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Sat, May 18 2013
Archaeology: 8000 year-old Sun temple found in Bulgaria
Stonehenge, England
Photo: Reuters
The oldest temple of the Sun has been discovered in northwest Bulgaria, near the town of Vratsa, aged at more then 8000 years, the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on December 15 2010.
The Bulgarian 'Stonehenge' is hence about 3000 years older than its illustrious English counterpart. But unlike its more renowned English cousin, the Bulgarian sun temple was not on the surface, rather it was dug out from under tons of earth and is shaped in the form of a horse shoe, the report said.
The temple was found near the village of Ohoden. According to archaeologists, the prehistoric people used the celestial facility to calculate the seasons and to determine the best times for sowing and harvest. The site was also used for rituals, offering gifts to the Sun for fertility as BNT reported.
This area of Bulgaria was previously made famous because remnants of the oldest people who lived in this part of Europe were found.
Archaeologists also found dozens of clay and stone disks in the area of the temple.
"The semantics of the disks symbolise the disk of the Sun itself, which means that this is the earliest ever temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, discovered on our lands," archaeologist Georgi Ganetsovski told the BNT
The Bulgarian 'Stonehenge' is hence about 3000 years older than its illustrious English counterpart. But unlike its more renowned English cousin, the Bulgarian sun temple was not on the surface, rather it was dug out from under tons of earth and is shaped in the form of a horse shoe, the report said.
The temple was found near the village of Ohoden. According to archaeologists, the prehistoric people used the celestial facility to calculate the seasons and to determine the best times for sowing and harvest. The site was also used for rituals, offering gifts to the Sun for fertility as BNT reported.
This area of Bulgaria was previously made famous because remnants of the oldest people who lived in this part of Europe were found.
Archaeologists also found dozens of clay and stone disks in the area of the temple.
"The semantics of the disks symbolise the disk of the Sun itself, which means that this is the earliest ever temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, discovered on our lands," archaeologist Georgi Ganetsovski told the BNT
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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained off-topic content
@Freddy: Before accusing others, please do double check data. Stonehenge itself is dated around 3100 BC. Though older traces of wooden poles have been found nearby - dated to around 8000 BC.
Johnny, stone-builders culture got spread as far as Stonehenge.
There are other stone hedge from the Early Iron Age (8th-6th Century BC),here are some pictures from the village of Dolni Glavanak , south - central Bulgaria:
http://www.ancient-bulgaria.com/2007/07/17/thracia
Someone needs to do their research properly. Stonehenge has already been dated to 8000 BC using the latest carbon dating techniques. This makes the two sites contemporary.
As to the comment by Tam that "whoever said Stonehenge was genuine", my friend, I lived close to Stonehenge and have studied it for 15 years: you need to get YOUR facts straight before making such an ignorant comment!
I would be very interested in seeing the lay out myself. I have a great interest in how we worshiped in the distant past.
I am english living in bulgria for some time now. Please do not comment on things until you have researched where when and how. Most bulgarian people are proud to be so and do not need fatuous comments on newspaper articles abouttheir past. Do you Know who you really are! This is a beautiful country that needs a liitle help from its friends - not a load of rubbish from the rubbisher brigade. Who said that Stonehenge was genuine anyway - All we can do is THINK
you are an arse.
its in the shape of a horse shoe, smart arse. was the internet docovered back then or what?
halfwit.
Horse shoe?
Horses were not discovered for another 5,000 years - its a 'crescent moon' hence moon not sun monuments - Stonehenge initial phase was similar which has now been dated at 7500 BC by a new book 'The Stonehenge Enigma'
This is somewhat old news, but none the less most interesting. The village of Ohoden (Оходен) is situated 24 km north of Vratsa on the road to Oryahovitsa and Kozloduy.
For some illustrations have a look att a Btv story with video
btv.bg/news/liubopitno/story/536078353-Skeletat_ot
This is 2010. How hard is it to get a freakin picture? ... really, how hard? Come on people.
Is there a picture somewhere? I like to see it
Fantastic news I have paid a visit to most of the old sights cant wait to see this one.
I would have liked to see a picture of the Bulgarian site, rather than the article's photo of Stonehenge.
Where is Ohoden in relation to Varna? The only one that I can find in Bulgaria (courtesy of bgmaps.com) is near Vratsa, in NW Bulgaria.
Amazing! A Stonehenge in Bulgaria, makes you wonder how far the stone-builders culture spread in the ancient world and what remains to be discovered.