site.btaCulture Ministry Grants Funds for Field Excavations at 58 Archaeological Sites in 2024

In 2024, the Culture Ministry is allocating funds for field archaeological excavations at 58 sites, caretaker Deputy Minister Amelia Gesheva told BTA on Wednesday while visiting the prehistoric Solnitsata Complex near the town of Provadia, Northeastern Bulgaria.

Gesheva said that over 150 archaeological sites applied for funding in 2024. She specified that the selection of 58 sites is based on criteria, such as the scientific value and the potential for the development of tourism. "In recent years, the state has continuously increased the money for field studies, while some municipalities also allocate funds, so overall, a considerable resource is allocated," Gesheva pointed out.

Gesheva pointed out that the Solnitsata Complex is a very good example of the "socialization of a cultural site," as it attracts numerous visitors, even though its full exhibition power is yet to be displayed. She noted the benefits of having tourists visit the site and watch the archaeologists at work, as this offers educational value with the public learning the value of the scientists' work and appreciating the preservation and presentation efforts. The Deputy Minister also emphasized that Solnitsata is among the Bulgarian sites, for which a team of archaeologists prepares annual publications listing the artefacts that were found on site.

Gesheva noted that the Culture Ministry cooperates well with the Tourism Ministry, working to include Bulgarian sites in the European cultural routes. An option to create a Bulgarian cultural route within the framework of the European ones is also being considered, but the procedure is long, she said.