Archaeologists Discover 3,000 Year Old Fortress near South Bulgarian Town of Zlatograd

A 3,000 year old ancient fortress was discovered by archaeologists near the South Bulgarian town of Zlatograd. The fortification is from the times of Troy and Mycenae and is one of the first evidence that ancient Thrace was part of the Cretan-Mycenaean culture, believed to have been the first civilization in Europe. Researchers suggest that the town of the legendary Achilles, Hector and Odysseus was located behind the fortress, reports BNT. 

The archaeological expedition was exploring a Thracian royal residence from the 4th- 5th centuries before the common era, when they came upon a fortress, which was nearly a thousand years older. The walls are made of huge stones weighing more than 5 tonnes. This is the so-called Cyclopian building, with it being built the ancient Troy, Mycenae and Tyrint.

Nearly 50 years ago, academician Alexander Foll first speculated that Thrace was part of the renowned Cretan-Mycenaean civilization. Archaeologists now have proof of this.

Prof. Nikolai Ovcharov: This is one of the first testimonies of the so-called Mycenae Thrace. A residence dating back to 3,000 - 3,200 years ago. The fortress wall we found, as well as the ceramics, actually indicate it was the period of the Trojan War.

Behind the fortress wall, the archaeologists found a royal necropolis, a sanctuary and a fortified castle. Two buildings with representative features and a sanctuary were studied. The area is filled with stone altars, it is supposed that there is a city, which is more than 3,000 years old. The expedition is funded for the fifth consecutive year by the Regional Ethnographic Museum in Zlatograd.

Alexander Mitushev, Manager of the Areal Ethnographic Complex in Zlatograd: What we have set as our goal is to help science and of course...