#ratiaria

[romegreeceart]

Tiny Roman bronze head from Ratiaria, Bulgaria. Some sort of pendant or more likely a bronze weight that was used in a balance scale.

source: Vassia Atanassova - Spiritia, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

[archaeologyinbulgaria]

Decagonal Roman Fortress Tower from Ancient Bononia Unearthed in Bulgaria’s Danube City Vidin

Decagonal Roman Fortress Tower from Ancient Bononia Unearthed in Bulgaria’s Danube City Vidin

An aerial shot of the half uncovered ruins of the decagonal fortress tower from the Ancient Roman city of Bononia in Bulgaria’s Vidin, which stood before a 4-meter thick fortress wall. Photo: TV grab from BNT

The ruins of a decagonal fortress tower from the Ancient Romancity of Bononia – said to be the largest Roman fortress on the Lower Danube – have been uncovered by archaeologists in the city…

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[archaeologicalnews]

Ancient Roman City Ratiaria In Bulgaria’s Archar Assaulted By Brutal Treasure Hunters

The Ancient Roman arsenal city of Ratiaria, also known as Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria, which is located near the northwestern Bulgarian town of Archar on the Danube River, has suffered brand new major damages from looting treasure hunters.

This time the treasure hunters have destroyed the still standing walls of the residence of the Roman provincial governor of Colonia Ulpia Ratiaria, which was uncovered during the archaeological excavations in 2014, Fionera Filipova, Director of the Vidin Regional Museum of History, has announced as cited by BTA.

She says the treasure hunters “worked” at night, and dug up over 10 pits at a depth of more than 1 meter each. Read more.

[archaeologicalnews]

Treasure hunters strip Bulgaria of its ancient treasures, destroying a cultural legacy

ARCHAR, Bulgaria –  On the banks of the Danube, in the northwest corner of Bulgaria, lie the remnants of an ancient Roman settlement called Ratiaria, host to a priceless cultural heritage. Craters pockmark the huge site, evidence of a scourge threatening one of the world's great troves of antiquities: looters digging for ancient treasure to sell on the black market.

Archaeologist Krasmira Luka, who heads a team excavating part of the 80 hectare (200 acre) site, says the area has been repeatedly raided by thieves who dig pits looking for ancient coins and jewelry. Everything else, including precious ceramic vessels and other historically significant artifacts, is smashed to pieces.

"Destroying the items is not just a crime, it's an irreparable tragedy," Luka said, looking out at a moonscape littered with shards of ceramics or glassware destroyed by the diggers." The day after our team leaves the site, the diggers are in place. It's an uneven battle." Read more.