MEDIA COVERAGE
SENSATIONAL FINDS OF IMPERIAL SEALS, newspaper Monitor, 29.11.2009
The administrative district center of Perperikon is now fully restored, said yesterday the archaeologist Nikolai Ovcharov. It is located in Klise Basha, about two kilometers away from the imperial city of the Thracians. It is dated about IX-XII century. The studies have started two years ago. The team of the archaeologist Nikolai Ovcharov came across surprising findings. According to him, the regional center if Perperikon reveals the best Byzantine architecture of the flowering of the Byzantine Empire. “Perperikon itself was only a military fortress while the administrative funkctions were exported in the regional center which is now restored. This continued until the end of the XII century when the fortress restored its original functions of main center of the antiquity”, said Ovcharov. Within 200-250 years this place was the most important place not only in the Eastern Rhodopes and Thrace, but in general. He said. Near the fortress Perperikon were developed whole estates which were bounded to its functioning through the different periods, reported the archaeologist. The historians, the archaeologists and the restorators who were involved in the research of the region have aimed to restore the glory of the stone Thracian city not only from the time of antiquity but also from medieval times. Among the unique artifacts during the excavations at the regional center were found a silver key and a cross relic with pieces from God’s Cross. The key is in a showcase in a museum and the cross is in the monastery complex “Uspenie Bogorodichno” in Kardjali. However, from a historical point of view, the most important artifact is the collection of lead seals, said Ovcharov. Again the treasure-hunters were there first before the start of the excavations and took away hundreds of seals. However the archaeologists found about 120 stamps which are evidence for the presence of clerks from Constantinopol, guards of the royal treasury and bishops. Amongst the last found seals were those belonged to the bishops from Ahridos – Episcopal which only 20 years ago was unrevealed to the science. Its center was in the monastery of St. John the Precursor in the neighborhood Veselchane in Kardjali, Ovcharov explained. The regional administration was located the monastery and Perperikon. According to the archaeologist the administration in Kardjali should try to turn the antique complex into a piece for cultural tourism. However the lack of energy resources, water and easy access to the renovated center could stop the tourist flow.
The restoration of medieval administrative center near Klise Basha was finished The restoration of the regional center of Perperikon in Klise Basha is already completed and ready for tourists. The research of the unique architectural complex, dated about IX-XII century draws more and more tourists coming from the country and abroad.
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