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Archaeology in Bulgaria
  • Tim Lynette Wilkins
August 2023

Archaeology in Bulgaria

A 9-day adventure by Tim Lynette Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 13, 2023
    Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler

    Why are we going here?

    August 13, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Can't say Bulgaria was on our bucket list but an advert in 'World Archaeology' offering a trip to see 'The gold of Thrace and Rome' caught our interest. We had no idea where Thrace was and on investigating it turned out to be Bulgaria. The Thracians were a collection of tribes sharing an ethnic culture ,occupying lands from the Black Sea coast to Macedonia and much of northern Greece, from the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Little is known about them but they built large, decorated stone tombs and produced beautiful gold objects - some of which was in the recent exhibition we went to at the British museum.
    The area has been invaded by pretty much everyone from Philip and Alexander of Macedon, Romans, Visigoths, Huns, Slavs, Bulgars, Ottomans and Russians.
    This is an organised archaeology trip concentrating on the Thrace and Roman remains with a bit of old frescoes in orthodox monasteries. We hope to learn a lot as we will be led by a Bulgarian archaeologist from Sofia University.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Rather meagre Roman ruins in front of the hotel
    Roman forum ruins round the corner

    Arrived

    August 13, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    No travel problems. Early flight from Heathrow landed on time at 11.30 local time which is 2 hours ahead of UK. It seems there are only 5 of us on this tour - us and 3 Americans, two of which are older than us! Our archaeologist/ guide seems nice and speaks good English.
    Of course it rained on the 2 hour coach journey from the airport to Plovdiv, just to make us feel at home, but now the sun is shining and it's 30c. Our hotel though a Ramada feels a bit Soviet grand and our room is a suite with 2 bathrooms.
    First lecture at 6.00 this evening followed by dinner in a local restaurant.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Roman forum
    End point of the roman stadiumOttoman mosqueSoviet era muralOrthodox cathedralRoman amphitheaterMedieval city gate19th century houseMosaicMosaic in the basilica

    Walking day in Plovdiv

    August 14, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Today we spent all day walking around Plovdiv, which turns out to be a pleasant little city with amazing history. The centre is quite modern but off the main streets it can be run down and threadbare, and it's surrounded by soviet era apartment blocks that look horrid, but our guide says they are much admired because they were so solidly built.

    Just outside our hotel are the remains of the roman forum, and the main shopping street is several metres above bits of the roman stadium that would been the site of things like chariot races. Not much left but made with lovely marble. Overlooking the end corner of the stadium is the dzhumaya mosque, the main mosque from the ottoman period, dating from the 14th century and still in full use.

    From there we walked to the bulgarian orthodox cathedral of Maria dormitian , and then up one of the three hills that give the city its ancient name - trimontium, three hills. At the top of the hill was one of the great sites of the city, an almost intact roman amphitheatre with spectacular views over the city- they certainly knew how to site them!

    Then lunch in the old town ontop of the hill with houses of rich 19th century ottoman merchants, and then down again to a site only recently discovered, a 2nd century roman temple with a 4th to 6th century Christian basilica built ontop of it. The basilica floor was entirely covered with mosaics in geometric and animal bird patterns, and it was HUGE, maybe the size of a football pitch, and the mosaics are all still there!

    Finally we were supposed the spend time in the archaeological museum, which is said to be really good, but it was closed - a trip for another day.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Bronze head of Seuthes II
    The Dromore into the tombThe corbelled roof of the tombSeuthes II helmetGold circlet found in tomb(in BM this summer)Another tombEntrance to Kazanlak decorated tombFrescoes on domeTomb owner and wifeHorses

    Valley of the Thracian kings

    August 15, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We spent the whole morning visiting tombs of Thracian Kings and nobles. They all date from 5cBC to 3cBC. As the Thracians had no writing little is known about them except what the Greeks wrote about them. At this period they were heavily influenced by the Greeks but had their own customs, beliefs and grave goods. They think the tombs were originally used as temples for rituals and only later as tombs and then buried in a mound.

    Sadly only one of the tombs was intact when excavated and this turned out to be of King Southes II and this was the first we visited. Its like a smaller version of the tombs at Mycenae with a dome formed of large granite blocks with a corridor (dromos) leading to it from a stone portal. The gold, silver and bronze grave goods are in the museum with replicas on site.
    We then visited 3 others all different and for unknown people.
    The final visit was to a replica of the most spectacular tomb - the original is now too damaged for visitors (but Bettany Hughes got in for a TV programme later this year). The murals show the tomb owner and wife, being blessed by the Great Mother goddess, with horses, chariot racing, drinking wine and other scenes of daily life. Really very fine!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Mosaic floor in Roman tomb
    Roman walls of the townRoman baths - tepidaruimThay used the hot spring water for underfloor heating

