15 January 2026 The Future is the Product of the Past

Greek Warrior Relief Found in Bulgaria

In Sozopol, on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, a piece of terracotta relief depicting ancient Greek warriors has been discovered.

The newly discovered slab with ancient Greek warriors, or hoplites, looks like a piece of a larger representation, other parts of which were discovered during excavations in 2018 and 2019 in the area of ​​the two temples of the deity Apollo Iatros (“The Healer “). – one from the Late Archaic period and one from the Early Classic period of Ancient Greece – on the island of Saint Cyricus in Sozopol of Bulgaria.

The island of St. Cyricus, more precisely named Sts. The islands of Quiricus and Julietta have rich archaeological structures from the dawn of the settlement of Sozopol, which emerged from the ancient Greek colony Apollonia Pontica on the western Black Sea coast in the 6th century BC.

The newsly discovered slab fragment from ca. 500 BC with marching hoplites, the Ancient Greek citizen warriors who formed the dreadful phalanx formation, from the sacred zone with two Apollo temples on the St. Cyricus Island in Bulgaria’s Black Sea town of Sozopol. Photo: National Institute and Museum of Archaeology
The newsly discovered slab fragment from ca. 500 BC with marching hoplites, the Ancient Greek citizen warriors who formed the dreadful phalanx formation, from the sacred zone with two Apollo temples on the St. Cyricus Island in Bulgaria’s Black Sea town of Sozopol. Photo: National Institute and Museum of Archaeology

The fragment is from around 500 BC. and includes two hoplites in the march. They both wear Corinthian-style helmets and armor. The one on the left (the more intact figure) holds a spear in his right hand and a shield on his back. With her left hand, she holds the horn to her mouth. It is a fragment of a larger frieze that once adorned the temple of Apollo.

A sketch showing the likely full relief of Ancient Greek hoplite warriors from Sozopol, of which the newly discovered fragment is a part. Photo: Archaeologist Margarit Damyanov, 2020 Bulgarian Archaeology Exhibition poster
A sketch showing the likely full relief of Ancient Greek hoplite warriors from Sozopol, of which the newly discovered fragment is a part. Photo: Archaeologist Margarit Damyanov, 2020 Bulgarian Archaeology Exhibition poster

Other fragments of the terracotta frieze were discovered in 2018 and 2019. A total of 20 fragments have been discovered in recent excavations, all from the same site. Degrand’s excavations also found a fragment of the frieze that is now in the Louvre’s collection along with the rest of the excavated Degrand artifacts. The Louvre section appears to exactly match the newly discovered section, although it is much less worn.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Source: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/

Related Articles

Archaeologists Unearth Cisterns at Izmir’s Ancient “City of Mother Goddess”

2 June 2021

2 June 2021

In the ancient city of Metropolis, in western Turkey, in the province of Izmir, something that played an important role...

Rare bronze hand discovered in Roman Vindolanda, England

11 July 2023

11 July 2023

One of Europe’s most important Roman archeological sites is the Fort of Vindolanda, one of the earliest Roman garrisons built...

In Cyprus, an important early Christian site has been discovered

12 September 2021

12 September 2021

An important Christian settlement was discovered with mosaics bearing clear inscriptions in Greek during the excavations carried out by the...

Imperial cult temple discovered in Spello: It opens a new chapter in the Roman Empire’s transition from paganism to Christianity

6 January 2024

6 January 2024

American researchers have announced the discovery of an Imperial cult temple in Spello, Italy. The discovery was announced by Douglas...

The statue head of Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health, found stuck between two rocks in Laodikeia

21 May 2024

21 May 2024

A 2100-year-old statue head of the Hygieia (Health) Goddess was found during the excavations in the ancient city of Laodikeia...

1,800-year-old Bronze military medal with Medusa head found in southeastern Turkey

5 October 2022

5 October 2022

A military medal believed to be almost 1,800 years old has been found by archaeologists in Turkey. The discovery was...

Archaeologist Reconstructs 2,000-Year-Old Roman Frescoes from Thousands of Fragments in ‘World’s Toughest Jigsaw’

19 June 2025

19 June 2025

What started as a pile of broken plaster fragments has become one of the most remarkable reconstruction projects in British...

Hiker found a place of holy worship at an altitude of 2,590 meters in the Swiss Alps

15 March 2023

15 March 2023

A trekking enthusiast stumbled upon an ancient Roman coin buried in rubble in a remote area high in the Alps...

The Only Known Roman Brewery, Discovered in Central Italy

6 July 2024

6 July 2024

Archaeologists from the University of Macerata have discovered the only brewery from the Roman era found to date on the...

Rare Roman Articulated Terracotta Doll Unearthed at Torreparedones Archaeological Park

25 September 2025

25 September 2025

Archaeologists working at the Torreparedones Archaeological Park in Baena, Córdoba, Spain, have made a remarkable discovery: a rare Roman-era articulated...

Archaeologists uncovered a second mosaic in Rutland Roman villa in England

29 November 2022

29 November 2022

Archaeologists report they have uncovered a second mosaic at the site of the 2020 mosaic discovery at the Roman villa...

Vindolanda marks the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall with an altar discovery

9 February 2022

9 February 2022

The excavation season hasn’t started yet, but the Vindolanda Roman fort has kicked off Hadrian’s Wall’s 1900th anniversary year with...

Rare gladiator tombs were discovered in the Ancient City of Anavarza in southern Türkiye

10 August 2022

10 August 2022

Archaeologists have discovered rare gladiator tombs in the ancient city of Anavarza, known as the “Invincible city” in history, which...

Central Turkey’s largest Byzantine mosaic structure found

28 October 2021

28 October 2021

A 300-square-meter (3,330 square feet) ​floor mosaic belonging to the Late Roman-Early Byzantine period was discovered during excavation work in...

The excavations in Selinunte, Italy, which has the largest Agora in the Ancient World, “The results have gone well beyond expectations”

29 July 2022

29 July 2022

In the Selinunte, one of the most important archaeological sites of the Greek period in Italy, the outlines of the...