Monday, June 25th., 2018
Also found at the site were a number of artefacts including a
red-figure vessel for wine and water dating back to the 5th century BC
depicting the myth of Oedipus and the Sphinx
The excavation site in Bulgaria at the ancient Greek colony of
Apollonia Pontica.
Photo: Balkan Heritage Field School
Located in modern day Sozopol on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, the impressive discovery was made during a dig led by Pavlina Devlova and Iliya Kirov from the National Museum of History in Sofia.
The dwelling was found six feet beneath the foundations of a home built in the 19th century.
Amidst the soil between the two buildings, the team also found a number of precious artefacts, including a krater, which is a special vessel used for mixing water and wine. Dating back to the 5th century BC, it is decorated with red figures depicting the myth of Oedipus and the Sphinx.
Several graves from a medieval necropolis used in the 11th century AD and the 13th to 14th century AD were also uncovered. In a grave from the 11th century, two small crosses were found, one of which is made of bronze and the other bone.
The krater was unveiled to the public on 17 February as part of the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia’s exhibition Bulgarian Archaeology 2017. It is hosted annually to showcase the results from the last season of archaeological fieldwork in the region.