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Discovery of A New Type of Megalith, Sredna Gora Mountain, Bulgaria
Discovery of A New Type of Megalith, Sredna Gora Mountain, Bulgaria
Martin Konstantinov
Abstract
This publication aims to present a newly discovered megalithic structure near the village of Rozovets, Brezovo
municipality in Southern Bulgaria possessing a set of characteristics not described previously in the scientific
literature. To account for them, a new classification type of megalithic constructions is proposed a pair of
balanced monoliths with a subtype of a pair of balanced parallel orthostats. The paper also offers
arguments in favour of classing the 'Sredna Gora proto-dolmen' as a separate group of megalithic monuments
on the grounds of differing typology and chronology.
Key words: Megalithic monuments, Balanced rocks, Dolmens, Proto-dolmens, Menhirs, Sredna Gora
points with an extremely small area in relation to its colossal size. Its balance looks rather
precarious.
Figure 1: Bratiata - a view from the west
A few metres away from the North Brother, outside of the levelled site, two elongated
rough stone blocks stand on their narrow walls, sloping towards each other and forming a
rock shelter. They can be seen just to the right of the right hand-side orthostat on Fig. 3
below. At this stage it is not clear whether these stones belong to the megalithic complex, and
whether they have ever been vertically standing similarly to Bratiata.
On the eastern side of the megalith, 1.4 m below the main platform, there is another,
half-round enclosed levelled platform, composed of eroded rock and soil. It is shown on Fig.
3 below.
Figure 3: The rock complex from above (drone imagery)
The South Brother is about 5 metres high, 4.30 metres wide and has thickness at the
base of 1.5 metres. With an average granite rock density in the Sarnena Sredna Gora
Mountain of around 2.7 t/m3 the estimated weight of each of the blocks is no less than 60 t.
Both monoliths complement each other visually, forming a powerful stone duet the
North stone has a very narrow base and its width expands considerably in height, while the
South stone has a massive base, tapering upward. The site has an excellent location, providing
views to the east and south of the valley and surrounding peaks. Hence we believe that the
place is highly likely to have been known and worshipped in antiquity. Archeological
excavations would be needed to ascertain whether the site was worshiped in ancient times and
what was the possible nature of the rituals that might have been performed there.
DISCUSSION
THE QUESTION OF NATURAL VS. ARTIFICIAL ORIGIN
Scientific literature denotes objects similar to the North Brother as 'precariously
balanced rocks (PBRs). The latter are free-standing rocks or stones that qualify as
'precarious' or 'unstable', as they can be overturned by relatively little horizontal force (Brune
1996). Despite its considerable weight in the tens of tonnes, we assume the North Brother is
within the scope of that definition because of its height and tiny area of contact with the base.
The term PBRs most often refers to natural formations, like the so-called 'glacial erratics'.
These are moraines left to balance on a very small area in apparent challenge to the laws of
physics, after the retreat of the ice which transported them to their resting location. One could
consider a potential glacial origin of similar megalithic sites in areas with increased glacial
activity during the last glaciation of Europe, but not in Sredna Gora Mountain. For example,
moraines in Ulster, Northern Ireland were used as a source material for megaliths (Hayes,
2005). In traditional Bulgarian toponymy PBRs are aptly called 'weighing scales stones'.
The Bulgarian scientific literature has not explored the problem of balanced stones
from an archaeological point of view. Currently we are not aware of any research exploring
the topic from the point of view and with the methods of geology, either. To achieve
maximum results, it is imperative that future studies of this site also include geological
studies.
It is virtually impossible to prove whether a block of stone stands in a delicate
equilibrium position due to natural factors or after a human intervention. So in this case we
will use indirect factors to substantiate the thesis that the origin of Bratiata rock complex is
artificial:
1. The rock platform on which the two monoliths stand, bears traces of artificial
levelling and alignment, both on its horizontal surface and a vertical wall of its eastern part.
2. The two monoliths shape a passage about four metres long. Its artificial origin is
undoubted due to two reasons:
A / Both rocks bear traces of cutting, and
B / It is formed so that the two plates are parallel.
We believe it is highly unlikely for these circumstances to be simultaneously present
in a natural phenomenon. Therefore we accept that Bratiata is a man-made megalithic site that
has been constructed either by splitting a rock present on the platform and forming it in two
pillars, or by erecting, shaping and finely balancing the two orthostats.
