HOARD FOUND IN PLOVDIV, BULGARIA

 

In Plovdiv, in southern Bulgaria, archaeologists have discovered over 500 ancient coins and a gold template for making jewelry from different periods.

The coins were found during salvage excavations at the foot of the Old Town, in the Philipopol-Trimontium-Plovdiv historical zone, which is a group cultural monument.

Plovdiv is an ancient city built around 7 hills, in southern Bulgaria. It has been recognized as one of the oldest settlements in Europe, with evidence of habitation reaching as far back as the 6th millennium BC. Until relatively recently in its history, the city was known as Philippopolis as it was conquered by Philip II of Macedon during the 4th century BC.

Head of the excavations Desislava Davidova told BTA in an interview that coins are roughly 100 meters from Philippopolis' East Gate and most likely represent a small workshop, similar to the ones in the Revival period.

The coins found are mostly bronze and prove that the area has been inhabited for more than 2500 years. "The coins are subject to restoration and I cannot say if they are only bronze because sometimes silver coins have a thick patina and are difficult to identify in the field," Davydova explains.

A special inscription was also discovered at the beginning of fieldwork on the site. It is most likely an honorific inscription from a pedestal for a statue dating from the time of Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211), according to Dr. Nikolay Sharankov, a specialist in epigraphy. Also, a special team will be formed to analyze the inscription.

To read the complete article, see:
Archaeologists Discovered Over 500 Ancient Coins and A Gold Template for Making jewelry in Bulgaria (https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-discovered-over-500-ancient-coins-and-a-gold-template-for-making-jewelry-in-bulgaria/)
Archaeologists Find 500+ Coins in Plovdiv's Old Town (https://www.bta.bg/en/news/culture/727079-archaeologists-find-500-coins-in-plovdiv-s-old-town)

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