EASE BULGARIA 2011
I can safely say that the Grampus
Heritage EASE Bulgaria expedition was one of the best and most eye-opening
trips I've ever been on to date. Both the host organisation and those in England
were very helpful and welcoming and ensured we were safe and well throughout
the duration of our trip. Velis met us all at Sofia airport on the first day
and escorted us back to Hisar where we were to spend the next month and gave
us a guided tour of the whole town; also taking us out to dinner, where we
met the Bulgarian archaeologist and Directors of the Museum, who were very
welcoming and encouraged us to try different Bulgarian cuisine.
The archaeology itself was eye opening; very different from the dig I had
taken part in the previous year in America, yet it was far more enjoyable.
It was more practical and had a great hands-on approach, using pick-axes,
shovels and hoes to excavate the Roman thermal bath complex of the ancient
Roman town of Diocletionopolis. We excavated a large bath in one of the compartments
of the complex and found a decorative archway and niche, as well as an impressive
large doorway into the main compartment of the complex. The host organisation
hired workers to help us all with the heavy lifting, such as the heavy spoil
buckets, large tiles and marble slabs which we were uncovering and had to
be removed. Ratka and Dima, one of the Museum directors and the archaeologist,
gave a presentation before we began digging, explaining past excavations,
thier finds and the history of the ancient town of Diocletionopolis. They
also came to the site with us every day and instructed us on specific aims,
as well as helping with any questions or queries which allowed us all to understand
what we were doing and how important our work was to the town's tourism in
general; they were also not afraid to get stuck in themselves and were a great
help on site! We were able therefore to complete the aims of this year's dig,
to uncover the overall architecture of the thermal bath complex, where we
revealed the large bath, and could see how the complex was eventually destroyed
and disused, as the roof had collapsed in.
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a door, niche and wall of the compartment
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archway discovered 2011 excavation
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Free Time- Plovdiv Amphitheatre
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In our free time we enjoyed exploring the town and took advantage of the
cheap and friendly local bars, taverns, restaurants and nightclubs. Not many
people spoke English and so it was always amusing ordering food and drink-
there was a lot of charades! They were always willing to help us all however,
and were very friendly and understanding. The Lonely Planet Guidebook which
was sent to everyone before we left for Bulgaria was very helpful however,
as it had useful phrases, customs and interesting places to travel too, as
well as giving us tips on what to expect. The hosts were also extremely helpful
in teaching us Bulgarian, and so by the end of the trip I can safely say that
we all came away with a grasp of at least a basic understanding in Bulgarian
culture and language. We spent quite alot of time in the local cafes around
Hisar, which, like the mineral water swimming pools, were refreshing breaks
from work and the 40 degree heat. We also went to the local restaurants which
offered typical Bulgarian dishes; they were very cheap with fantastic food
and so could not be ignored!
We also took advantage of the cheap bus and train transport operating around
Hisar. Several times we travelled to Plovdiv, one of the biggest cities in
Bulgaria, which not only had great shopping but also had numerous impressive
historical sites, such as the Roman Amphitheatre, Thracian complex and Ethnological
museums which gave us all an insight into Bulgaria and its past. With a student
card they were only roughly 1 lev (about 50p) with some being free! The old
Plovdiv was also great for souvenir shopping with its cobbled streets lined
with traditional shops.
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View from the top of the mountain whilst visiting
Kozegramadi
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Kozegramadi Thracian Palace Complex
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An archway found during the dig
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Before travelling to Bulgaria I had no idea of its rich history, however
the hosts organised numerous trips, such as to the Kazanlack Tomulus', Krustuvich
tombs and an amazing trip up to the recently discovered Kozegramadi Thracian
palace complex. This included about 1 ½ hours of off-roading (which
was great fun!) and a half hour walk up the mountain to the site itself. Not
only did this mean we were given the chance to explore Bulgaria's 'great outdoors',
but it also meant we were lucky enough to see a Thracian king's palace complex
which had only ever been seen by the archaeologists excavating it!
The hosts also wanted us to experience Bulgaria and its culture. They threw
a surprise lunch for us where they treated us to traditional home-made specialities,
such as bread dishes, soup, sausage and liquors! They also had traditionally
dressed women, music and crafts, and everyone was up dancing as the afternoon
went on! We were also interviewed by the local paper and radio station, explaining
our progress on site and our thoughts of Hisar and Bulgaria in general.
The accommodation, although basic, was well situated only a sort walking distance
from local swimming pools, the centre of town, and the dig site itself. They
provided us with typical Bulgarian dishes and were very helpful and welcoming.
On our last few days in Bulgaria, we travelled up through the mountains, along
the bendiest roads I've ever experienced, and into Troyan, a town famous for
their pottery and crafts. From this we travelled onto Sofia, were we stayed
for our last two nights. In Sofia we were guided around by Velis; she took
us to the archaeological museum, government buildings and to several other
important sites. We were then given the afternoon to explore ourselves and
do some last minute shopping, and In the evening we went for a meal in a traditional
tavern. From this experience I didn't just develop my archaeological skills,
but I also grew in confidence and was able to experience a culture I probably
wouldn't have considered otherwise. I would recommend this trip to anyone,
it's definitely worth it!
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Excursions
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Excursions
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Excursions
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