Sarcophagus said to date from Roman era found on beach in Bulgaria
A sarcophagus, said by experts to date from the Roman era, has been found “unattended” on a beach in Bulgaria, the Interior Ministry said on July 24.
While on holiday in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Varna, a former policeman filed a report on July 23 to a local police station about an ancient sarcophagus he noticed that was unattended, the ministry said.
After specifying the location – the beach of the resort Sv Konstantin i Elena, not far from a newly built but not yet operating complex, a police team was directed to the site to preserve the area around the object.
An inspection was carried out in the presence of specialists from the Archaeological Museum in Varna and a representative of the regional office of the Culture Ministry’s directorate for the protection of cultural heritage.
The experts said, based on the initial inspection, that the sarcophagus, found without a lid, dated from the Roman era, probably from the second to third century CE.
Its four sides are decorated with characteristic relief stylized ornaments – garlands with hanging bunches, animal heads, rosettes and a labris (double-edged axe).
With the help of Varna Interior Ministry staff and heavy equipment, the heavy artifact was transported for storage in the Varna Archaeological Museum, where further examination by experts is pending.
The case was reported to a prosecutor at the Varna District Prosecutor’s Office and a pre-trial proceeding was initiated, the Interior Ministry said.
(Photos: Interior Ministry)
Please support The Sofia Globe by signing up to become a subscriber to our page on Patreon:
