This archeological season too, research continued in the ancient city of Perperikon, in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. „My target was the completion of research of the acropolis, a goal that has led us for the past 17 years”, says the leader of the Perperikon archeological expeditions Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov.

„This is the fortified city at its highest point. It was fortified in the second half of 3 c. during barbarian raids. Originally, it did not have walls but after the growing threat from invaders in the Roman Empire, solid walls were erected, up to 3 m thick. Unearthing the acropolis has been our main target in the recent years. It was a challenge because the area is large. However we have completed the commitment made to the Bulgarian public - after all we receive subsidies from the Bulgarian government.”

Archeologists aimed to unearth the northern gate of the stronghold, the last one among a total of five gates. “Now we have the entire structure of the acropolis and it is amazing”, the archeologist comments and revisits Perperikon's history of 7000 years:

„It emerged in prehistoric times as a sanctuary. During the Bronze Age it became a huge cult center - in 2-1 millennium BC. It was however during the Roman era that it acquired civil planning, infrastructure, streets, temples and housing areas. This went on until the Middle Ages with a great many reconstructions. Now that we have explored every corner of the acropolis we can say that it features more than 40 huge public and private buildings about 27 to 30 m long. In terms of height they had two or three floors. Besides, in the Acropolis we have identified four pagan temples. I mean the Apollo temple, the ones to the Thracian Horseman and to Iranian god Mithra, and of course the large temple to Dionysus”, says Prof. Ovcharov.

The archeologists have also researched a large water reservoir - a cistern cut up to 4.5 m into the rocks. Its façade facing the central street of the main Roman road was formed of huge stone chunks with sophisticated relief decoration. At Perperikon water was stored in huge reservoirs. Each of those had a capacity of 500,000 liters of water. The newly found cistern was not only a place to store water but thanks to its beautiful façade it played the role of a representative structure at the entrance of the city.

Not far from the cistern archeologists came across the remains of an impressive building. “It is made of masterfully cut huge stones, a style we call Perperikon style. With it workers use huge stone blocks”, Nikolay Ovcharov goes on to say. “We very soon knew we had come across an early basilica after we saw the outlines of the altar to the east.

„It was not easy to study this architectural monster for 3 months and with the staff we had”, Prof. Ovcharov admits. “I am lucky to hire very good workers from the villages near Perperikon, and we did manage to unearth a major building, 34 meters long and 14 m wide.”

And something important: this used to be an espiscopal basilica. This shows in the stone benches that bishops sat on during service. The base of a pulpit has been unearthed as well, where from bishops delivered their sermons.

English Daniela Konstantinova