Archaeological work completed at the ancient port of Apollonia Pontica

Bulgarian media have reported the completion of an archaeological expedition, conducted in the waters of the Black Sea off the coast of Sozopol. Scientists explored the sunken remains of the ancient port of Apollonia Pontica, looking for artefacts as old as 6,000 years!

The local press reported that the expedition, which has just finished, is the first of its kind to be carried out in the waters surrounding Sozopol in years. Underwater archaeologists explored the site for a fortnight in search of traces of the region’s ancient past.

-- Advertisement --

Over the last century the port of Sozopol has been dredged several times to accommodate larger ships. Unfortunately, this led to the destruction of a huge part of the region’s ancient historical heritage under water. However, experts had legitimate hopes that the remains near the coast had been preserved from destruction.

The site covered by the survey measured just 8 m² and was only 6 m deep. Despite the modest size of the site, the archaeologists had their hands full. They could count on the support of specialised equipment, provided by the only underwater research centre in Bulgaria.

Interestingly, the excavation site was selected by the children of the local diving community. During an underwater cleaning organised by the diving community of Sozopol, traces of ancient monuments were found. This determined the need for a professional scientific expedition to investigate and help save the region’s ancient past.

^{Source: btvnovinite.bg}