    Roman Hisarya

    August 15, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    After another good 3 course lunch we went to Hisarya - a spa town from Roman times to present day due to 22 hot springs delivering water at up to 51c. People still collect the water and it is bottled for sale throughout Bulgaria.
    We tried it and it was clean and pleasant.
    The Romans fortified the town with walls still standing in places to 9 metres. We visited a small Roman tomb with a mosaic floor (nice but underwhelming after yesterday), large Roman baths and the museum. The baths still have the hot water from the springs, piped with Roman plumbing.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Roman wall
    Neolithic goddessRoman-era jug4th century mosaicRoman forum and main streetRoman theatreNeolithic dweĺlingsNeolithic ovenNeolithic decorated pot

    Neolithic, roman and thracian day

    August 16, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    We started the day with a long, long drive north of plovdiv to a huge site at cabyle, covering many hectares of hill side, one of the biggest sites in the region. But it was very disappointing, there wasn't much there and first thing we saw was a small roman bath, but it was heavily "restored". The only other building there was a roman barracks, with nice walls but nothing else. However the site did have great views across the thracian valley and it was nice walking around in the sunshine!

    On to the small city of stara zagora, roman Augusta traiana, with a huge open roman forum and small theatre, but with a lovely small museum stuffed full of great copper-age and roman material. All the museums we found so far have been splendid, small, very local , but really well presented. A adjoint to the museum is an underground site of a 4th century private roman house, discovered while digging up some road works. It's not really open to the public without prior arrangement. It was just one room with a fountain on the middle, and covered in spectacular mosaics. Fish, animals, birds, gods and goddesses. It must have been its owners joy!

    Then an amazing find - a pair of neolithic dwellings. They were made of clay walls and were two storeys high, but had burned and collapsed in 5800 BC, preserving the interiors, walls, entrances, ovens, and storage jars.

    Finally back to plovdiv to go to the archaeological museum that was closed before- but wow - worth the wait! We only had 40 minutes before it closed for the day so we concentrated on the main things - a brilliant collection of neolithic artefacts, thracian tomb goods, a Christian tomb from the 4th century AD, so very very early Christian, with interior paintings showing christ as a young man, performing miracles , using a long stick like a wand ("like a wizard" the information boards say !). And a huge wonderful mosaic over a gallery wall.

    The final room contained a thracian gold treasure from about 1500 BC, heavy gold dishes, libation spoons, lids, drinking cups, all in spectacular condition and incredibly beautiful!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Shipka monument from the pass
    Arbanasi Church of the NativityScenes from the new testamentUnusual depiction of the TrinityFresco of female saintsPunishments in hellBrutal Russian muralsView from our room of the citadel in Veliko Turnovo

    Over the mountains to northern Bulgaria

    August 17, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    This morning we left our hotel in Plovdiv, which has been very pleasant, to travel across the Balkan mountains which run west to east across the middle of Bulgaria, giving its name to the whole peninsula.
    We stopped at Skipka pass, at 4800 feet high, where a couple of more agile members of our group climbed 675 steps up to the Skipka monument. It commemorates the defeat of the Ottomans by the Russian army in 1878 to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule - which helps to explain the fondness of Bulgarians for Russia even today.
    Our first visit was to Etur - a museum of life in 19c Bulgaria with craft demonstrations and souvenirs shops - which we didn't find very interesting. The Chiltern Open Air museum was more interesting and less twee. We also had the worst meal of the week here - with really tough loukanika sausages and crinkle oven chips.
    The highlight was a visit in Arbanasi to a 17c church with incredible frescoes covering every surface. They depicted the major scenes from old and new testaments , saints and warnings about judgement day with horrid penalties for wrongdoing - such as mixing too much water into the wine!
    Our last visit was not just a waste or time but was disturbing. After a climb up to the citadel in Veliko Turnovo in the heat of the afternoon, the objective was a 'church' built in the 1970s by the Russians with brutalised murals depicting religious icons under the thumb of Russian rule. Most unpleasant.
    Our hotel here is very pleasant with a view of the citadel from our room. No suite this time but a large and comfortable room.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Main gate and road at nicopolis
    Forum at nicopolisWater pipes at nicopolisMain road at novaeExcavations ar novaeNovaeDanube- Romania on the other bankView from our hotel room

    North to the Danube

    August 18, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We started with a long drive, as always, north to the roman city of nicopolis ad istrum, through vast fields of sunflowers and maize. The sunflower fields covered the hills as far as the eye could see. The plants were a shorter variety than ours, with smaller heads and grown for the oil. They were dry and mostly brown, ready to harvest. I think the maize was not sweet corn, but also grown for corn oil.

    The city of nicopolis was founded by trajan in 102 ad, and survived until it was sacked by the goths in 6th century. It was huge - the biggest city in the province, and thankfully still unprettyfied! Excavations continue and will do so for quite some time to come.

    From there north again to a huge roman military camp and fortress at novae. Founded in the 1st century, it was there to protect the northern border of the empire from the dacians, who lived in modern Romania. The fortress itself was for military men only, but a huge civilian city built up around it. In the 6th century, after the empire had become Christian , a big bishops residence and basilica was built next to the Fort, but soon after it was overrun by the "barbarians" and abandoned. A great setting though, and we had lunch by the danube!

