The decision of the Municipal Council from the Solemn Session on January 28, 2023 for Razgrad Day is for “outstanding achievements in the field of museum work and archeology and their contribution to national and world culture”
Archaeologist and long-time director of RHM – Razgrad Stoyan Stoyanov was posthumously awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of Razgrad”.
The decision of the Municipal Council was made at the Solemn Session on January 28, 2023 on the occasion of Razgrad Day with the motive: “for outstanding achievements in the field of museum work and archeology and their contribution to national and world culture”.
The proposal was made by an Initiative Committee of citizens, and at a solemn ceremony in the Municipal Cultural Center, Stoyanov’s two daughters – Veneta and Diana – received the award. It was presented to them by the mayor of Razgrad, Dencho Boyadjiev, and the chairman of the Municipal Council, Stoyan Nenchev.
Stoyan STOYANOV
/09.01.1930 – 26.11.2008 /
Stoyan Petkov Stoyanov is a long-time researcher of the ancient and early Byzantine city of Abritus. He is credited with saving the ancient city during the construction of the Penicillin Factory, as well as declaring Abritus an archaeological reserve.
His discovery was the largest in Bulgaria gold coin treasure of 835 solidi from the 5th century during excavations in Abritus, the Golden Pegasus near the village of Vazovo and the unique Thracian royal tomb near the village of Sveshtari.
He was born on 09.01.1930 in the village of Chudomir, Loznishka municipality. He graduated from higher education with a major in “Archaeology and Museum Work” at the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of St. Kliment Ohridski”. Specializes in Berlin – Pergamon Museum and Deutsche Müntzkabinet. In 1960, he started working in the Historical Museum – Razgrad. Director of the District History Museum – Razgrad until 1980.
Stoyan Stoyanov dedicates his efforts to the construction and development of museum work in the Razgrad region, the organization and large-scale archaeological research in the area and the establishment of independent departments at the Historical Museum – “Archaeology”, History of Bulgaria XV-XIX centuries”, “New History” and “Recent Story”.
His outstanding merit is the saving of the ancient city of Abritus during the construction of the Penicillin Plant. In 1984, Abritus, threatened by demolition and illegal constructions, was declared an archaeological reserve.
Stoyan Stoyanov organized the “Lom ’75” and “Lom ’76” expeditions led by Ara Margos to explore the rock monasteries along the valley of the Beli Lom River in the territory of Razgrad District, worked on the archaeological map of Razgrad District. With the assistance of Stoyan Stoyanov, two volumes summarizing the valuable research of Ara Margos, as well as six volumes with transcripts of documents about Razgrad from the 19th century, were compiled and prepared for printing.
The main efforts of Stoyan Stoyanov’s research activities are focused on the study of the military castle Abritus, during the excavations of which in 1971 he discovered the largest gold coin hoard in Bulgaria and the third in the world, consisting of 835 Byzantine solidi from the 5th century.
Two years later, in 1973, he came across another find unsurpassed in terms of its aesthetic value – a Golden Pegasus discovered in the land of the village of Vazovo, and with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture he managed to save the protome from being melted down.
The culmination of Stoyan Stoyanov’s research is undoubtedly the largest find on the Balkan Peninsula of stone molds for casting bronze weapons and insignia of power, found in the village of Pobit Kamak.
Stoyanov was the first among archaeologists in Bulgaria to apply geophysical methods in the study of archaeological sites. Thus, in 1982, he also discovered the unique Thracian royal tomb in Ginina mound near the village of Sveshtari. Only three and a half years later, the tomb was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Stoyan Stoyanov summarized his long-term scientific research in 30 articles published in collections and brochures, as well as in more than 300 popular scientific articles printed in the local press. Stoyan Stoyanov is the winner of the award named after Academician Ananie Yavashov of Razgrad Municipality.
And with a decision of the Municipal Council from the Solemn Session on January 28, 2023 on the occasion of Razgrad Day – January 28, for “exceptional achievements in the field of museum work and archeology and their contribution to national and world culture” he was posthumously awarded the title “Honorary citizen of Razgrad”.
