MALKA
MOGILA – The first excavations in the Valley of the Thracian Kings
Here began
the work, under my supervision, of the Thraceological expedition for mound
research (TEMR) in the Kazanlak area in 1992. Malka Mogila is located between
the town of
This name
would not have been coined, if the excavations of July 1992 had not taken place.
Their commencement hung on a thread. Despite careful preparation, they could have
been cancelled for lack of money. We might anyway have managed a research period
of one week, after which we should have had to move out. We had two mounds surveyed
geophysically by our two geophysicists. We chose the one called ‘Malka’ (Small),
surveyed by Kolyo Tonkov. Our team entrusted to him its prestige, dignity and very
future.
On the 23rd
of July the excavators ‘bit’ into the mound from the south, and aimed for a noticeable
irregularity. We shivered with suspense. After two hours we reached the spot.
There was no evidence for the cause of the irregularity. Kolyo went pale, and we
began to think about packing our bags. From the sidelines spectators were
watching our behaviour with curious and mocking eyes. Then, after half an hour,
a mighty roar shook the air, and threw people into confusion. The bucket of the
machine had struck a huge slab of stone. A large sarcophagus-like grave had
been found.
It was realised
quickly that it was only symbolic, and contained no archaeological material.
The mood changed. The grave could be important from a scientific point of view,
but it would not fill the museum cases, and the possibility of continuing the excavations
began to recede. The spectators started to drift away.
Left in peace,
without being overlooked, we began to clear behind the big slabs of primitive
stone wall which held no promise. The mouths of one bronze and two clay vessels
showed through at nightfall on the 24th of July. The following day, our third –
the 25th of July – turned out to be fateful for the future of the expedition,
and for archaeology; and not only in the
The gold began to ‘shine’ in the morning.
The
Director of the museum, Dr. Zarev, put his hands to his head, could not believe
his eyes, and thought excitedly about the possibilities for finding more funds to
continue the research. We had begun the survey of the first intact tomb
discovered by archaeological excavation.
The gold for
the museum cases is, of course, invaluable. We, however, were more joyful with two
modest objects made from bones, shaped as a double-axe (labris) – a symbol of
power in Thracian society. One of them looks like a silver-plated handle, and
the other looks like a necklace – king’s sceptres. The tomb seemed to be not
only intact, but also of a king.
This
assumption was quickly confirmed by the discovery of a solid gold ring-seal,
with a picture of an investiture scene. The two figures standing over its
shield are of the Great Mother-Goddess – the supreme Thracian deity – and a
ruler, to whom she passes the symbols of power: gold wreath, sceptre, rhyton.
The tomb is
primitive, with a rectangular interior and a short corridor. The body of a man
with head facing south-east is set in the middle. The personal belongings and
gifts to the ruler are set above and around the skeleton. These were placed in
the tomb to serve him in the afterlife, according to the beliefs of the Thracians.
At first
sight one imagines that a vain woman has been buried in the tomb. The anthropological survey of the skeleton done by Prof. Yordan
Yordanov shows, however, that it is of a man. This confirms the words of
the ‘father of history’, Herodotus, that the Thracians “love to adorn
themselves”. On the other hand, it is obvious that in antiquity, as well as
today, the wearing of finery has not been a privilege of woman only.
There are
three chain decorations for clothing, made from silver, that were attached to
the clothing with silver fibulas (clasps). Besides the ring, there are three
necklaces made of gold. One has cylindrical beads without decoration, and to another
is brazed an original pendant with complex ornamentation. The other is of beads
with a decoration of golden fibres. The third necklace is a m
Other objects
were also found in the tomb, including about ten pieces of flat bone, attached
together, and carefully worked and polished to yellow-brown brilliance.
The artefacts
from Malka Mogila can be seen in the
Text: Dr.
Georgi Kitov
Pictures:
Stefan Dimov
Pic. 1:
Stone Sarcophagus
Pic. 2:
Bronze Situla with image of Satyr
Pic. 3:
Silver Fialas
Pic. 4:
Gold Ring
Pic. 5:
Silver Chainlets
Pic. 6:
Gold necklaces
You
really shouldn’t omit the first two sentences,
otherwise the reader will not know what object you’re talking about!!! To fit
the available space in your magazine I’ve amended the text, to describe only
one of the bronze vessels.
Bronze vessels were also
found. One is a tall urn with two handles. On its base is an applique with moulded
images. One of them is of a head of the silvan demigod Satyr, one of the
companions of the god of wine and gaiety, Dionysus. He has a thick beard and
moustache, an ivy wreath and mischievous-looking eyes of inlaid silver. On the
other side of the urn is a three-dimensional image of a lion’s head with a greatly
lengthened muzzle for pouring the liquid contained in the vessel. The small
openings under the applique indicate that the liquid was a heavy wine, with
flakes and seeds, that the Thracians – by contrast
with their southern neighbours, the Greeks – drank neat.
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
The Thraceological expedition for mound research (TEMR) is a registered non-profit
organisation. We need more funds to continue the research 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 TEMR research.
For contacts: Dr. Georgi Kitov,