Near the village of Debelt, tourists can discover the Deultum archaeology preserve. The village is situated 17 km away from the coastal city of Bourgas.
Deultum preserves evidence of ancient times. Over a period of 2000 years, the region housed one of the most important economical centers of southeastern Thrace.
Oldest evidence of a settlement in the area dates back to the late Bronze Age or the 13th to 12th centuries BC. According to historians, the name of the first settlement was Dovelt meaning place between two swamps.
During the reign of emperor Vespasian, the region turned into a Roman veterans colony. The proximity to the sea and the availability of important roads turned the settlement into an important trade center. Its name changed to Deultum.
In the 4th century, Deultum turned into the fourth most important settlement in Haemimont province. Its name changed once again to Develt. The city expanded and got new fortress walls in the second half of the 5th century.
The city saw decline in the beginning of the 7th century. It became once again an important settlement under the reign of Bulgarian khans.
In 812, khan Kroum conquered the fortress and turned Develt into an important border point between Bulgaria and the Byzantine empire.
Archaeologists made early research in 1881 but serious work began in the region in 1980. Scientists found the walls of a medieval fortress, an ancient necropolis and a major public bath.
So far, archaeologists have discovered 20 facilities from various epochs and over 20 000 artifacts.
Excavation works are ongoing and archaeologists believe that many more discoveries are to be made in the region.