Download - Latinitas or Europa

LATINITAS OR EUROPAFROM PAST TO PRESENT
FROM PRESENT TO PAST
School Project 2004/2005
SOCRATES /COMENIUS 1
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SOU “ BRATIA KANAZIREVI “-RAZLOG,
BULGARIA
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The participation of Bulgaria is based on the fact
that in our country there are Roman traces and we
intend to examine them and to present in the project
activities. The theme of the project is interesting and
challenging for Bulgarian institution. Despite the fact
that Bulgarian language is a Slavonic Language there
is some Latin influence in our language. The studies
will be led in the following ways:
1.Tracing the Latin heritage mainly in our Bulgarian
language.
2.Finding out the spheres in the Bulgarian culture
where the Latin culture can be seen(Language,
History, Architecture, Archeaology , History, Fine
Arts,Education,Science).
3. Analysis of the most characteristic examples of
Latin in our culture.
4. Making a comparison of this research with the
results achieved by the colleagues from other schools.
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LATIN HERITAGE IN BULGARIA
INTRODUCTION
When we talk about Latin heritage in Bulgaria we
should keep in mind that there are a lot of traces
in Bulgaria about it. We should go back in
antiquity in the period of thriving of the Roman
Empire ( i.e. the period of emperor August (30
BC -14 AD). At the beginning the Roman empire
built its cultural foundations on Greek culture and
after that it built its own unique culture. Part of
these rich and unique cultural heritage are a lot
of sculptures and art works , roads,
amphitheatres.
There is a unique Roman amphitheatre in
Bulgarian city- Plovdiv. The Roman amphitheatre
was uncovered in the end of the 20th Century.
The special kind of Roman water- mains , called
aqueducts still could be seen in some Bulgarian
cities. There are such kind of water-mains in Italy
, France and other countries as well.
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In Thrace, that is now in Bulgaria , there
are a lot of Roman baths. They were built
in places with mineral water springs. And
even today well-preserved fortified walls
could be seen in some Bulgarian citiesVarna, Plovdiv , Nesebar,Hisarya.
Later Byzantium as a successor of Roman
Empire continued to carry out its culture
in Europe and mainly on the Balkan
Peninsula. After the foundation of the
Latin Empire (11 AD) deep contacts with
Bulgaria were established. Later after the
crash of the Latin Empire , Byzantium
was established. Later Byzantium was
subjugated by Ottoman Turkish Empire
and there was a decline in culture. A lot of
monasteries were built during that period.
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LATIN HERITAGE IN BULGARIA, TRACED
IN ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHEAOLOGY
( city of PLOVDIV )
Ruins from antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance
and Modern culture live together, mingled with
the beauty of this eternal city. Unique cultural
monuments of the Roman culture are still
preserved in the city of Plovdiv: the Roman
stadium, the Roman amphitheatre, beautiful
coloured mosaics, the antique forum and
fortified walls, the Roman aqueducts, ruins
from Thracian settlements. There is a part of
the city called Trihill where the most colorful
monuments of Bulgarian Renaissance
architecture could be seen.
The city has a gold medal from UNESCO for
restoration and conservation of the cultural
monuments.
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In the archaeological place called
“Nebet Hill” there are ruins from the
Roman fortresses which protected
the town from the Turkish.
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The fortified Walls
The ruins from two fortified walls and their
doors could be seen among the monuments
from the Roman period. If one takes a walk
around The Trihill ,he will see the antique
fortifications which are from Roman and
Byzantine time. It is undoubted that among the
fortified doors the most colorful and the most
preserved is the door called “Hysar Gate” which
was built during the rule of the emperors Trajan
and Marcus Aurelius. The ruins from the second
fortified wall revealed that it had solid turrets
and loop- holes. It was 8 meters high and 2,3
meters wide. It was built from huge stone
blocks, connected horizontally with metal solid
fits. A secret entrance to the fortress was
uncovered, which connected acropolis with the
river Maritza through tunnel and stairs. The
staircase was dug into the rocks of “Nebet Hill”.
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The Antique Forum
The place is 0,6 hectares and it was
uncovered when the foundations of the
hotel “Trimoncium “ were put. The streets
in this region of Plovdiv are covered with
syenite plates. It’s interesting fact that
the buildings were built on the curb
stones. The forum parts which are
opened for tourists, clearly reveal the
different levels in the building of the
Thracian agora with well-preserved ruins
of Roman marble.
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The Roman Stadium
The stadium is in a form of horseshoe,
which is 180 meters in length and there
are 30000 seats for spectators. It’s
proved that this stadium dated back from
the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus
(193-211year). The most splendid sports
competitions were so called Pytiani and
Alexandrian games which were organized
as a model of Greek Olympic Games. The
main sports were athletics, wrestling,
jumping, rifle practice, discus-throwing,
javelin throw.
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It’s the most impressive part from Roman time.
It took ten years for excavations and cleaning
the place and 15 meters soil were removed.
The spectators seats have amphitheatrical form
and they are divided into 2 rings of 14 rows
each. The theatre had a capacity of 7000
spectators. The names of the different
residential districts were engraved into the
benches of each sector. The stage on two levels
reveals the architectural and decorative
richness of the theatre. The high quality of the
used materials and art works reveal
undoubtedly the great social meaning which
the theatre had during that time.
