Honorary plaque of BAS – gold for the National Archaeological Institute with Museum

A celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Archaeological Institute of BAS was held in the Central Hall of the National Archaeological Museum. It is the oldest scientific institute in Bulgaria, established by decree of Tsar Boris III on 16 July 1921.

 

In 1947, the Institute was incorporated into the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), and in the following year, by a decree of the Council of Ministers, it was united with the National Museum into one institution under the name of the Archaeological Institute with Museum. The present name of the institution, the National Archaeological Institute with Museum (NAIM) at BAS, was determined at a General Assembly of BAS in 2007.

The Institute organizes and manages methodologically all field research in the country, including planned and rescue excavations. All archaeological field studies conducted in the country are reported in the structure of the NAIM, said the Director of NAIM at BAS Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Popov.   With each passing year the number of our projects is increasing, and we are acquiring a huge volume of information which we process, analyze and promote. We work with institutions and organizations that support, partner and fund us. I can boldly boast that in recent years we have achieved very high professional standards and deservedly justify the title “the largest research institution for archaeology in Southeast Europe”, said Assoc. Prof. Popov.

On behalf of the Head of State Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova presented the NAIM with a plaque “St. St. Cyril Methodius” for its outstanding contribution to Bulgarian science and for its leading role in the processes of preserving and promoting the country’s cultural heritage.

At the official celebration the President of BAS Prof. Julian Revalski, Full Member of the Academy, presented an honorary plaque of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – gold to the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of BAS. The award is for its outstanding contribution to the study and promotion of the archaeological heritage of the Bulgarian lands and in connection with the 100th anniversary of the Bulgarian Archaeological Institute.

The celebration is a good occasion to recall that the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at BAS is not only the largest scientific institution on the Balkans and in Southeast Europe, specialized in the field of archaeology, but also a major expert center which is devotedly and responsibly working for the preservation of our cultural memory, said in his address Prof. Revalski.

Vice President Iliana Iotova, Minister of Culture prof. Velislav Minekov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Prof. Neli Koseva, the President of BAS Prof. Julian Revalski, the Dean of the Faculty of History of SU “Kliment Ohridski” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mira Markova and the Head of Department “Archaeology” Prof. Kostadin Rabadjiev delivered welcoming speeches.

The National Archaeological Institute works on the comprehensive study of the material and spiritual culture of the tribes and peoples who inhabited the present-day Bulgarian lands from the earliest antiquity until the 17th century and is the national centre and coordinator of all field archaeological studies on the territory of Bulgaria. Its structure includes six sections: Prehistory, Thracian Archaeology, Ancient Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Numismatics and Epigraphy, Interdisciplinary Studies and Archaeological Map of Bulgaria and two branches: in Shumen and in Veliko Tarnovo, established in the 1970s by a decision of the Council of Ministers and with the main objective – research of the old Bulgarian capitals.

The National Archaeological Institute is a preferred partner of foreign universities and research centres throughout Europe, Japan and Canada. Together with these institutions, numerous international projects have been carried out to explore and preserve the European cultural and historical heritage in Bulgarian lands, some of which are still ongoing.

See more at http://www.naim.bg/