The Thracian presence in Bulgaria is best documented by the Tomb of
Kazanlak, but hundreds and thousands of
similar tumuli spread all over Bulgaria
remain unexplored. In 2002, there was an exhibition in Brussels
about the Gold of the Thracians. A map on the
wall tagged all the Thracian burial mounds, and I had no idea there could be so
many! Experts estimate that there are more than 15,000 of these tombs in Bulgaria, with
the highest concentration in the so-called Valley of the Thracian Kings around Kazanlak.
In my earlier post from April 2013, Valley of the Thracian Kings, I tackled the severe
shortage of funds for the maintenance and repair of these tombs.
Unfortunately, more than three years later, it seems nothing much has changed.
In Bulgaria,
the revenues from entrance fees to the tumuli and other archaeological sites
are not converted into conservation funds. This means that archaeologists are
not too motivated to explore new tumuli and tombs simply because there is no
way to restore them, leading to severe neglect and degradation of the painted
walls and ceilings.
As mentioned before, a few
remarkable tombs definitely deserve close attention. However, the Kazanlak
Tomb is understandably closed to the public, who can visit
a substitute replica next door. But there is also the
tomb at the Shusmanets
mound where a slim column supports the vaulted ceiling of the burial chamber,
and seven half-columns adorn the inside walls. Another example is the nearby Ostrusha tumulus which
contains a sarcophagus-like chamber from a single granite rock of 60 tons. The
ceiling is decorated with frescoes of people, animals, plants, and geometric
figures, and the central room of this tomb is surrounded by six other rooms in
dire need of restoration. The best-known king of Thracia is probably Seuthes III, whose tomb has
been closed to the public this summer pending the much-needed funds for
emergency repairs.
We know pretty
little about the Thracians because they left us only a few inscriptions, which,
although written using Greek letters, have not been deciphered. They were a
people of horse breeders, miners, and talented goldsmiths. What transpires
through their art is that they believe in an afterlife and their soul's
immortality. Their kings were considered the sons of Mother Earth, and after
their death, they must return to her womb. This could explain why they built
these artificial mounds around their burial site in which the deceased ruler
was placed surrounded by his horses, dogs, weapons, drinking cups, and playing
dice. The burial sites proper were built from huge granite blocks and slabs.
Generally, an entrance corridor led to one or more chambers, and all the walls
were covered with paintings revealing details of their earthly life.
Only about three
hundred of the roughly 1,500 tumuli have been excavated in the Valley of the
Thracian Kings. It is a shame that the rich heritage of the Thracian does not
receive the attention it deserves, either in Bulgaria or abroad.
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