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In Plovdiv there have been uncovered a
lot of Roman Mosaics. They are very
beautiful and valuable. Such kind of
Roman mosaics one could see in the
popular basilica of another Bulgarian citySandanski. From the springs, in the skirts
of the Rhodopes Montain the water was
transported through clay pipes in a huge
water basin in Markovo village. There are
ruins from Roman aqueduct. The
Romans kneew the principles of
interconnected vessels. In 1983, when
the parts of the aqueduct were uncovered
in the center of the town, the water
inside was good for drinking.
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PERPERIKON
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General Info and Road Map
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Perperikon (or Hyperperakion or Perperakion) is in the
Eastern Rhodope range, some 10 miles from the town
of Kurdzhali. The roads from Sofia, via Asenovgrad or
Haskovo, are fairly good and well maintained.
Perperikon is perched on a rocky peak at 1,400 ft
above sea level guarded at its foot by the village of
Gorna Krepost [high castle]. The gold-bearing river
Perpereshka flows nearby forming a valley some 7
miles long and 2.5 miles wide. This fertile sheltered
place had attracted settlers in very ancient times, and
today, dozens of sites clustered around the natural hub
of Perperikon reveal layer upon layer of archaeological
remains. Just a little further downstream, the
Perpereshka flows into the artificial lake of Stouden
Kladenets on the river Arda. Where the two bodies of
water meet, is the village of Kaloyantsi, a scenic place
with some tourist facilities.
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Bulgaria and Byzantium at War for
Perperikon
The riches hidden in the Eastern Rhodope had
attracted the Bulgars since the late 7th century,
when they first settled on the plain between the
Danube and the Balkan Mountains to form the
kernel of what was to become the first
Bulgarian empire. Their expansionist ambitions
were spurred on by the local population which,
since the late 6th century, had been strongly
permeated by Slavic elements. Indeed,
contemporary Byzantine chroniclers claimed
that the Bulgars' raids on the Rhodope were
successful because the local tribes them gave
them their support.
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The Eastern Rhodope were finally conquered by the
second Bulgarian empire soon after the brothers Asen
and Peter, the first Bulgarian rulers of the House of
Asen (1185-1280), launched a revolt to throw off
Byzantine sovereignty. During the war between
Kaloyan, their brother and successor, and the knights of
the Fourth Crusade (1205-1207), the Eastern Rhodope
became the southernmost Bulgarian stronghold from
which the Bulgars raided the Aegean lowlands. The
second Bulgarian empire reached its height during the
reign of Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-41). His successors,
however, could not match his ability. In 1246, his son
Koloman, still a child, died. His other son, Michael
Asen, succeeded his brother under the de facto regency
of his mother Irina. She was the daughter of the
Byzantine emperor and willingly gave back the
Bulgarian southern conquests, including the Eastern
Rhodope.
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In 1254, Michael Asen, who had come of age, decided to reclaim
his father's possessions and marched south at the head of a large
army. In his history of the Byzantine Empire, the contemporary
scholar and statesman George Acropolites relates that in a very
short time the Bulgars subjected to their rule a vast territory with
many cities along the Maritsa River. They then marched on the
Eastern Rhodope and captured all the fortresses there, except for
Mneakos, the administrative centre of the region, which withstood
the siege even though its fortifications were almost destroyed.
The Bulgars made their last attempt to conquer the Eastern
Rhodope in 1343, taking advantage of the unrest over the
succession to the Byzantine throne. By negotiations alone, Tsar
Ivan Alexander acquired the strategically important region of
Plovdiv. As one of the pretenders, who eventually did become
Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus, wrote in his memoirs, Ivan
Alexander then desired to take hold of the Eastern Rhodope,
captured Perperikon and installed his archon there. Some decades
ago, a fragment of a letter was found at Perperikon sealed with
Ivan Alexander's only surviving gold signet. Soon after, however,
Byzantium sent a military expedition to recapture Perperikon. The
Bulgarian garrison was outnumbered and had to surrender the
fortress. Just a few years later the Eastern Rhodope, and the
second Bulgarian empire, fell to the Ottoman Turks, who were
overrunning the Balkans from the south. Perperikon and the other
fortresses were raised to the ground and sank into final oblivion.
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Latest research, however, suggests that
the Christian settlements at the foot of
Perperikon survived. Indeed, throughout
the period of Turkish rule (15th-19th
century), the Rhodope Mountains were a
bastion of Slavic culture. The region's
ethnic makeup remained largely
unchanged until the massive Turkish
colonisation and displacement of the
indigenous population in the late 18th
and early 19th century.
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The Bessians Read the Bible in the Thracian Language
On 24 May 303, Roman Emperor Diocletian published one of his
four edicts which secured him a place in history as a most ruthless
persecutor of Christianity. Only 10 years later, Constantine, one of
the pretenders for the throne in Rome, came to power with the
help of the Christians in the army. Christianity was to become the
religion of the Empire.
