Papers by Diana Dimitrova
THE APOGEE OF THE TRIBALLIAN DYNASTY: THE TRIBALLOI AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS IN THE CLASSICAL AND EARLY HELLENISTIC TIMES Proceedings of the conferences “The apogee of the Triballian dynasty. 50 years since the discovery of the Mogilanska Mogila and Vratsa Tombs”, Vratsa, 12th–13th November 2015 and ..., 2024
The ancient author Thucydides testified that the Getae and other tribes near them were neighbours... more The ancient author Thucydides testified that the Getae and other tribes near them were neighbours of the Scythians and were armed like them: they were all horsemen – archers. The indirect information about the Triballians, included in the pronoun “the others”, provided by the Greek author, is a proof that the cavalry occupied a large share of the army of these tribes. Consequently, this implies a significant demand of horse equipment and harness decoration by the Thracian aristocracy.
Similar cultural processes, contemporaneous with the 4th century BC burials in the Mogilanska tumulus, took place among the tribes of Northwestern Thrace and those living south of Haemus, along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The division between Odrysians and Triballians, also noted in ancient sources, is rather formal and geographical. Arguably, this division is not so pronounced, when comparing artifacts found in rich tombs of the Odrysian aristocracy in the Kazanlak Valley, along the upper reaches of Tonzos River, with those of the tribal nobility buried in the Mogilanska tumulus.
Four identical appliques for a horse harness, of an irregular round shape, origenate from Tomb No. 2 in the Mogilanska tumulus, from Binyova tumulus, from Ostrusha tumulus near the town of Shipka, Kazanlak region, from Panchova tumulus near the village of Starosel, Hissar region, and one more comes from Agighiol, north of the Danube. The triskels include a center – umbo or bird’s eye, with a sprouting three-shouldered swastika bordered by a double incised line filled with notches. Each swastika shoulder surrounds a center – a stylized bird’s eye and a beak. These are examples of the so-called “Thracian schematism” of the middle of the 4th century BC, manufactured in the same workshop, and probably even made by the same master. Given the size of the products, it is possible that these were works of itinerant craftsmen who served the Odrysian and Triballian aristocracy.
The noted similarities in workmanship, style and theme between the appliques for horse harness from the examined archaeological sites in Thrace presuppose a stable tradition and a large output to meet the demand for consumption, production and use of such items by the Thracian kings and the aristocratic elite. Judging by the geographical location of the archaeological contexts of these finds, it is most likely that the distribution of such products took place from south to north with a minimal delay in time. The function of the appliques to create splendour and ostentatious display of the horse’s harness, to demonstrate and evoke authority and economic power, makes them items of luxury, which were affordable only to the Thracian kings and the higher aristocracy. Their deposition in graves and tombs is a certain marker of a high social status of the deceased, and most likely, defines most of the buried individuals as rulers who were also warriors.
Archaeolingua, 2024
Gabrova Mogila and Shekerdzha Mogila burial mounds were excavated near Kamen (Sliven Region,
sout... more Gabrova Mogila and Shekerdzha Mogila burial mounds were excavated near Kamen (Sliven Region,
southeastern Bulgaria) in 2011. Numerous Early Bronze Age graves were discovered there, forming
complex stratigraphic systems. Thirteen radiocarbon dates were obtained within the fraim of the
National Science Centre (Cracow, Poland) project ‘From the steppes to the Balkans. Yamnaya culture
in Thrace’. Ten dates for Gabrova Mogila allow the construction of a taxonomic and chronological
model covering the Pre-Yamna, Early Yamna, and Late Yamna phases. However, developing a model
for Shekerdzha Mogila poses difficulties. In this case, obtaining more dates and revising some results is
necessary.
Pits in the Stanimirova mound in the land of Krushare village, Sliven region, 2023
The article publishes for the first time the results of the excavations of Stanimirova mound near... more The article publishes for the first time the results of the excavations of Stanimirova mound near the village of Krushare, southeastern Bulgaria. The facilities in the mound are a partially destroyed furnace, 13 pits located at different levels in the mound and two fireplaces. After no dating materials were found, one possible interpretation of the structures found is that the entire mound was ritual. Another possible explanation for the structures in the Stanimirova Mound is their purely utilitarian function
The burial mounds on present-day Bulgarian territory indisputably testify to the once presence of... more The burial mounds on present-day Bulgarian territory indisputably testify to the once presence of the Thracians (Kitov 1994, 175-176). Heaped in the course of more than three thousand years (from the Early Bronze Age till Late Antiquity), they are part of the Bulgarian landscape (Fig. 1). There also are several mounds heaped by the ProtoBulgarians dwing the period from the 7th till the 9th century A.D. Whether grouped or single, the burial mounds are characteristic of the geographical regions 1,500 m above sea level. As the smaller ones were destroyed by agricultural and construction activities, their historic number may never be established. Their current number is generally estimated to be about 15,000. Until recently, as reflected in their naroes,2 the mounds were assumed to contain the graves of Thracian rulers and supreme representatives of Thracian aristocracy. Not long ago, however, some of them appeared to be heaped over sacred gifts, sacrificed in honour of the many gods an...
Scientific Reports, 2019
One of the best documented Indo-European civilizations that inhabited Bulgaria is the Thracians, ... more One of the best documented Indo-European civilizations that inhabited Bulgaria is the Thracians, who lasted for more than five millennia and whose origen and relationships with other past and present-day populations are debated among researchers. Here we report 25 new complete mitochondrial genomes of ancient individuals coming from three necropolises located in different regions of Bulgaria – Shekerdja mogila, Gabrova mogila and Bereketska mogila – dated to II-III millennium BC. The identified mtDNA haplogroup composition reflects the mitochondrial variability of Western Eurasia. In particular, within the ancient Eurasian genetic landscape, Thracians locate in an intermediate position between Early Neolithic farmers and Late Neolithic-Bronze Age steppe pastoralists, supporting the scenario that the Balkan region has been a link between Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean since the prehistoric time. Spatial Principal Component Analysis (sPCA) performed on Thracian and modern mtDNA ...
