site.btaNational Museum Exhibits 2023 Archaeological Finds

Over 400 finds from 30 archaeological sites spanning the millennia from prehistory to the Bulgarian Revival of the 18th-19th century are on display in the Bulgarian Archaeology 2023 exhibition, which presents the discoveries of the past year. The show is hosted by the National Archaeology Institute and Museum (NAIM), the museum told a news conference on Tuesday.

NAIM Director Hristo Popov noted that this is the 17th annual exhibition of its kind at the museum. "It was a very successful year, with many new sites as well as old sites where exploration was resumed," Popov said.

In 2023 Bulgarian archaeologists explored prehistoric settlements, the world-famous Varna Necropolis of the Chalcolithic Period, the Baley Necropolis of the Late Bronze Age, the Greek colonies of Apollonia Pontica and Emporion Pistiros, the Roman city of Deultum, the ancient fortresses of Borovets, Yakoruda and Bukelon, and the medieval towns of Lyutitsa and Melnik. The exhibition also presents large-scale excavations at rescue archaeology sites, including the Roman road station Cillae near Chirpan, sites at Aldomirovtsi and Skutare, and a Late Iron Age complex near Paunovo.

Twenty-three museums have contributed to the exhibition, including the regional history museums of Varna, Vidin, Kardzhali, Pazardzhik, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Shumen, and the archaeology museums in Plovdiv, Nessebar, Septemvri, Sandanski and Sozopol, archaeologist Yavor Boyadzhiev said.

Among the most impressive finds of the year are prehistoric jewellery of gold, marble and Spondylus oysters from the Varna Necropolis and Yunatsite, a richly decorated anthropomorphic ceramic figure from Baley, a bone sceptre from Provadia, stone rests for firewood from Paunovo, a set of 76 coins from Apollonia, a bronze flute from Skutare, a bronze figure of the god Hermes (Mercury) from Cillae, medieval jewellery and costume elements from Lyutitsa, Kavlaklak and Shirokovo, and Chinese porcelain teacups from a shipwreck at Cape Urdoviza. Posters provide additional information to visitors.

Discussing other projects, speakers at the news conference said NAIM will acquire a new bilingual (Bulgarian and English) tour guide system. The museum will shortly begin to provide a virtual reality experience for visitors. New technologies will be introduced under an agreement with INSAIT (the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology at Sofia University) and through partnerships with two Swiss universities.

Popov said that the national budget for archaeological exploration in 2023, originally set at BGN 3 million (as in earlier years), was increased to BGN 4.5 million to adjust it for inflation. "The funding for 2024 was agreed to amount to BGN 5 million, but due to an error in drafting the budget, it was set at under BGN 2.4 million. I do not want to stir a scandal," Popov said. He believes that the error will be corrected within a month and a half. He put the money necessary for archaeological exploration this year at BGN 7 million.