Archaeologists at Perperikon have unearthed new discoveries, shedding further light on the site's medieval past. Professor Nikolay Ovcharov, who leads the ongoing excavations, shared details on Bulgarian National Television, highlighting recent findings such as residential dwellings and remnants of medieval warfare.

In the southern section of the site, a cluster of homes dating from the 13th to 14th century has been uncovered. These dwellings were dug directly into the earth and constructed using stones from ancient religious structures in the area. Ovcharov noted that his team informally refers to the area as “The City of the Hobbits,” due to the small, humble nature of the homes. The graves of residents were found inside the very spaces where they once lived, pointing to the difficult living conditions and poverty of the inhabitants.

The same sector of the site features a large necropolis from the same period, confirming that this part of the medieval settlement likely housed its poorest residents. Despite this, Perperikon maintained its importance as a bishopric and strategic centre during the 14th century, as evidenced by repeated military struggles between the Bulgarian and Byzantine empires for control over the city.

A significant military artifact was also recovered this excavation season - a 15-kilogram stone projectile believed to have been used in a ballista, a type of medieval catapult. Such weapons were employed during 13th–14th-century conflicts. Referencing the Byzantine historian Niketas Choniates, Ovcharov remarked that these weapons served a similar role to today’s advanced missile systems, with projectiles that shattered on impact to maximize damage.

The current focus of the excavation is the area between Perperikon’s Acropolis and the Great Basilica. The team, which is conducting Bulgaria’s largest archaeological campaign this year, has been on-site for two months. So far, their efforts have concentrated on the medieval layers. Beneath these, however, lie older Roman-era and early Christian layers, including paved streets, plazas, and a monumental 6th-century basilica.

Perperikon, located in the Eastern Rhodope mountains around 15 kilometers northeast of Kardzhali, sits atop a 470-meter-high rocky ridge historically considered sacred. The site is known as the largest megalithic complex in the Balkans. Archaeological evidence traces its use back 8,000 years, with layers of construction and habitation left behind by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, and medieval Bulgarians.