Perperikon discovery of imperial seal reveals 13th-century history

Archaeologists at the Perperikon site in Bulgaria have discovered a unique imperial personal seal that provides significant insight into 13th-century relations between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The seal is believed to have belonged to Irina Doukaina Komnene Laskarina, a highly influential Byzantine empress.

Professor Nikolay Ovcharov, who has led excavations at the site for 26 years, noted that the find is exceptionally rare, being only the fifth such seal discovered globally. The artifact is linked to pivotal historical events, including the establishment of the Bulgarian Patriarchate in 1235 and diplomatic negotiations following Tsar Ivan Asen II’s victory at Klokotnitsa in 1230. It may also relate to marriage negotiations between the families of Ivan Asen II and the Nicaean Emperor John III Vatatzes.

The discovery highlights the strategic importance of Perperikon, which sat on the border between the Bulgarian Kingdom and the Nicaean Empire. This find follows other recent major discoveries at the site, including a Roman-period mausoleum-rotunda and a massive rock-cut sarcophagus, which are part of a representative necropolis near the ancient city’s main road.