Critically low water levels on the Danube have brought shipping in the Bulgarian section of the river almost to a standstill. Water levels are normally at their lowest in September, and no significant change is expected in the coming weeks. The low water, however, has revealed a number of ancient finds near Ruse. They include the remains of a mammoth and other animals, as well as archaeological artefacts that had been hidden beneath the river for hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of years.
According to the latest data, water levels continue to fall along the entire Bulgarian section. The sharpest drop has been recorded near Ruse, where the level has fallen by 4cm and now stands 116cm below the reference level. At Nikopol, Svishtov and Silistra, levels have fallen by 3cm. One of the most valuable finds is the lower jaw of a woolly mammoth, discovered by a resident of Ryahovo. The finds were described by Krasimir Kirov, curator in the Nature Department at the Regional Museum of History in Ruse.
Krasimir Kirov, curator in the “Nature” department at the Regional Museum of History in Ruse: “It all started with the lower jawbone of a woolly mammoth that a resident of Ryakovo found. We then organised an event for enthusiasts and people interested in the subject, or simply curious about it. We found many other things there as well.”
According to him, dozens, and even hundreds, of people from north-eastern Bulgaria have reported finding remains and other interesting discoveries.
“Dozens for sure, almost hundreds of people from all over north-eastern Bulgaria, almost the whole of Bulgaria, called me to say they had found very interesting artifacts and bones. Of course, the most valuable find we have, which is still being processed, is the lower jawbone of the woolly mammoth.”
Other finds include what are believed to be remains of a giant deer, ancient elephants, aurochs and bison, as well as fragments of horses. Archaeological material has also been discovered.
Krasimir Kirov, curator in the “Nature” department at the Regional Museum of History in Ruse: “Alongside it, we have individual finds, most likely belonging to a giant deer, including a tooth; a deer and an elephant that lived in our lands several million years ago. Aurochs and bison, individual small fragments, but clearly identifiable. There are also some interesting finds from horses, which are not comparatively old – perhaps from the last two or three thousand years, possibly from the Thracian or even Roman period.”
Among the finds is also a fragment of material associated with the Boian culture, dating from the Chalcolithic period – around 4,600 years ago. Kirov noted that the discovery of ancient remains in the Danube area is not a new phenomenon.
“In 1876, the well-known Georgi Silagi found such remains – the first documented woolly mammoth remains. They were subsequently sent to Budapest. I should also mention that in 1895, Vasil Kovacha, the main founder of our Nature Department, discovered another mammoth bone.”
A particular challenge for the experts is the preservation of the discovered remains. The mammoth’s lower jaw was extremely fragile due to its prolonged exposure to water.
Krasimir Kirov, curator in the “Nature” department at the Regional Museum of History in Ruse: ““It was extremely difficult to preserve the woolly mammoth's lower jaw intact, in the condition in which we removed it from the bed of the Danube. It was very fragile because the conditions in which it had been lying in the river were optimal for it. The moment it emerged above the water and came into contact with the air, oxidation and destructive processes began.”
That is why the bone underwent a slow drying, cleaning, restoration, and conservation process.
Krasimir Kirov, curator in the “Nature” department at the Regional Museum of History in Ruse:: The bone urgently needed to be dried as carefully and slowly as possible to preserve its structure. At the same time, the cleaning process was carried out, alongside restoration and conservation.”
Some of the finds are expected to go on public display before the Christmas holidays.
“Perhaps before the Christmas holidays we will be able to show the public, first of all, the lower jaw of the woolly mammoth, as well as some other remains and fragments from it, which most likely belong to the same animal, as they were found very close to it. There were also ribs and tusks.”
Kirov stressed that finds of this kind have not only historical but also scientific value, as they can provide information about the climate and natural environment of the past.
“Museums are very often seen as places for entertainment, or somewhere to pass a little time. But in reality, museums are scientific institutions. Education and the past are important. The present, in fact, and many of the things we see today, can provide us with information about the future. Even the finds we are making today give us information, for example, about what the palaeoclimate was like in the past, and based on that information we can draw conclusions about what might happen in the future.”
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