The excavations in the in the East Rhodope Mountains have finally proven that the ancient Thracian complex Perperikon, which became Hyperperperikon in the Middle Ages, was the symbolic sanctuary of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus.
Last week an American delegation of 26 professors in archeology and history highly appraised the excavations in Perperikon. “Here is the beginning of the European civilisation,” Professor Mataniah Zuhar, expert in prehistory at the Jerusalem university, said.
According to Professor Nikolai Ovcharov, main excavator, this is the famous holy town of the Thracians and the capital of the Ohrid Kingdom (V-IV BC), where all religions meet and exist in relation without any contradictions. The latest find by archeologists, researchers and professors were the sherapani. Sherapani are wide openings dug in stone which were used as a container for liquids. “We have figured out that all of these sherapani were used in the past for the process of wine production,” Ovcharov told The Echo.
He said that the fact that all of them have been placed high above in the height of the hills proved the connection with the sanctuary of the god of wine, Dionysus. The Sartre tribe, according to information mentioned by antique authors, protected all of the sherapani.
“In the sanctuary many forecasts and predictions were made,” Ovcharov said. Herodotus had mentioned this sanctuary as a fortune telling place in the history of the world. “One of the big and memorable predictions made in Perperikon was about Alexander the Great to conquer the world,” Ovcharov said.
He said that there is no doubt that the sanctuary of Dionysus was located in Perperikon. “For the tribe, wine had important and sacral meaning and its technology of production was not revealed since it was very sacred,” Ovcharov said. The method for wine production gives the myth for Dionysus. According to the myth, Dionysus’ body was dismembered and smashed and blood was leaking out of it. The Dionysus temple quite resembles the Apollo temple in Delphi.”
One of the most interesting findings was connected with the name of the place. Some archeologists said that it originates from the Greek word Hyper Pyrakion – meaning above fire. According to Ovcharov, at the end of 11 century a new coin called Hyper Pera was made in Byzantium. The coin quickly became an exchange currency from all over Spain to Asia (estimated similar to a Middle Ages euro).
“After the finding of the biggest golden mines in Perperikon the hypothesis proved that the town of Hyperperakion entitled the name of the monetary unit, and the money for the big inflation in 11th century originated from here,” Ovcharov said.
The complex Perperikon has existed for almost 3000 years. It was an important fortress of Byzantine, the Latin Empire and Bulgaria. It was of very great religious importance not only for the Thracians, but also for the whole ancient world, Greeks, Persians and Macedonians.
“This enormous site will take more than a lifetime to explore and is one of Bulgaria’s most important archeological discoveries,” Ovcharov said of Perperikon.
Excavations on the biggest ancient Thracian sanctuary in the Balkans will continue through the summer.
Last week an American delegation of 26 professors in archeology and history highly appraised the excavations in Perperikon. “Here is the beginning of the European civilisation,” Professor Mataniah Zuhar, expert in prehistory at the Jerusalem university, said.
According to Professor Nikolai Ovcharov, main excavator, this is the famous holy town of the Thracians and the capital of the Ohrid Kingdom (V-IV BC), where all religions meet and exist in relation without any contradictions. The latest find by archeologists, researchers and professors were the sherapani. Sherapani are wide openings dug in stone which were used as a container for liquids. “We have figured out that all of these sherapani were used in the past for the process of wine production,” Ovcharov told The Echo.
He said that the fact that all of them have been placed high above in the height of the hills proved the connection with the sanctuary of the god of wine, Dionysus. The Sartre tribe, according to information mentioned by antique authors, protected all of the sherapani.
“In the sanctuary many forecasts and predictions were made,” Ovcharov said. Herodotus had mentioned this sanctuary as a fortune telling place in the history of the world. “One of the big and memorable predictions made in Perperikon was about Alexander the Great to conquer the world,” Ovcharov said.
He said that there is no doubt that the sanctuary of Dionysus was located in Perperikon. “For the tribe, wine had important and sacral meaning and its technology of production was not revealed since it was very sacred,” Ovcharov said. The method for wine production gives the myth for Dionysus. According to the myth, Dionysus’ body was dismembered and smashed and blood was leaking out of it. The Dionysus temple quite resembles the Apollo temple in Delphi.”
One of the most interesting findings was connected with the name of the place. Some archeologists said that it originates from the Greek word Hyper Pyrakion – meaning above fire. According to Ovcharov, at the end of 11 century a new coin called Hyper Pera was made in Byzantium. The coin quickly became an exchange currency from all over Spain to Asia (estimated similar to a Middle Ages euro).
“After the finding of the biggest golden mines in Perperikon the hypothesis proved that the town of Hyperperakion entitled the name of the monetary unit, and the money for the big inflation in 11th century originated from here,” Ovcharov said.
The complex Perperikon has existed for almost 3000 years. It was an important fortress of Byzantine, the Latin Empire and Bulgaria. It was of very great religious importance not only for the Thracians, but also for the whole ancient world, Greeks, Persians and Macedonians.
“This enormous site will take more than a lifetime to explore and is one of Bulgaria’s most important archeological discoveries,” Ovcharov said of Perperikon.
Excavations on the biggest ancient Thracian sanctuary in the Balkans will continue through the summer.
