Archaeologists Uncover Medieval Necropolis, Gold, and Traces of Ancient Cults at Kaliakra

It is hard to imagine today that the rocky and narrow headland, where all the winds seem to meet, was for centuries a preferred place to live. Yet every year, archaeologists at Kaliakra prove otherwise.

The Bulgarian Black Sea coast offers few safe harbours—just two or three reliable ones—and the small cove at Kaliakra is one of them. In fact, the name Kaliakra means “convenient headland,” which is why Dobrotitsa established the capital of the Dobruja Despotate here. Kaliakra was one of the wealthiest and most important cities of its time, a fact continually confirmed by archaeologists through their discoveries of gold and other artefacts, including this year’s finds.

The medieval necropolis has yet to be fully explored, but the site continues to yield remarkable historical treasures. All eyes are currently on one burial, following a metal detector signal that hinted at a significant find.

Elena Endarova, Deputy Head of Archaeological Excavations:
"What’s emerging right now is an earring. Interestingly, within the earring we have a phalanx—from a little finger. And it isn’t from the ear itself. At this stage, the spine is beginning to reveal itself in anatomical order, with the vertebrae clearly visible. There’s a collarbone as well."

Maria Cherneva:
"But this is a child’s grave!"

Elena Endarova:
"Yes, these are the remains of a small child."

Maria Cherneva:
"And presumably it was placed as a valuable offering..."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"It’s possible—two interpretations come to mind. One, the child died young and could not be betrothed, so these were gifts prepared for her. The second is a custom that developed later: when no ring could be placed in the grave, an earring served as a burial gift."

Maria Cherneva:
"Green. Bronze, perhaps?"

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"It could be gilded!"

Penko Georgiev, Director of the Historical Museum – Kavarna:
"But here we also found a coin, Boni… Weren’t these absent in the Tatar spoils?"

Elena Endarova:
"We have massive coins, but nothing of exactly this type."

Penko Georgiev:
"No mace-shaped coins. Ah, this one is incredible."

Elena Endarova:
"There is gold as well. Only gold oxidises to purple."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"Yes, gilded. Exactly this type, with a little mace—we haven’t had one before. That’s the characteristic gold patina."

This is not the first burial with valuable offerings. However, this necropolis presents a unique situation: child graves side by side, alongside a young girl.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova, Head of Archaeological Excavations:
"We see many young individuals—this is a young person, a young girl, probably no more than 15 years old. Nearby are also child burials. With the exception of the woman at the far end, it is likely these people died in quick succession, perhaps due to an epidemic. Recall that the latter half of the 14th century saw the great plague that decimated half of Europe, impacting Bulgaria as well. This population decline was among the reasons the Ottomans were able to conquer Bulgaria and the Balkans. Kaliakra lay along the route of Genoese ships, which carried the plague from Crimea. Not far north, there were Genoese colonies. So it is entirely plausible the plague struck here. DNA analysis from the dental pulp of the skeletal remains will soon confirm the exact timing and presence of disease."

Kaliakra lies on the route once used by Genoese ships that carried the plague from Crimea to Europe. Not far to the north, there were also Genoese colonies, making it entirely plausible that the plague affected this region. Whether this is true, and precisely when it occurred, will soon be confirmed through DNA analysis of dental pulp from the skeletal remains.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"By examining the dental development and wear of the skeleton, we can estimate the individual’s age. For instance, here is an unerupted tooth, just starting to emerge. This suggests an age between 7 and 14 years. Yet the teeth are unusually worn, which is quite intriguing."

Equally striking is the location of the necropolis, just metres from the medieval residences.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"The location of a cemetery or necropolis depends on the available space. In an open field, one can choose a mound or uncultivated area for burials. Here, we are on a peninsula with limited space. The site was evidently inherited from earlier medieval inhabitants, who selected it based on the remains of ancient constructions for their necropolis."

The necropolis shows evidence of long-term use, with later burials sometimes disturbing earlier ones.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"The site is small, leading to numerous reburials. Older graves were carefully cleared, the bones preserved, and new burials placed above them."

These are elite burials, and the artefacts found provide valuable insights into life in the Kaliakra Despotate. Each coin found in a grave tells its own story.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"The ruler of Kaliakra governed for nearly 40 years, exerting significant political influence in the second half of the 14th century. He assisted Ivan Stratsimir in support of Tsar Ivan Alexander. Though politically distinct, the despotate remained culturally and religiously connected to Bulgaria, relying on the Church of Constantinople. When Anna of Savoy sought help against the claimant John VI Cantacuzene, she turned to the Bulgarian ruler in Tarnovo for military support. This year, we discovered further evidence of that aid: a gold coin of Anna of Savoy and her young son, John V Palaiologos, over whom she was regent."

The coin, found in one of the graves, is gold, heavily worn, and was not ordinary currency.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"It was used extensively, likely also as an amulet. Eventually, its owner apparently had to cut a portion of the gold to maintain their economic status."

In the child’s grave with the unusual earring, archaeologists also discovered a wooden component, almost as exciting as the gold.

Elena Endarova, Deputy Head of Archaeological Excavations:
"These are wooden remains. We are preserving them because they show that the deceased were placed in coffins. This wood will be analysed by archaeobotanists and dendrologists to determine the tree species, when it was cut, and when it was processed for coffin construction."

The nearby residences of the deceased could provide further insights into 14th-century life. Unfortunately, previous archaeological layers yield limited information, and documentation is scarce.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"Behind us lies the wealthy quarter, home to the most prominent aristocracy of the late 14th century. We have cleared and identified 19 rooms. This area also contained an ancient quarter from the time of the Acra fortress, inherited by medieval inhabitants. It was a convenient location, close to a church with beautiful decorative details and stained glass, where rituals were performed before burials in the eastern shore necropolis."

Re-excavation revealed further surprises: gold coins from the 6th century, previously missed by earlier archaeologists, were detected with metal detectors.

Penko Georgiev, Director of the Historical Museum – Kavarna:
"These are solidus coins from the reigns of Justinian I and Anastasius I, early 6th century. They were highly valued and used for large transactions, not everyday commerce. Most likely, these coins were part of a collective find dispersed during the excavations of the 1980s. Similar coins from Kaliakra are preserved in the Kavarna museum."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"These ancient coins, unlike the medieval ones, were not in long circulation—they are essentially a gold reserve, freshly minted at the time."

In one room, previous researchers had also missed a bronze statuette of a goddess, dating back to the 3rd century.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"The goddess is Isis Pelagia."

Penko Georgiev:
"This is an item in the museum collection, now awaiting restoration."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova:
"Isis Pelagia was known as the 'lady of the sea.' Her cult was rare in this part of the Balkans, originating in Asia Minor and Egypt, associated with sailors and maritime activities in Antiquity. We are hopeful that a sanctuary from this period may still be uncovered here."

Penko Georgiev:
"We also have another depiction of Isis, part of a terracotta find near the Kavarna port. This shows syncretism in the 2nd–3rd centuries, connecting the Greek goddess Tyche—later identified by Romans as Fortuna—with Isis, linked to seafaring."

Fortunately, parts of the wealthy quarter remain unexcavated, promising future discoveries and insights into the history of Kaliakra.