Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

A Hobbiton discovered by archaeologists in Perperikon

Prof Ovcharov said the tiny houses resembling Hobbit dwellings were homes for the poor

Perperikon
Photo: Facebook /Vladislav Terziiski Photography

A village of small houses dating from the 13th-15th cent. AD, very similar to the dwellings of the Hobbits, has been excavated by archaeologist Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov and his team. It is a complex of a dozen small houses located in the southern part of the rock city of Perperikon. Prof Ovcharov told BNR-Kardzhali that the complex bears a strong resemblance to the city of the Hobbits in 'The Lord of the Rings'. 

Whole families lived in houses no larger than 20 square metres. Cooking utensils, chrome pots and tools have been found. There are narrow streets between the houses.

According to the archaeologists, the houses were inhabited by the poorer part of Perperikon's population, which numbered around 5,000 people at the time. "This is not a small number, as it was the population of Vienna at the same time," says Professor Nikolai Ovcharov.

At the end of the 14th century, burials took place there. The data show that the population declined sharply. This was probably due to the plague that hit Europe at that time, the archaeologists believe.



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.

More from category

Citizens protest in support of the Blue Stones Nature Park

Environmentalists protested in front of the Ministry of Environment and Water against plans to reduce the area of the Blue Stones Nature Park and the creation of settlements. According to the environmentalists, if construction in the park is not..

published on 1/23/25 3:54 PM
Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova

Minister Petkova: The government will propose a new draft budget by February 14

Bulgaria’s Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova said that she is concerned about the current state of the country’s finances, which, according to her, is a result of unreasonable policies in this area over the past three years. According..

published on 1/23/25 3:25 PM

39 percent of voters support the government and 29 percent disapprove of it

Support for the GERB party is 26.0%. Party leader Boyko Borissov has the highest trust among politicians with 24.4%, but also significant distrust of 49.4%, according to a representative survey by Alpha Research conducted in the..

published on 1/23/25 11:58 AM