Rare Poison Ring, Chinese Jade Buckle Highlight Kaliakra Archaeological Exhibition

Jerusalem, 4 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Kavarna on the Black Sea (BTA) – The Relics of Kaliakra exhibition will open on Tuesday at the Archaeological Museum in Varna. Curated by Assoc. Prof. Boni Petrunova, Dr. Filip Petrunov, and Penko Georgiev, the exhibition features artifacts from the collection of the Kavarna History Museum and showcases some of the most remarkable discoveries from archaeological excavations at the medieval Bulgarian city over the past decade, the organizers said.

Among the highlights is the Poison Ring, a 14th-century bronze ring with a hidden compartment for poison. It is unique in the Balkans and believed to have been used in political assassinations. Another outstanding exhibit is a rare jade buckle, crafted in China during the Yuan Dynasty and brought to the Dobrudzha Despotate via the Golden Horde trade routes. Visitors can also see ornate enkolpion crosses, reliquary pendants used to hold sacred relics.

The exhibition will remain on display until the end of November.

Archaeological excavations at Kaliakra continue during this summer season through the end of August, with researchers having already uncovered a monastery complex believed to have housed clergy serving the fortress churches.