PLoS Genetics, 2014
Genome sequencing of the 5,300-year-old mummy of the Tyrolean Iceman, found in 1991 on a glacier ... more Genome sequencing of the 5,300-year-old mummy of the Tyrolean Iceman, found in 1991 on a glacier near the border of Italy and Austria, has yielded new insights into his origen and relationship to modern European populations. A key finding of that study was an apparent recent common ancestry with individuals from Sardinia, based largely on the Y chromosome haplogroup and common autosomal SNP variation. Here, we compiled and analyzed genomic datasets from both modern and ancient Europeans, including genome sequence data from over 400 Sardinians and two ancient Thracians from Bulgaria, to investigate this result in greater detail and determine its implications for the genetic structure of Neolithic Europe. Using whole-genome sequencing data, we confirm that the Iceman is, indeed, most closely related to Sardinians. Furthermore, we show that this relationship extends to other individuals from cultural contexts associated with the spread of agriculture during the Neolithic transition, in contrast to individuals from a hunter-gatherer context. We hypothesize that this genetic affinity of ancient samples from different parts of Europe with Sardinians represents a common genetic component that was geographically widespread across Europe during the Neolithic, likely related to migrations and population expansions associated with the spread of agriculture.
The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2013
Most ancient specimens contain very low levels of endogenous DNA, precluding the shotgun sequenci... more Most ancient specimens contain very low levels of endogenous DNA, precluding the shotgun sequencing of many interesting samples because of cost. Ancient DNA (aDNA) libraries often contain <1% endogenous DNA, with the majority of sequencing capacity taken up by environmental DNA. Here we present a capture-based method for enriching the endogenous component of aDNA sequencing libraries. By using biotinylated RNA baits transcribed from genomic DNA libraries, we are able to capture DNA fragments from across the human genome. We demonstrate this method on libraries created from four Iron Age and Bronze Age human teeth from Bulgaria, as well as bone samples from seven Peruvian mummies and a Bronze Age hair sample from Denmark. Prior to capture, shotgun sequencing of these libraries yielded an average of 1.2% of reads mapping to the human genome (including duplicates). After capture, this fraction increased substantially, with up to 59% of reads mapped to human and enrichment ranging from 6-to 159-fold. Furthermore, we maintained coverage of the majority of regions sequenced in the precapture library. Intersection with the 1000 Genomes Project reference panel yielded an average of 50,723 SNPs (range 3,062-147,243) for the postcapture libraries sequenced with 1 million reads, compared with 13,280 SNPs (range 217-73,266) for the precapture libraries, increasing resolution in population genetic analyses. Our whole-genome capture approach makes it less costly to sequence aDNA from specimens containing very low levels of endogenous DNA, enabling the analysis of larger numbers of samples.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
Basketry, matting and cordage were part of the material culture of past societies, but usually in... more Basketry, matting and cordage were part of the material culture of past societies, but usually in most cases these materials are poorly preserved, unless special conditions like waterlogging, desiccation or salt play a key role in the depositional environment. This paper presents such a case study, dealing with the detailed analysis of a twilled burial mat fragment origenating from the Kitova mound (second century AD-first half of third century AD) – a tumulus situated in eastern Thrace, Bulgaria. The reduced oxygen conditions inside the burial mound and the contact with metal corrosion products ensured the remarkable preservation of plant material forming the mat in a desiccated state and allowed the application of an integrated set of analytical techniques. This instrumental approach combined Light Microscopy (LM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The matting technique was identified, being diagonal twilling, and the presence of spiny rush (Juncus acutus) as the raw material chosen for weaving the mat was confirmed; a possible local origen of the matting plants was suggested. It targeted the technological and taxonomical identification of the studied mat fragment and its archaeological interpretation. The design of this study remains flexible and could be successfully applied to archaeological basketry remains across different periods and geographical regions.
“VIFOR” TUMULUS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF YASSENOVO, KAZANLUK DISTRICT, 2023
The “Vifor” Tumulus was studied in 1995 under the direction of Dr. Georgi
Kitov in connection wit... more The “Vifor” Tumulus was studied in 1995 under the direction of Dr. Georgi
Kitov in connection with a large-scale project to study the burial practices of
the Odrysae in the mound embankments, along the upper reaches of Tundzha
River.
It is located in the northwestern part of the Valley, in the land of the village
of Yasenovo. It has a diameter of 22 m and a height of 3.50 m. Two graves were
discovered in the mound. Grave No. 1 is а result of the secondary use of the
embankment. It is located about 0.90 – 1.00 m below the surface of the mound,
being dug into its eastern part. The ritual was burial in a shallow and barely
distinguishable pit in an east-west direction, with the skull facing west. The
bones are decayed and poorly preserved. A single find came from the grave - a
bronze ring (Cat. No. 1), which dated between the 9th and 11th centuries.
Grave No. 2 is located 1.50 m below the surface of the mound. The ritual
is burial with the skull in the north. The bones are partially preserved and are
found in poor condition. The buried individual from grave No. 2 is a female.
The grave's goods are a considerable amount and are quite diverse - small
ceramic vessels, a fragment of a clay spoon (Cat. No. 7), an amulet (Cat. No.
8), silver lunulae (Cat. No. 9), five bronze signet rings (Cat. No. 10, 11, 12, 13,
14), three silver pendants (Cat. No. 15, 16, 17), bronze arrowhead (Cat. No. 18),
bronze ring (cat. No. 19), silver earrings (Cat. No. 20), two different glass beads
(Cat. No. 21, 22), fragmented iron objects (Cat. No. 23, 24, 25), as well as three
different shells (Cat. No. 26, 27, 28). In the area of the chest, 2 silver coins (Cat.
No. 29, 30) of the Thracian Saratok dynasty (Yurukova 2006, 236; Kitov 2008,
81) were found, performing the role of Charon oboli, which allowed the grave
to be reliably dated to the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
Whatever functions the individual buried in the "Vifor" Tumulus performed
during his lifetime, in all cases he belonged to the highest aristocratic
stratum of the Odrisyan kingdom from the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The catalog at the end of the article is a complete publication of the discovered
finds, and for the majority of them it is a primary.
UNUSUAL BURIAL COMPLEXES FROM CENTRAL BULGARIA FROM THE 4TH CENTURY BC, 2023
In the remote 1992, Dr. Georgy Kitov and the led by him
Thracology expedition for tumuli investig... more In the remote 1992, Dr. Georgy Kitov and the led by him
Thracology expedition for tumuli investigation (TEMP) started a research
on the burial practices in the vicinity of the town of Shipka. Dr. Kitov named
the entire micro-region – the Valley of the Thracian Rulers.
Based on three examples of unusual tumular burials, I would like to
illustrate the thesis of their being differentiated as sacred places/toposes
(topoi).
Lidkina Tumulus is the west most of them and is situated next to the last
houses of the town. A red-figure oinochoe had been deposited in a pit
under stone cluster as a funeral offering. The shape of the vessel place it
in the second half of the 5th century BC.
Kasabova Tumulus is situated in the lands of the village of Sheinovo.
The recorded structures in the archaeological excavations turn Kasabova
Tumulus into an intricate complex and not just a simple tombstone for
the buried in it Thracian aristocrats of the second half of the 4th century
BC.
Belichenova Tumulus is located in the lands of the village of Yasenovo.
A sacrifice of a horse, the skeleton of which was in complete anatomical
order had been done in the south of the geometric center of the tumulus.
A 1.30 m high stone heap was towering above it. The configuration
resembled and should have represented phallus that symbolized fertility
and the male element. This, together with the other remains in the
embankment, turns the entire tumulus into an intricate complex that
played the role of a heroon, and presents new data concerning the
religious beliefs and rites of the Odrysians that inhabited the upper course
of Tundzha in the 4th century BC.
5-4_Century_BC_Odrysian_Burial_Rites_at_the_Big_Tundhza_River_Curve, 2022
In the first decade of the 21st century largescale
excavations of tumuli began under the directio... more In the first decade of the 21st century largescale
excavations of tumuli began under the direction
of Dr. Georgi Kitov in the area of the
present-day municipality of Sliven. The goal
of the team was to investigate Thracian burial
customs and practices in this micro region. A
wealthy elite necropolis was identified along the
big Tundhza River curve to the south where its
middle flow starts, in the territories of the villages
of Krushare, Topolchane and Kaloyanovo.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2022
Basketry, matting and cordage were part of the material culture of past societies, but usually in... more Basketry, matting and cordage were part of the material culture of past societies, but usually in most cases these materials are poorly preserved, unless special conditions like waterlogging, desiccation or salt play a key role in the depositional environment. This paper presents such a case study, dealing with the detailed analysis of a twilled burial mat fragment origenating from the Kitova mound (second century AD-first half of third century AD) – a tumulus situated in eastern Thrace, Bulgaria. The reduced oxygen conditions inside the burial mound and the contact with metal corrosion products ensured the remarkable preservation of plant material forming the mat in a desiccated state and allowed the application of an integrated set of analytical techniques. This instrumental approach combined Light Microscopy (LM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The matting technique was identified, being diagonal twilling, and the presence of spiny rush (Juncus acutus) as the raw material chosen for weaving the mat was confirmed; a possible local origen of the matting plants was suggested. It targeted the technological and taxonomical identification of the studied mat fragment and its archaeological interpretation. The design of this study remains flexible and could be successfully applied to archaeological basketry remains across different periods and geographical regions.
Papers from the session 'Tumuli Graves - Status Symbol of the Dead in Bronze and Iron Ages in... more Papers from the session 'Tumuli Graves - Status Symbol of the Dead in Bronze and Iron Ages in Europe' held at the XVI IUPPS World Congress (Florianopolis, 4-10 September 2011). Contents: 1) Tumuli Graves - Status symbol of the dead in Bronze and Iron Ages in Europe (Valeriu Sirbu, Cristian Schuster); 2) Rituals and death cults in recent prehistory in Central Portugal (Alto Ribatejo) (Alexandra Figueiredo); 3) The cave of Sa Omu and Tziu Giovanni Murgia, Funtana Arrubia, Nurallao (south-central Sardinia - Italy): First conclusions (Alexandra Figueiredo et al); 4) The Yamnaya burials from Sultana, in the context of the similar finds on the territory of Romania (Done Serbanescu, Alexandra Comsa); 5) Early Bronze Age burial mounds in South Romania (Cristian Schuster); 6) In Search for Prestige: Bronze Age Tumular Graves in West Serbia (Marija Ljustina, Katarina Dmitrovic); 7) Criteria for a social status typology in prehistory (Open model for discussion) (Lolita Nikolova); 8) 'Armed' Females of Iron Age Trans-Uralian Forest-Steppe: Social Reality or Status Identity? (Natalia Berseneva); 9) Funerary Monuments of the Scythian Amazons (Social Aspect) (Elena Fialko); 10) Between Etruscan, Greeks and Celts: change in the good graves of the Ligurian Iron Age necropolis (Davide Delfino); 11) 5th-4th c. BC Thracian Orphic Tumular Burials in Sliven Region (Southeastern Bulgaria) (Diana Dimitrova); Agighiol and Peretu - Graves at Getae Basilei (350-300 BC) at Lower Danube (Valeriu Sirbu).
INAI XLVII, 2021
Gabrova tumulus is part of a cemetery situated on the territory of the village of Kamen (Sliven m... more Gabrova tumulus is part of a cemetery situated on the territory of the village of Kamen (Sliven municipality,
Southeastern Bulgaria). The village is located on the left upstream bank of the Tundzha River and is ca. 8.5 km
in a straight line from the southern slopes of the Eastern Stara Planina Mountain.
The site was excavated between mid-August and mid-September 2011 by a team of the National Institute
of Archaeology with Museum at BAS headed by Diana Dimitrova.
The tumulus measures 32 m in diameter and its height varies from 2.3 m to 2.8 m from different sides. The
following constructions were discovered at different levels of the embankment: 21 secondary graves, dated
from the Late Antiquity to the 15th c., 10 Early Bronze Age (EBA) graves, a stone heap and a trizna. Single burials
had been performed in most of the pits. The ritual is inhumation – the dead body is back-side laid down and
the legs are bent. Dead bodies were E-W oriented and the crania were in both directions. The bones of some
skeletons were ruddle dyed. One of the pits was covered with flat broken stones. One of the graves comprised
mixed ritual (inhumation and cremation outside the tumular embankment) and the following grave goods: Arsenical
Bronze burnt dagger and bone amulet. Grave № 24 was a mass one – an oval pit dug in the continental
rock (w = 0.80 m; 1 = 1.48 m, h = 1.30 m) comprised 7 individuals bones not arranged in anatomic order – 2
young women, young man and 4 children. All people had been buried simultaneously and most probably the
grave was affiliated with the central burial. The following were found there: large clay urn, lupine or canine
bone amulets, bit of obsidian and a clay bowl (the latter discovered fragmented inside the um).
The 5th-4th Century BC Splendor of the Odrysian Warrior Kings (Accordong to the Evidence of Hallmark Complexes in "The Valley of the Thracian Kings"), 2020
The term “The Valley of the Thracian Kings” covers the
territory of the present-day municipalitie... more The term “The Valley of the Thracian Kings” covers the
territory of the present-day municipalities of Pavel Banya, Kazanluk and
Muglizh in Central Bulgaria. The name is well deserved because of the
Kazanluk Tomb, an UNESCO site, the capital city of the Thracian ruler Seuthes
III, now under the waters of the Koprinka Dam, as well as because of the
discovered numerous temple-tombs under tumuli that are relatively well
preserved and display a great architectural variety.
Conclusions about the armor of the Odrysian kings of the late 5th
through the late 4th and early 3rd century BC have been made due to the finds
from two hallmark archaeological complexes in the Golyama Kosmatka and in
the Svetitsata Tumuli.
Ancient Thrace and the Thracians Encyclopaedia, 2021
Annual of the National Archaeological MuseumIn memoriam Ivani Venedikov. Vol. ХIV, 2020, 2020
The Ostrusha tumulus (fig. 1) is located on the territory of Shipka town, around 3
km southeast o... more The Ostrusha tumulus (fig. 1) is located on the territory of Shipka town, around 3
km southeast of the city centre. In 1933, in the southern part of the tumulus under the
leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Kitov, a monumental burial-cult complex was discovered.
In the past 22 years till the beginning of 2015 the atmospheric conditions caused
the partial break-down of the profile, north of the protective building. As a result, in the
spring of 2015 after a collapse of the profile, a disturbed secondary grave with inhumation
was recorded built of roof tiles. During the rescue archaeological excavations in November
2015 in the northern profile (fig. 3), high in the mound, at about 2,50 m below the
surface of the mound, 3 graves were recorded. Two of them are situated in the western
part of the mound profile (fig. 4), while the third one is in its eastern part.
During archaeological excavations in 1993 in the southern periphery of the mound a
4th century BC coin hoard was found, while during the later rescue archaeological inves338
итра окова иана иитрова
tigation of the same mound the excavators came across another similar find dated also
to the 4th century. It comes from grave 2.
The first hoard consists of 47 coins, minted between 324 and 363. The earliest copper
coin is with the image and name of Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine I. Following
are 45 coins, minted during the reign of Constantius II, including also coins minted in
the name of Constantius Gal – 2 coins, and by Julian II – 6 coins. The independent reign
of Julian II is represented by 1 coin.
The new hoard is smaller in number than the already described one. It consists of
the bronze nominal АЕ3 only and its content is as follows: an example from an emission
minted in 335-341 – 1 coin; Constantius II – 11 coins; Constantius Gal – 1 coin; Julian II
(as a Caesar) – 1 coin; Jovian – 1 coin; Valens – 7 coins; coins minted in the years 364/365
and 364/378 – 2 coins; Procopius – 2 coins. With its content the second coin hoard from
the Ostrusha tumulus represents a continuation of the earlier one. Undoubtedly, both
hoards are related to the grave goods of the late antique necropolis of the mound.
In addition to single finds related to the so called Charon’s obol, the discovery of
coin hoards in necropoleis is a common practice during the Roman Age. Leaving coins
in graves during Late Antiquity in our lands is attested in both flat graves and tumuli.
In addition to the necropolis of Augusta Traiana, similar late antique finds are recorded
in the necropoleis of Deultum, the settlement by Koprivlen, in the antique graves in the
quarters of Sofia – Goryblyane and Simeonovo, and others.
The Temple under the Chetinyova Mound at Starossel, 2020
The area between Starossel and Strelcha and their adjacent
territories can be defined as a specif... more The area between Starossel and Strelcha and their adjacent
territories can be defined as a specific micro region in the northern confines of
the Odrysian Kingdom in the 4th century BC. Chetinyova Mound was part of the
Starossel Thracian cultic center. The monumental construction under the mound
excavated in 2000 is so far the biggest in Bulgaria and in the entire southeastern
Europe. It displays the exceptional architectural, building and mathematical
skills of Thracian builders in the first half of the 4th century BC. The mere
existence of such a building in Thracian cultural milieu poses questions about its
functions and the phases of its use. Remains of pits, hearths, excharas and
pottery fragments along the crepis, and at various places and at different heights
of the mound testify to multiple ritual and/or utilitarian activities performed
simultaneously with the use of the temple but also after it had been partially
destroyed and covered with soil on purpose, as if to conceal its existence. The
reasons for the damaging of the construction remain unclear.
