New Tomb Discovery at Perperikon
Excavation teams in Perperikon, Bulgaria, have uncovered a circular mausoleum measuring 8 meters across, thought to date from roughly the third to fifth centuries CE. The entrance faces east, and the structure is situated close to rock-cut graves tied to the cult of the Thracian Horseman, a figure often linked to the mythical king Rhesus. With this latest find, the number of round mausoleums documented at Perperikon over the past six excavation seasons has reached eleven.
The newly found tomb joins a line of similar structures arranged along the main road that once climbed toward the fortified acropolis. These circular buildings lie within the Sacred Zone (Area Sacra) in the southern quarter of the site. Earlier excavations in the same district had already revealed ten late Roman tombs, most likely reserved for the local elite, while ordinary inhabitants were buried in a separate cemetery at the eastern foot of the hill.
Ancient Graves and Their Meaning
Beside the latest mausoleum, archaeologists also came across two older tombs hewn directly into the bedrock. Their design echoes the rock-cut complex at Tatul, commonly called the Tomb of Orpheus. Comparable rocky burials surfaced at Perperikon in 2010, and pottery found with them suggests dates around the eleventh or tenth century BCE. Among the artifacts from this broader complex is a coin of Alexander the Great, proof that cult activity at the site continued into the Hellenistic era.
Professor Nikola Ovcharov, who directs the Perperikon excavation, said these new discoveries deepen what scholars know about the region's history.
Perperikon itself stands on a 470-meter-high rocky hill in the Eastern Rhodopes, roughly 20 kilometers northeast of Kardzhali. The surrounding mountains have also yielded a prehistoric star map etched into stone, measuring about 2 by 3 meters, aligned along an east-west axis and marked with 56 pits of varying diameters. Constellations identified on the stone include:
- Ursa Major
- Leo
- Cassiopeia
- Cygnus
- Lyra
- the Pleiades
Over time, Perperikon went through several distinct stages: a prehistoric ritual center, a Thracian sanctuary, a Roman city, an early Christian episcopal center, and a medieval fortress. Because of this long sequence of occupations, the site offers valuable insight into changing cultures in southeastern Europe from prehistoric to medieval times. The latest mausoleum discovery highlights the complex's importance as a hub of culture and religion in antiquity. Continued excavation keeps bringing forward evidence about Thracian social and religious practices and their interaction with Roman culture, while the Alexander-era coin indicates that Perperikon mattered not only to its immediate residents but also to the wider ancient world.
The recent discovery at Perperikon adds to the growing body of evidence regarding ancient burial practices in the region. Similarly, a recent excavation in North Macedonia revealed a Hellenistic ritual complex over 2,300 years old, showcasing the rich historical tapestry of the Balkans. These findings illustrate the significance of funerary architecture in understanding cultural and religious beliefs of ancient civilizations.