A marble statue and several inscriptions of high archaeological value were discovered during a dig at the site of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in the Rupite locality near Petrich in Southwestern Bulgaria.

“The finds were unearthed under a staircase in the forum, around which this season’s archaeological excavations are concentrated. After the discovery of capitals and the shrine to the goddess Nemesis, this find is one more indication of the importance of the city of the ancient Macedonian kings, destroyed by an earthquake at the end of the 3^rd century,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski says and adds:

“We found a marble statue, exquisitely modelled, quality work, we have 5-6 inscriptions, including one that is absolutely intact which we unearthed on the same day we found the marble statue.”

Assoc. Prof. Vagalinski, who is director of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences’ National Archaeological Institute with Museum says that this is the most generous summer at Heraclea Sintica.

When he last visited Rupite, Minister of Culture Boil Banov promised to provide financing, so that the excavations of the ancient city may continue until the end of September.

English version: Milena Daynova