Nothing changed, however, in the Rhodope. The Bessians, who had
"never yet bec[o]me obedient to any man," preserved the cult of
Dionysus and his temple in the Holy Mount. It took almost another
century before the Thracians were converted to Christianity, and
the causes were as much perhaps of an external as they were of
an internal nature. During the 4th century the Roman Empire fell
prey to a massive barbaric onslaught from the North. A Germanic
tribe, the Visigoths, had settled in Dacia (now in Romania) when
they were attacked by the Huns in 376 and driven southward
across the river Danube into the Roman Empire. The exactions of
Roman officials soon drove them to revolt and plunder the Balkan
provinces. On 9 August 378, they utterly defeated the army of the
Roman emperor Valens on the plains outside Adrianople (now
Edirne in Turkey), killing the emperor himself.
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Ironically, the devastation, which did not spare the eastern
Rhodope, paved the Christian missionaries' way to the souls of the
pagan tribes. According to Paulinus of Nola, one of the most
important Christian authors of his time, Nicetas, Bishop of
Remesiana (now Bela Palanka in eastern Serbia) initiated the
Christianisation of the Rhodope, which continued during the entire
5th century. Thus enthused Paulinus: [...] have not indeed the
Bessians - for all that their land and soul be callous, and their skin
be thicker than the snow upon their land - have they not indeed,
under your guidance, become meek as lambs and flocked into the
fold of peace! They now rejoice, the Bessians, with a bounty richer
than toil can ever afford - for has not the gold for which, with their
hands, they dig the earth now descended upon their souls from
Heaven! [...] Those mountains, once impenetrable and bloodridden, now shelter monks who have forsaken the weapons of war
to become the nurslings of peace. To facilitate the Thracians'
conversion to Christianity, a compromise was even allowed, which
earlier had only been made for the Goths. Somewhere in the
depths of the holy mountain, the Scriptures were translated into
the Bessian language, contrary to the doctrine which recognised
only Greek, Latin and Hebrew as sacred languages. Legend has it
that the Biblia Bessica was translated from the original in a Bessian
monastery in the Rhodope.
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Today, all traces of that ancient place of
Christian worship have been lost. However,
there is every reason to believe that it was in
the holy city of Perperikon. Archaeological
research throughout the Rhodope has
invariably revealed that the Christians did not
destroy the Thracian shrines but converted
them into churches, much as they themselves
had been converted to Christianity from their
pagan beliefs. If the famous Temple of
Dionysus was at Perperikon, as is quite likely,
then the centre of early Christian learning in
the Rhodope must have been there as well
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Fragments of the True Cross Found at Perperikon
Recent research has revealed that Perperikon's glory did not fade into oblivion
during the age of Christianity. In the 5th-7th century, it was probably the see of an
early diocese, and in the 8th-12th century it became regional centre under the
direct authority of Constantinople. The surviving historical records are supported by
an abundance of interesting archaeological finds. One of them is of particular value.
On 21 August 2002, a cruciform pendant reliquary made of bronze was found in
one of the chambers of the Christian place of worship at the foot of Perperikon.
Such pendant reliquaries were known as Palestine crosses for they were believed to
have come from the Holy Land. The Perperikon find was dated quite accurately to
the 9th-10th century judging by its characteristic iconography. Both sides of the
pendant are modelled in high relief, one depicting a crucifix, Christ alive on the
cross and clad with a long robe, and the other showing the Holy Mother in prayer
interceding before her Son in behalf of humanity.
The real surprise came a few months later, when the reliquary was opened in a
laboratory environment: several tiny pieces of what might be wood were found
inside. Paleobotanic analysis confirmed that the material was indeed wood but,
unfortunately, the surviving quantity was insufficient to determine the wood variety
or date the find. It is quite certain, however, that the reliquary had held fragments
of the True Cross, i.e., reputedly, the wood of the cross on which Jesus Christ was
crucified. Legend relates that the True Cross was found by St. Helena, mother of
Constantine the Great, during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land about 326. The relic
was originally deposited in the Byzantine capital Constantinople. In 1204, the
crusaders captured and plundered the city, their justification being the desire to
obtain possession of the True Cross.
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Relics of the True Cross and reliquaries
designed to hold them, also known as
staurotheques (stauros, Greek for cross),
multiplied wherever Christianity expanded in
the mediaeval world, and some precious
objects of this kind survive. Until 2002, only
two reliquaries holding wood fragments had
been found in Bulgaria: one at Pliska and one
at Veliki Preslav (successive capitals of the first
Bulgarian empire). The find in the Eastern
Rhodope was therefore perceived by many as a
good omen. On 1 December 2002, hundreds of
believers joined the procession which took the
relic to the church Dormition of Mary in
Kurdzhali where it was deposited in a specially
designed wooden casket.
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The Acropolis
In 45 AD, Thrace was conquered by the Romans. In the Balkans,
the process of Romanisation, which went on throughout the vast
empire, meant the fusion of the ancient Hellenic and Thracian
traditions with the new trends introduced by the conquerors. This
development was particularly pronounced at Perperikon, where
during the 1st-4th century AD, the sacred structures carved in the
rock took on a distinct Classical character.
