site.btaOld Bulgarian Inscription among Key Finds Made During Summer Excavations at Nikopol Fortress

An Old Bulgarian inscription is among the notable discoveries made during this summer’s excavations at the Nikopol Fortress, Venko Ivanov, head of the excavations and archaeologist at the Regional History Museum in Pleven, has told the Bulgarian News Agency. The inscription was found on the final working day of the excavation season, coinciding with a visit by a commission from the Culture Ministry .

Preliminary analysis suggests the inscription dates back to the late 13th or early 14th century. It is carved into a stone block from a tower that was uncovered during last year’s excavations.

“Our working hypothesis is that it was made by a literate person – the one overseeing the construction of the fortress wall or the local governor,” Ivanov added. He noted that restoration and conservation work will be carried out in a specialized atelier by Andrea Andreeva from the History Museum in Chiprovtsi and Nikolay Angelov.

“I hope the restoration and conservation will be completed by the end of the year and the inscription will be deciphered and made accessible to the public,” Ivanov said.

The archeologist said that excavations at the Nikopol Fortress have been carried out for five consecutive years, supported by the Municipality of Nikopol and the Ministry of Culture.

“Over the years, we have uncovered a lot of information about the site and its history. So far, we have discovered three separate fortress walls and towers from three different periods. The earliest dates to the second half of the 13th century, the second to the late 14th or early 15th century, and the third to the early 16th century. We have collected data that we are currently analyzing to determine the precise timeline of the earliest fortress wall,” Ivanov added.

He said that excavations are expected to continue next year. The municipality is working to preserve and restore the site. This year, a parking area was constructed near the site where a visitor centre is planned to be built, Ivanov noted.

In his words, during the excavations, the site attracted daily visits from both Bulgarian and international tourists.