Archaeology: Sixth-century terracotta ‘mask’ of emperor found in Bulgaria’s Varna
An artefact made of terracotta has been discovered at the Dzhanavara site in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna, a news conference at the Regional Archaeological Museum was told on February 12.
The find, made during excavations of an early Christian monastery, is part of a mask or bust and most likely portrays an emperor’s face. It is estimated to date back to the sixth century.
The museum’s Vassil Tenekedzhiev said that the fragment had been identified, after consultations with other archaeologists, as a one of a kind.
It would be possible to try to reconstruct the face, Tenekedzhiev said.
He said that during the excavations, foundations of columns were found, as well as parts of what had been an impressive arch. There were also remnants of water mains connected to the southern part of the complex.
It was very probable that buildings at the site remained to be uncovered, he said.
The news conference, held ahead of the February 14 Archaeology Day in Bulgaria, was told that as a result of archaeological excavations in Varna and the region in 2018, about 1000 new exhibits had been received by the Regional Archaeological Museum.
Teams of archaeologists have been conducting studies of the Roman city of Marcianopolis, the late antique fortress of Cape St. Atanas in Byala, the early Byzantine monastery in Dzhanavara, the mediaeval monastery in Karaach teke, the medieval fortresses Kastritsi at the Euxinograd Residence and Petrich Kale in the municipality of Avren.
(Photo: Regional Archaeological Museum Varna)
