Paul Stonehill | Bulgarian Indiana Jones and The Mystery of the Missing Thracian King | June 25, 2025

Source: Paul Stonehill youtube

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Georgi Kitov, dubbed the "Bulgarian Indiana Jones," was a Thracian archaeology expert who died in 2008. He led excavations in Bulgaria’s "Valley of the Kings," uncovering significant Thracian tombs despite government indifference and competition from treasure hunters.

In 2004, near Kazanlak, his team found a mid-5th-century BCE tomb with a gold mask, possibly of King Teres I, and treasures like armor, weapons, and 130 jewelry pieces. Another 2004 discovery was the intact tomb of King Seuthes III (290–275 BCE) at Goliamata Kosmatka, containing a golden wreath, kylix, bronze helmet, and a detailed bronze head of Seuthes, linked to Thracian Orphic rituals.

The tomb, the richest found, held 1 kg of gold and 90 artifacts, but only four teeth of Seuthes were found, leaving his fate a mystery. Seuthes III ruled Thrace under Macedonian dominance, rebelling unsuccessfully, and built the organized city of Seuthopolis. The report highlights Bulgaria’s archaeological wealth, Thrace’s harsh climate, and Kitov’s legacy, quoting his 2008 view on the importance of knowing the past.

Paul Stonehill | Intruiging Archeological Finds in Southeastern Europe | June 15, 2025

Source: Paul Stonehill youtube



Description:

In Plovdiv, Bulgaria, archaeologists uncovered a marble statue head of the Greek goddess Tyche, patroness of good fortune, at the Episcopal Basilica. Dating between the late 1st and mid-3rd century CE, it likely belonged to a 2.5-meter statue in a sanctuary predating the Christian basilica, reflecting the coexistence of pagan and Christian traditions in ancient Philippopolis.

The city, founded as a Thracian settlement, was later incorporated by Philip II, conquered by Romans, and became a key provincial capital. Further excavations may reveal additional artifacts.

In central Turkey, at the ancient Hittite city of Shapinuwa (modern Ortakoy), a 3,300-year-old bronze helmet from the 13th century BCE was found. This rare artifact, linked to the Hittite Empire, showcases their advanced metallurgy and chariot warfare.

Found on a sacrificial bench, it suggests a dual role in combat and religious rituals, possibly offered to the storm god. The helmet’s design, with rivets and protective flaps, mirrors depictions in Hittite art, indicating standardized military equipment.

Shapinuwa was a major military and religious center, and this find highlights the Hittites’ complex interplay of war, religion, and diplomacy, with similar helmets gifted to Egyptian pharaohs. The artifact is displayed at the Corum Museum.