On February 14, 2023, the temporary exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2022” was opened. The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Sofia, Mrs Yordanka Fandakova, the interim Deputy Ministers of Culture Assoc. Prof. Dr Plamen Savov and of Tourism – Prof. Mariela Modeva, the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Julian Revalski, and diplomatic representatives.
The exhibition is organized by the National Archaeological Institute with Museum for the sixteenth consecutive year. Traditionally, it presents the results of the past archaeological season, exhibiting some of the most interesting finds and rich illustrative material. This year’s co-organizers are 17 historical and archaeological museums in the country, which participate with finds from their collections: National Museum of History, the regional museums of history in Varna, Dobrich, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Shumen, the archaeological museum “Prof. Rasho Rashev”, Pliska and “Ancient Nessebar”, Ethnographic–archaeological museum Elhovo, Municipal Historical Museum Ivailovgrad, the history museums in Melnik, Pravets, Provadia and Chirpan.
The exhibition presents over 300 exhibits from 30 sites, different in type and chronology, from Prehistory to the Bulgarian Revival. Among them are the ongoing studies of the prehistoric tells of Provadia, Durankulak, Poroy, Yunatsite, Sushina and Kozareva Mogila, the Roman architectural complex at the village of Stroyno, municipality of Elhovo, the Roman towns of Ulpia Oexus and Sexaginta Prista, the fortresses of Kalyata and Bukelon, the medieval cities of Pliska and Lyutitsa, and many more. The results of rescue archaeological excavations in different parts of the country are presented too. Impressive finds are made at sites along the route of the Hemus Motorway (such as the Early Hellenistic necropolis at the village of Bohot and the site at Chavdartsi village), on railway lines (the sites at Aldomirovtsi and Chirpan), and on gas pipeline routes (the late medieval necropolis at the Gladno Pole near Vratsa). Once again, rescue studies on the Black Sea coast are presented by finds from the ancient necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, Sozopol.
Among the exhibits are gold, silver and bronze ornaments, exquisite ceramic anthropomorphic figurines and vessels, marble votive plates and wall decorations, a ritual hearth – eschara, tools and weapons, coins, and much more. Some of the most impressive finds are the ceramic vessels from the tells at Poroy and Provadia, the necklace from Durankulak tell, the jewellery and weapons from the Early Hellenistic necropolis at the village of Bohot, a necklace of gold and nephrite from the ancient necropolis at “Morskata Gradina”, Apollonia Pontica, votive reliefs of the Thracian Horseman from the Roman architectural complex at the village of Stroyno, a bronze stylus from the ancient fortress Borovets at the village of Razliv, Pravets municipality, a gold signet ring from Pliska, jewellery from medieval necropolises near Vratsa and in Stara Zagora.
The discovery context of all these finds and the results of several other investigations in 2022 are illustrated by posters for 53 sites.
The “Bulgarian Archaeology 2022” exhibition is on display in the Temporary Exhibitions Hall of NAIM from February 15 to May 21, 2023.
