Archaeological Excavations of St. Panteleimon Church

In 2024 the Svoge Heritage Program (SHP) will conduct excavations at the locality "Trastenaya Hut". At this place is situated an old church called by the locals "St. Panteleimon". In Bulgarian folklore, St. Panteleimon is the saint, connected with travels, roads, and links between the worlds.
The legend says that at that place was situated an ancient Thracian sanctuary near which centuries later students of St. Clement of Ohrid built the monastery. There are suggestions that for some period an abbot of the monastery was the legendary priest Martin, who maintained close relationships with the monastery Seven Thrones.
However, there is indisputable evidence that the so-called "church" is much earlier than the Medieval period. Its dimensions - 25 x 8 m, and its wide apse can be assigned to the Late Antiquity. Furthermore, in close vicinity is located the route of a Roman road. The name "St. Panteleimon" Traveler is an indisputable link to this earlier period. The main goal of this project is to clarify the chronology and the historical background of the church. The scientific significance of this historical monument could be essential as it will clarify the administrative basis of the Late Roman Empire.

Course leader

Krassimira Todorova - archaeologist. Bulgarian Archaeological Association

Target group

These programs are ideal for people ages 18 - 25 but no person with a spatial interest or personal achievements in cultural preservation will be excluded because of the age limit. Our participants must be broad-minded and open to foreign cultures. The only requirement is a satisfactory knowledge of English.

Course aim

The project offers an opportunity to gain basic skills in archaeological research, and to discover and analyze archaeological data. In the course of the excavations, the students will have a chance to take part in a scientific project, to learn the basic steps of preliminary research activities, GIS studies, topographical and historical context, and field methods of starting archaeological digs.