If we were to define Bratiata as two parallel menhirs we would be faced with a couple
of issues. A menhir is a "pillar-like block of stone stuck vertically in the ground" (Tsonev
2012). Apparently, taking this definition as a starting point, we can not classify the two
monoliths as menhirs. In English language literature the menhir is usually defined as a tall,
upright stone erected in prehistoric times. This definition, however, does not specify the
method of erection - whether it is thrust into the ground or simply balanced vertically.
Menhirs are single or grouped in a circle, forming 'lanes' or random configurations. There are
couples of menhirs arranged like Bratiata, but they usually are complemented by
accompanying menhirs surrounding the central couple.
Even in very rare cases of an ensemble of just two menhirs, as in the studied case, all
examples of couples of menhirs without exception are represented by monoliths thrust into
the ground rather than balanced ones. Thus, the definition of the recently discovered megalith
as a configuration of two menhirs in our opinion does not adequately account for the nature of
the monument.
Therefore we must acknowledge that currently the only close analogue of the
Rozovets megalith is the Momini Gardi megalithic structure. Based on their characteristics we
propose the classification of these so far only two monuments in a new type of megalithic
constructions "a pair of balanced monoliths". The Rozovets megalith, thus, represents a
subtype "a pair of balanced parallel orthostats".
of the bedrock, most often without any additional working. The differences between the
Sredna Gora proto-dolmen and the dolmens, typical of Strandzha, Sakar and Eastern
Rhodopes are significant:
1. Unlike the dolmen which has all its components moved and placed by man, in
proto-dolmens it is only the roof slab that is placed on a bedrock support, most often on three
points;
2. The stone slabs used in the construction of dolmens are worked, while for building
of proto-dolmens rough stone blocks of varying shapes and sizes are used that rarely bear
traces of working;
3. For the above reasons, unlike dolmens that are clearly man-made, most protodolmens look like natural phenomena formed due to erosion, glacial or seismic activity.
However, we consider it impossible for the large number of megalithic sites of the protodolmen type to be the result of random natural factors, especially in view of the absence of
glacial activity in Sredna Gora Mountain during the last glaciation.
It is a noteworthy fact that there are no confirmed dolmens of the Strandzha and Sakar
type in Sredna Gora yet. Mikov (1933) and Deliradev (1955) provide information that such
existed but none has been found to this day. The only information so far of an intact dolmen
in Sredna Gora is that by G. Bonchev from 1933 who mentions a site in the vicinity of Turia
village, Pavel Banya municipality, consisting of four vertically placed rough stone blocks
covered with a horizontally placed slab (Bonchev, 1933). It is possible that the site is of the
proto-dolmen type, with which Sredna Gora abounds, or of a mixed type that has its orthostats
placed by the builders "as is", i.e. without any working. Unfortunately, our attempts to locate
the dolmen have so far failed.
The question of the dating of the Sredna Gora megaliths can not be adequately
addressed at this stage, prior to systematic archaeological excavationsbeing carried out.
However, drawing on the many Sredna Gora proto-dolmens we have visited we can make the
following remarks and working hypotheses:
1. Based on the ceramic material discovered during excavations in and around the
Strandzha, Sakar and Eastern Rhodopes dolmens, the current assumption in Bulgarian
archaeology is that they were constructed in the period XII - VII century BC (Venedikov et
al., 1976). This dating does not account for the possibility of the Thracian population using
earlier constructed dolmens for funeral and religious purposes. In this sense, we support
Tsonev (2012) in his critique of the unconvincing dating of Bulgarian dolmens as the world's
youngest based solely on contextual and stylistic analysis of the artifacts found. We also
Figure 6: Proto-dolmen Plochata (The Slab) near Zlatossel village, Sarnena Sredna Gora
CONCLUSION
The Bratiata megalithic construction is a site that could provide fertile ground for
interdisciplinary
research
by
archaeologists,
archaeoastronomers,
geologists
and
seismologists. Set in the context of the wealth of megalithic sites built thousands of years ago
in Sredna Gora, Bratiata should not be studied as a separate and isolated phenomenon.
Instead, it is yet another testament to the wide variety of megalithic types characteristic of this
mountain. The proposed definitions for the constructions discussed above "Sredna Gora
proto-dolmen", "a pair of balanced monoliths" and "a pair of balanced parallel
orthostats" are not final. We expect them to undergo changes, additions and corrections
during future research on the topic. We are convinced that Sredna Gora Mountain can provide
answers to some of the questions the megalithic stage of social development of mankind
poses to modern science.
References
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Martin Konstantinov
PhD candidate, Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia
E-mail: martin.konstantinov@gmail.com