Preliminary anthropological examinations of skeletal remains attributed to Bulgarian Tsar Samuel indicate that he died between the ages of 60 and 70, stood approximately 173 cm tall and suffered from several conditions that likely restricted his mobility in the final years of his life. Researchers also identified evidence of a forearm injury that severely impaired his left arm.
The findings were presented by scientists from the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS) and the BAS Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum at a news conference at the Bulgarian News Agency’s (BTA) National Press Club in Sofia on Thursday.
NAIM-BAS Director Hristo Popov said the return of the remains to Bulgaria was the result of years of work by researchers and scientific institutions. Professor Lyudmil Vagalinski has been involved in the research for more than 15 years and previously examined the remains in Thessaloniki alongside anthropologist Viktoria Ruseva and the late Yordan Yordanov.
Evidence of Illness and Injury
The preliminary examinations were conducted at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, where the remains had been kept before their transfer to Bulgaria.
Over one week, researchers studied skeletal material from four burial structures in the Basilica of St Achillios on an island in Small Prespa Lake.
The remains attributed to Samuel, found in a sarcophagus designated Gamma, show degenerative changes including spinal spondylosis, osteoarthritis affecting the limbs and inflammation around the joints.
According to Ruseva, these conditions likely caused considerable pain and difficulty moving, although historical sources describe Samuel as a ruler who accompanied his army on military campaigns.
Researchers also identified a forearm fracture that had resulted in the formation of a false joint, a condition known as pseudarthrosis, causing severe impairment of the left arm.
Remains of Other Adults and Children
The examination also yielded information about individuals buried in the other sarcophagi.
Sarcophagus Alpha contained a bone fragment belonging to a child estimated to have been between seven and 14 years old.
Incomplete skeletal remains of four individuals were identified in sarcophagus Beta: three men and a child. Two of the men were approximately 50 to 60 years old, while the third was between 18 and 25.
Of particular interest were remains in sarcophagus Delta associated with Gavril Radomir, Samuel’s son and successor.
The remains indicate a man approximately 170 cm tall, with relatively well-developed musculature, who was estimated to have been between 45 and 50 years old, possibly older.
Researchers identified evidence of tooth loss during life, changes affecting the lower jaw and spine, and injuries to the lower leg and skull. The head injury was not life-threatening, and the healing of some injuries suggests that medical care may have been provided.
Doctoral researcher Donika Yordanova also identified remains of at least eight children, aged between three months and five years, in the same sarcophagus. The bones were fragmented and mixed, requiring researchers to establish the minimum number of individuals by comparing their anatomical characteristics, size and development.
DNA Testing and Further Research
Following the transfer of the remains to Bulgaria, researchers plan to develop a broader scientific programme involving Bulgarian and international specialists.
The planned work includes radiocarbon dating, ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope studies and a new reconstruction of Samuel’s head.
Genetic testing will seek to establish the sex of the children and possible family relationships among those buried in the basilica. Researchers also hope to determine whether the children found in sarcophagus Delta shared the same mother and to investigate possible genetic links with ancient populations from present-day Armenia and Central Europe.
Stable isotope analysis could provide information about the individuals’ diets and geographical origins, including whether they spent their early years in a different environment from the one in which they were buried.
Ruseva cautioned that extracting usable DNA from ancient skeletal remains is difficult because genetic material deteriorates over time. Earlier conservation treatments applied to the bones attributed to Samuel present an additional obstacle.
Small bone samples have already been sent to laboratories in Germany, including Mainz and Bonn. Researchers will assess the scope for further examination once the results are available. At present, there are no plans to open the sarcophagus and remove the bones.
At least four individuals are expected to be selected for more detailed genetic profiling, although obtaining complete genetic profiles from all the remains may not be possible.
Researchers Caution Against Overreliance on DNA Results
Vagalinski and Popov stressed that DNA testing should not be regarded as the sole means of identifying the remains.
They said the attribution of the remains to Samuel was based on a combination of historical, archaeological and anthropological evidence, and that future genetic findings would need to be interpreted alongside the existing research.
Vagalinski noted that even suitable ancient DNA samples do not always yield reliable results and that repeated testing may be necessary. Radiocarbon dating also has limitations and must be assessed in the context of other evidence.
The researchers said international cooperation and additional funding would be required for the planned analyses. Under an optimistic scenario, publication of the results could take two to three years.
Remains Returned to Bulgaria
The remains attributed to Samuel were formally handed over to Bulgaria by Greece at a ceremony at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki on October 3.
They were discovered in 1969 by Greek archaeologist Nikolaos Moutsopoulos at the Basilica of St Achillios on Small Prespa Lake. Under an agreement between Sofia and Athens, Bulgaria transferred 48 ecclesiastical relics to Greece in exchange for the remains.
The remains arrived in Bulgaria aboard a Spartan military transport aircraft on October 3 and were placed in a specially commissioned marble sarcophagus at St Sofia Basilica in the capital.
Samuel ruled Bulgaria from 997 until his death in 1014, during a prolonged struggle against the Byzantine Empire. Following the Battle of Kleidion on July 29, 1014, Byzantine Emperor Basil II reportedly ordered thousands of captured Bulgarian soldiers to be blinded. According to historical accounts, Samuel died on October 6 that year, shortly after seeing the surviving soldiers return.
Preliminary Examination of Tsar Samuel’s Remains Reveals Chronic Illnesses, Severe Arm Injury THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-08 10:58:42
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