'City of the Hobbits' and War Projectiles Among the Latest Discoveries at the Ancient Thracian City of Perperikon

A residential complex and stone projectiles used in medieval warfare are among the latest archaeological findings at Perperikon, as revealed by Professor Nikolay Ovcharov, head of the excavation team, during an interview on “The Day Begins” on Bulgarian National Television.

A complex of 13th–14th-century dwellings has been uncovered in the southern quarter of the site. These homes were deeply dug into the ground, built using the ruins of surrounding ancient temples, which the local population repurposed.

“Over the past two years, we've been uncovering a small, local settlement from the 13th–14th centuries. We've jokingly called it ‘The City of the Hobbits’ because it was likely inhabited by some of the poorest residents. Their graves are located within the very dwellings they lived in,” said Professor Ovcharov.

The area includes a large necropolis from the same period, further reinforcing its role as the poorer district of the medieval town. Despite this, Perperikon remained a significant episcopal centre during the 14th century, contested repeatedly between Bulgaria and Byzantium.

Another major find this season is related to those historical conflicts: a stone projectile used in a ballista—a type of catapult used during the 13th–14th centuries by either Bulgarian or Byzantine forces.

“Nikita Choniates describes these projectiles as the medieval equivalent of modern-day HIMARS systems,” Ovcharov explained. “They were hurled with great force and exploded upon impact, creating shrapnel-like damage that devastated enemy lines.”

He presented one such projectile weighing approximately 15 kilogrammes, discovered during the recent excavations.

The team’s current goal is to fully clear the space between the Acropolis and the Great Basilica in the southern district.

The team’s current goal is to fully clear the space between the Acropolis and the Great Basilica in the southern district.

“Excavations have now been ongoing for two months. This year’s campaign is the largest in Bulgaria. We’re currently exploring the medieval layer, and underneath it lie the ancient Roman and early Christian elements of Perperikon—including streets, squares, and the massive basilica built in the 6th century,” Professor Ovcharov added.

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The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon is located in the Eastern Rhodope mountains, Southern Bulgaria, 15 km northeast of the present-day town of Kardzhali, on a 470 m high rocky hill, which is thought to have been a sacred place.

Perperikon is the largest megalith ensemble site in the Balkans.

As an archaeological site, Perperikon is an 8,000-year-old prehistoric megalithic shrine, which was later built upon by the Thracians, the Romans, the Byzantines, and the medieval Bulgarian Empire.