On 16 July 2026 Dr. Kamen Boyadzhiev, Associate Professor at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, affiliate of the Balkan Heritage Foundation, and dig director and field‑school coordinator at Tell Yunatsite, delivered the public lecture “50 Years of Archaeological Research at Tell Yunatsite (1976–2026): Half a Century of Discoveries from the Depths of Time”. The event, organized by the Regional History Museum of Pazardzhik, celebrated a major milestone in the study of one of the most important prehistoric sites in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe. Attendees learned about key discoveries from five decades of continuous investigation and the site’s contribution to understanding some of Europe’s earliest complex societies.

As a long‑standing partner in research and education at Tell Yunatsite, three representatives of the Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF) joined colleagues, researchers, students, and members of the public to commemorate the anniversary.

Tell Yunatsite is one of Bulgaria’s largest prehistoric tells. While it preserves multiple occupation layers, the thickest deposits date to the Copper and Bronze Age (c. 5000–2000 BCE). Excavations have shown that in the 5th millennium BCE the tell formed the elevated, fortified core of a much larger settlement. Copper‑age structures and artifacts — including a fortification wall with a moat and numerous buildings — testify to a highly developed material and spiritual culture. The site has also produced some of the earliest European evidence for processed gold, surgical amputation, and wine maceration.

Since 2013 the BHF has supported the tell through multiple initiatives:

• Financial support for excavation and research (totaling 200 000 EUR for 2013–2019 and 2022–2026), donations of equipment, and exchange of specialists.
• Organization of the annual field school “Tell Yunatsite Excavations – Seeking Europe’s First Civilization”, in collaboration with the research team, the Regional History Museum of Pazardzhik, and academic partners (New Bulgarian University, Institute for Field Research, Anthropocene Research Center). Over 12 field‑school seasons (2013–2019 and 2022–2026) the program welcomed 116 students and volunteers from around the world.
• Publication: a free online book by Dr. Yavor Boyadzhiev and Dr. Kamen Boyadzhiev reviewing the history of archaeological investigation at the site, with emphasis on Chalcolithic research carried out between 2000 and 2020.
• Organization, together with the Regional History Museum of Pazardzhik, of six exhibitions titled “Preserving the Past, Looking to the Future”, showcasing finds from BHF‑supported archaeological and conservation projects. Artifacts from Tell Yunatsite were displayed in six Bulgarian museums between 2018 and 2022.
• Initiation of discussions on conservation and presentation of the site with the Regional History Museum of Pazardzhik and the research team from the National Archaeological Institute and Museum. In 2019 BHF invited US conservator Michael Morris as consultant and introduced architectural studio Atelier 3 as a potential designer. Atelier 3 completed a conservation and presentation design in 2020 with funding from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture; implementation is hoped for in the coming years.

BHF congratulates the Regional History Museum of Pazardzhik, the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and all researchers and field‑school participants for fifty years of successful archaeological exploration at Tell Yunatsite. We look forward to continuing our support for research, education, and international engagement at this extraordinary site.