SOFIA.- A quiet stretch of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast has revealed one of its most intriguing secrets. After decades of speculation, forgotten historical notes, and scattered references in ancient texts, archaeologists from the National Historical Museum (NHM) have begun uncovering the long-lost fortress known as Erite (or Ereta). Mentioned by writers such as Pliny the Elder but never officially excavated, the site is finally emerging from obscurity thanks to a new, targeted scientific initiative.

The discovery comes on the heels of a successful underwater expedition near the mouth of the Kamchia River. Encouraged by those findings, an NHM team led by Prof. Dr. Ivan Hristov, with scientific consultant Prof. Dr. Sergey Torbatov, launched the first official archaeological excavations at the site between September and October 2025. Although the dig covered just 281 square meters, the results were exceptionally rich.

A Fortress Lost to Time — and Found Again

Erite appears in several ancient sources, including Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (written around AD 77), the Peutinger Map, and the Anonymous Ravenna Cosmography from the 7th century. Yet for centuries, its precise location remained uncertain. Scholars such as the Shkorpil brothers and later S. Pokrovski placed it near the Kamchia estuary, but no formal excavation had ever verified their claims.

The site’s complex modern history added to the difficulty. In the early 20th century, the Bulgarian army constructed an observation post and related infrastructure in the area. In 1942, a large concrete bunker was built in the southern part of the site. These interventions, along with vegetation and shifting sands, concealed the ancient remains for generations.

Walls, Towers, and Hidden Histories

The 2025 excavations uncovered 30 meters of fortress wall, preserved at an impressive width of 1.9 meters, along with remnants of a corner tower, two rectangular rooms attached to the inner wall, and twelve large pithoi (storage vessels). These finds suggest a fortified coastal settlement that played a strategic role during Late Antiquity.

Coins discovered at the site, issued by emperors from Arcadius to Heraclius, date the main occupation from the 4th to the early 7th century. Even more intriguing is evidence of an earlier wall beneath the later fortifications. A burnt layer filled with ceramics and coins indicates a significant destruction event, probably in the early 7th century.

A Window into Byzantine Coastal Defense

Prof. Hristov believes the fortress may have been part of the Quaestura Exercitus, an administrative and military region created in AD 536 to support coastal strongholds and supply stations. The large number of pithoi lining the inner wall strengthens this theory, suggesting the site served as a storage and provisioning center.

Archaeologists now say that not one, but three fortifications have been identified near the mouth of the Kamchia River. To distinguish the newly excavated site from another nearby stronghold, Prof. Hristov proposes naming it “Erite 2.”

A New Chapter for Bulgarian Archaeology

With the fortress, its associated port, and other structures now identified, the NHM team believes the Kamchia region may become one of Bulgaria’s most important archaeological areas. Much remains buried, and future excavation seasons promise even more discoveries.