Strahil Panayotov

chief. assist. prof., PhD

e-mail:
strahil(dot)panayotov(at)ihist(dot)bas(dot)bg
strahil(dot)panayotov(at)gmail(dot)com

ORCID 0000-0003-3577-2978
Web of Science ResearcherID AAX-2035-2021

Web Site: https://bas.academia.edu/StrahilPanayotov; http://auxiliary.ihist.bas.bg/cv_spanajotov.html

18 September 1981, Sofia

MAIN FIELDS OF RESEARCH

  1. Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic and their cuneiform Sources
  2. Historiography of Assyriology
  3. Ancient Near East – cuneiform philology and epigraphy

ACADEMIC COMPETENCIES AND CAREER

Еducation

2000-2002 – Ancient History and Egyptology (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

2003-2005 – Egyptology, Semitic Studies, Assyriology, Near Eastern Archaeology (Ruperto Carola Universität, Heidelberg)

2005-2006 – Assyriology and Egyptology (University of Toronto)

2006-2009 – Assyriology, Egyptology and Near Eastern Archaeology (Ruperto Carola Universität, Heidelberg)

22.10.2009 – Magister Artium in Assyriology, Egyptology and Near Eastern Archaeology (Ruperto Carola Universität, Heidelberg)

2010-2012 – PhD studies in Assyriology (Ruperto Carola Universität, Heidelberg)

2011-2012 – PhD studies and specialization in Babylonian Medicine and Magic (Freie Universität Berlin)

2013-2014 – PhD studies in Assyriology (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

17.03.2014 – PhD defence in Assyriology and Ancient History and Archaeology (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

Positions held

2022- Assistant Professor (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

2023 – 2020 Curator for Assyrian Medicine, British Museum, London

11.2018 – research assistant (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

07.–10.2018 – research assistant (Freie Universität Berlin)

2013-2018 – Postdoc in BabMed ERC Advanced Grant (Freie Universität Berlin)

01. – 07. 2013 Lecturer, Akkadian Language and cuneiform script. Arabistic and Semitology (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

01.–07.2010 – teaching assistant in foreign languages and cultures, egyptology (New Bulgarian University, Sofia)

2005-2009, 2011 Tutor Akkadian language, Heidelberg University.

Degree and academic rank

2022 Assistant Professor (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

2014 PhD (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

2018 – research assistant (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

Membership in academic organizations and associations

2013–2015, 2016, 2025 – The International Association for Assyriology

Membership in editorial and publishing boards

peer-reviewer Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes (2018)

peer-reviewer Ancient Near Eastern Studies (ANES) (2022)

peer-reviewer Journal of Cuneiform Studies (2025)

Specializations and fellowships

2024-2023 (Pforzheimer Fellowship Programme) – The Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS)

05-06. 2017 Dahlem Junior Host Program, Frei Universität Berlin

2012-2010 PhD stipend (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)

2009-2007 MA stipend (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)

03.2012 Cuneiform Research in Turkey, Istnabul and Ankara (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes and Heidelberg Graduate Academy)

08.-09. 2011 Cuneiform Research in VAM, Berlin and British Museum, London (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes and Heidelberg Graduate Academy)

07.-09.2008 Excavation in Tel Amarna, Syria (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)

05.2008 Travel Stipend in Turkey, Cilicia (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)

Projects

2010 – 2014 Norbert Gottstein, Assyrian Cuneiform Spotlight, BASF, Ludwigshafen / Ruperto Carola University Heidelberg, Germany

2010 – 2017 Aleka Strezova, Autobiography of Petar Mateev, Bulgarian Academy of Science Sofia, Bulgaria

2011 – 2018 Irving Finkel, Cuneiform Texts and Amulets, Department Middle East, British Museum London, United Kingdom

2012 – 2018 Henry Stadhouders, Mesopotamian Ritual Texts Egalkurra, Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Utrecht University, Netherlands

2013 – 2020 Markham J. Geller, Babylonian Magic and Medicine, University College London, United Kingdon and Annie Attia, Mesopotamian Eye Disease Texts, Babylonian Medicine, Histoire de la Mésopotamie, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Paris, France. Submitted Mesopotamian Eye Disease Texts for publication by de Gruyter.