Broadly speaking, Perperikon comprises four elements: the citadel,
an acropolis at the top of the hill; a palace or temple immediately
beneath the acropolis and facing southeast; and two outer cities,
one on the northern and one on the southern slope of the hill. So
far, no archaeological research has been done of the two outer
cities but terrain observations indicate that they had streets and
secular and religious buildings carved in the rock. A host of villages
flocked at the foot of the hill and the fertile river valley was
densely inhabited throughout the period of Roman rule. The hilltop
was protected by the acropolis whose walls are 8 and a half feet
thick. The citadel had probably been built earlier but the Romans
renovated it and enhanced the fortifications. No bonding mixture
was used for the walls; they were built of solid stone blocks,
perfectly finished on each side, and layers of crushed rock
separated the rows of blocks.
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All along its perimeter, the wall was built
directly onto the rock surface of the hillside.
The builders had to carve special beds in the
rock to lay the foundation blocks. These have
been wrongly described as steps, while they
actually allow to trace the perimeter where
sections of the wall are missing. Behind the
walls, the acropolis was densely built up. The
ground floors of the buildings were entirely
carved in the rock. Even though a considerable
part of the complex is still covered with earth,
the 21st century visitor can walk down broad
streets and step over doorsills carved in the
rock, with holes for the doorposts preserved.
As if not so long ago, Perperikon was still a
vibrant community.
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Carved in the rock in the eastern part of
the acropolis is a large basilica-planned
structure. Archaeological research
suggests that it was a pagan temple
transformed into a Christian church by
the addition of an apse to house the altar.
At the western end, two monumental
stone portals preserve the holes for what
must have been double doors. A portico
leads from the basilica into the heart of
the acropolis, its columns intact, still in
place, thus completing the Classical
makeup of the structure.
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To see such a wonder of human creation on a craggy hilltop in the
deepest recess of a wild mountain almost defies belief. Two gates
of the acropolis have been unearthed so far. One leads into the
citadel from the west and is guarded by a rectangular barbican;
the other, opening onto the south, was discovered in 2002 and is
particularly important because it leads to a grand palace (or
temple).
Perfectly preserved doorways with stone sills, elegant stairs and
corridors lead to the ground floor rooms. During the Roman period,
the floors were covered with solid ceramic tiles. Some windows,
cut through the rock walls, also survive, opening onto a
magnificent panorama of the river valley.
A very important element in the ensemble is the Great Hall, carved
in the rock at its western end and extending 90 ft to the east over
a wooden beam structure supported by two massive walls. At the
entrance, a flight of five broad steps leads to the double door. Two
vaults carved deep in the rock were found in the remote western
and eastern sections of the palace, one holding 15, and the other,
five sarcophaguses made of solid stone slabs. Unfortunately, these
must have been ransacked already in ancient times and it is
impossible to tell who was buried in them.
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A Masterpiece of Engineering and Architecture
The palace and all the other structures on Perperikon are an amazing
achievement of architectural creativity and craftsmanship. One's heart fills
with awe as one passes through doors first opened a thousand years ago;
steps onto thresholds that still keep the traces of generations long gone
by; walks along mysterious passageways once lit by the light of torches.
Today, one can only speculate what some of the elements were meant for:
niches and shelves of various sizes; a massive throne with footstool and
armrests carved out of the rock at the northern wall of the palace court. A
chamber in the south-western wing of the palace was named by the
archaeologists 'the bathroom', as what appear to be washbasins and
benches line the walls. In the basement under the Great Hall, a round bed
in the rock must have held an enormous pulley: a part of hoisting
mechanism perhaps, like those described by the ancient authors...
Yet another structural feature demonstrates an amazing engineering
talent. Already the first builders of Perperikon had to consider the need to
drain off the rain from the vast floor surfaces. The sewer system grew
more complex with subsequent developments of the site to reach its final
stage during the Roman period. Gutters run under the floor tiles in every
room, across the doorsills and into larger ones along the streets, complete
with shafts to clean the system from leaves and dirt. These empty into
several large sewers which take the water out under the perimeter walls
and down the side of the hill.
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Yet another structural feature demonstrates an amazing
engineering talent. Already the first builders of Perperikon had to
consider the need to drain off the rain from the vast floor surfaces.
The sewer system grew more complex with subsequent
developments of the site to reach its final stage during the Roman
period. Gutters run under the floor tiles in every room, across the
doorsills and into larger ones along the streets, complete with
shafts to clean the system from leaves and dirt. These empty into
several large sewers which take the water out under the perimeter
walls and down the side of the hill.
But then, drinking water had to be provided as well. This must
have been a serious challenge in a citadel perched on the top of a
hill. The usual solution were cisterns to collect rain or spring water.
So far, two such reservoirs have been discovered at Perperikon,
and they are the largest structures of this kind found in the
Rhodope. The one in the acropolis has a perimeter of 36 ft by 15 ft
and is 18 ft deep.
Amazingly again, both cisterns were carved in the rock with walls
perfectly finished. Furthermore, there are reasons to believe that
the city had a pipe network for drinking water supply. In 2002, an
ancient water fountain was discovered at about a mile from
Perperikon. The water was brought to it by clay pipes and a metal
spout mounted in a stone base filled three communicating stone
troughs.
