The 4th century BC tomb was opened by archaeologists in 2000 to reveal colorful wall murals depicting battle scenes, hunts and other activities. Right now, the most famous of these is the Alexandrovo Tomb in the municipality of Haskovo. It’s loaded with archaeological sites, especially from the Thracians, whose society entered its most influential period around 1000 BC.īy some estimates, Thracian burial mounds in Bulgaria number in the tens of thousands, and many contain artifacts and treasures.

The words “ancient history” probably don’t bring Bulgaria to mind, but perhaps they should. But current geopolitical issues do not diminish their historical importance, and we’d be remiss if we overlooked them. We recognize that some of these destinations are not recommended for tourists at the present time. Our definition of “ruins” includes some sites that are mere shadows of their glory days and others that have been protected or preserved since, virtually, the beginning of civilization. You’ll find these New World wonders on another list right here. That means you won’t find New World sites on this list. We’re abiding by the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “ancient” as history up to the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD. So, like archaeologists, we’re digging deep for a list of lesser-known ancient ruins. You don’t need us to call your attention to the Colisseum in Rome or the pyramids in Egypt. You’ll never equate “ancient” with “primitive” again. Ancient sites open your mind to just how old “old” can be and how sophisticated our ancient ancestors were in devising their artistic, engineering and construction methods.

Ancient Ruins by Benjamin Medrano