Unique Thracian Symbol of Royalty Discovered in Bulgaria

[olvios]

Bulgaria: Unique Thracian Symbol of Royalty Discovered in Bulgaria
Unique Thracian Symbol of Royalty Discovered in Bulgaria

11 June 2007, Monday

Archaeologists have discovered the most ancient ruler's symbol on Bulgarian territory, what was once the kingdom of the Thracian tribes.

The Bulgarian archaeologists Daniela Agre and Deyan Dichev, who are leading the Strandzha expedition, made the announcement for the exceptional finding on the Bulgarian National Radio on Monday.

The artifact was unearthed near the village of Golyam Dervent. Dichev and Agre were researching a dolmen (dolmens were the first Thracian tombs) when they noticed a frieze of intertwined zoomorphic and geometrical elements carved on the entrance of the tomb. The most interesting part of the discovery is the double-axe (labris) - a symbol of power in the Thracian society - placed inside a circle. The labris has lots of additional ornamentation on it, Dichev said. The frieze includes the images of snakes, which were the symbol of the king in the Thracian religious beliefs.

This is the first time when such an artifact is found on the territory, where Thracian tribes have lived in the 9-8th BC.

The ladris had later become the symbol of the king dynasty of the of the Odris tribes, which is the most powerful state organization in the second half of the firs millennium before Christ.
The appearance of this symbol three centuries earlier shows that organizing a state has started on this territory first.

Two years ago archaeologists found similar symbol of royalty on the entrance of a neighboring dolmen. There is no doubt that these two dolmens were the tombs of a mighty clan of rulers and priests, who lived around the end of the 9th to the end of 8th century BC.

[olvios]

Was this true?I thought it was Minoan exclusively.

"double-axe (labris) - a symbol of power in the Thracian society - placed inside a circle. The labris has lots of additional ornamentation on it, Dichev said. The frieze includes the images of snakes, which were the symbol of the king in the Thracian religious beliefs."

[Ehetlaios]

Mipws einai pelasgiko symvolo?

[olvios]

Its not uniquely Thracian.

The labrys symbolism is found in Minoan, Thracian, Greek, and Byzantine religion, mythology, and art that date to over three thousand years ago.

[Ehetlaios]

Gia ayto rwtaw mipws einai pelasgiko to symvolo re

[Ptolemy]

Labrys was also the symbol of Knossos and in modern times it became a symbol of lesbianism because of its association with the Amazons.

[olvios]

ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN BULGARIA FIND LABYRINTH RESEMBLING ONE IN CRETE - Life news
ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN BULGARIA FIND LABYRINTH RESEMBLING ONE IN CRETE
09:02 Thu 14 Jun 2007


The archaeological expedition Strandzha discovered a labyrinth, similar to the famous labyrinth on the island of Crete.

The discovery was made near the village of Golyam Derven, close to the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

Archaeologists also found a skeleton of a ruler in the labyrinth, BGNES news agency reported.

Among the finds in the labyrinth were abundantly ornamented ceramics artifacts with unknown so far elements and bird figures.

This is the second unique discovery that the archaeologists made within a week. A few days ago, they found stone ornament, resembling double axe at the entrance of a tomb.

The ornament changed historians' ideas on the establishment of Thracian state in the region.

Bulgaria: Mycenaean Sword Cap Found in Thracian Sanctuary in Bulgaria
Mycenaean Sword Cap Found in Thracian Sanctuary in Bulgaria

12 June 2007, Tuesday

Archaeologists have discovered Tuesday a Mycenaean bronze sword cap in an ancient Thracian sanctuary in Bulgaria.

The artifact was unearthed in the sanctuary, which is situated in between ten rock tombs in Arda River valley near the village of Dolno Cherkovishte.

The marble cap has once been put at a bronze sword haft and was among the gifts, presented by the Thracians at the sanctuary more than 1,300 years ago.

"The find dates from 15th century BC and it is typical for the Mycenaean armament," the archaeologist Georgi Nihrizov explained.

That is the second marble cap, discovered by his group. The first one was found few years ago near the town of Krumovgrad.

"We have also discovered several religious fireplaces and different kind of gifts in the sanctuary," d-r Nihrizov added.

The rock, where the sanctuary is situated has the form of a lying lion. It is surrounded by tombs, fortresses and an ancient hamlet, which will be objects of further excavation works.

[Demetrius Doukas]

Take a look at the Bulgarian history at:

Wikipedia.......................especially the Thracian part.