Archaeological excavations at the Church of the Holy Mother in Melnik, Bulgaria, have revealed 124 artifacts, including stone, ceramics, and metal objects. The excavations, conducted by the National Archaeology Insтιтute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS) and financially supported by the Municipality of Sandanski, took place for the second consecutive season in 2023.

Мarble relief plate from the 18th/early 19th century, on which a seraphim is depicted. Credit: M. Zlatkov

Among the notable discoveries is a second fragment of a medieval inscription from the 13th to 14th centuries and a fragment of a marble relief plate from the 18th or early 19th century depicting a seraphim.

ᴀssoc. Prof. Dr. Methodi Zlatkov, head of the study, stated, “The studied church has two main stages of construction. The first is from the 13th – 14th centuries, and the second is from the mid-19th century.”

The excavations focused on two sectors, revealing a section of the church’s floor and uncovering the apse of the 13th-14th-century temple. Restorers also worked to preserve frescoes from the same period, salvaging images despite severe fragmentation.

Fragments of wall paintings from the 13th – 14th centuries, discovered at the Church. Credit: M. Zlatkov and Reneta Karamanova

Dr. Maria Pashova from the Regional Historical Museum – Blagoevgrad and Elisaveta Ivanova from the Archaeological Museum – Sandanski were part of the team, along with restoration experts Reneta Karamanova and ᴀssoc. Prof. Dr. Petya Penkova from NAIM-BAS.

Historically, Melnik served as a significant border town between the Bulgarian and Byzantine empires, with a population exceeding 10,000 in the past. However, today it is a quiet town with only 325 official inhabitants.

The discoveries have generated excitement among historians, archaeologists, and locals, prompting discussions about including the site in a tourist route to showcase its historical significance. The artifacts are currently on display at the Bulgarian Archaeology 2023 exhibition at the National Archaeological Insтιтute, available for public viewing until May 15.