Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an ancient European country founded in 681 AD on the Balkan peninsular. Historical and archeological study of the country would play a crucial role in discovering details about its rich heritage. The Ottoman rule during nearly 5 ages (1393-1878) was an impediment which have caused slowdown in various economic and social aspects one of which was the cultural and respectively scholarly development of the country.

After the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, several Czech scholars and intellectuals laid the foundations of modern Bulgarian archeology. Brothers Karel and Hermengild Shkorpil were among those scholars.

Shkorpil Brothers

Karel Shkorpil

Karel Shkorpil (15 May 1859 – 9 March 1944) was a Czech-Bulgarian archaeologist and museum worker credited along with his brother Hermann with the establishment of those two disciplines in Bulgaria.

May 15th 1859: Born in the city of Vysoke Myto (then in Austria-Hungary, now part of the Czech Republic).

He finished high school in Pardubice before graduating from the Charles University and the Technical University in Prague.

In 1881 he moved to what was then Eastern Rumelia* and now Republic of Bulgaria to work as a high-school teacher in the Bulgarian cities of Plovdiv and other towns in Bulgaria. (In1885 Eastern Rumelia was united with the Principality of Bulgaria to form the united Bulgarian republic).

Karel Skorpil came to be interested in archeology during his practice a young teacher. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he published around 150 works. Some of these he wrote alone and some in collaboration with his brother.

He discovered and headed the excavations of the medieval Bulgarian castles at Pliska, Preslav and Madara; he also unearthed the prehistoric stilt houses in Lake Varna, among others.

Died in Varna on March 9th 1944 and was buried among the ruins of the ancient Bulgarian capital Pliska.

Hermann Shkorpil

Hermann Shkorpil (8 February 1858 – 25 June 1923) was a Czech scientist, an associate of his brother Karel Shkorpil during the archaeological excavations in Bulgaria.

February 8th 1858: Born in the city of Vysoke Myto (then in Austria-Hungary, now part of the Czech Republic).

He finished high school in Chrudim and Pardubice and graduated from the Technical University in Prague and in natural sciences from the University of Leipzig.

Since 1880, he worked at secondary schools in Bulgaria. During that time he dealt with the exploration and description of flora, geology and mineral wealth of Bulgaria. Several plant species are named after him.

Herman Shkorpil published the first summary of mineral treasures in Bulgaria with a geologic map.

In 1884 he founded a museum in Sliven, as well as a museum of natural sciences in Ruse in 1902.

From 1906 to his death he was the curator of the Varna Archaeological Museum that for decades since has been the basic motivating power for interest and study in the history of Varna, Varna Region, and Northeast Bulgaria.

Died 25th 1923 in Varna.

Vladislav Skorpil

Vladislav Skorpil (15 November 1953 - 27 December 1918) was the eldest brother Skorpil who worked for some time in Bulgaria.Vladislav Skorpil didn't left much trace in Bulgaria except the first book on archaeology

All research by the Skorpil brothers was self-funded and all unearthed monuments have been preserved in Bulgaria.

Introduction to archaeology work in Bulgaria

In the 1880s two Czech brothers, Karel and Hermengild Skorpil took part in excavations of ancient sites in Bulgaria and contributed significantly to the establishing of archaeology in the country.

In the 19th century two thirds of the founders of Bulgarian archaeology were Czechs.

After settling in the Bulgarian town of Varna Karel Skorpil started to systematically inspect north-eastern Bulgaria. The ruins at Aboba impressed him deeply. He visited them repeatedly and the views of the large stone fortress and, especially, of the earthen ramparts made him ask himself whether this town was in existence even before its mentioning in the X c. and whether the older capital of Bulgaria, prior to Preslav, was here. His view was a heresy at the time when it was thought that Preslav was the only capital of the First Bulgarian kingdom.

Karel and Hermengild Shkorpil brothers are the first to document precisely numerous archaeological sites and monuments scattered throughout Bulgaria, and engaged professional excavations.

The main contribution of brothers Shkorpil to Bulgarian archeology received great recognition of the Bulgarian people. The two brothers were so devoted to their work in Bulgaria that according to their will they were buried in the country.

Final notes of the author

Ancient past calls for consistent archeological study. Both governmentally funded and non-governmental organizations can contribute to the funding and development of archeological excavations and study in Bulgaria.