No progress in the Valley of the Thracian Kings

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.

[Pictures from Australian News]