ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Cuman settlement discovered near fortress of Ryahovets in Gorna Oryahovitsa

Photo: Zdravka Maslyankova, BNR correspondent

Archaeologists from the Historical Museum in the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa have discovered a settlement of the Cumans this summer during the excavations of a medieval necropolis east of the Thracian fortress of Rykhovets near the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, reports BNR correspondent Zdravka Maslyankova. 

The archaeological site was found accidentally in 2021 during the works for the reclamation of a municipal waste dump in the town. 

Nearly 70 archaeological structures have been uncovered. Among them are dwellings, hearths and pits dating back to the 13th century. Fifteen graves were also recorded, indicating some departure from Christian burial rites. 


According to the archaeologist prof. Hitko Vachev, scientific consultant of the archaeological team, it is a Cuman settlement. 

"The Cumans were an ally of all Bulgarian kings. Several Cuman princesses were Bulgarian queens. We have rich sources in this regard, but until now we have not had the material traces of where the Cumans were settled," he explained. Among the interesting finds are several cult pits with horse skulls laid inside, as well as one with a whole horse skeleton, coins from the first half of the 13th century, bone objects, copper bracelets, and a large furnace. 


Children volunteers and their parents took part in cleaning the latest finds.

The archaeological team hopes to be able to join a project to carry out a full survey of the site.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria History and religion    archeologists archeology Cumans necropolis Ryahovets the Cumans Thracian fortress

More from category

The Feast of St. Athanasius – between Christianity, rituals and beliefs

Atanasovden, also known as Midwinter in our folk calendar, is a holiday on which the Orthodox Church and our folklore pay tribute to St. Athanasius the Great – Archbishop of Alexandria and a fighter against Arianism (church heresy which rejects the..

published on 1/18/25 6:05 AM

A new temple near Sandanski bears the names of Saints Anthony and Athanasius the Great

The only chapel in the country to bear the names of Saints Anthony and Atha nasius is in Sandanski, and its consecration will be performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, reports Andon Kotev - one of the initiators of the idea to..

published on 1/17/25 7:00 AM
The Bulgarian Cathedral Church

Bulgarians in Berlin celebrate the feast of St. Anthony the Great with special solemnity

On January 17, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Anthony the Great – a zealous advocate of Christianity. At an advanced age, he took part in the Church's struggle against the Arian heresy. Anthony got into an open dispute with the..

published on 1/17/25 5:30 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 13
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 10
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 11
Clear
Min: -6 | Max: 14
Clear
Min: -1 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 13
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 13
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 13
Clear
Min: -3 | Max: 14
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 11
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 13
Clear
Min: -4 | Max: 13
Clear
Min: -4 | Max: 11
Clear
Min: -1 | Max: 13
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 10
Partly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 12
Clear
Min: -10 | Max: 10
Clear
Min: -3 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 11
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 11
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

The treasures of the National Church Historical and Archaeological Museum in Sofia showcased in a new book

The book "Icons from the National Church Historical and Archaeological Museum" - a huge work of over 500 pages, with more than 700 published photographs..

published on 3/19/25 5:05 AM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"