The unexplored Roman fortress of Trimammium near the village of Mechka in Rousse has been ravished by treasure-hunters, Dnevnik daily reported on February 12 2009, quoting local archaeologists who informed police.
Serious excavation work at Trimammium began in 2006 after archaelogists discovered hundreds of randomly dug pits and immeasurable damage inflicted by treasure-hunters. In one of these pits, archaeologists discovered a sacrificial site and a fragment of a wall, prompting scholars to begin digging and find out what else was there.
Vurbin Vurbanov, one of the archaeologists working on the site, presented findings from his research in Rousse on February 11, Dnevnik daily said. According to his initial hypothesis, the fortress was founded around the third century ACE and was later demolished by "barbarians" before being re-built at the time of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. Historians define this period roughly from the founding of the state in 681 until 1018 when Bulgaria fell under the rule of Byzantium.
Trimammium spreads on three hills in the Stulpishte area along the coast of the River Danube. Ongoing research examines four buildings from Roman times and one medieval building. Among the most significant findings discovered so far are seal marks on bricks left from the cohorts (sub-units of a Roman legion) that occupied the fortress - a sign in Latin informing about the presence of the "Severiana" cohort.
Archaeologists speculate that, judging by the name, the time frame of this sign falls within the rule of Roman emperor Alexander Severus (222-235), when the name Severiana was used as an honorary title.
Another important discovery at Trimammium was a bronze statue of Venus. According to the museum employees, as quoted by Dnevnik daily, plunderers started raiding the fortress in 2008 after local media publicised the find.
During his presentation in Rousse, Vurbanov revealed photos showing more than 30 shallow holes dotting the site, obviously dug with the help of a metal-detector and spade. Treasure-hunters have also "explored" another part of the site, yet to be researched by archaeologists, the newspaper said.
Source: The Sofia Echo [February 12, 2009]
Serious excavation work at Trimammium began in 2006 after archaelogists discovered hundreds of randomly dug pits and immeasurable damage inflicted by treasure-hunters. In one of these pits, archaeologists discovered a sacrificial site and a fragment of a wall, prompting scholars to begin digging and find out what else was there.
Vurbin Vurbanov, one of the archaeologists working on the site, presented findings from his research in Rousse on February 11, Dnevnik daily said. According to his initial hypothesis, the fortress was founded around the third century ACE and was later demolished by "barbarians" before being re-built at the time of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. Historians define this period roughly from the founding of the state in 681 until 1018 when Bulgaria fell under the rule of Byzantium.
Trimammium spreads on three hills in the Stulpishte area along the coast of the River Danube. Ongoing research examines four buildings from Roman times and one medieval building. Among the most significant findings discovered so far are seal marks on bricks left from the cohorts (sub-units of a Roman legion) that occupied the fortress - a sign in Latin informing about the presence of the "Severiana" cohort.
Archaeologists speculate that, judging by the name, the time frame of this sign falls within the rule of Roman emperor Alexander Severus (222-235), when the name Severiana was used as an honorary title.
Another important discovery at Trimammium was a bronze statue of Venus. According to the museum employees, as quoted by Dnevnik daily, plunderers started raiding the fortress in 2008 after local media publicised the find.
During his presentation in Rousse, Vurbanov revealed photos showing more than 30 shallow holes dotting the site, obviously dug with the help of a metal-detector and spade. Treasure-hunters have also "explored" another part of the site, yet to be researched by archaeologists, the newspaper said.
Source: The Sofia Echo [February 12, 2009]