Hellenistic necropolis unearthed in Nessebar, Bulgaria

Tombs from the Hellenistic era (3rd-2nd centuries B.C.) have been discovered in Nessebar, Bulgaria, with a rare stepped pit containing artifacts including a gilded bronze wreath.

Diggers found a stepped pit at the site, which is an unusual type of feature within the necropolis of ancient Mesambria. Enclosed within were several artifacts, including a gilded bronze wreath, a small silver coin placed as a symbolic payment for the dead, a jug, a scraping tool used for bathing, and a set of small animal bones used as game pieces.

The same excavation also turned up coins in silver and bronze, decorated drinking cups, small containers possibly used for oils and perfumes and popularly referred to as tear-collecting vessels, more scraping tools, glass beads, and a range of ceramic pieces.

According to ancient chroniclers, modern-day Nessebar was founded in the 6th century B.C. as the Greek colony of Mesambria. It was part of the Pentapolis (five allied cities) on the Black Sea, and later a member of the Delian League, the confederation of Greek city-states arrayed against Persia under the leadership of Athens. It was a prosperous center of trade and minted its own coins, including gold ones during the Hellenistic period.

Mesambria had several large public buildings and most of the archaeological remains found in the modern city — a temple of Apollo, the agora, the acropolis — date to the Hellenistic era. The excavation uncovered a Hellenistic era necropolis.

The recovered artifacts are now being conserved at the Archaeological Museum of Nesebar. Some of the damaged objects will be repaired in preparation for an exhibition dedicated to the necropolis discoveries.

* This article was originally published here