[size=55:1e9tu7h6]novinite 04 August 2010

Bulgarian Archaeologists Stumble Upon 14th Century Silver Treasure

A team of Bulgarian archaeologists has discovered a treasure of 166 silver coins during excavations at the medieval fortress of Kastritsi on the Black Sea coast.

The archaeologists led by the Director of the Varna Regional History Museum Valentin Pletnyov have found a jar hidden in the floor of one of the medieval homes in the fortress.

The jar, which contained the 166 silver coins, is dated back to the 14th century. The coins are said to have originated in the Second Bulgarian Empire during the Reign of Tsar Ivan Alexander (r. 1331-1371 AD) and his son Mihail Asen, who was declared a “Co-Tsar” or “Young Tsar” by Ivan Alexander in 1331 upon his assumption of the Bulgarian throne. Mihail Asen died in a battle against the Ottoman Turks near Sredets (today’s Sofia) in 1355 AD.

The team led by Pletnyov has also discovered medieval pottery and weaponry at Kastritsi, and hopes to find more treasures.

The medieval fortress Kastritsi is located right on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast to the north of Varna, close to the Evksinograd (Euxinograd) residence of the Bulgarian government. It used to be a thriving trade center in the Middle Ages trading with faraway places such as Egypt. However, the fortress was raised to the ground and the entire population was slaughtered by the invading Ottoman Turks as testified by skeletons of men, women, and children found after the start of the excavations on the spot in 2007.

[size=55:1e9tu7h6]novnite August 27 2009
Bulgaria Archaeologists Find 14th Century Medallion with Christ

Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a unique glass medallion with Christ Pantocrator at the excavated fortress of Kastritsi near Varna.

The archaeological team is led by Valentin Pletnyov, head of the Varna Regional History Museum.

The medallion, which is dated back to the 14th century, the later period of the Second Bulgarian State (1186-1396), is an extremely rare find. It was discovered in the wooden floor of one of the large buildings in the fortress Kastritsi, which is close to the Euxinograd palace on the Black Sea coast.

Pletnyov said the medallion was made of copper enamel, i.e. a type of glass produced in Byzantium after the 13th century. The medallion has a diameter of 4 cm, and shows Christ Pantocrator holding the Gospel, and giving a blessing with his other hand. Nothing of this kind has ever been discovered in Bulgaria so far.

The archaeologists believe that the medallion was made in the Byzantine Empire, and was then imported to Bulgaria. They also found nearby a medieval scale for coins dated to the second part of the 14th century.