The Helvetia Tomb, Shipka

On July 29, 1996 a Thracian tomb of the 4th century BC was uncovered near the town of Shipka, in the south foothills of the Balkan Range. The tomb was discovered by the participants in the Temp-96 archeological expedition, headed by Senior Research Associate Mr. Georgi Kitov. Large regular stones were used to build the tomb, situated five meters underground. The metal part of a Roman soldier's shoe found at the site indicates that the tomb may have been plundered as early as in Roman times. The Shipka Tombs are seven in total on an area of Central Bulgaria considered to have been the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
The archeologists, who made this discovery, decided to name the tomb Helvetia (the ancient name of Switzerland), as a sign of gratitude to the Swiss Government which donated sufficient funds for the expedition.