A lost temple dedicated to the Greek and Roman god Apollo may be hiding in Sozopol, Bulgaria, known in ancient times as Apollonia Pontica - ‘Apollonia on the Black Sea’.
Archaeologists with the Apollonia Pontica Excavation Project have been exploring the ancient city of Sozopol, Bulgaria. Their findings of temples, altars and artifacts suggest the area, and potentially an island off the coast, hides a lost temple to the patron god of the sun, music, poetry, art, medicine, light and knowledge, according to Popular Archaeology.
In 2009, Professor Krastina Panayotova from the Archaeology Institute of Bulgaria began excavations in Sozopol, but from 2013 the researchers focused most of their attention on a small island off the Black Sea coast.
The tiny island of St. Kirik is connected to Sozopol by a breakwater, and still hosts the ruins of a medieval monastery. Bulgarian news website The Sofia Echo reports that the remains of buildings gave researchers a look into one of the only ancient Greek colonies in Bulgaria, writing, “There was evidence of rituals performed in honor of the goddesses Demeter (of grain and harvests) and Persephone (goddess of the underworld, daughter of Demeter and Zeus). These finds included small jugs, amphoras and ceramic figurines.” Other artifacts excavated included bronze arrow points, fishing gear, and tools for fabric-making.