The exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2023” is the 17th annual presentation showcasing the best archaeological discoveries from the past summer. It was created in partnership with 23 historical and archaeological museums across Bulgaria and the Center for Underwater Archaeology in Sozopol.
The first project presented by the Center for Underwater Archaeology features research on the harbor of Sozopol: a rich collection of well-preserved vessels from antiquity. The waters around Sozopol hold traces of human activity that long predate Greek colonization. Since the 1920s and 1930s, when the harbor was dredged for deepening and expansion, it has been known that the seabed contains finds from prehistory and the classical Greek period. It is established that the harbor was active even during prehistoric times, though it looked very different; the current breakwater is artificial, and beneath the silt lies a vast amount of debris discarded over centuries by trading ships. Some of the artifacts uncovered in 2023 are in excellent condition and provide invaluable information, while others are discovered for the first time in the Bulgarian Black Sea region.
The earliest finds, dating back to 1927, mostly testify to the Antiquity. However, with the renewal of research in 2020, the entire cultural heritage preserved on the seabed has been reinterpreted. Settlement of the southern part of the then-bay began in the Chalcolithic period, when sea levels were over six meters lower than today. The settlement was abandoned in the early 4th millennium BC but was reoccupied a few centuries later during the Early Bronze Age. Remains of wooden constructions have been found, which supported pile-dwelling buildings (the latest prehistoric remains date to the Middle Bronze Age, early 2nd millennium BC).
The second project by the Center for Underwater Archaeology featured in the “Bulgarian Archaeology 2023” exhibition is the display of finds from the ship “Urdoviza,” which sank near Kiten during the Ottoman era and has been studied under the direction of Dr. Dragomir Garbov. The wooden trading sailing vessel is well-preserved in the anoxic environment of the Black Sea seabed at a depth of 8.5 meters. The hull was masterfully built from solid oak, and the preserved inventory reflects the ship’s navigational equipment and daily life — tools, table ceramics and glassware, smoking accessories, etc. Notably, there is a large number of imported items from the Far East and Western Europe, including three porcelain tea cups from the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912) with Chinese characters on their bases, testifying to active maritime trade. As for the crew, an epigraphic find from 2023 suggests they were Orthodox Christians and subjects of the Ottoman Empire. A carved wooden plaque discovered in 2023 bears a Christogram with the popular Orthodox formula (“Jesus Christ Conquers”) and the names of three men — Kostadin, Isak, and Panayot — who were likely the owners of the ship “Urdoviza.”
The exhibition is open to visitors until May 26, 2024, at the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia.