site.btaNew Archaeological Excavations Planned in Pomorie Early 2026, Says Pomorie Historical Museum Director

New archaeological excavations are planned early next year on the territory of ancient Anchialos (present-day Pomorie), on the Black Sea, Pomorie Historical Museum Director Anton Karabashev told BTA on Friday. He was speaking at the Archaeological Museum in Burgas during the opening of the newly unveiled exhibition "Memories from Antiquity: Leseskepra – the Priestess from Αγχίαλοσ – Ulpia Anchialos", dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the rescue excavation of a richly furnished grave of an aristocratic woman from the necropolis of Anchialos. 

In an interview for BTA, Karabashev announced that the new archaeological season in Pomorie will focus on emergency rescue excavations accompanying a large-scale project to replace the main water supply pipeline to the town. The project, implemented by Water Supply and Sewerage Company – Burgas, covers the territories of the municipalities of Pomorie, Nessebar, and Sozopol.

The pipeline route will pass through areas containing immovable cultural assets, which requires archaeological monitoring and rescue investigations. "The excavations will cover parts of the necropolis of ancient Anchialos and the ancient city of Ulpia Anchialos in the area of Palaeokastro, in the new part of the town," Karabashev said.

A joint programme is currently being developed with the water utility company to coordinate the archaeological activities with the construction schedule. "We expect the first excavations to begin early next year, in January or February," the Museum Director added.

Archaeologists expect the route to yield new structures and finds of high historical value. "In the necropolis area, near the former military facility, there are indications of stone sarcophagi from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. During the Byzantine era, burial practices evolved, and the wealthier members of Anchialos society were interred in such sarcophagi, often with rich grave goods. This gives us reason to expect interesting results," Karabashev said.

On the occasion of the exhibition opening in the Burgas Archaeological Museum, the archaeologist recalled that the treasures of the noble Thracian aristocrat Leseskepra were discovered in 1975 during agricultural works near the Pomorie viticulture experimental station, where part of the ancient necropolis is located. "The finds included gold ornaments and finely crafted artefacts. They caused a real sensation and remain emblematic for the region to this day," the Director said.

Karabashev recalled that in recent years, similar burial complexes have been uncovered along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. "We can trace a whole sequence of related discoveries, from Sinemorets to Primorsko, outlining an arc of dynastic centres of the Thracian aristocracy. They demonstrate continuity in burial practices and religious beliefs preserved through the centuries, even during the Roman era," he added. According to him, the Thracian cultural heritage in the region is unique in both richness and preservation.

Karabashev also noted that in the course of his research, the discoverer of Leseskepra’s treasures, Assoc. Prof. Petar Balabanov, found ritual objects, including a small clay bowl containing figurines symbolizing a man, a woman, and a son – a sacred triad in Thracian beliefs. "Traces of sulfur were found around the vessel, suggesting it was ignited during rituals. When burned, the sulfur produced sulfur dioxide, which likely induced a trance or hypnotic state among participants," the archaeologist explained.