Research division
Cultural-historical Heritage and National Identity
Institutes and Academic Specialized Units
Mario Ivanov
Scientific secretary of division 8. Cultural-historical heritage and national identity
mivanov@cu.bas.bg
National Archaeological Institute with Museum
The research in this division is aimed at studying, preserving and popularizing the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage as part of the common European cultural tradition and history.
The main spheres of research in the humanities are: Bulgarian studies, Balkan history, Thracology, Cyrillo-Methodian Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Historiography, Medievalism, Musicology, Dramatic Art, Fine Arts, Screen Arts, Architecture, Ethnology, Folklore, Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology , Museology and others.
Information technologies, electronic publishing and digitization of bulk information of the cultural, historical and scientific heritage are implemented, and digital repositories are created to systematize the samples of this heritage and to make effective access to them.
Planned, rescue and emergency archaeological researches and field studies are carried out, and active participation is taken in the preparation to realize national infrastructure projects – highways, gas pipelines, oil pipelines, coal and mineral mining as well as in projects related to the organization of cultural tourism.
Analyses of phenomena related to ancient, medieval, traditional, new, contemporary and modern culture in the context of its specific role in building national, Balkan and European identities in a globalizing world are made.
News
“Germany in Dialogue: Cultural Exchange in a European Context” discussion
A public meeting-discussion on “Germany in Dialogue: Cultural Exchange in a European Context” was held at the “Prof. Alexander Fol” Institute of Balkan Studies with the Centre of Thracology at BAS (IBSCT-BAS). It is part [...]
Presentation of the “Living Bridges Across Time” collection
The "Living Bridges Across Time. 12th Joint Conference of Bulgarian and North American Scholars / Живи мостове във времето XII-та съвместна конференция на български и американски учени " collection was presented at the Institute of [...]
Linguistic data for the development of language technologies and AI-based tools discussed at BAS
The importance of linguistic data for the development of language technologies and tools based on artificial intelligence is discussed by experts from Bulgarian technology companies, public administration and academia at a seminar held today at [...]
BAS celebrates 140 years of the Unification with the means of art
The “Unification - 140 Years Later” documentary film was presented at an academic event held on October 2 at the “Prof. Marin Drinov” Hall of BAS. The film is based on a script by Dimitar [...]
Language challenges for old and young at the Language Fair
The team of the “Prof. Lyubomir Andreychin” Institute for Bulgarian Language helped over 100 visitors of different ages to cope with various language "challenges" related to the use of the Bulgarian language during this year's [...]
Scientific forum at BAS on the occasion of three notable anniversaries
1160 years since the conversion of Bulgarians, 1170 years since the creation of the Glagolitic alphabet and 1140 years since the Dormition of St. Methodius The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is hosting a scientific forum [...]
The Treaty of Craiova is the topic of an international conference in Sofia
The Vice-President of BAS Prof. Shtelian Shterionov welcoms the participants The International Scientific Conference "The Treaty of Craiova - Diplomacy instead of Violence. The Intertwinning Histories of the Balkans and Europe" was officially opened today [...]
Archaeological exhibition presents Slatina-Sofia 8000 years ago
An archaeological exhibition on the life of the earliest settlement in the Sofia Valley, established by the first farmers and cattle breeders in Europe at the end of the 7th millennium BC and inhabited for [...]
Six BAS Institutes Participate in the Second Stage of “Heritage BG”
The Vice-President of BAS Prof. Emmanuel Moutafov participated in the inauguration of the second stage of the “Heritage BG” Centre of Excellence project. The event was held at the Egg of Sofia University "St. [...]
Conference on the occasion of the 140th Anniversary of the Unification of the Principality of Bulgaria with Eastern Rumelia with the participation of historians from BAS
With a solemn scientific session, the Institute for Historical Studies and the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Faculty of History and the Faculty of Geology [...]
3D models and virtual reality revive the most ancient urban centre in Europe Provadia-Solnitsata
A large-scale project related to the cultural and historical heritage of the archaeological complex Provadia-Solnitsata - one of the largest prehistoric sites in Bulgaria and the most ancient saltworks and urban center in Europe, has [...]
Worthy participation of BAS at a congress in the Sorbonne
The 17th International Congress of Slavists is taking place between 25 and 30 August 2025 at the Sorbonne, Paris. Scientists from different units of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are participating in the programme of [...]
New exhibition presents objects from a Thracian burial
The President of BAS, Corr. Memb. Evelina Slavcheva, opened "The Glitter of Hellenistic Gold. The Lord of Sakar" exhibition. The official ceremony was held on August 12 at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum [...]
The National Festival of Folklore in Koprivshtitsa has kept the tradition for 60 years
Scientists from the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum in partnership with the Institute of Art Studies jury and document the program of the assembly The Vice-President of BAS Prof. Emmanuel [...]
The restored second statue of Heraclea Sintica – for the first time in the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of BAS
The fully restored second ancient marble statue of Heraclea Sintica was shown for the first time to the public at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of BAS (NAIM-BAS) - upright, fortified and with its [...]
“Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age” scientific conference held at BAS
The Institute of Balkan Studies & Center of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) held a scientific conference with international participation on the "Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age" theme. It was organized [...]
Exhibition presents artefacts from Heraclea Sintica in the Greek city of Dion
The "Secrets and Mysteries of Heraclea Sintica - a journey in time" exhibition of the History Museum - Petrich is presented within the framework of the "Olympus" festival which is held in the Greek [...]
Interactive exhibition in Berlin of the Institute of Art Studies
In July and August, the "Architectural Heritage in Virtual Reality" exhibition realized by the Institute of Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and within the National Scientific Programme for the Development and Recognition [...]
Meeting-discussion “Greece’s culture is far more than the Acropolis” held at BAS
A public meeting-discussion on "Greece's culture is far more than the Acropolis" was held today at the “Acad. Ivan E. Geshov" Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It is part of a series of [...]
Old Bulgarian translated texts in focus at an international conference at the University of Naples “L’Orientale”
Leading specialists from ten European countries gathered at the University of Naples “L’Orientale” (24-26 June 2025) to discuss issues related to the transmission of Old Bulgarian translations from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age. [...]
Honorable mentions for Prof. Aleksander Naumow from Bulgaria and Poland
With a particularly solemn and lavish ceremony, according to its centuries-old tradition, on 24 June Jagiellonian University renewed the doctorate of the doyen of Polish Paleo-Slavic studies, Bulgarian and Cyrillo-Methodian studies, Prof. Aleksander Naumow - [...]
Prof. Emmanuel Moutafov opens a conference at Sofia University
The Vice-President of BAS Prof. Emmanuel Moutafov has opened today the Fifth Annual Scientific Conference of the Centre of Excellence "Heritage BG" in his capacity as R&D Coordinator of the eponymous project for the construction [...]
Presentation of the book “Macedonia in European Ethnic Cartography (Mid-19th Century – End of the First World War 1918)”
The book "Macedonia in European Ethnic Cartography (Mid-19th century - the end of the First World War 1918)" (Македония в европейската етническа картография (Средата на XIX в. – края на Първата световна война 1918 [...]
BAS scientist with prestigious film award
The Grand Prix of the "The Golden Linden" International Film Festival for New European Cinema 2025 has gone to the film "Before I Forget" (2024, director Stanislav Donchev). Co-writer and co-producer of the film is [...]