Archaeologists Discovered the Oldest Mirror from the Middle Ages in Bulgaria?

Archaeological excavations on the newly constructed section of the Hemus Highway near Shumen impressed Prime Minister Boyko Borisov with the skulls found there, but archaeologists have come across a far more valuable find.

It is from the early Middle Ages (8-10 centuries) and is a bronze mirror with a decoration of plant elements - a bath, which is characteristic of this era, explained Chief Assist. Dr. Andrey Aladzhov from the National Archaeological Institute with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Just a few hundred meters from Belokopitovo road junction, archeologists work on a late Roman settlement with a farm site. This is also the major part being studied. It consists of sheds for the production of earthenware, ovens for baking earthenware, as well as warehouses for the storage of grain and other foodstuffs.

In addition to this era, however, there are artifacts from the Early Middle Ages - synchronous to the first Bulgarian capital Pliska, the archeologist explains.

Three dugouts measuring 3.20 meters by 3.50 meters have been studied since that era. In each there is a stone stove, which served for heating, as well as a hearth for food, says Aladzhov.

The most interesting thing is that in one of the stoves we found a half bronze mirror - this may be the first mirror ever discovered in Bulgaria in this period, the archeologist thinks.

In addition to these eras, we have an earlier epoch - the Late Bronze Age from 1200-1100 BC. We have several dwellings in it, which are clay-dwelling, the expert said.

They will be examined in detail in the next phase, most probably in late September.

Archaeologists have also discovered a well from the Roman era, in which parts of pots and pails were discovered....