28 September 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

A Nymphaeum was discovered in the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon

New researchs uncovered a huge monumental sanctuary of water (Nymphaeum) above the reservoir in the southern quarter of Perperikon. Professor Nikolay Ovcharov, head of the excavation of the archaeological complex, told reporters that it is a Nymphaeum from 2-3 centuries.

Perperikon, an archaeological complex located at an altitude of 470 meters near the city of Kardzhali, Bulgaria, in the Eastern Rhodopes, is considered one of the oldest megalithic monuments.

Until now, it was believed that there was only a water reservoir on the site. Recent excavations show that there was a sanctuary with a beautiful wall and columns from the Roman period.

Nymphaeums were sanctuaries for water nymphs. It was an elaborately decorated public drinking fountain – a semicircular monumental Classical fountain house. It often had niches filled with sculpture. The nymphaeum served as a sanctuary, a reservoir, and an assembly chamber where weddings were held.

Professor Nikolay Ovcharov said that the area, which is one of the longest-studied areas of Perperikon, has so far only been considered a reservoir with a drinking water volume of close to half a million liters and a depth of about 5 meters.

Photo: BTA

It was the new discoveries during the current restoration project of the site that led archaeologists to conclude that the water temple existed.

It turned out that this cistern, unlike the cistern on the Acropolis, which was completely cut into the rocks, here was cut on only three sides. On the east side, it has a beautiful, very well-made square wall, which, as it turned out, was actually the facade of this facility. In the excavations, we found parts of cornices, pedestals of columns, bases of columns, and perhaps also of statues, explained Prof. Ovcharov.

In his statement, Ovcharov emphasized the importance of urban nymphaeums, especially during the siege periods, and pointed out that such examples exist in Asia Minor, but similar artifacts of glorification and deification of water are rare in Bulgaria.

Archaeological excavations in Perperikon have been going on for 2 years only with the support of the Municipality of Kardzhali due to the lack of state support, and the work will continue until mid-September.

Professor Nikolay Ovcharov shows the Nymphaeum found in Perperikon. Photo: BTA
Professor Nikolay Ovcharov shows the Nymphaeum found in Perperikon. Photo: BTA

The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon is located in the Eastern Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, 15 km northeast of the present-day town of Kardzhali, on a 470 m high rocky hill, which is thought to have been a sacred place.

Perperikon has its roots from the Chalcolithic period over 8000 thousand years ago but reached its heyday during late Antiquity, when it became a city center within the Thracian province of the Roman Empire.

Google Translate was used to translate articles from Standartnews.

Cover Photo: BTA

Banner
Related Post

Researchers may have found 3,000-year-old evidence of Yue (Amputation), one of the five punishments practiced in ancient China

4 May 2022

4 May 2022

According to the South China Morning Post, researchers in China believe a skeleton discovered in a tomb in the country’s...

İnteresting Relief on the Roman Millstone

20 February 2021

20 February 2021

During the Cambridgeshire A14 road improvement work, workers found an interesting millstone. A large penis was engraved in the Roman-era...

“Mosaic of the Wine Harvest” mosaic to be exhibited in November in Turkey’s Hatay

26 October 2021

26 October 2021

The mosaic depicting the grape harvest, which is considered to date from the Late Roman period, equivalent to the 5th...

A Unique 2000-Year-Old Oil Lamp Found in Israel

5 May 2021

5 May 2021

Archaeologists have discovered a rare 2,000-year-old oil lamp in David, Jerusalem. Archaeologists have discovered a rare oil lamp, shaped like...

2500 Years of Animal Love in Termessos Ancient City

8 February 2021

8 February 2021

We are witnessing more and more of the unscrupulousness, cruelty and torture inflicted on our animal friends every day.These news...

New rune discovery in Oslo

16 February 2022

16 February 2022

For the third time in a month and a half, archaeologists have found a new rune in Oslo. The artifact...

Bronze Age metal hoard discovered in the Swiss Alps at Roman battle site

29 June 2023

29 June 2023

Archaeologists excavating the Switzerland Oberhalbstein valley have discovered a metal hoard containing more than 80 bronze artifacts dating from 1200...

Monumental Roman complex discovered in France

19 March 2023

19 March 2023

In the city of Reims in northeastern France, archaeologists have discovered an ancient Roman-era monumental complex dating from the 2nd...

A unique find in the Middle Don: Scythian gods on a silver plate

19 November 2021

19 November 2021

Archaeologists of the Archaeological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, during their excavations at the Devitsa V cemetery in...

Unique Scythian glass pendants found in the Poltava region of Ukraine

8 October 2021

8 October 2021

Archaeologists have unearthed unique amphora-shaped pendants near the town of Kotelva in the Poltava oblast of central Ukraine. A team...

Shackled skeleton identified as rare evidence of slavery found in Rutland

7 June 2021

7 June 2021

In Rutland, archaeologists discovered an ‘unusual’ skeleton of a Roman slave, who might have been a criminal sentenced to death....

Ancient tombs discovered at Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral

15 March 2022

15 March 2022

Archaeologists discovered several graves and a leaden sarcophagus possibly dating from the 14th century at Paris’ Notre Dame church, France’s...

Unique finds unearthed in the ancient city of Olba in southern Türkiye

16 August 2023

16 August 2023

In the excavations carried out in the ancient city of Olba, located in the Silifke district of Mersin, in the...

Archaeologists discover innovative 40,000-year-old culture in China

2 March 2022

2 March 2022

Ancient hunter-gatherers living in what is now China may have been the first people in East Asia to process mustard...

‘Dinosaur dance floor’ dating back 80 million years found in China

20 April 2021

20 April 2021

In China, researchers have found many dinosaur footprints in an area of 1,600 square meters described in the literature as...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *