Cromlech at Dolni Glawanak
The cromlech ( stone circle ) near the Bulgarian village Dolni Glawanak (Bulgarian Долни Главанак ) is located in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains ; about 400 m south of the road connecting Dolni Glawanak and Topolowo . Dolni Glawanak is one kilometer east, Topolowo four kilometers further west.
This cromlech was a place of worship made of vertically erected pyramid-shaped megaliths that enclose a slightly oval circle with an inner diameter of 9 to 10 m. Archaeologists assume that the Cromlech was a Thracian sanctuary, even if there are no Thracian parallels.
The 15 stone blocks are on average 1 m wide, 50 cm thick and have heights of 1.2 to 1.5 m. The stones are 75 to 90 cm apart. This arrangement is interrupted in the eastern part of the stone circle, there two stone blocks were placed directly next to each other and behind them there is a third, which today is strongly inclined to the east. 9 stone blocks have been preserved in situ , another three have fallen over.
The stone blocks stand on the rocky subsoil, which is covered by a thin layer of soil without any holes or recesses being carved into the rock. Because of their shape, however, the stone pyramids are stable. Some were stabilized with smaller stones. Between the 15 large ones there are numerous smaller stones, 20 to 30 cm high.
The stone circle is not closed to the southeast. In this sector the ground consists of a bedrock that rises slightly above the surrounding terrain, which is why menhirs may never have been erected there. The circle is also interrupted in the northern area. A block is missing there, which was probably destroyed or moved. In addition to the ones set up in a circle, there are some large stone blocks and numerous smaller ones scattered in the vicinity. In the southern part of the stone circle there are four large stone blocks that are more like slabs than menhirs.
South of the Cromlech, 20 m away, are two other, smaller stone circles . One is about five meters in diameter, the other about three meters. Traces of children's burials by means of cremation were found in both of them . The two small stone circles are undoubtedly related to the large one and are part of a uniform complex in which ritual acts were performed.
The cromlech near Dolni Glawanak was discovered in 1998 under the direction of Georgi Nekhrisov (bulg. Георги Нехризов ) from the National Archaeological Institute and Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences during archaeological explorations on the territory of the municipality of Majarovo. During his archaeological investigation in 1999, it was found that the complex was built in the second phase of the Early Iron Age (8th to 6th centuries BC). Evidence of the cult activities is provided by found fragments of clay vessels, paint residues and metal objects, which were mainly found in the area of the stone blocks. The cult facility was used for a long time. Cult acts were also carried out there during the late Iron Age (5th to 1st century BC). Individual finds show that cults also took place in the Middle Ages.
This archaeological site has the status of an archaeological cultural monument of national importance in Bulgaria and is protected by the relevant Bulgarian laws. Bulgarian tourism companies advertise this cromlech with the nickname “the Bulgarian Stonehenge”. The property was developed as a tourist property in 2004 with the help of grants from the EU: with a visitor center, car park and access path to the Cromlech on the 300 m high mountain peak, which rises 50 m above the surroundings.
The cromlech near Dolni Glawanak is the only known and preserved facility of its kind in Bulgaria. Apart from another small cromlech west of the village of Chljabowo (Bulgarian Хлябово ) discovered ( 42 ° 3 ′ 38 ″ N , 26 ° 14 ′ 27 ″ E ; 55 km as the crow flies northwest of Dolni Glawanak), not far from the most famous dolmen in Bulgaria . However, this little cromlech has not yet been explored.
See also
literature
- Георги Нехризов: "Тракийски култов мегалитен паметник (кромлех) при с. Долни Главанак." - Известия на Историческия музей в Хасково, кн. 2, 2003, стр. 23-139. (Georgi Nechiezov: Thracian cult megalithic monument (Cromlech) near the village of Dolni Glavanak. "- Announcements of the Haskovo Historical Museum, Volume 2, 2003, pp. 23-139)
Web links
Coordinates: 41 ° 40 ′ 55 " N , 25 ° 48 ′ 46" E