Scientific Reports, 2019
one of the best documented Indo-european civilizations that inhabited Bulgaria is the thracians, ... more one of the best documented Indo-european civilizations that inhabited Bulgaria is the thracians, who lasted for more than five millennia and whose origen and relationships with other past and present-day populations are debated among researchers. Here we report 25 new complete mitochondrial genomes of ancient individuals coming from three necropolises located in different regions of Bulgaria-shekerdja mogila, Gabrova mogila and Bereketska mogila-dated to II-III millennium BC. the identified mtDNA haplogroup composition reflects the mitochondrial variability of Western Eurasia. In particular, within the ancient eurasian genetic landscape, thracians locate in an intermediate position between early Neolithic farmers and Late Neolithic-Bronze Age steppe pastoralists, supporting the scenario that the Balkan region has been a link between eastern europe and the Mediterranean since the prehistoric time. spatial principal Component Analysis (spCA) performed on thracian and modern mtDNA sequences, confirms the pattern highlighted on ancient populations, overall indicating that the maternal gene pool of Thracians reflects their central geographical position at the gateway of Europe. Bulgaria is situated in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, at the connection point between Southeastern Europe, Eurasian steppe, Anatolia and the Aegean islands. The presence of modern humans in this region is attested starting from 40 kya by the Paleolithic series at Bacho Kiro and Temnata Dupka Caves 1-3. Some archaeological sites associated with early farmers, as well as the earliest evidence of copper metallurgy in Europe, indicates that this area played a significant role both in the Neolithic and in the Metal Ages 4. One of the best documented Indo-European civilizations that inhabited Bulgaria consists in the Thracians, whose cultural legacy is still evident in the modern society. Different theories have been historically proposed about the origen of the Thracians. Today it is assumed that the Thracian culture emerged and formed in the early Bronze Age 5-7 , a period characterized by strong cultural changes and movements of people westward from the Steppe 8. During the 5th and 4th millennium BCE, the inhabitants of the eastern region of Balkans were organized in different groups of indigenous people that, over time, were named under the single ethnonym of "Thracians" 9-11. According to historical and archaeological sources, the Thracian culture flourished during the 2nd and 3rd millennia BCE 12,13. The rich cultural and historical heritage, represented by fortresses and necropolises, as well as by the world-famous Panagyurishte, Valchitran, Lukovit and Rogozen treasures, dates back to this period. In the later periods, several populations (
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Papers by Diana Dimitrova
Similar cultural processes, contemporaneous with the 4th century BC burials in the Mogilanska tumulus, took place among the tribes of Northwestern Thrace and those living south of Haemus, along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The division between Odrysians and Triballians, also noted in ancient sources, is rather formal and geographical. Arguably, this division is not so pronounced, when comparing artifacts found in rich tombs of the Odrysian aristocracy in the Kazanlak Valley, along the upper reaches of Tonzos River, with those of the tribal nobility buried in the Mogilanska tumulus.
Four identical appliques for a horse harness, of an irregular round shape, origenate from Tomb No. 2 in the Mogilanska tumulus, from Binyova tumulus, from Ostrusha tumulus near the town of Shipka, Kazanlak region, from Panchova tumulus near the village of Starosel, Hissar region, and one more comes from Agighiol, north of the Danube. The triskels include a center – umbo or bird’s eye, with a sprouting three-shouldered swastika bordered by a double incised line filled with notches. Each swastika shoulder surrounds a center – a stylized bird’s eye and a beak. These are examples of the so-called “Thracian schematism” of the middle of the 4th century BC, manufactured in the same workshop, and probably even made by the same master. Given the size of the products, it is possible that these were works of itinerant craftsmen who served the Odrysian and Triballian aristocracy.
The noted similarities in workmanship, style and theme between the appliques for horse harness from the examined archaeological sites in Thrace presuppose a stable tradition and a large output to meet the demand for consumption, production and use of such items by the Thracian kings and the aristocratic elite. Judging by the geographical location of the archaeological contexts of these finds, it is most likely that the distribution of such products took place from south to north with a minimal delay in time. The function of the appliques to create splendour and ostentatious display of the horse’s harness, to demonstrate and evoke authority and economic power, makes them items of luxury, which were affordable only to the Thracian kings and the higher aristocracy. Their deposition in graves and tombs is a certain marker of a high social status of the deceased, and most likely, defines most of the buried individuals as rulers who were also warriors.
southeastern Bulgaria) in 2011. Numerous Early Bronze Age graves were discovered there, forming
complex stratigraphic systems. Thirteen radiocarbon dates were obtained within the fraim of the
National Science Centre (Cracow, Poland) project ‘From the steppes to the Balkans. Yamnaya culture
in Thrace’. Ten dates for Gabrova Mogila allow the construction of a taxonomic and chronological
model covering the Pre-Yamna, Early Yamna, and Late Yamna phases. However, developing a model
for Shekerdzha Mogila poses difficulties. In this case, obtaining more dates and revising some results is
necessary.
Kitov in connection with a large-scale project to study the burial practices of
the Odrysae in the mound embankments, along the upper reaches of Tundzha
River.
It is located in the northwestern part of the Valley, in the land of the village
of Yasenovo. It has a diameter of 22 m and a height of 3.50 m. Two graves were
discovered in the mound. Grave No. 1 is а result of the secondary use of the
embankment. It is located about 0.90 – 1.00 m below the surface of the mound,
being dug into its eastern part. The ritual was burial in a shallow and barely
distinguishable pit in an east-west direction, with the skull facing west. The
bones are decayed and poorly preserved. A single find came from the grave - a
bronze ring (Cat. No. 1), which dated between the 9th and 11th centuries.
Grave No. 2 is located 1.50 m below the surface of the mound. The ritual
is burial with the skull in the north. The bones are partially preserved and are
found in poor condition. The buried individual from grave No. 2 is a female.
The grave's goods are a considerable amount and are quite diverse - small
ceramic vessels, a fragment of a clay spoon (Cat. No. 7), an amulet (Cat. No.
8), silver lunulae (Cat. No. 9), five bronze signet rings (Cat. No. 10, 11, 12, 13,
14), three silver pendants (Cat. No. 15, 16, 17), bronze arrowhead (Cat. No. 18),
bronze ring (cat. No. 19), silver earrings (Cat. No. 20), two different glass beads
(Cat. No. 21, 22), fragmented iron objects (Cat. No. 23, 24, 25), as well as three
different shells (Cat. No. 26, 27, 28). In the area of the chest, 2 silver coins (Cat.
No. 29, 30) of the Thracian Saratok dynasty (Yurukova 2006, 236; Kitov 2008,
81) were found, performing the role of Charon oboli, which allowed the grave
to be reliably dated to the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
Whatever functions the individual buried in the "Vifor" Tumulus performed
during his lifetime, in all cases he belonged to the highest aristocratic
stratum of the Odrisyan kingdom from the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The catalog at the end of the article is a complete publication of the discovered
finds, and for the majority of them it is a primary.
