

The murals at Kazanlak gives us an insight into what was important to the ruling class at that time; political achievement over battles won – which sets this mural apart from the classic Greek interpretation of mythological settings of battles and wars.

The murals in the tomb are intact and the colours remain vibrant to this day. Vivid scenes and incredible details of the murals at the Thracian tomb at Kazanlak have ensured a popularity which is enjoyed by both families and students of archaeology.

These images are provided by Nenko Lazarov - Images From Bulgaria 

Intense work by archaeologists in Bulgaria is uncovering more and more of lost worlds according to the news agency, Novinite.

A team of Bulgarian archaeologists stumbled upon a golden adornment in the grave of a woman, who lived in the Middle Ages, on Wednesday, Darik News reported.

The team of Bonnie Petrunova from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences were carrying out excavations in the suburbs of the Kaliakra stronghold when they unearthed the precious find.

The unearthed grave belongs to a young woman, who was buried with an adornment of the finest workmanship on her head. The adornment is made of golden and silver pieces stitched to a fine cloth interwoven with gold.

The archaeologists also found an earring made of winded bronze wire and a bronze ring.

The finding proved the scientists’ theory that the Kaliakra stronghold was a flourishing city in the Middle Ages, especially between the 12th and the 15th century.

Source: Novinite