WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Sat, 08/25/2012 - 12:51

About at least 3,000 years ago, the Thracians in the Eastern Rhodope developed a strange rite.

where in bulgaria are you 71.jpg
© Anthony Georgieff

They would choose peculiarly shaped rock formations or steep stone walls and hew in them trapezoid niches. Some would be close to the ground, yet others would be precipitously high.

Why and how the Thracians did that remains a mystery.

So far archeologists have identified more than 200 groups of stone niches in Bulgaria. The majority have just a handful of niches, but several sites have dozens and dozens. The one pictured here is a fine example of the bigger ones, and it comes with two rock tombs as a bonus. Its name in English translates as The Deaf Rocks.

Where in Bulgaria are you?

Issue 71-72

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