2014 – 2018 Luděk Vacín, Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic, University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. Publication of Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic by Brill.

2014 – 2018 Ulrike Steinert, J. Cale Johnson, Eric Schmidtchen, Assur Medical Catalogue, BabMed, TOPOI, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Teaching

05-07.2016 Babylonian Magic and Medicine (Freie Universität Berlin)

01.-07.2013 Introduction into Akkadian Language (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)

01.-07.2010 History of Cuneiform and Akkadian Language (New Bulgarian University, Sofia)

2011, 2009-2007 (Ruperto Carola Universität, Heidelberg)

Languages

modern

fluent in: Bulgarian; German; English
reads: French, Italian, Russian

ancient

uses: Akkadian, Sumerian
studied: Middle/New Egyptian, Latin, Arabic

PUBLICATIONS [OA = open access]

NinMed – online editions of cuneiform medical texts. NinMed project, British Museum, Londodn, Wellcome Research Resources Grant

2020 – https://build-oracc.museum.upenn.edu/asbp/ninmed/pager
2020 – https://www.ebl.lmu.de/

Books

  1. Mesopotamian Eyes Disease Texts: The Nineveh Treatise. Die babylonisch-assyrische Medizin in Texten und Untersuchungen 10. de Gruyter [OA], 2020 [with M.J. Geller] ISBN 978-1-5015-0655-0
  2. Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston: Brill, 2018 [with L. Vacín] ISBN 978-90-04-36808-8
  3. Заедно с А. Стрезова. Петър Матеев. Автобиография, живот, спомени, дейност. София: Българска академия на науките. Проф. Марин Дринов
  4. Tаблички с дръжка (амулетни таблички) от Месопотамия – II-I хил. пр. Хр. София: Диомира, 2016 [OA] ISBN 978-954-2977-25-4
  5. Preprint: Die Lampe am Krankenbett. Untersuchungen zu altorientalischen Gebeten an den Lichtgott Nuska. Cuneiform Digital Library Preprints 4, 2016 [OA]
  6. Cuneiform Spotlight of the Neo- and Middle Assyrian Signs. Dresden: Islet, 2014 [with N. Gottstein†] [OA] ISBN 978-3-9814842-2-9