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The Christian Perperikon
In the late Roman period, Perperikon's prosperity was overshadowed by strife and
upheaval in the Empire. In the southern Balkans, the 4th century saw the Goths
wreak havoc and devastation in the land. Archaeological research indicates that
Perperikon was captured and burned by the invaders. Very soon however, in the
5th-6th century, the city rose from its ashes as the eastern half of the Roman
Empire (Byzantium) regained its lost possessions, particularly so under Justinian I
(527-565). The same emperor commissioned colossal construction works
restoring and redeveloping the ancient cities.
The fortifications at Perperikon were repaired and enhanced on the vulnerable
west side. The basilica in the acropolis was converted into a Christian church and
more churches were built in the surrounding lowland. Then, the Slavs came from
the North, and the Arabs, from the South-East. At stake was the Empire's very
existence. In the early 7th century, Perperikon's brand-new fortification system
was suddenly abandoned.
Some inhabitants stayed on but life in the city was a mere semblance of former
grandeur. The sacred rocks, however, attracted new worshipers. A horde of
Bulgars led by Kuber were settled by the Byzantine emperor in the vicinity of
Thessalonica. These Bulgars left several sets of graffiti on the southern slopes of
the Rhodope, very similar to the ones found in the north-east of Bulgaria. The
graffiti at Perperikon belong to the same tradition and apparently had a ritual
purpose, depicting a game of checkers, female genitalia and the Turkic fertility
goddess Umai scratched with a sharp instrument on the highest rock of the hill.
As the Byzantine Empire regained some stability in the 9th century, life flourished
at the foot of Perperikon where the regional centre of the Eastern Rhodope was
established. Several centuries later, the citadel rose in importance again when the
new administrative division of Achrydos was established in the early 14th century.
In 1339, in a letter from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Perperikon was referred to
as an eparchy, which had apparently seceded from the old eparchy of Achridos.
Archaeological findings indicate that a new church of stone and white mortar was
built at that time on the remains of the ancient temple in the acropolis. A sizeable
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necropolis close to the church indicates a
considerable growth in population.
New quarters of huts partially dug into
the rock emerged and some of the old
streets were reused. A great deal of
pottery and various other items from that
period have been unearthed, including
silver coins struck by Ivan Alexander,
quite rare in the region and indicating the
brief spell of his rule over Perperikon in
1343.
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The Regional Centre and Episcopal Residence at
the Foot of Perperikon
In the 8th-9th century, the seat of authority moved
from the hilltop to the foot of Perperikon. In the vicinity
of what is now the village of Chiflik, at a sight-line
distance of about a mile and a half from the citadel, is
a place now known by its Turkish name Klise Ba?i.
Extensive excavation was done there in 2001-2002,
resulting in very interesting finds.
A beautiful church was discovered on a broad terrace
along the Perpereshka river. Three apses were placed
at the east end of the structure and semicircular niches
adorned the north and the south sidewalls; a massive
dome rose above the crossing. The plan is 40 ft long
and 36 ft wide. At the west end, a narthex of three
parts formed the entrance where two columns carried a
pediment with a cross fleuri decorating the tympanum.
The design of the sidewalls is very elegant: coursed
redbrick and white cut-stone masonry, polygonal
surfaces, blank arches, niches.
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The altar section is elongated with two side altars communicating with the
main one. As in the Kurdzhali church St. John Prodromus, there was a
communion table in each of the three altar chambers. In the side ones the
tables were made of dressed stone slabs placed against the back wall of
the apse; the main altar was propped on a column placed on a
rectangular base. It was seen above the low cancelli (or rails), separating
it from the nave, of which only the marble base survives. The cancelli
were constructed of small polygonal columns and marble slabs decorated
on both sides with floral motifs. A rare element of the interior design is
the use of white-clay pottery decorated in polychrome: the cancelli slabs
were lined with small ceramic tiles featuring complex floral and
geometrical motifs in white, green, blue, black and ochre yellow. The
quality of workmanship is outstanding; the tiles were probably made in
Constantinople. Similar objects have only been found in the Byzantine
capital and in Veliki Preslav. The church had a skilfully laid brick floor. At
the crossing, fully preserved, is a rectangular opus sectile mosaic: in a
stylised but easily recognisable representation of the cross, red bricks and
triangular white marble pieces form a beautiful carpet-like pattern.
Hanging from the dome above it was a monumental bronze chandelier
with glass lamps, fragments of which were discovered in the excavation.
The structure can reasonably be dated to the 9th century and exhibits a
direct influence by the Constantinople school of architecture. A small
chapel with a tomb was unearthed north of the church, such as might
have existed on the south side as well, where the remnants were found of
a rectangular structure with a vestibule and a marble vault under the
floor. A large secular necropolis developed to the west and north of the
church, of which more
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than 100 burials have been researched. Most of the graves are lined with cut stone
slabs and - a rare practice in the Middle Ages - marked with a small headstone
pillar, a cross carved in it. Most of the artefacts found in the graves are related to
Christian worship.
