The Seal of Tervel
For 1300 years, a forgotten medieval seal guarded the only surviving portrait of a Bulgarian ruler who changed the course of world history. Our journey uncovers how this unique artifact reached Washington, who protects it today, and what astonishing secrets it still holds.
A documentary that blends science, history, and adventure
Two Bulgarian researchers at Harvard gain rare access to one of the most important artifacts of early medieval Europe -
the Seal of Tervel.
What begins as a simple documentation mission quickly becomes an epic international historical investigation filled with startling questions: Does a symbol on the seal point to an ancient burial and the DNA of the Dulo dynasty - the founders of three countries in Europe? Could cutting-edge DNA labs finally reveal the origins of the Bulgarian people? Was Tervel - ruler of Bulgaria and Caesar of Rome - also the first Bulgarian saint? Could artificial intelligence reconstruct his true face? Can advanced lasers decode invisible inscriptions on the rock of the Madara Rider? Was Pliska once the largest city in early medieval Europe? And where is the lost crown of the Bulgarian kings?
The Seal of Tervel blends history, science, and adventure, using the expertise of leading scholars and the latest technology to unravel mysteries that challenge long-held assumptions about identity, heritage, and the roots of European civilization.
This is the astonishing story of a mysterious seal - and of the ruler who saved Europe.