Sixth-century Terracotta ‘Mask’ of Emperor Found in Bulgaria’s Varna

An artefact made of terracotta has been discovered at the Dzhanavara site in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna, a news conference at the Regional Archaeological Museum was told on February 12.
The find, made during excavations of an early Christian monastery, is part of a mask or bust and most likely portrays an emperor’s face. It is estimated to date back to the sixth century.

The museum’s Vassil Tenekedzhiev said that the fragment had been identified, after consultations with other archaeologists, as a one of a kind. It would be possible to try to reconstruct the face, Tenekedzhiev said.

He said that during the excavations, foundations of columns were found, as well as parts of what had been an impressive arch. There were also remnants of water mains connected to the southern part of the complex.

It was very probable that buildings at the site remained to be uncovered, he said.