The National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM at BAS) presents the national archaeological exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2022”, which can be visited until 21 May 2023 in the temporary exhibition hall of NAIM (1, Atanas Burov Square). For the sixteenth consecutive time, the exhibition shows the most interesting finds and rich illustrative material from the fieldwork of Bulgarian archaeologists in the previous year. Posters for 53 archaeological projects are presented as an important part of the exhibition.
The exhibition presents more than 300 exhibits from 30 sites illustrating the development of cultures in today’s Bulgarian lands from the Neolithic (6000 years BC) to the Middle Ages. Among them are the ongoing studies of the prehistoric settlement mounds of Provadia, Durankulak, Poroy, Yunatsite, Sushina and Kozareva mound, the Roman architectural complex at the village of Stroyno, Elhovo municipality, the Roman towns of Ulpia Exus and Sexaginta Priory, the fortresses of Kalyata and Bukelon, the medieval towns of Pliska and Lyutitsa, and many others.
The results of rescue archaeological studies carried out in different parts of the country are also presented. 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 the village of Chavdartsi), on railway lines (the sites at Aldomirovtsi and Chirpan), and on gas pipelines (the late medieval necropolis at the Gladno Pole near Vratsa). Once again, rescue studies on the Black Sea coast are presented – finds from the ancient necropolis in the “Morskata gradina (Sea Garden)” locality of Apollonia Pontica, Sozopol.
Among the exhibits at Bulgarian Archaeology 2022 are gold, silver and bronze ornaments, exquisite ceramic anthropomorphic figures and vessels, marble votive tablets and wall decorations, a ritual hearth – clay sacrificial altar, tools and weapons, coins, and much more.
Among the most impressive finds are the ceramic vessels from the settlement mounds at Poroy and Provadia, the necklace from the settlement mound Durankulak, the jewellery and weapons from the Early Hellenistic necropolis at Bohot village, a necklace of gold and jade from the ancient necropolis at the “Sea Garden” locality of Apollonia Pontica, votive tablets 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 seal ring from Pliska.
The President of BAS Prof. Julian Revalski, Full Member of the Academy, the Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova and the Caretaker Deputy Ministers of Culture, Assoc. Prof. Plamen Slavov, and of Tourism, Mariela Modeva, opened the exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2022”. The official opening took place on 14 February at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at BAS (NAIM-BAS). The event was hosted by the Director of NAIM-BAS Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Popov.
On 14 February, together with the exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2022”, a poster exhibition “The Temple of the Pontic Mother of the Gods – Cybele of Dionysopolis”, prepared by the History Museum – Balchik, was presented in the Central Hall of NAIM.