Tag Archives: Byzantine Empire

Bulgaria Celebrates Bulgarian Alphabet (Cyrillic) and Culture on Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius

Bulgaria and Bulgarians around the world have celebrated on May 24, 2015, the Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, i.e. the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet (more widely known internationally as Cyrillic) and Bulgarian Culture.

Bulgarian Archaeologists Reveal Beautiful Early Christian Floor Mosaics amidst Unpleasant Present-Day ‘Finds’ in Plovdiv’s Great Basilica

Bulgarian archaeologists and restorers have revealed beautiful Early Christian floor mosaics in the 5th century AD Great Basilica whose re-excavation, restoration, and conservation started two weeks ago in the southern city of Plovdiv.

Bulgaria’s Mezdra Hosts Medieval Crafts and Culture Festival in Ancient, Medieval Fortress Kaleto

The Archaeological Complex “Kaleto” in the northwestern Bulgarian town of Mezdra, which consists of the partially restored and conserved ruins of a prehistoric, ancient, and medieval fortress, has hosted a Medieval Crafts and Culture Festival dedicated to the life in the medieval Bulgarian Empire.

Lack of Magnifying Glass Box Puts Off Exhibit of Tube Reliquary with Ashes from John the Apostle’s Grave in Bulgaria’s Burgas

The Regional Museum of History in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas has postponed the exhibition of the recently found lead tube reliquary containing ashes from the grave of John the Apostle in Ephesus because it has failed to procure a magnifying glass box.

Ancient Thracian Settlement, Byzantine Fortress in Central Bulgaria Sold to Private Firms, Local Historian Alarms

Land properties in Central Bulgaria containing archaeological monuments from Ancient Thrace and Early Byzantium have been sold to private firms by Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, alarms Rusi Dimitrov, a local history researcher, who has alerted Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor, Presidency, and Council of Ministers, among other relevant institutions.

Bulgarian Archaeology Chief Grieves Over Looted Necropolis of Ancient Thracian, Greek, Roman City Heraclea Sintica

The Director of Bulgaria’s National Institute of Archaeology with Museum, Ass. Prof. Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski, has expressed his grief over the fact that most of the necropolis of the Ancient Thracian, Greek, and Roman city of Heraclea Sintica near the southwestern town of Petrich has been looted by treasure hunters over the years.

Bulgarian Authorities to Grant ‘Monument of Culture’ Status to Late Antiquity Fortress, Ancient Bulgar Wall on Black Sea Coast

A special commission from Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture has decided to propose a “monument of culture” status for an archaeological complex near the town of Shkorpilovtsi on the Black Sea coast consisting of a Late Antiquity Early Byzantine fortress, an Early Christian basilica, an Early Christian tomb, and part of an Ancient Bulgar wall (rampart).

Bulgarian Archaeologists Start Excavations of Early Byzantine Fortress on Black Sea Cape Chervenka

Archaeologists from Bulgaria’s National Museum of History have started their 2015 excavations of a Late Antiquity Early Byzantine fortress located on the Cape of Chervenka near the Black Sea resort town of Chernomorets.

Bulgaria’s Kardzhali to Restore 11 Structures in Ancient, Medieval Rock City Perperikon with EEA/Norway Grant

A total of 11 structures inside the medieval Bulgarian fortress of Perperikon, which also harbors a prehistoric, Ancient Thracian and Roman rock city, will be restored by the southern Kardzhali Municipality under its project funded by the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norway Grants.

Bulgarian Archaeologists Start Excavations, Restoration of Early Christian Great Basilica in Plovdiv

A team of archaeologists and restorers has started work on the concluding excavations, rehabilitation, and restoration of the Early Christian Great Basilica in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, focusing on the temple’s unique mosaics and their exhibition in situ.

Bulgaria’s National History Museum Urges Excavation, Restoration of Great Basilica in Early Medieval Capital Pliska

Bulgaria’s National Museum of History has issued a statement urging and promoting the further archaeological excavations and restoration of the 9th century Great Basilica in Pliska, today a small northeastern town, which was the mighty capital of the First Bulgarian Empire between 680 and 893 AD.

Bulgaria Celebrates 1,150 Years since Adoption of Christianity under St. Knyaz Boris I Mihail during First Bulgarian Empire

Bulgaria and Bulgarian Orthodox Christians celebrated on May 2, 2015, the 1150th anniversary since the formal adoption of Christianity as the official and only state religion back in 865 AD under the leadership of St. Knyaz Boris I Mihail (r. 852-889; 893 AD) during the First Bulgarian Empire (632/680-1018 AD).

Bulgarian Archaeologists to Excavate Early Christian Basilica, Roman Forum at Ancient City Heraclea Sintica

Bulgarian archaeologists are set to resume their excavations of the Ancient Thracian, Greek, and Roman city of Heraclea Sintica located near the town of Petrich in Southwest Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s Kardzhali Signs Grant Contract for Restoration of Ancient, Medieval Rock City Perperikon

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture and the southern Kardzhali Municipality have signed a grant contract for the restoration of the medieval Bulgarian fortress of Perperikon, which also harbors a prehistoric, Ancient Thracian and Roman rock city, with funding provided from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norway Grants.

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 hunters.

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.

Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Seeks Ownership of Early Christian Great Basilica from Central Government

The municipal authorities in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv have declared their intention to seek from Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture a transfer of property rights over the entire site of the Early Christian Great Basilica, an archaeological monument which is about to be re-excavated, restored, and exhibited as a cultural landmark and tourist attraction.

Archaeologists from Bulgaria’s Kazanlak Seek Excavation Permit for Late Antiquity, Medieval Fortress Buzovo Kale

The team of History Museum “Iskra” (“Spark”) in the central Bulgarian town of Kazanlak is expecting a permission to carry out excavations at the Late Roman, Early Byzantine, and medieval Bulgarian fortress of Buzovo Kale in the town of Buzovgrad.

Bulgaria Marks 810 Years since Victory over Latin Empire Knights of Fourth Crusade in Battle of Adrianople

Bulgaria marks on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, the 810th anniversary since its major victory in the Battle of Adrianople in which the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396 AD) under Tsar Kaloyan (r. 1197-1207) routed the knights from the Fourth Crusade of the Latin Empire (1204-1261 AD) under Emperor Baldwin I of Constantinople, also known as Baldwin […]

Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Clears Ground for Restoration of Early Christian Great Basilica

The local authorities in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv have started clearing the area of the remains of the so called Great Basilica, an impressive Early Christian monument which will be excavated, restored, and exhibited as part of a long anticipated project funded by the America for Bulgaria Foundation, a Sofia-based NGO.