Bulgaria: Minister of Culture Prof. Dr Plamen Slavov presents awards at 61st National Archaeological Conference

Bulgarian road. Minister of Culture Associate Professor Dr Plamen Slavov, invited as a special chief guest on Thursday, May 25, 2023, presented the Golden Griffon Awards at the 61st National Archaeological Conference at the Regional Historical Museum in Pleven, Bulgaria and also addressed all the attendees at the event.

Associate Professor Dr Plamen Slavov chaired the conference, which is part of the events on the 120th anniversary of the beginning of the museum case in Pleven. Dr Hristo Popov – Director of the National Archaeological Institute with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was opened yesterday by the Mayor of Pleven Georg Spartanski.

During the official opening of the Associate Professor. Dr Slavov noted that Pleven Municipality is the municipality in Bulgaria that allocates the largest relative share of the municipal cultural budget. According to him, what is happening in the area of culture in the territory of Pleven Municipality and the part of the Regional Historical Museum is thanks to the municipal leadership in the name of Mayor Georg Spartanski and the presence of the Municipal Council – Pleven.

Deputy Minister Associate Professor. Dr Plamen Slavov also presented the prestigious annual award of the Ministry of Culture for achievements in archaeological science, “Golden Griffon”.

Award for 2022 – Honorary Medal “Golden Griffon” – an image of a griffon with a necklace for overall contribution to archaeological science, was awarded to an Associate Professor. Dr. Stefan Alexandrov. The motives for his distinction indicate that he is a researcher in prehistoric archaeology with internationally recognized contributions to the study of the Bronze Age in Southeast Europe.

Impressive are the results of studies of numerous archaeological sites in which he participated, in most cases as their leader. The contemporary “publishing” of the village near the Koprivlen turns this object into a benchmark for the Late Bronze Age in Bulgarian lands and relations and contacts with the Mycena world.

The results of his research on numerous tombs across the country are of great importance to the development of science. Its excavations are most intensive in the Maritza-East energy complex and in the Yambol region. Grave studies and the holes of the Late Bronze necropolis in Sandanski, Gramada and Baley provoked his interest in studying funeral practices throughout the Bronze Age in the Bulgarian lands and neighbouring territories.

This problem later fell into his international projects. An essential aspect of his scientific interests is studying the settlement system and cultural development throughout the Bronze Age in Western and Northern Bulgaria. Excavations of the village sites near Radomir – Vakhovo and Gramada provide new data on these territories’ early and middle Bronze Age.

D.C. Dr Stefan Alexandrov has published over 100 scientific articles and studies in prestigious Bulgarian and foreign editions. His recognisability as a scientist is evidenced by the vast number of quotes – over 600, much of which are in publications by foreign authors. Teaching is an important place in his professional career.

He leads courses on various aspects of Bronze Age archaeology at St. Sofia University. Kliment Ohridski, at the New Bulgarian University and Veliko Turnovo University “St. s. Cyril and Methodius For the last ten years, he has been studying a lecture course, “Theoretical Archeology” at the University of Sofia. This activity, as well as his fieldwork, positively affects the scientific development of many Bulgarian archaeologists.

Activities related to preserving and popularising Bulgarian cultural heritage especially stand out in the project “Non-destructive archaeological research for digital 3D and photographic photography of rock drawings in Magurata Cave, region. Vidin was carried out in 2017. in cooperation and with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture.

Award for 2022 – honorary badge “Golden Griffon” – the image of a griffon – a plaque for significant contribution to the development of archaeological science, was awarded to:
d.c. Dr Yavor Boyadzhiev – for contribution to the research of the village mound Heroes;

d.c. Dr. Metodi Daskalov, Peter Leshtakov and Associate Professor. Dr Milena Tonkova – leader of archaeological rescue study of a multilayered object from Chalcolite, Bronze, Iron Age and the Middle Ages in the city. Chirpan, falling within the limits of the newly designed railway. p. route in the Orizovo – Mihailovo section;

s. as. Dr Georgi Ivanov – as the head of an archaeological salvage study of the Hellenistic era cemetery at the village. Bohot, Pleven region, falling into the route of Hemus Highway;

Ivaylo Kanev – head of regular archaeological studies of the “Late-Antique and Medieval Fortress in m. Balak dere, common. Ivaylovgrad”, “Interdisciplinary Study, north of the village.” Velino, the common. Shumen” and “Object No. 41 in AR Pliska”.

The Scientific Conference “Museums and Cultural Heritage – Historical and Contemporary Dimensions” was also officially opened yesterday. It started a series of events dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the beginning of the museum work in Pleven.