Initially, the site was thought to be a part of a major Byzantine monastery. No
traces of any enclosure were found, however, to connect the temples with the other
structures which emerged under the earth south of the church. These are several
public buildings separated by narrow passages. Each has a central flight of steps at
the entrance. One of the buildings apparently served to store archives, judging by
the great number of lead seals (molybdobullae) found it in. These finds support the
alternative hypothesis that the complex was the seat of the regional governor of
Achrydos (or Eastern Rhodope), and might also have been a place of residence for
the regional bishop, whose seat was the St. John Prodromus monastery.
The Unique Archives of the Regional Governor
In the 1930s, the Bulgarian archaeologists received a photograph of a Byzantine
lead seal from a Viennese repository. After a long and laborious effort, the
inscription on it was deciphered: a reference to Constantine, Bishop of Achrydos.
Achrydos, while initially thought to be Ohrid (now in Macedonia), spelt the same in
Greek, was soon confirmed to be the region of that name on the middle and lower
Arda river. The mystery was yet to be unveiled, however, for despite the detailed
search, an eparchy of that name was not found in the records of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate. It was not until the excavations on the site of the St. John Prodromus
monastery in Kurdzhali had made some progress, that it became clear that
Achrydos had been an eparchy at some time in the 9th-14th century and that the
monastery had been the seat of a bishop. Then, the excavation of the regional
centre at Perperikon created a real sensation.
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In a matter of two years, 100 lead seals were found, which,
together with another 115 reputedly kept in private collections,
make up one of the largest archaeological finds of Byzantine
molybdobullae in the world. There could be no doubt that the
archaeologists had discovered the regional archives. The paper
had burnt away or decayed but the lead seal attached to the
document survived. But what was a molybdobulla? It was, in a
manner of speaking, a business card. On mediaeval Byzantine and
Bulgarian molybdobullae, one side usually depicted the patron
saint of the owner, while the other side contained the full details of
the owner's name, title and origin, and position in society. Such
lead seals were always personalised, made to order, and certified
the owner's identity and the origin of the documents to which they
were attached. To the historian, they are therefore an invaluable
source of information.
It is from the lead seals found at the foot of Perperikon that one
could reasonably conclude that a regional centre was established
there some time in the 9th-12th century. Likewise, the find
indicates that the land was held in personal possession by the
emperor and was under the direct authority of Constantinople: 80
per cent of the molybdobullae belonged to high central
government officials, such as privy councillors and imperial
treasury officers, and there is even the seal of the 'ink-bearer', one
of the emperor's personal aides who followed him everywhere with
a pot of the red ink with which only he had the right to sign his
name.
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There are also names of regional governors and other high regional officials, such
as the Strategus of Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, the Protonotary of Macedonia
(then a region between Hadrianopole and Thessalonica), the chief customs
inspector of Thessalonica. Some of the names went down in history, among them:
the Byzantine general Basil Monachus and the founder of the famous dynasty of the
Palaeologi Michael VIII Palaeologus. The seals of bishops are a particularly
interesting discovery. Two of them came from the eparchy of Velikia somewhere in
the Rhodope Mountains, its precise location still unknown. Not fewer than five
belonged to 10th-12th century bishops of Achrydos: Eustaticus, Thomas, Theodore
and the well-known Constantine. The episcopal letters, and the seals attached to
them, could not have come from elsewhere but the St. John Prodromus monastery.
In addition to the seals, however, some 30 matrices, used to cast them, were found
on the Perperikon site. Apparently, these were attached to correspondence issuing
from the regional centre and, therefore, a second residence of the Achrydos bishop
must have been established there in the 9th-12th century.
The Treasure Trove at Perperikon
The intensive excavation work done recently at Perperikon quite naturally yielded a
wealth of magnificent archaeological finds. Going down to the deepest prehistorical
strata, where, understandably, no gold or silver artefacts could be found, the
archaeologists unearthed beautiful pieces of late Bronze Age pottery and even
earlier ceramic utensils and several stone axes from the Eneolithic Period.
The period of Classical Antiquity in Perperikon's surviving architecture is fully
matched by the artefacts found on the site. One of the earliest Thracian silver
coins, dated to the 5th century BC, was found at the foot of the hill. The period of
Roman rule (1st-4th century AD) carried the local tradition up to a higher level:
an abundance of fine red-glaze and moulded pottery was found and a great deal of
coins, indicating a brisk trade with other parts of the ancient world.
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The items of finery are quite exceptional: a fragment of a bronze
statuette of a Thracian horseman (1st-2nd century AD); a unique
silver ring, a masterpiece in its own time (2nd-3rd century AD),
with a carnelian intaglio depicting Helios, the Greek sun god,
driving his quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses;
a round bronze plate with an impression of Heracles wearing the
skin of the Nemean lion and leaning on his proverbial club; other
items of jewellery, such as fibulae and earrings. Curiously,
fragments of ancient silverware were found, among them a rare
silver mirror, which, in a later period, were apparently cut for
melting. Most of the gold artefacts date from late Antiquity (5th6th century AD), among them: a fragment of a patrician diadem
and a coin struck by Emperor Justin (516-527). The period
stratum revealed also an abundance of magnificent pottery and
coins, indicating economic revival after the devastation of the Goth
onslaught.