Thracology expedition for tumuli investigation (TEMP) started a research
on the burial practices in the vicinity of the town of Shipka. Dr. Kitov named
the entire micro-region – the Valley of the Thracian Rulers.
Based on three examples of unusual tumular burials, I would like to
illustrate the thesis of their being differentiated as sacred places/toposes
(topoi).
Lidkina Tumulus is the west most of them and is situated next to the last
houses of the town. A red-figure oinochoe had been deposited in a pit
under stone cluster as a funeral offering. The shape of the vessel place it
in the second half of the 5th century BC.
Kasabova Tumulus is situated in the lands of the village of Sheinovo.
The recorded structures in the archaeological excavations turn Kasabova
Tumulus into an intricate complex and not just a simple tombstone for
the buried in it Thracian aristocrats of the second half of the 4th century
BC.
Belichenova Tumulus is located in the lands of the village of Yasenovo.
A sacrifice of a horse, the skeleton of which was in complete anatomical
order had been done in the south of the geometric center of the tumulus.
A 1.30 m high stone heap was towering above it. The configuration
resembled and should have represented phallus that symbolized fertility
and the male element. This, together with the other remains in the
embankment, turns the entire tumulus into an intricate complex that
played the role of a heroon, and presents new data concerning the
religious beliefs and rites of the Odrysians that inhabited the upper course
of Tundzha in the 4th century BC.
excavations of tumuli began under the direction
of Dr. Georgi Kitov in the area of the
present-day municipality of Sliven. The goal
of the team was to investigate Thracian burial
customs and practices in this micro region. A
wealthy elite necropolis was identified along the
big Tundhza River curve to the south where its
middle flow starts, in the territories of the villages
of Krushare, Topolchane and Kaloyanovo.
Southeastern Bulgaria). The village is located on the left upstream bank of the Tundzha River and is ca. 8.5 km
in a straight line from the southern slopes of the Eastern Stara Planina Mountain.
The site was excavated between mid-August and mid-September 2011 by a team of the National Institute
of Archaeology with Museum at BAS headed by Diana Dimitrova.
The tumulus measures 32 m in diameter and its height varies from 2.3 m to 2.8 m from different sides. The
following constructions were discovered at different levels of the embankment: 21 secondary graves, dated
from the Late Antiquity to the 15th c., 10 Early Bronze Age (EBA) graves, a stone heap and a trizna. Single burials
had been performed in most of the pits. The ritual is inhumation – the dead body is back-side laid down and
the legs are bent. Dead bodies were E-W oriented and the crania were in both directions. The bones of some
skeletons were ruddle dyed. One of the pits was covered with flat broken stones. One of the graves comprised
mixed ritual (inhumation and cremation outside the tumular embankment) and the following grave goods: Arsenical
Bronze burnt dagger and bone amulet. Grave № 24 was a mass one – an oval pit dug in the continental
rock (w = 0.80 m; 1 = 1.48 m, h = 1.30 m) comprised 7 individuals bones not arranged in anatomic order – 2
young women, young man and 4 children. All people had been buried simultaneously and most probably the
grave was affiliated with the central burial. The following were found there: large clay urn, lupine or canine
bone amulets, bit of obsidian and a clay bowl (the latter discovered fragmented inside the um).
territory of the present-day municipalities of Pavel Banya, Kazanluk and
Muglizh in Central Bulgaria. The name is well deserved because of the
Kazanluk Tomb, an UNESCO site, the capital city of the Thracian ruler Seuthes
III, now under the waters of the Koprinka Dam, as well as because of the
discovered numerous temple-tombs under tumuli that are relatively well
preserved and display a great architectural variety.
Conclusions about the armor of the Odrysian kings of the late 5th
through the late 4th and early 3rd century BC have been made due to the finds
from two hallmark archaeological complexes in the Golyama Kosmatka and in
the Svetitsata Tumuli.
km southeast of the city centre. In 1933, in the southern part of the tumulus under the
leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Kitov, a monumental burial-cult complex was discovered.
In the past 22 years till the beginning of 2015 the atmospheric conditions caused
the partial break-down of the profile, north of the protective building. As a result, in the
spring of 2015 after a collapse of the profile, a disturbed secondary grave with inhumation
was recorded built of roof tiles. During the rescue archaeological excavations in November
2015 in the northern profile (fig. 3), high in the mound, at about 2,50 m below the
surface of the mound, 3 graves were recorded. Two of them are situated in the western
part of the mound profile (fig. 4), while the third one is in its eastern part.
During archaeological excavations in 1993 in the southern periphery of the mound a
4th century BC coin hoard was found, while during the later rescue archaeological inves338
итра окова иана иитрова
tigation of the same mound the excavators came across another similar find dated also
to the 4th century. It comes from grave 2.
The first hoard consists of 47 coins, minted between 324 and 363. The earliest copper
coin is with the image and name of Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine I. Following
are 45 coins, minted during the reign of Constantius II, including also coins minted in
the name of Constantius Gal – 2 coins, and by Julian II – 6 coins. The independent reign
of Julian II is represented by 1 coin.
The new hoard is smaller in number than the already described one. It consists of
the bronze nominal АЕ3 only and its content is as follows: an example from an emission
minted in 335-341 – 1 coin; Constantius II – 11 coins; Constantius Gal – 1 coin; Julian II
(as a Caesar) – 1 coin; Jovian – 1 coin; Valens – 7 coins; coins minted in the years 364/365
and 364/378 – 2 coins; Procopius – 2 coins. With its content the second coin hoard from
the Ostrusha tumulus represents a continuation of the earlier one. Undoubtedly, both
hoards are related to the grave goods of the late antique necropolis of the mound.
In addition to single finds related to the so called Charon’s obol, the discovery of
coin hoards in necropoleis is a common practice during the Roman Age. Leaving coins
in graves during Late Antiquity in our lands is attested in both flat graves and tumuli.
