Archaeologists have discovered a very rare and valuable glass bottle in a 2nd-century tomb in the southern necropolis of the Roman colony Deultum near the village of Debelt (Southeastern Bulgaria). What makes it unique is that it depicts the myth of the monster Chimera, defeated by Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasus, reported archaeologia-bulgarica.

The scene was identified by Dobrina Harbalieva from the Municipal History Museum of Sredets, in collaboration with Dr. Arina Korzun from the Institute of Balkan Studies with Centre for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS).

It is believed that the fire-breathing monster, with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and a dragon’s tail, was first described by Homer in the Iliad. Despite its fierce appearance and its reputation as immortal, the Chimera was ultimately slain by Bellerophon’s arrow, with the help of the goddess Athena. The two victors performed more feats together, but in the end, Bellerophon wished to ascend to the gods on Mount Olympus. However, he fell off Pegasus' back, archaeologists recall.

• 30 years since Deultum Debelt has been declared an archaeological reserve