Latest archaeological discoveries in Urvich fortress revive legends of Tsar Yassen

On the road leading from Sofia to Samokov upstream the Iskar River near the big picturesque bend between the former villages of Kokalyane and Pasarel at the Devil's Bridge is the Srednoberdie Ridge. There the Vedena River flows into the Iskar and the mountains Lozen and Plana meet, and above them rises Vitosha Mountain. On the plateau sloping from north to south was the legendary fortress called Kokalyanski Urvich. It guarded the road to Sredets or today's Sofia and was an important metal-mining centre.

The leading archaeologists of the study Violina Kiryakova and Dr. Philip Petrunov

The fortress has been periodically and systematically studied by Bulgarian archaeology since the last century. In 2017, a rich medieval monastery and settlement was discovered at the lower end of the fortress. They existed in Ottoman times until the 17th century.

For 3 years now, under the guidance of archaeologists Dr. Philip Petrunov and Violina Kiryakova, with the support of the Culture Program at Sofia Municipality and the National History Museum, the highest part of Urvich, where the citadel used to be, has been under exploration. The archaeologists have come across finds that confirm local legends about King Yassen or Assen and the defence of the fortress in the 14th century.

"We came across a temple. It was built in the second half of the 14th century and probably functioned until the end of the fortress's life, perhaps sometime until the second half of the 1480s," says researcher Philip Petrunov.

"What we are digging here at the moment is the space in front of the entrance, and in the narthex we found fresco fragments with an image of a patriarchal garment - a polystavrion, with which St. Nicholas of Myra is often depicted. It is quite possible that the church was dedicated to him. This has not been established conclusively at this stage. What is more interesting about the church itself is that it was built as a church-tomb to preserve the remains of the governor of the fortress, who was laid to rest in the southern section of the nave (interior) of the church. It was built as a church serving the worship of the governor. It was then converted into his tomb. According to anthropological analysis, he was a man between 45-55 years old. He was buried very modestly, but the very designation of the temple as his eternal home is an indication of his high status in the fortress."

Markings in the temple's pavement led archaeologists to uncover a second grave in the narthex of the church.

"A younger man, between 18 and 30 years of age, was buried here. He was laid to rest with a massive silver ring with a gold setting - a gift, probably, as an insignia (representative symbol) on behalf of Tsar Ivan Alexander. The burial of this young man happened in the period after 1371 when Ivan Shishmas was on the throne in Tarnovo and he is supposed to have received this right to rule the town from the deceased tsar for whose worship the church was shaped as a tomb."

The researcher assumes that the younger ruler took the power in Urvich sometime around 1360-1365.

"Based on the iconography of the double-headed eagle itself and the ring, according to prof. Konstantin Dochev, who is a leading specialist in the heraldry and symbolism of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, the actual making of the ring should be dated between the 1460s and the 1480s. That is, from two different approaches we arrive at the same data for the reconstruction of the temple as a church, a tomb and the laying of the remains of two of the fortress rulers".

The rulers of Urvich had a direct view of the guarded road to Sredets (Sofia)

"The citadel of Kokalyansky Urvich housed the aristocrats responsible for the management of all activities related to the defense of the passage to Sredets (present-day Sofia), as well as, we assume, production activities, because we discovered a production furnace adjacent to the church, which must have functioned along with the church itself and the entire complex", prof. Philip Petrunov continues his story in an interview for Radio Bulgaria.

Studies of the citadel in Urvich will continue

"As a working hypothesis, we can make a suggestion that in connection with the arming of an army and the collection of foodstuffs, as early as the 1450s or at the latest in the 1460s, a family from Tarnovo was sent to Urvich and housed in this citadel. It had active diplomatic contacts with the Vidin kingdom, as we have a considerable amount of coins from Ivan Stratsimir."

Church No. 2 in the citadel with one of the newly discovered graves

A detailed analysis of all finds from the 2024 season is yet to be made. Also found in Church No. 2 were a fine key from a gift-box, several extremely beautiful silver items of clothing or hair ornaments. In another grave last season a massive silver ring was found.

Female jewellery and insignia ring with the double-headed eagle

A detailed analysis of all finds from the 2024 season is yet to be completed. A fine key from a gift box, several extremely beautiful silver items of clothing or hair ornaments were also found in Church No. 2. In another grave a massive silver ring decorated with soldered diamonds was unearthed last season. Back in 2021, a grave was discovered with extremely luxurious earrings of silver, previously found only in the old capital Tsarevets in Tarnovo. The burial is of a girl in the rare sitting posture, indicating high status in life. All these together with the church tomb pose the question, who are the noble people buried in the citadel of Urvich and what is their connection to the ruling Assenov dynasty?

Photos: Ivo Ivanov, Philip Petrunov PhD, National History Museum, BGNES