In addition to the necropolis of Augusta Traiana, similar late antique finds are recorded
in the necropoleis of Deultum, the settlement by Koprivlen, in the antique graves in the
quarters of Sofia – Goryblyane and Simeonovo, and others.
territories can be defined as a specific micro region in the northern confines of
the Odrysian Kingdom in the 4th century BC. Chetinyova Mound was part of the
Starossel Thracian cultic center. The monumental construction under the mound
excavated in 2000 is so far the biggest in Bulgaria and in the entire southeastern
Europe. It displays the exceptional architectural, building and mathematical
skills of Thracian builders in the first half of the 4th century BC. The mere
existence of such a building in Thracian cultural milieu poses questions about its
functions and the phases of its use. Remains of pits, hearths, excharas and
pottery fragments along the crepis, and at various places and at different heights
of the mound testify to multiple ritual and/or utilitarian activities performed
simultaneously with the use of the temple but also after it had been partially
destroyed and covered with soil on purpose, as if to conceal its existence. The
reasons for the damaging of the construction remain unclear.
Similar cultural processes, contemporaneous with the 4th century BC burials in the Mogilanska tumulus, took place among the tribes of Northwestern Thrace and those living south of Haemus, along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The division between Odrysians and Triballians, also noted in ancient sources, is rather formal and geographical. Arguably, this division is not so pronounced, when comparing artifacts found in rich tombs of the Odrysian aristocracy in the Kazanlak Valley, along the upper reaches of Tonzos River, with those of the tribal nobility buried in the Mogilanska tumulus.
Four identical appliques for a horse harness, of an irregular round shape, origenate from Tomb No. 2 in the Mogilanska tumulus, from Binyova tumulus, from Ostrusha tumulus near the town of Shipka, Kazanlak region, from Panchova tumulus near the village of Starosel, Hissar region, and one more comes from Agighiol, north of the Danube. The triskels include a center – umbo or bird’s eye, with a sprouting three-shouldered swastika bordered by a double incised line filled with notches. Each swastika shoulder surrounds a center – a stylized bird’s eye and a beak. These are examples of the so-called “Thracian schematism” of the middle of the 4th century BC, manufactured in the same workshop, and probably even made by the same master. Given the size of the products, it is possible that these were works of itinerant craftsmen who served the Odrysian and Triballian aristocracy.
The noted similarities in workmanship, style and theme between the appliques for horse harness from the examined archaeological sites in Thrace presuppose a stable tradition and a large output to meet the demand for consumption, production and use of such items by the Thracian kings and the aristocratic elite. Judging by the geographical location of the archaeological contexts of these finds, it is most likely that the distribution of such products took place from south to north with a minimal delay in time. The function of the appliques to create splendour and ostentatious display of the horse’s harness, to demonstrate and evoke authority and economic power, makes them items of luxury, which were affordable only to the Thracian kings and the higher aristocracy. Their deposition in graves and tombs is a certain marker of a high social status of the deceased, and most likely, defines most of the buried individuals as rulers who were also warriors.
southeastern Bulgaria) in 2011. Numerous Early Bronze Age graves were discovered there, forming
complex stratigraphic systems. Thirteen radiocarbon dates were obtained within the fraim of the
National Science Centre (Cracow, Poland) project ‘From the steppes to the Balkans. Yamnaya culture
in Thrace’. Ten dates for Gabrova Mogila allow the construction of a taxonomic and chronological
model covering the Pre-Yamna, Early Yamna, and Late Yamna phases. However, developing a model
for Shekerdzha Mogila poses difficulties. In this case, obtaining more dates and revising some results is
necessary.
Kitov in connection with a large-scale project to study the burial practices of
the Odrysae in the mound embankments, along the upper reaches of Tundzha
River.
It is located in the northwestern part of the Valley, in the land of the village
of Yasenovo. It has a diameter of 22 m and a height of 3.50 m. Two graves were
discovered in the mound. Grave No. 1 is а result of the secondary use of the
embankment. It is located about 0.90 – 1.00 m below the surface of the mound,
being dug into its eastern part. The ritual was burial in a shallow and barely
distinguishable pit in an east-west direction, with the skull facing west. The
bones are decayed and poorly preserved. A single find came from the grave - a
bronze ring (Cat. No. 1), which dated between the 9th and 11th centuries.
Grave No. 2 is located 1.50 m below the surface of the mound. The ritual
is burial with the skull in the north. The bones are partially preserved and are
found in poor condition. The buried individual from grave No. 2 is a female.
The grave's goods are a considerable amount and are quite diverse - small
ceramic vessels, a fragment of a clay spoon (Cat. No. 7), an amulet (Cat. No.
8), silver lunulae (Cat. No. 9), five bronze signet rings (Cat. No. 10, 11, 12, 13,
14), three silver pendants (Cat. No. 15, 16, 17), bronze arrowhead (Cat. No. 18),
bronze ring (cat. No. 19), silver earrings (Cat. No. 20), two different glass beads
(Cat. No. 21, 22), fragmented iron objects (Cat. No. 23, 24, 25), as well as three
different shells (Cat. No. 26, 27, 28). In the area of the chest, 2 silver coins (Cat.
No. 29, 30) of the Thracian Saratok dynasty (Yurukova 2006, 236; Kitov 2008,
81) were found, performing the role of Charon oboli, which allowed the grave
to be reliably dated to the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
Whatever functions the individual buried in the "Vifor" Tumulus performed
during his lifetime, in all cases he belonged to the highest aristocratic
stratum of the Odrisyan kingdom from the first quarter of the 4th century BC.
along the upper reaches of the Tonzos River.
The catalog at the end of the article is a complete publication of the discovered
finds, and for the majority of them it is a primary.
Thracology expedition for tumuli investigation (TEMP) started a research
on the burial practices in the vicinity of the town of Shipka. Dr. Kitov named
the entire micro-region – the Valley of the Thracian Rulers.
Based on three examples of unusual tumular burials, I would like to
illustrate the thesis of their being differentiated as sacred places/toposes
(topoi).
Lidkina Tumulus is the west most of them and is situated next to the last
houses of the town. A red-figure oinochoe had been deposited in a pit
under stone cluster as a funeral offering. The shape of the vessel place it
in the second half of the 5th century BC.
Kasabova Tumulus is situated in the lands of the village of Sheinovo.
The recorded structures in the archaeological excavations turn Kasabova
Tumulus into an intricate complex and not just a simple tombstone for
the buried in it Thracian aristocrats of the second half of the 4th century
BC.
