Part of the library of the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman was found by prof. Nikolai Ovcharov during excavations near the church “Saints Petar and Pavel” in Veliko Tarnovo. South of the walls of the church, the archaeologists found a massive bronze lock that was used to seal the covers of a big book. At first, scientist though that it was a coincidence.

Several days later however, about 20 cm. below the surface, they found a massive silver case that was used to decorate the covers of a book, most probably part of the library of tsar Shishman. The case is decorated with an archangel, azures and curves.

Archaeologists consider it to be part of the tsar’s library, because several other documentary sources from witnesses, later cited by the likes of G. S. Rakovski, Pencho Slaveikov and Marin Drinov, mention that the tsar’s books were kept somewhere in this part of Tarnovo.