Archar (village)

The town of Archar is located in the Archar river in the Vidin province, Bulgaria.[1] The town is an archaeological site as it is located at the site of the ancient city of Ratiaria.[2][3] Archar has a fair which is held on the first Saturday and Sunday of every August.

An image of the town

History

The town was founded in the second century as Ratiaria during the Roman empire. It was originally a Roman military fort. Ratiaria would become the capital of Dacia under the reign of Aurelian. The fort was sacked by the Huns in 440 or 441 and the Avars took the fort in 586.[3] In 1883 a school was opened in the town. Later, in 1898 a neoclassical community center was built. After the Balkan War began in 1912, 2 people from Archar, or as it was known then, Archar, volunteered to fight in the war. In 1923 the Communist government of Bulgaria evicted 11 people, or 3 families from Archar. In 1939 the town changed its name from Akchar to Archar. A Labor Cooperative Agricultural Farm was established in 1945. The agricultural farm was one of the earliest in the Vidin province. From 1981 to 1991 archaeological excavations were carried out in the village by a team of Bulgarians and Italians. The excavations were carried out by the Archaeological Institute and Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as well as the Department of Ancient History at the University of Bologna. The excavation continued until they lost their funding in the early 90's. After 1989 more the 60% of the town's population emigrated. Many of the people remaining in the town lost their jobs. The town mainly subsisted off treasury raids, which lead to the destruction of parts of the ruins of Ratiaria. Including the icons left by Tsar Boris III.[4][5][6]

Geography

The town is on the Vidin-Lom road in the Vidin province. It is located at the confluence of the Archar river. It is known among the locals as the Archaritsa river. The Barzartsi river also passes through the town.[7] Archar is located 28 km from Vidin. Archar has four neighborhoods. Bulgarian, Turkish, Gypsy and Koritarska neighborhoods.

Demographics

According to the census of Bulgaria:

1934 1946 1956 1965 1975 1985 1992 2001 2011
4,028 4,139 3,990 3,577 3,352 3,051 3,009 2,624 2,370

Populations by age group:

0 – 4 5 – 9 10 – 14 15 – 19 20 – 24 25 – 29 30 – 34 35 – 39 40 – 44 45 – 49 50 – 54 55 – 59 60 – 64 65 – 69 70 – 74 75 – 79 80 – 84 85+
171 167 117 155 177 128 142 131 159 134 136 140 166 140 106 95 69 37

Culture

On the first Saturday and Sunday of August a fair is held. People come from the neighboring towns, which revives the trade of the town for 2–3 days. The town has a Soccer club that was once called Leviski. Its current name is Ratiaria.[4][5][6]

Archaeology

Gold artifacts and Roman coins have been found in the town. Most of the coins are of insignificant value. Fully preserved walls, remains of buildings, pottery, bowls, and pipes have also been found. The town is often the site of raids by treasure hunters.[4][5][6]

Notable people

References
  1. Mintschev, Alexander (2003). Early Christian reliquaries from Bulgaria (4th-6th century AD). Varna Regional Museum of History. ISBN 978-954-8196-18-5.
  2. Hoddinott, Ralph F. (1975). Bulgaria in Antiquity: An Archaeological Introduction. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-510-03281-4.
  3. Nicholson, Oliver (2018-04-19). The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-256246-3.
  4. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Turkish Mythology (page– 143)
  5. The Macedonian-Edirne Militia 1912 - 1913. Personnel ”, General Directorate of Archives, 2006, p. 826
  6. Gruev, Mikhail. Plowed syllables. Collectivization and social change in the Bulgarian northwest in the 40s - 50s of the XX century. Sofia, Ciela, 2009. ISBN 978-954-28-0450-5. pp. 111, 124, 206.
  7. "*** Guide Bulgaria *** - Village Archar". Guide Bulgaria. Retrieved 2021-02-18.

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