Papers

  1. Cuneiform Demons and Modern Viruses. Plague in Antiquity, edited by Andrew Jamieson, Caroline Tully and Louise Hitchcock. Leuven – Paris – Bristol, Ct.: Peeters: 109-124
  2. Witchcraft in Medicine: the Ashur Medical Catalogue and Relevant Nineveh Series Reexamined. Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes 41: 16-35.
  3. ‚Тhe Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia Overview – Reconstruction’, The Nineveh Medical Project, The Nineveh Medical Project, Department of the Middle East, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, 2022. [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/asbp/NinMed/whatisthenme/reconstructingnme/]
  4. ‘Regional connections’, The Nineveh Medical Project, The Nineveh Medical Project, Department of the Middle East, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, 2022 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/asbp/NinMed/historyofmedicine/regionalconnections/]
  5. ‘Liver as a cure for blindness’, The Nineveh Medical Project, The Nineveh Medical Project, Department of the Middle East, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, 2022 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/asbp/NinMed/historyofmedicine/liverforblindness/]
  6. ‘Surgery in Mesopotamia’, The Nineveh Medical Project, The Nineveh Medical Project, Department of the Middle East, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, 2022 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/asbp/NinMed/surgery/]
  7. Healing in Images and Texts: The Sickbed Scene. In Patients and Performative Identities: At the Intersection of the Mesopotamian Technical Disciplines and Their Clients, edited by J. Cale Johnson. Eisenbrauns, the Pennsylvania state university press. 129-158.
  8. Pros and Cons of Mesopotamian Medical Texts – in particular of Eye Disease Texts. Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes, 36: 1-9
  9. Magic and Medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia — A New Collection of Translations (Review article of JoAnn Scurlock, Sourcebook for Ancient Mesopotamian Medicine). Journal of the American Oriental Society 138.3: 567-573.
  10. Заедно с Henry Stadhouders, From Awe to Audacity, Stratagems for Approaching Authorities Successfully: The Istanbul Egalkura Tablet A 373. In Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller, ed. S.V. Panayotov and L. Vacín. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston: Brill: 623-697.
  11. Заедно с L. Vacín. Preface.In Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller, ed. S.V. Panayotov and L. Vacín. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston: Brill: xi-xv
  12. Заедно с L. Vacín. Bibliography of Markham J. Geller. In Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller, ed. S.V. Panayotov and L. Vacín. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston: Brill: xvii-xxx
  13. Заедно с M.J. Geller, J.C. Johnson, E. Schmidtchen, U. Steinert. The Assur Medical Catalogue. In Assyrian and Babylonian Scholarly Text Catalogues: Medicine, Magic and Divination, ed. U. Steinert. Die babylonisch-assyrische Medizin in Texten und Untersuchungen 9. de Gruyter: 207-217 [OA]
  14. Notes on the Assur Medical Catalogue with Comparison to the Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia. In Assyrian and Babylonian Scholarly Text Catalogues: Medicine, Magic and Divination, ed. U. Steinert. Die babylonisch-assyrische Medizin in Texten und Untersuchungen 9. de Gruyter: 88-118 [OA]
  15. Magico-Medical Plants and Incantations on Assyrian House Amulets. In Sources of Evil. Studies in Mesopotamian Exorcistic Lore, ed. G. Van Buylaere, M. Luukko, D. Schwemer and A. Mertens-Wagschal. Ancient Magic and Divination 15. Leiden – Boston: Brill: 192-222 [OA]
  16. Er darf keine Zwiebeln essen, (sonst) wird ihn ein Skorpion stechen Mesopotamischer magischer Kalender auf „Amulett-Tafeln“. In Texte, Medien, Kontexte, ed. J.E. Müller, C. Nouledo, and H. Stiemer. Münster: Nodus: 33-48
  17. Клинописните таблички от Котел. В А. Стрезова и С. Панайотов, Петър Матеев. Автобиография, живот, спомени, дейност.София: Българска академия на науките. Проф. Марин Дринов: 317-326 [OA]
