MALKA MOGILA – The Beginning of the Excavation
Works in the Valley of the Thracian Kings
With it
began the work of the leaded by me Thracologian
expedition for mound researches (TEMR) in the Kazanlak
area in 1992. Malka mogila
is situated between the town of
This name
wouldn’t be born if the excavation works in July 1992 hadn’t begun. And their
beginning hung on a thread. Carefully prepared, they should be canceled because
of money lack. We could anyway obtain a research term of one week and after it
we should ‘move out’. We had two mounds measured geophysically
by our two geophysicists. We chose the called ‘Malka’
(Small) measured by Kolyo Tonkov.
Our team has entrusted to him its prestige, dignity and future.
On July 23rd
the excavation technics ‘bate’ the mound from south and then turned to the
marked anomaly. We shivered in suspense. We reached the place after two hours.
There were no symptoms for the anomaly searched. Kolyo
was pale, we begun to imagine how we pack our luggage. Spectators were watching
our behaviour aside with curious and sarcastic eyes.
But a mighty roam shook the air after two hours and confused the people. The
bucket of the machine touched a huge slab stone. It
was a big sarcophagus-like grave found. It was fast understood that it is
symbolic, without archeological materials. The mood changed. The grave could be
important from scientific point of view but this wouldn’t fill the museums’
glasses and the possibility that the excavation works continue began to recede.
The spectators began to go away.
Leaved in
calmness, without supervision, we began to purge behind the big slabs of
primitive stone walls which forebodes nothing good. The mouths of two clay and
one bronze vessels showed on 24th of July at nightfall. The
following third day – 25th of July – turned out to be fateful for
the future of the Expedition and for the archeology not only in the
The gold began to ‘shine’ in the morning.
The
Director of the museum Dr. Zarev kept himself for the
head, couldn’t believe on his eyes and feverish
thought about possibilities for finding of more funds for continuing of the
researches. We had begun the survey of the first found by archeological
excavations unrobed tomb. The gold is, of course, irreplaceable for the
museums’ glasses. We however were more rejoiced at two modest made from bones
objects shaped as double-axe (labris) – a symbol of
power in the Thracian society. One of them looks like a plated with silver
handle and the other one looks like a necklace – king’s scepters. The tomb seemed
to be not only unrobed but also of a king. This assumption was fast confirmed
by the finding of solid ring-seal with a picture of an investiture scene. Two
standing figures over its shield are of the Great Mother-Goddess – the supreme
Thracian god - and a ruler whom she passes on the symbols of a power – golden
wreath, scepter, rhyton. The
tomb is primitive with a rectangular premises and a short corridor. A body of a
man with a head on south-east is set up in the middle. The personal belongings
and the gifts of the ruler are set up over and around the skeleton that are put
in the grave to serve him in the after life according the beliefs of the
Thracians.
At first
sight arises the imagination that in the tomb has been buried vain woman. The
anthropological measures of the skeleton made by Prof. Yordan
Yordanov however show that it is of a man that
confirms the words of the father of the history Herodotus that the Thracians
“love to adorn themselves”. At the other side, is it obvious that in the antiquity
as well as today, wearing of fineries hasn’t been a privilege of the woman.
There are
three chain decorations for clothing made from silver that have been attached
to the clothing with silver fibulas (clasps). Besides the ring, there are three
necklaces made from gold. One is from cylindrical beads without decoration, and
to one of them is soldered an original pendant with a complicated
ornamentation. The other is from beads with decoration of golden fibres. The third necklace is a masterpiece of the Thracian
jewelry. It is buttoned up with rich decorated hook and ring. The set of golden
fineries is added with a breastplate, pendants, buttons and rosette-shaped
ornaments.
There were
also other objects found in the tomb, including some ten parts of putted
together from carefully worked and polished to yellow-brown brilliance bone flatnesses.
The
materials from ‘Malka Mogila’
could be seen in the
Text: Dr. Georgi Kitov
Pictures:
Stefan Dimov
Pic. 1: Stone Sarcophagus
Pic. 2: Bronze Situla
with an image of Satyr
Pic. 3: Silver Fialas
Pic. 4: Golden Ring
Pic. 5: Silver Chainlets
Pic. 6: Golden necklaces
Two vessels from bronze were
also found. One is a high bucket with two handles. In their bases are
applications with yielding images. The one is with a head of the forest
half-good – satyr, one of the companions of the god of the wine and gaiety –
Dionysus. He’s with thick beard and moustaches, an ivy wreath and
mischievous-looking eyes from inlaid silver. From the other side of the bucket
is a three-dimensioned image of a lion’s head with greatly lengthened as a
furrow mouth for pouring out of the liquid, containing in the vessel. The small
openings under the application evidence that the liquid has been heavy wine
with flakes and seeds that the Thracians – by contrast with their southern neighbours the Greeks – have drunk short. The other vessel is
a high bowl in which interior are set up elegant silver fialas
(cups for drinking of wine and for religious effusions). Several ceramic
vessels have served for preservation, drinking and using of water, wine and
sweet-smelling oils.
Траколожка
експедиция
за могилни
проучвания
(ТЕМП) е
регистрирано
сдружение с
нестопанска
цел. Нуждаем
се от
средства за
продължаване
на проучванията
в Долината на
тракийските
царе през 2006 г.
Банковата
сметка на
ТЕМП е:
Булбанк АД
Централно
управление, 1000
София, пл. "Св.
Неделя" 7,
сметка № 1013267005.
Банков код 62176307. SWIFT code: BFTBBGSF. За
проучвания
на ТЕМП.
За контакти:
Д-р Георги
Китов, бул.
Цар Борис III № 25,
ет. 7
1612 София, тел.: 02/952 41 59; 0889
486 735
Thracological expedition for mound
researches (TEMR) is a registered association with non-commercial purpose. We
need more funds for continuing of the researches in the Valley of the Thracian
kings in 2006. The bank account of TEMR is:
Bulbank JSC, central office, Sofia
1000, 7, St. Nedelya square, account number: 1013267005, bank code:
62176307, SWIFT code: BFTBBGSF, For the TEMR
researches.
For contacts: Dr. Georgi Kitov,