Seal of King Simeon I Discovered in Veliki Preslav
25 August 2008
Bulgarian News Agency
A seal of King Simeon I (ruled 893-927) was discovered at the medieval Bulgarian capital Veliki Preslav by a team led by archaeologist Irina Shtereva. The seal is preserved in exceptionally good condition. This is the king second seal discovered so far, but unlike the first one, this seal is preserved intact. It is made of lead, with an image of Jesus on one side and Mary on the other side. The archaeologists have dated it to the early years of King Simeon's rule.
This year, Shtereva's team has worked on an imposing building situated across from the throne hall in Veliki Preslav. Shtereva believes the facility was more than 20 metres tall. The front part was built with a colonnade. The building is yet to be dated. Its use remains unknown.
After the capital was moved to Veliko Turnovo, the facility was transformed into a residential area. Many handicraft workshops were built nearby. After the Balkans fell under Ottoman rule, the town faded, and this part of the capital of the medieval Bulgarian kingdom was transformed into a necropolis.