  18. Eye Metaphors, Analogies and Similes within Mesopotamian Magico-Medical Texts. In The Comparable Body. Analogy and Metaphor in Ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman Medicine, ed. J.Z. Wee. Studies in Ancient Medicine 49. Leiden-Boston: Brill: 204-246 [OA]
  19. Mesopotamian Ghosts in a Modern Disguise. In Volume in Honour of Professor Peter Delev, ed. H. Popov and J. Tzvetkova. Sofia: St. Kliment Ochridski Press: 29-36 [OA]
  20. The Second Seal of Kabti-ilī-Marduk/Suhaya on a New Egibi Land Sale Contract. In From the Four Corners of the Earth. Studies in Iconography and Cultures of the Ancient Near East in Honour of F.A.M. Wiggermann, ed- D. Kertai and O. Nieuwenhuyse. Alter Orient und Altes Testament 441. Münster: Ugarit-Verlag: 153-163 [OA]
  21. How to cure a ‘headache’ in a Mesopotamian way? The Recipes Project – Food, Magic, Science, and Medicine[OA]
  22. Заедно с V. Alt, A. Borikova, M. Klein, S. Quaijtaal, and C. Richter. A Dedication to Ištar from Arbela on an ‘amulet-shaped’ tablet. Cuneiform Digital Library Notes2017/1 [OA]
  23. Addenda and Corrigenda to ‘Fragments of the Nineveh Medical Composition IGI join UGU, JMC 27. Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes28: 66-67 [OA]
  24. Fragments of the Nineveh Medical Composition IGI join UGU. Le Journal des Médecines Cunéiformes27: 59-67 [OA]
  25. Hearing and Seeing Ghosts in Mesopotamian Magical Medicine. In Meditation and Healing. The Institute of Mind Humanities: 49-64 (in Korean) [OA]
  26. Заедно с E. Jiménez. Commentary (BRM 4 24) to Iqqur īpuš, série génerale B, Cuneiform Commentaries Project3.8.1.B [OA]
  27. On ‘Firing Holes’ and Cuneiform Stylus. Cuneiform Digital Library Notes2016/1 [OA]
  28. The Gottstein System Implemented on a Digital Middle and Neo-Assyrian Palaeography. Cuneiform Digital Library Notes2015/17 [OA]
  29. The tablet of the Middle Assyrian ‘coronation’ ritual: the placement of VAT 10113 and the displacement of VAT 9978. Cuneiform Digital Library Notes2015/7 [OA]
  30. Заедно с K. Kissiov. An administrative tablet from Puzriš-Dagān in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Cuneiform Digital Library Notes2015/2 [OA]
  31. Paleographical notes on KH 13 O 1178, appendix in G. Marchesi, A Bilingual Literary Text from Karkemish Featuring Marduk (with contributions by W. R. Mayer and S. V. Panayotov) (Tab. XXXII-XXXIV). Orientalia Nova Series83: 330-340 [OA]
  32. Заедно с C. Wunsch: New Light on George Smith’s Purchase of the Egibi Archive in 1876 from the Nachlass Mathewson. In Melammu: The Ancient World in an Age of Globalization, ed. M. J. Geller. Max Planck Research Library for the History and Development of Knowledge 7. Berlin: Edition Open Access: 191-215 [OA]
  33. George Smith’s Identification of Karkemish: From the Account of his Assistant Mathewson. In Karkemish: An Ancient Capital on the Euphrates, ed. N. Marchetti. OrientLab 2. Bologna: AnteQuem: 44-51 [OA]
  34. Нови извори за живота на петър Матеев (Матюсън и Джордж Смит (New Sources for the life of Peter Mateev (Mathewson) and George Smith). In Tрети международен конгрес по българистика, 23–26 май 2013 г. (Third International Congress for Bulgarian Studies, 23-26 May 2013). Sofia: St. Kliment Ohridski Press: 23-39 [OA]
  35. Update to Aššur-etel-ilāni-mukīn-apli’s inscription on tablet with handle. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2014/2: 84-86 [OA]
  36. A Peculiar Late Babylonian Recipe for Fumigation Against Epilepsy, The Recipes Project – Food, Magic, Science, and Medicine [OA]
  37. Some Notes on Böck’s Review of BAM 7 and on Böck 2014. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2014/1: 43-49 [OA]
  38. Заедно с M.J. Geller: «Femme fatale», Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2014/1: 35-38 [OA]
  39. Заедно с J. Llop: A Middle Assyrian Juridical Text on a Tablet with Handle. Archiv orientální81: 223-233 [OA]
  40. A Ritual for a Flourishing Bordello. Bibliotheca Orientalis70: 285-309
  41. A Copper Bell to Expel Demons in Berlin. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2013/3: 80-87 [OA]
  42. Who is the client of the namburbi tablet with handle A 114 (LKA 128) in Istanbul? Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2013/1: 16-17 [OA]
  43. Асирийска царска генеалогия (Assyrian Kings Genealogy). Родознание – Genealogia3/4: 60-78. (in Bulgarian) [OA]

