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

Metropolitan Joseph, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, and Australia

Metropolitan Joseph, blessed the new Parish Council of the Holy Trinity Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Madison

His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, and Australia, has blessed the newly elected Parish Council of the Holy Trinity Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Madison, Illinois. The new council was elected..

published on 7/21/25 3:11 PM
The monument at Petrova Niva in Strandzha in honor of the heroes of the Ilinden-Preobrazhensko Uprising

On the sacrifice and redemption in the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising

The revival of Bulgarian statehood after five centuries of Ottoman rule is connected with the April Uprising of 1876 and the Internal Revolutionary Organization previously created by Vasil Levski. After the Treaty of Berlin of 1878, the Bulgarians..

published on 7/20/25 9:43 AM

Saint Elijah’s Day: one of Bulgaria's most revered summer festivals

On 20 July (according to the Gregorian calendar), the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honours the Old Testament prophet Elijah, known in Bulgaria as Sveti Iliya. Celebrated as Ilinden, this day is one of the most venerated summer festivals in Bulgaria and is..

published on 7/20/25 8:15 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Clear
Min: 19 | Max: 40
Partly Cloudy
Min: 22 | Max: 33
Partly Cloudy
Min: 22 | Max: 32
Clear
Min: 19 | Max: 37
Clear
Min: 24 | Max: 39
Clear
Min: 21 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 20 | Max: 37
Clear
Min: 21 | Max: 36
Clear
Min: 21 | Max: 40
Clear
Min: 16 | Max: 40
Clear
Min: 22 | Max: 40
Clear
Min: 21 | Max: 39
Clear
Min: 19 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 17 | Max: 38
Clear
Min: 22 | Max: 40
Clear
Min: 19 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 23 | Max: 38
Clear
Min: 25 | Max: 42
Clear
Min: 24 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 22 | Max: 39
Partly Cloudy
Min: 14 | Max: 32
Clear
Min: 17 | Max: 37
Clear
Min: 20 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 22 | Max: 38
Clear
Min: 21 | Max: 41
Clear
Min: 19 | Max: 39
Clear
Min: 22 | Max: 42
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

Metropolitan Joseph, blessed the new Parish Council of the Holy Trinity Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Madison

His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, and Australia, has blessed the newly elected Parish Council of..

published on 7/21/25 3:11 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

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