    Inscription on a stone column at nicopolis:

    "Drink and live without care, until you have the daylight and listen; once your soul departs , you will be deprived of these things".

    The weather has been a bit disappointing. Though 30c every day and warm enough to eat out at night, it has been mostly cloudy each day with patches of sunshine. Yesterday was sunny all afternoon but today returned to cloud. This afternoon whilst we were out in a field looking round Novae we heard thunder and then it started to rain - hard. Luckily there was a plastic roof covering some of the ruins so we were able to shelter for a few minutes until it stopped. Sunny again by the time we got back to the hotel.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    St George Church with Roman remains infront and our hotel behind
    10c - 14c frescoes in dome of St GeorgePresidential guardOldest worked gold in Europe - 5th millennium BCSilver rhyton from a Thracian tombMost typical image in Thrace - horse and riderAlexander Nevski churchSt Sophia church4c painted tomb under St Sophia

    Back to Sofia

    August 19, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today we made the long drive back to Sofia -- three and a half hours mostly on what passes for motorway. The roads in Bulgaria truly are appalling even the main motorway across the Balkans from Western Europe to Turkey. They are bumpy and full of potholes.
    Our hotel is part of the complex that includes the presidential Palace complete with soldier guards. It is a grandiose Soviet building but the rooms are quite poky.
    On the way to lunch we visited a 4c church of St George with frescoes from the 10 - 14c which is dwarfed by the hotel/Palace complex. Alongside it are some Roman remains of Serdika as Sofia was known then.
    We spent most of the afternoon in the Archaeological Museum where Miglena our guide works. She wanted to show us everything but eventually we gave up and said we would come back on Monday in our free time.
    Finally we visited the Alexander Nevsky Church built in 1878 to thank the Russians for liberating them (poor quality frescoes) and the St Sofia Church - successively built in 4- 6c with an enormous necropolis beneath it.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Bowl. 5th millennium BC
    Thracian gold 4c BCThracian helmet 4c BCSet of animal mosaics 4c BC13th c fresosRila monastery19th c frescoSt John of Rila who founded the monastery

    Sunday in Sofia

    August 20, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The national history museum is located in a former communist party palace and residence of the president, on the outskirts of Sofia. It contains all kinds of stuff, including traditional dresses, cinema props and icons. We were there to see a wonderful collection of prehistory items and more thracian objects including a gold treasure dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries BC.

    From there to a fabulous small church in the village of Boyana, surrounded by trees, with lovely 13th c frescos, they are now too fragile to allow much viewing, so each group of people must have booked in advance, and are allowed just a 10 minute time slot.

    Then a long drive up into the mountains to see the Rila monastery. Dating to the 10th century, but extensively reworked in 1833 after a fire, it is one of the highlights of Sofia, and a very popular Sunday excursion. We found it really overdone. Although the architecture is interesting the frescos seemed dull and lifeless.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in BulgariaTraveler
    Ancient serdica, under the metro!
    Serdica main streetSerdica mosaicMosqueMosque ceilingMosqueSynagogueSynagogueSynagogue

    Last day

    August 21, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Freedom!

    Our flight wasn't until the evening so we had a day to ourselves to see things in Sofia. So what did we do? After a lie in, and a big breakfast, of course we went to see the archaeology, the frescos, the church, the mosque, the synagogue, the cathedral and ended up back in the archaeological museum! In case we hadn't see enough already!

    Just outside our hotel was a tiny church with frescos. You can only get in by knocking on the door and a sour faced guardian with a huge bunch of keys let's you in and locks the door behind you. The church is then up a small spiral staircase, and then is maybe the size of our sitting room. Built in the 11th century, its frescos date from the 16th. Its remarkable, but the frescos really need a good clean as they now are so dark they are difficult to make out. No photography allowed- and the guardian stays close by to make sure you don't sneak some pics!

    The modern city of Sofia is built over the roman city of Serdica. Everywhere around Sofia are the remains of the roman city, and every time they want to put up a modern building or extend the metro system, more appears. Bulgaria was part of the ottoman empire for centuries, and there are still many Muslims living there. Just along from our hotel was the main mosque. Built in 1576, it is pleasantly plain and peaceful in contrast to the orthodox churches.

    And just along from that is the synagogue built in 1909 in a really nice moorish style. Most of Sofia's Jews left after the war, and went to the new state of Israel, so its now rather big for the size of the population, but still in regular use.

    After the Muslim and Jewish centres we walked down to the Catholic cathedral. A very pleasant airy modern church, it was built in the 1960s (the previous one was accidentally bombed in the second world war) and is clean, neat and serene! Also full of wonderfully colourful 60s stained glass windows.

    So after lunch back to the museum to catch up on things we missed first time round.

    All in all a very interesting and rewarding trip. Exhausting though!    Read more

  • Trip end
    August 21, 2023
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