Academic reviews

  1. Magic and Medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia — A New Collection of Translations (Review article of JoAnn Scurlock, Sourcebook for Ancient Mesopotamian Medicine). Journal of the American Oriental Society 138.3: 567-573
  2. Review of Walter Farber: Lamaštu: An Edition of the Canonical Series of Lamaštu. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 78: 599-600 [OA]
  3. Review of Loretz, O. – Hippologia Ugaritica … Mit einem Beitrag von M. Stol über Pferde, Pferdekrankheiten und Pferdemedizin in altbabylonischer Zeit. Bibliotheca Orientalis72: 483-489 [OA]
  4. Some Notes on Böck’s Review of BAM 7 and on Böck 2014. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires2014/1: 43-49 [OA]

Compiling and editing

  1. Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston: Brill, 2018 [with L. Vacín] ISBN 978-90-04-36808-8

PARTICIPATION IN SCIENTIFIC FORUMS

  1. 05.2025. From an Astrological Report to Medical Theory. 25th Melammu Workshop Divination Techniques in the Ancient Near East and the Mediterranean World. 29–30 May 2025. Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Rectorate, New Conference Hall
  2. 7.June. 2024. Aliens and Sheep in the Archaeological Museum of Plovdiv – 10 Years After. JOINT CAS/NEC Workshop within the Fellowship programme „Social Relevance of the Humanities”. How critical thinking and academic standards navigate in the world of post-truth? hosted by the Centre for Advanced Study Sofia. https://cas.bg. 7 June, 2024
  3. 12.2023. Comparative and interdisciplinary analyses of medical texts concerning coughing of phlegm: from the second Millennium BCE Mesopotamia, over Ashurbanipal to Hippocrates. Seminars of the Advanced Study Sofia in the scope of the Pforzheimer Fellowship Programme.
  4. July.2023. The importance of the Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia for medical history. Medicine in ancient Iraq: healthcare fit for a king. A free study day. Saturday 8 July 2023. The Hugh and Catherine Stevenson Lecture Theatre, The Clore Centre for Education, British Museum, London
  5. 16.March.2023. Coughing mucus (suālu): towards a textual criticism of cuneiform medical texts. NinMed project Workshop. The British Museum, London.
  6. Jan.2023. Colophons on the Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia. NinMed project Workshop. The British Museum, London.
  7. December.2022. „Асириологията в Съвремения Свят“. Тържествена конференция, посветена на 75-та годишнина от създаването на Института за исторически изследвания при БАН. „Историческата наука в съвременния свят“
  8. November.2022. 1) Background to Assyrian medicine, Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia. 2) issues around translation, commentary, context (with K. Simkó). 3) One or Many Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia? Editorial workshops in the Royal Library of Nineveh. NinMed project Workshop. The British Museum, London.
  9. November.2022. „On the origins and creation of the Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia”. The London Centre for the Ancient Near East, lecture series Autumn 2022: Medicine in ancient Iraq.
  10. Jul. 2021. University of Turin, 67th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale. Title: Eating and Drinking when the human Eyes were Sick.
  11. Jul. 2019. Collège de France, 65th Rencontre assyriologique internationale in Paris. Title: „Pros and Cons of Mesopotamian Eye Disease Texts”
  12. Dec.2018. Book Centre, New Bulgarian University. Title: Book Launch of Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic: Studies in Honour of Markham J. Geller, ed. S.V. Panayotov and L. Vacín. Ancient Magic and Divination 14. Leiden–Boston.
  13. Nov.2018. Tagungszentrum Bonlanden-Kloster, Medizin im Altertum (Fachschaft Altertumswissenschaften des Cusanuswerks | Bischöfliche Studienförderung). Title: The Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia (NME)
  14. Oct. 2018. Paris Diderot University. History of Science, History of Text. Title: The Nineveh Medical Encyclopaedia and similar Compendia
  15. Jul. 2017. Philipps-Universität Marburg. 63rd Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Dealing with Antiquity – Past, Present & Future. Title: The King’s Health: The Case of Esarhaddon, Between Royal Letters and Therapeutic Texts
  16. Nov. 2016. University of Cambridge. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. Title: Mesopotamian Eye Disease Texts
