ARCHAEOLOGIA BULGARICA

ABLE

11

1998

No 2

OF CONTENTS

Articles
Niko/ov, V. : The Circumpontian Cultural Zone During the Neolithic Period .

. . . 1

Chohadziev. S.: Contribution to the Studies of the Earliest Recovery and Workig
of Copper in the Basin of River Struma (Southwestern Bulgaria) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Themlossiev. N. : Sanctuaries and Cult Places in Nothwestern Thrace during the 1st
Millenium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Damyanov,

. :

The Matrix from Gurchinovo:

V/adimirova-Paunova, V. :

Vassi/eva,

. :

Zeus Bennios :

Prolems

of Origin and Dating . . .

Unkno\vn Rich Grave Find from Thrace (4th

. )

15
28

40

Few More Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

52

Go,.banov, .: Rmische bronzene Matrize und Kleinbronzestatuetten in den Fonds

des Historischen Stadtmuseums in Nova Zagora (Sildbulgarien) . . . . . . . . . . .

. 57

Dintchev, V.: On the Ethno-cultural Features of the Village Population on tlte Presertt
Bulgarian Territory in the 4th Century AD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Reviews
Fied/e1, . : Studien zu Gri.iberfeldern des 6. is 9. Jahrhunderts del' unteren Donau.
Teil 1, 2. Universitiitsforschungen zur prahistorischen Archi.iologie. Band 11. Verl~g
Dr. Rudolg GmbH. n 1992. (Angelova, S. ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 88
Ymclanov, . : Handbook of Anthropology for Archaeologists. St. Kliment Ohridski
University Press. Sofia 1996. 96 pages, 92 ill. ISBN 954-07-0988-1. in Bulgaria
(Konclova, N.) .. .. . .. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . , . . . . . .

Editor:

r.

. . 94

Lyudmil Ferdinandov VAGALINSKI (lnstitute of Archaeology at Sofia)

ARCHAEOLOGIA BULGARICA is four-month journal (thrice year; 20,5 27,5 cm; 1

pages and . 80 illustrations per number; coloured cover) which presents puiislti11g forun1
for research in archaeology in the widest sense of the word. There are no restrictions for time
and territory but Southeaster11 Europe is the accent.

Ohjective: interdiscipliary research of archaeology.

Contents: articles, reviews and news.
Language.\: English, German and French.
lnrendecl. reader... : Scholars and students of the following fields : Archaeology, Numismatics,
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Nova Za.gora (Southc1n Bu1g<trial. latc 11colitl1ic

pcriod. History muscum at Nova Zagora.

ISSN 1310-9537

Arch. Bulgarica

II

1998

64-87

Sofia

ON ETHNO-CUL TURAL FEATURES OF VILLAGE

POPULATION ON PRESENT BULGARIAN TERRITORY
IN 4 CENTURY AD
VENTZISLA V DINTCHEV

The prolems of the re1igion and the re1ation between the religion and the ethnic affiliation are of an indisputale importance for the
ethno-cultural features of the village population, which inhabited the present Bu1garian
territory in the 4th century AD 1. The analysis
of the archaeological data on the village cult
buildings and the burial custom of the village
popu1ation is an important contribution to the
study of these prolems.
lot of village pagan sanctuaries from the
present Bu1garian territory, functioning during the first centuries AD were excavated and
pulished . Part of them were closely related
to settlement structures - . g. the ones near
Gaganitza, Berkovitza region ( 1957,
302-308), Liutibrod, Vratza region (
/ 1985, 39-40), Devetaki, Lovech region (/ 1960, 181 - 186), Lesicheri, Ve1iko Turnovo region (
1961, 245- 253; 1977, 23, 53;
1988, 103- 104; 1991, 106), Liulen,
Targovishte region ( 1974, 346- 352;
1979, 33- 46), Ko1artzi , Dobrich region ( 1973, 43-44; 19989,
34-37), Gallata quarter in Varna ( 1953,
7-8, 12-21; 1968, 17-27;
- 1972, 29-32), Daskalovo quarter
in Pernik ( et ! . 1980, 15-140;
n- 1983, 128-129), Baika1sko, Pernik region ( 1933, 383-386;
- 1983, 18-19), Stre1cha
( 1961, 44-46; 1963, 37), Diu1evo ( 1948, 61-74) and Ognianovo ( 1896, 403-423; /
1988, 122) Pazardzik region, Komatevo quarter in P1ovdiv ( 1959, 155,
1

