Archaeology: Triangular stone tower found at Bulgaria’s Kokalyane Urvich fortress site

An exceptional archaeological discovery has been made in the Kokalyane Urvich fortress site near Sofia – a triangular stone tower, dating from the end of the 2nd century – the beginning of the 3rd century CE, Sofia municipality said on July 22.

Kokalyane Urvich is a mediaeval fortress in the territory of today’s  Pancharevo area. It is on the right side of the Iskar River, in the Lozen mountain, about 20 km from central Sofia.

The find was made by archaeologists Dr. Filip Petrunov and Violina Kiryakova in the final days of this year’s archaeological research funded by the Sofia municipality.

The discovery was made at a depth of 1.7 metres, where archaeologists came across massive stone structures with an unusual triangular shape.

Academics say that the construction may contemporary with the development of Serdica – the Roman predecessor of today’s Sofia.

This is the earliest structure discovered so far on the territory of Urvich, and marks the beginning of its strategic role back in Antiquity, the statement said.

This conclusion is also led by the fact that the oldest coins discovered so far date from the reign of the Roman emperor Caracalla (198 – 217).

Also of interest is the fact that the structure was repeatedly rebuilt in subsequent eras – archaeologists found traces of construction interventions and fortifications.

Of particular importance is a Byzantine coin found, of Emperor Isaac II Angelus (1185 – 1195), which points to reconstructions at the end of the 12th century. This testifies that the triangular tower retained its strategic value for more than a millennium, the statement said.

In parallel with the archaeological discoveries, new signboards have been installed at the site, which assist visitors and introduce them to the most significant discoveries, with further information on the specially created website  (only in Bulgarian).

The initiative is part of the project of the National History Museum – “The House of the Double-Headed Eagle”, dedicated to the exposure of the fortress and the popularisation of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage.

“The Urvich Fortress is once again revealing its secrets – this time from the time when Sofia was Roman Serdica,” the statement said.

(Photo: Sofia municipality)