The Middle Ages, too, have a noteworthy share in Perperikon's
archaeological cornucopia. The collection of lead seals
(molybdobullae) from the regional centre at the foot of the hill is
unique in world heritage. More than 20 bronze cross pendants
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of different sizes were found there too. One of them
turned out to be a reliquary holding fragments of the
True Cross! Icons of Christian saints adorn the crosses;
a silver medallion carries the icon of St. Basil and an
obsidian intaglio depicts full-length Archangel Michael,
who was probably the patron saint of the main temple.
Standing out among these treasures is an exceptionally
beautiful silver key which apparently belonged to a
jewel box. Various techniques were used to craft its
lacelike openwork body and its handle rotating on a
small hinge at right angles to the shaft to serve as a
seal. This is another unique world heritage find from
the period. To date, the recent excavations at
Perperikon have literally shed light on thousands of
invaluable artefacts which have revealed the true glory
of this holy city. Soon, they will grace the collections of
the Regional Museum of History in Kurdzhali to delight
the eye and challenge the mind.
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The Saint John Prodromus Monastery
This unique monument of Byzantine and Old
Bulgarian architecture is located in one of the
residential areas of the present-day town of
Kurdzhali. The earliest Christian churches
appeared there in the second half of the 9th
century on a small hill to which the Arda river
winding around it afforded natural protection.
The main temple was of a rare mixed architecture
marked by the gradual transition from the
basilican to the Greek-cross plan which came to
dominate Byzantine ecclesiastical building. It had
three apses, each housing an altar (a communion
table), a remnant of an early tradition in Eastern
Christianity which prohibited the use of the same
altar more than once a day. A small chapel,
holding the grave of a prominent Christian
missionary, was attached to the southern wall of
the church.
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At the very beginning of the 11th century, the two structures were
completely dismantled and one of the most magnificent Orthodox
monasteries in the Balkans was built on their foundations. To protect it
from enemy attacks, a strong castle wall with eight rectangular towers
was built around it. A grand church, almost 65 ft long, stood at the centre
of the court, a broad portico and a narthex at its entrance. Inside, a huge
dome standing on four pillars covered the crossing. Again, there were
three apses at the east end for the altars. During mass, the monks stood
in two large semicircular niches, one in each sidewall.
These and other characteristics of the design point to the so called Mount
Athos style in ecclesiastical building, which became common in the 11th
century after the introduction of organised monastic life by St. Athanasius
the Athonite on Mt. Athos. In structural detail, the church in Kurdzhali was
indeed akin to the earliest church on Mt. Athos, that of the Great Laura
founded by Athanasius himself. This main church of the St. John
Prodromus monastery was lavishly decorated. The wall surfaces were
picked out with courses of stone and brick masonry, polygonal elements,
blank arches and niches. An abundance of marble ornaments adorned the
interior. In the mid 12th century, it was fully painted with icons of warrior
saints and hermits and fathers of the church. On one of these wall
paintings, a graffito in Old Bulgarian was discovered which revealed the
original name of the monastery.
The court was densely built up. In the 11th century, shortly after the main
church itself had been built, a very elegant chapel with a trifoliate leaf
plan was attached to its north wall. East of the church was the refectory,
an important element in monasteries observing the code of community
life.
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Connected to it were the palatial quarters of
the abbot, who was also local bishop.
The archaeological research has indicated that
the monastic community was quite affluent.
Unfortunately, this did not escape the notice of
the knights of the Fourth Crusade, who
plundered and destroyed the monastery in the
13th century. It was rebuilt but a century or so
later it was burned down and finally
abandoned. By the late 20th century, a 90 ft
mound of earth had buried the ruins.
In the 1990s, the European Union and a
number of Bulgarian foundations donated
money for the full reconstruction of the main
church. On 23rd September 2000, the
Metropolitan Bishop of Plovdiv dedicated the
new old church, restoring the ancient
monastery to life.
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The Episcopal Tomb
In November 1998, the reconstruction of the church St. John Prodromus in
Kurdzhali had been going on for several months when the original pavement of the
narthex had to be temporarily removed. As the work progressed, the massive stone
covers of ancient sarcophaguses appeared before the archaeologists' unbelieving
eyes.
Those who eye-witnessed the astounding discovery will never forget the
experience, especially when a monumental tomb appeared in the south-west
corner of the narthex. The archaeologists somehow knew that greater caution had
to be exercised there. The best chemical conservation specialists and experts in
ancient textile were called in. After a careful preparation, the stone cover was lifted
and, for the first time in centuries, light fell again on a dazzling gold-embroidered
garment. In an intricate 12-hour operation, the fabrics were meticulously
documented in situ, after which they were carefully lifted and taken to a laboratory.
Today, they can finally be exhibited after three years of conservation efforts.
As it turned out, the tomb had preserved the remains of a 13th-14th-century
bishop. At that time, the original entrance to the church had been walled up; a
new, grander entrance had been opened in its north side and the old narthex had
been converted into a crypt where prominent members of the clergy - local bishops
and monks - were buried. Special care was taken to line the walls and the floor of
the burial chambers with stone or brickwork, and heavy stone slabs were chosen
for covers. The bishop's burial chamber was shaped like a bed with a headrest: it
was customary to bury ecclesiastics of superior rank and authority in a sitting or
semi-reclining position.