  17. Oct. 2016. University of Innsbruck. Melammu Workshop 2: Literary Change in Mesopotamia and Beyond. Title: Changes and Transformations in Mesopotamian Eye Disease Texts
  18. Apr. 2016. Wolfson College, Oxford. The Fifth Annual Oxford Postgraduate Conference in Assyriology (OPCA 2016). Title: The Materiality of Mesopotamian Magic and Medicine
  19. Feb. 2016. University of Toronto. Seminars on the Ancient Near East. Title: Current Research of Babylonian Medicine in Berlin
  20. Jan. 2016. Humboldt University Berlin. TOPOI D-1 Research Colloquium. Title: Construction of Mesopotamian Medical Knowledge
  21. Dec. 2015. Freie Universität Berlin. BabMed Seminar, Greek and Babylonian Medicine – a Comparative View. Title: The Circulation of Medical Knowledge in the Ancient World and the Mesopotamian Therapeutic Texts Dealing with Eye Diseases – A Comparative View
  22. Nov. 2015. Freie Universität Berlin. International conference, Practical Knowledge and Medical Practice in Ancient Mediterranean Cultures. Title: What do we know about Mesopotamian surgery – and what would we like to know?
  23. Jul. 2015. Freie Universität Berlin. BabMed Annual Workshop 2, 2015, July 21-22. Title: Introduction to Fumigation in Mesopotamia
  24. Jun. 2015. University of Bern. 61st Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Text and Image. Title: Healing in Images and Text: The Sickbed Scene
  25. Apr. 2015. Würzburg University. International conference, Sources of Evil. Title: The Assur Medical Catalogue – Part I: Structure and Canonization
  26. Dec. 2014. SOAS, London. Title: Medico-Magical Plants and their Incantations on Tablets with Handle (‘amulet-shaped tablets’)
  27. Jul. 2014. University of Warsaw. 60th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Fortune and Misfortune in the Ancient Near East. Title: Psychosomatic Problems of the Babylonian Patient
  28. Jul. 2014. University of Warsaw. 60th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Fortune and Misfortune in the Ancient Near East. Title: Cuneiform Spotlight of the Neo- and Middle Assyrian Signs
  29. Jun. 2014. Tel Aviv University. International conference, Three Thousand Years of Textual Production and Dissemination in the Ancient Near East. Title: On the Textual Production of the Babylonian Medical Series on Fumigation
  30. May 2014. Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea. Institute of Mind Humanities’ international conference, Mediation & Healing in Asian Traditions. Title: Hearing and Seeing Ghosts in Babylonian Magical Medicine
  31. May 2014. University of Chicago. The Oriental Institute’s Symposium, Body and Metaphor in Ancient Medicine. Title: Eye Disease Metaphors in Babylonian Texts
  32. Oct. 2013. Freie Universität Berlin. Fourth Dahlem Seminar for the History of Ancient Sciences. Title: Divine Weapons in Mesopotamia as Analogy
  33. Jul. 2013. Ghent University. 59th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Law and (Dis)Order in the Ancient Near East. Title: New Features of Tablets with a Handle (‘Amulet-shaped Tablets’): Towards an Understanding of Their Function
  34. May 2013. Sofia University. Third International Congress of Bulgarian Studies. Title: Нови извори за живота на Петър Матеев, (II част), Матюсън и Джордж Смит(New Sources for the Life of George Smith)
  35. Nov. 2012. Sofia University. Department of Arabic and Semitic Studies. Title:Ритуал за успех на кръчмата в Двуречието от I-во хилядолетие пр. Хр. (A Ritual for Pub’s Success in Mesopotamia, I millennium BC)
  36. Jun. 2012. Sofia University. Department of History and Archaeology. Title: Клинописните таблици от Котел и пътуването на котленеца Петър Матеев в Близкия Изток през 1876 г.(The cuneiform tablets from Kotel and the journey of Peter Mateev in the Near East during 1876)
  37. Oct. 2011. Bayreuth University. Forschungskolloquium der Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes in Zusammenarbeit mit der Professur für Medienwissenschaft der Universität Bayreuth. Title: Text, Form-Kontext und Fund-Kontext am Beispiel einiger altorientalischer Tontafeln mit Hemerologien
  38. Apr. 2011. Weimar. Doktorandenforum Kultur der Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes in Weimar. Title: Altorientalische Tafeln mit Aufsatz, sog. Amuletttafeln
  39. 04-08.Jul. 2011. Rome. 57th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Tradition and Innovation in the Ancient Near East. Title: Tablets with Projection, tablets in „amulet shape”