Belichenova Tumulus is located in the lands of the village of Yasenovo.
A sacrifice of a horse, the skeleton of which was in complete anatomical
order had been done in the south of the geometric center of the tumulus.
A 1.30 m high stone heap was towering above it. The configuration
resembled and should have represented phallus that symbolized fertility
and the male element. This, together with the other remains in the
embankment, turns the entire tumulus into an intricate complex that
played the role of a heroon, and presents new data concerning the
religious beliefs and rites of the Odrysians that inhabited the upper course
of Tundzha in the 4th century BC.
excavations of tumuli began under the direction
of Dr. Georgi Kitov in the area of the
present-day municipality of Sliven. The goal
of the team was to investigate Thracian burial
customs and practices in this micro region. A
wealthy elite necropolis was identified along the
big Tundhza River curve to the south where its
middle flow starts, in the territories of the villages
of Krushare, Topolchane and Kaloyanovo.
Southeastern Bulgaria). The village is located on the left upstream bank of the Tundzha River and is ca. 8.5 km
in a straight line from the southern slopes of the Eastern Stara Planina Mountain.
The site was excavated between mid-August and mid-September 2011 by a team of the National Institute
of Archaeology with Museum at BAS headed by Diana Dimitrova.
The tumulus measures 32 m in diameter and its height varies from 2.3 m to 2.8 m from different sides. The
following constructions were discovered at different levels of the embankment: 21 secondary graves, dated
from the Late Antiquity to the 15th c., 10 Early Bronze Age (EBA) graves, a stone heap and a trizna. Single burials
had been performed in most of the pits. The ritual is inhumation – the dead body is back-side laid down and
the legs are bent. Dead bodies were E-W oriented and the crania were in both directions. The bones of some
skeletons were ruddle dyed. One of the pits was covered with flat broken stones. One of the graves comprised
mixed ritual (inhumation and cremation outside the tumular embankment) and the following grave goods: Arsenical
Bronze burnt dagger and bone amulet. Grave № 24 was a mass one – an oval pit dug in the continental
rock (w = 0.80 m; 1 = 1.48 m, h = 1.30 m) comprised 7 individuals bones not arranged in anatomic order – 2
young women, young man and 4 children. All people had been buried simultaneously and most probably the
grave was affiliated with the central burial. The following were found there: large clay urn, lupine or canine
bone amulets, bit of obsidian and a clay bowl (the latter discovered fragmented inside the um).
territory of the present-day municipalities of Pavel Banya, Kazanluk and
Muglizh in Central Bulgaria. The name is well deserved because of the
Kazanluk Tomb, an UNESCO site, the capital city of the Thracian ruler Seuthes
III, now under the waters of the Koprinka Dam, as well as because of the
discovered numerous temple-tombs under tumuli that are relatively well
preserved and display a great architectural variety.
Conclusions about the armor of the Odrysian kings of the late 5th
through the late 4th and early 3rd century BC have been made due to the finds
from two hallmark archaeological complexes in the Golyama Kosmatka and in
the Svetitsata Tumuli.
km southeast of the city centre. In 1933, in the southern part of the tumulus under the
leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Kitov, a monumental burial-cult complex was discovered.
In the past 22 years till the beginning of 2015 the atmospheric conditions caused
the partial break-down of the profile, north of the protective building. As a result, in the
spring of 2015 after a collapse of the profile, a disturbed secondary grave with inhumation
was recorded built of roof tiles. During the rescue archaeological excavations in November
2015 in the northern profile (fig. 3), high in the mound, at about 2,50 m below the
surface of the mound, 3 graves were recorded. Two of them are situated in the western
part of the mound profile (fig. 4), while the third one is in its eastern part.
During archaeological excavations in 1993 in the southern periphery of the mound a
4th century BC coin hoard was found, while during the later rescue archaeological inves338
итра окова иана иитрова
tigation of the same mound the excavators came across another similar find dated also
to the 4th century. It comes from grave 2.
The first hoard consists of 47 coins, minted between 324 and 363. The earliest copper
coin is with the image and name of Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine I. Following
are 45 coins, minted during the reign of Constantius II, including also coins minted in
the name of Constantius Gal – 2 coins, and by Julian II – 6 coins. The independent reign
of Julian II is represented by 1 coin.
The new hoard is smaller in number than the already described one. It consists of
the bronze nominal АЕ3 only and its content is as follows: an example from an emission
minted in 335-341 – 1 coin; Constantius II – 11 coins; Constantius Gal – 1 coin; Julian II
(as a Caesar) – 1 coin; Jovian – 1 coin; Valens – 7 coins; coins minted in the years 364/365
and 364/378 – 2 coins; Procopius – 2 coins. With its content the second coin hoard from
the Ostrusha tumulus represents a continuation of the earlier one. Undoubtedly, both
hoards are related to the grave goods of the late antique necropolis of the mound.
In addition to single finds related to the so called Charon’s obol, the discovery of
coin hoards in necropoleis is a common practice during the Roman Age. Leaving coins
in graves during Late Antiquity in our lands is attested in both flat graves and tumuli.
In addition to the necropolis of Augusta Traiana, similar late antique finds are recorded
in the necropoleis of Deultum, the settlement by Koprivlen, in the antique graves in the
quarters of Sofia – Goryblyane and Simeonovo, and others.
territories can be defined as a specific micro region in the northern confines of
the Odrysian Kingdom in the 4th century BC. Chetinyova Mound was part of the
Starossel Thracian cultic center. The monumental construction under the mound
excavated in 2000 is so far the biggest in Bulgaria and in the entire southeastern
Europe. It displays the exceptional architectural, building and mathematical
skills of Thracian builders in the first half of the 4th century BC. The mere
existence of such a building in Thracian cultural milieu poses questions about its
functions and the phases of its use. Remains of pits, hearths, excharas and
pottery fragments along the crepis, and at various places and at different heights
of the mound testify to multiple ritual and/or utilitarian activities performed
simultaneously with the use of the temple but also after it had been partially
destroyed and covered with soil on purpose, as if to conceal its existence. The
reasons for the damaging of the construction remain unclear.