One year after the death of Dr. Geogri Kitov, the state of the Bulgarian archaeology is in many
cases unchanged and in the same time, transformed. Here is the overview of
these events:
What is the same?
The TEMP Expedition (Thracian Expedition for Burial Mounts
Research), created and managed in the past by Dr. Kitov, continues to make sensational
discoveries. In August 2009, a very rich burial mound with gold wreath and
other precious objects were found near Sliven by Diana Dimitrova, the spouse of
Dr. Kitov and his colleague in the Temp expedition. Under her management, the expedition continues to perform
the best research in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Other archeological discoveries of great importance for the
research of the Thracian Civilization were made by archeologists in Bulgaria.
Dr. Gergana Kabakchieva discovered a unique stelae near Montana with
inscriptions revealing vast amount of information about the customs and
traditions of the Thracians. Dr. Diana Gergova discovered a spectacular
sanctuary of the Thracians in the mountains near Velingrad - a site so big and interesting that is
rivaling only Perperikon.
What is different?
The new Bulgarian government appointed an archaeologist and
renowned fighter against the illicit trade of antiquities, Dr. Todor Chobanov,
as Deputy Minister of Culture. With his help, and the newly changed Law for
Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bulgaria, the illicit digging and looting of
Thracian archaeological sites will be way more difficult for the treasure
hunters than it was before – a cause to which Dr. Kitov was totally dedicated.
The Alexandrovo Tomb (UNESCO Tentative List), discovered by
Dr. Georgi Kitov has a new museum and a copy. Thanks to the Bulgarian and
Japanese governments, and Haskovo Municipality, another gem of the Thracian
civilization is accessible to the public.
A spectacular selection of Thracian treasures from the Bojkov Collection was exhibited with enormous success in the Museum of the East, Moscow, Russia. In the same time, the exhibition of Thracian Gold from the Bulgarian museums, which was visiting Tokyo, Japan, came back to Bulgaria after a year of very successful showing in the country of the rising sun.
Many of these events wouldn’t be possible
without Dr. Kitov’s passionate dedication to the Thracian civilization. That is
why many of them were dedicated to his memory. Let’s join all organizations and
individuals in remembering the achievements of this larger than life man and
brilliant archaeologist.