POPULAR LECTURES/ACTIVITIES

June 11, 2025. The Body in Babylonian Medicine according to the Nineveh Medical Encyclopedia (7th century BC). „Hidden and Revealed – a Scientific Workshop for Ideas.” Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski,” 18:00, Room 20, 2nd floor, CIEC (79 Todor Alexandrov Blvd.)

June 4, 2025. Treatments for Cough and Phlegm from Babylon and Assyria to Hippocrates. American Corner – Sofia City Library, Public Lecture by the Center for Academic Research Sofia: CAR.

May 21, 2025. Cuneiform (with hands-on cuneiform writing exercise on clay tablets): Public lecture for students. Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski,” CIEC (79 Todor Alexandrov Blvd.)

April 8, 2025. „The Social History of an Epistaxis in the Treatment of an Assyrian Prince from the 7th Century BC.” Center for Academic Research Sofia, 17:00. Organized by the CAR team, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sci. Martin Ivanov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rumen Avramov

November 10, 2023. Traces on Clay: The Cuneiform Heritage. Plovdiv Archaeological Museum.

May 20, 2021. BNR, „Lost Cities.” Episode 2: The People of the Black Heads – Education, Medicine, and Magic ((https://bnr.bg/hristobotev/post/101470323/izgubenite-gradove-epizod-2-narod-na-chernoglavite-obrazovanie-medicina-i-magii)).

May 18, 2021. BNR, „Lost Cities.” Episode 1: The People of the Black Heads – Society, Language, and Writing (https://bnr.bg/hristobotev/post/101469452)

February 2021. Podcast – Thin End Of The Wedge, exploring life in the ancient Middle East. Episode 17: Strahil Panayotov: Assyrian Eye Medicine https://open.spotify.com/episode/314HnoioqUyG2XhFRqBxXw?si=GIdu6woOQ0K-hyhTpz_RyQ&utm_source=native-share-menu)

June 20, 2019. „What is Cuneiform and How Was It Written (with a hands-on cuneiform writing exercise on clay tablets).”

Institute for Historical Research, Section of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Informatics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

June 7, 2019. Mediterranean and Eastern Studies, NBU. The Titan Gilgamesh – Between the Divine and the Human.

May 16, 2019. Hall 1, Rectorate of Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski.” The Titan Gilgamesh – Between the Divine and the Human.

March 11, 2019. Participation in the show „Archeoworld,” with a story about Petar Mateev and the cuneiform tablets from Kotel (https://armymedia.bg/archives/150439, Military Television Channel.

September 2017. BabMed Imagefilm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpCwror6Gm0&t=196s)

March 29, 2016. Bulgarian National Radio.

Interview about the destruction of Palmyra, Syria (https://bnr.bg/post/100674715/asirologiat-strahil-panaiotov-palmira-moje-da-bade-vazstanovena)

May 15, 2014. Minjongk Medical News, report on a conference about mediation and healing, Wonkwang University, Iksan (in Korean).

November 6, 2012. bTV Media Group. Television interview about the history of the Mesopotamian flood and the cuneiform tablets in Kotel, Bulgaria.

June 4, 2010. UNESCO.int. ‘Bulgarian museum to display winged solar disc in exhibition of new Thracian findings,’ covering the results of archaeological research in the Yambol region, Bulgaria.

Preparation of museum collections, exhibitions and other cultural events

Publishing Cuneiform artefacts from the museums in Kotel and Plovdiv, Bulgaria.