More importantly, however, the almost airtight burial chamber had preserved the
fabrics in such a condition that the work done by the conservation experts, hard as
it was, yielded a near perfect result. The bishop's body had been laid to rest in full
liturgical garments and in a position of officiation with, apparently, an open book on
his chest removed immediately before the chamber was closed.
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In various states of preservation,
practically all the vestments worn by
a bishop during divine service were
recovered. They are all made of silk
and adorned with beautiful gold-lace
embroidery, which, in those days,
was the pride of Constantinople. (For
a long time, there was a ban on the
export of such articles from the
Empire, except on the Emperor's
express orders.)
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The omophorion (a long silk embroidered scarf) is particularly important
as it is indicative of the hierarchical rank of the buried ecclesiastic: it is
the distinctive vestment of bishops celebrating the holy liturgy. After a
long and laborious effort, the epitrach?lion, the other ceremonial cloth
band worn by both bishops and priests, was restored to its full length of
two-thirds of a yard, thickly embroidered with geometrical and floral
motifs. The cuffs (or epimanikia) and the epigonation (a rhombic
vestment worn on the right hip) are also adorned with magnificent
embroidery, especially the depiction of the Virgin Mary with an inscription
in Greek.
The vestments date from the period between the late 12th century and
the early 14th century. Being so very expensive, they had been handed
down from one bishop to another for probably close to a century (the
back of the epitrach?lion wore out and had to be mended several times)
before their last owner - apparently, held in the highest esteem - was laid
to rest in them.
Mediaeval Fortresses
The fortresses in the Eastern Rhodope are possibly the best preserved
mediaeval strongholds in the territory of present-day Bulgaria. Unlike
anywhere else in the country, 20-30 ft walls, perched on the tops of
precipitous cliffs like the remains of giant eagle's nests, can still be seen
there.
Except for Perperikon and some other earlier defensive structures, all of
these fortresses were built in the second half of the 12th century. At that
time, in the course of a far-reaching administrative reform of the
Byzantine Empire, the Eastern Rhodope, or Achrydos, as they were then
known, became a separate administrative region, which required its own
infrastructure of roads and permanent fortifications.
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The Byzantine chroniclers recorded the names of
the main fortresses in Achrydos, most of which
have been located. The regional centre in the
13th-14th century was Mneakos, in the
immediate vicinity of today's main town,
Kurdzhali. The West was guarded by the
unassailable Ustra; Ephraim was on the road to
Hadrianopole along the Arda river, close to the
present-day Stouden Kladenets dam. Ancient
Perperikon guarded the North, while the smaller
forts Krivous and Pбtmos, whose ruins have not
yet been located, were somewhere in the central
part of the region and, respectively, on its
southern outskirt. There were, of course, dozens
of other strongholds which may be discovered
archaeologically, even though their names do not
exist in the surviving records.
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The Eastern Rhodope fortresses were designated in contemporary
historical accounts as polichnia (or 'townlets'). This has long
puzzled the experts as most of the fortresses were apparently
quite large. After 20 years of archaeological research on the sites
of Mneakos and of the smaller fortresses above the Borovitsa
Chalet, at the Zvezdel mine and at Kroumovgrad, and of course,
after the latest research at Perperikon, it can safely be argued that
what the chroniclers meant by polichnion was not the size but the
characteristic infrastructure of these fortified towns.
Most of them were in fact forts, occupied only by a small garrison
to maintain the water reservoirs and the stockpiles of food. In
peacetime, the local population lived in unfortified towns and
villages at the foot of the stronghold and further afield, in the
fertile river valleys. When a war broke out, however, everybody
sought refuge behind the fortress walls and the peasants became
warriors. As for fresh food, according to the 12th-century historian
Nicetas Choniates, the villagers came with their own live meat and
dairy, i.e., their herds of livestock, for which a reserve of fodder
was kept in the fortress.
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The fortresses varied in design and purpose. At
Mneakos, a mighty citadel with five towers was
built on the highest ground within the outer
wall perimeter. The French knight, Geoffroy de
Vilardouin, who saw the city in 1206, was
enchanted by the magnificent castle above the
Arda river. The fortress at Zvezdel guarded a
local gold mine, which explains some very
interesting finds in this otherwise unassuming
stronghold. And Perperikon itself was also
assigned the protection of the goldmines in the
area.
The fortresses in Achrydos were ruined during
the civil war of 1341-46 as the area became its
main battleground and bands mercenaries on a
rampage plundered and set the cities on fire.
As John VI Cantacuzenus wrote later, "we killed
those whom we had come to liberate."
Corridors of Power in
Perperikon
Down the Steps of Roman
Time
The Roman Traces in
Pereperikon
Roman Traces
The Roman Traces in
Perperikon
The Antique Theatre in
PLOVDIV
The Roman Stadium in
PLOVDIV
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With the Financial
Support Of Programme “
SOCRATES / COMENIUS
1”