Мозаичната икона „Св. Богородица Одигитрия” от Националния археологически музей в софия – история и реставрация
The Mosaic Icon of the Virgin Hodegetria from the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia – History and Restoration

Summary/Abstract: The mosaic icon of the Virgin Hodeghetria is part of the perma- nent exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia. Its beauty, skilful execution and mysterious past make it one of the rarest and most interesting icons in Bulgaria. The missing information about its author and donors leads to complicated research of icon’s history and provenience. Discovered in the present village of Eregli in Turkey and transferred to the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia in 1912, the icon was most probably produced in Constantinople in the late 13th or early 14th century. In ancient times Eregly was known as Heraclea Perinthus – the capital of Thrace - a harbour city of com- mercial importance at the junction of several great sea-routes. One of the theories for icon’s history involves its production in Constantinople and further transportation to Heraclea as a gift of supreme nobleman for the metropolitan’s church in the city. After several restoration interventions in the 20th century, the icon was restored again in 2010 -2011. The last restoration treatment acquired important information for the wood type, used for icon’s panel and for the pigments, used in icon’s frame colouring. Hundreds of original smalt and natural stone tesserae were revealed, hid- den during previous interventions under deep layers of wax.

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