On 12 September 2026, the Vice-President of BAS Prof. Emmanuel Moutafov visited the archaeological excavations in the “Life-giving Spring of the Mother of God” church in the historic Armenia quarter of Melnik, which were taking place for the fourth consecutive season under the direction of Sen. Asst. Prof. Dr. Metodi Zlatkov from NAIM and Dr. Maria Pashova (RHM – Blagoevgrad). As we have already informed you, the Church of the Life-giving Spring of the Mother of God is situated in the Rozhen Valley, or at the start of the footpath from Melnik to Rozhen Monastery. Its development can be divided into two main construction phases: the first dating from the late 13th to the first half of the 14th century, and the second from the [...]

Archaeological excavations at the church of the “Life-giving Spring of the Mother of God” in the historic Armenia quarter of Melnik will take place for the fourth consecutive season in September 2026. They form part of the long-term research into this important medieval town. The 2026 excavations are being carried out as part of a project by the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of BAS (NAIM – BAS) in partnership with the Archaeological Museum – Sandanski (AM – Sandanski) and the Regional Historical Museum – Blagoevgrad (RHM – Blagoevgrad), with financial support from the Ministry of Culture and AM – Sandanski. The team is led by Sen. Asst. Prof. Dr Metodi Zlatkov (NAIM – BAS), with Dr Maria Pashova (RHM – Blagoevgrad) serving as [...]

 “The Forgotten Deities” temporary exhibition at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of BAS offers visitors the chance to journey through over 6,000 years of spiritual history and to reflect on the ways in which different societies have sought to explain the world, nature and human existence. This large-scale project brings together over 200 rare artefacts and traces the development of religious beliefs across Bulgarian lands from the early Neolithic period to Late Antiquity. The official opening of the exhibition took place on 6 August. World mythology raises questions and seeks to explain why every culture creates stories that help people find their bearings and a way out of the chaos into which we are born with our first breath on this planet, said Prof. [...]