161 - 163), Kirillovo, Stara Zagora region (

1913, 310-314; 1943, 227229; 1946, 180-181 ), the two sanctuaries near run (- 1959, 9711 ; - 1980, 173- 190;
1978, 191-193) and the sanctuary near Vide
(- 1961, 203- 209), Kazanlak
region, the sanctuary near Kasnakovo, Haskovo
region ( 1950, 105- 115;
1962, 4-18), etc.
Other pagan sanctuaries seemed to rat11er
isolated but attended mainly the vi11age population within the relevant loca1 settlement systems- . g. the ones near Makresh, Vidin region
( 1924, 21 0-212; 1980, 80,
not. 2), Li1iache, Vratza region (
1952, 195-213), Zlatna Panega, Lovech region
( 1907, 3-86; 1952, 378380), Kreta, P1even region ( 1934, 8291; - 1979, 48), Manastira locality near Svishtov (- 1961,
21-24 ), Obedinenie, Veliko Tarnovo regio
( 1934, 92-100; 1956, 63),
Draganovetz, Targovishte region (
1980, 142- 172), Botunetz quarter in Sofia
( 1933, 376-377), Gar1in Vartop 1ocality
near Slivnitza ( 1983, 22- 24;
1985, 23-3 7), on Petrovski krast peak near
Dragoman ( 1978, 40-52), Giueshevo
( 1920, 138-139;
/ 1978, 16) and Kopi1ovtzi
( 1911, 261-263; 1914, 80-1 12;
-/ 1978, 19),
Kiustendi1 region, Baiak, B1agoevgrad region
( 1984, 46-47; /
1995, 56; / 1996, 31 ), the socalled St. lvan sanctuary near Bansko (

Thc ctho-cultural characteristic of the people, who inhaited the military citadels d the fortificd non-urba
settlements (castella , rppo11p1a, etc.) from the 4th century AD is not subject of the present study. We regard as
"village population" the inhaitants ofthe unfortified settlements (vici and KWJ.iaL) and the ones especially, \vhicl1
structurc lacked town components and were villages in fact. Sec also note No . 6. The autlr has writte stt1dy
i Bulgarian of the specificd problems (, in print).

64

tl1e Ethno-cultura/ Features ofthe Vi/lage Popu/ation

1990, 171-172; 1991, 166-167),

Varvara ( 1941, 61-78) and Patalenitza (Tsontcev 1941, 9-80), Pazardzhik region, on Ostretz peak near Velingrad (
1990, 50-51), Bossilkovo, Smolian
region (/ 1988, 70-71 ),
Ruchei, Kardzhali region ( 1939,
323 - 327), Lozen ( 1925, 127-168;
1974, 20) and Stalevo ( 1974,
33), Haskovo region, Drianovo, Yambol region
( 1980, 35-42; 1980, 45-80), etc.
Almost all mentioned sanctuaries functioned during the Late Roman period also,
during the decades after 313 AD inclusively,
with the exception of few sanctuaries from
the central and the eastern parts ofthe Danube
Plane, . g . the heroon near Liubenovo and
probaly the sanctuaries in Manastira locality, Svishtov region and at Obedinenie. They
stopped to function probaly as result of the
invasions in the middle and the second half of
the rd century, i. . when the related villages
had been demolished or abandoned. considerale number of the village pagan sanctuaries in this region continued to function however during the 4th century - . g. the ones at
Kreta, Lesicheri, Draganovetz and Kolartzi.
ln some cases even ifthe vicus had been abandoned, the population, part ofwhich probaly
still living in the vicinity, continued to maintain the sanctuary and it functioned during the
following period as well. The evidence from
the vicus near Goliama Brestnitza, Lovech region, which was abandoned in the second half
of the 3rd century, proves the existence of
important cu1t center ( 1927, 11-12;
1959,339-341;1960,25-

28; 1961, 224). lt was not found

until now in the vicus area. However on the territory ofthe neighbour modern village ofZlatna
Panega, not far away from there, sanctuary of
Asclepius, still functioning in the 4th century,
was excavated near the famous mineral spring
G1ava Panega ( 1907, 3-86;
1952, 378- 380).
An indisputale examp1e for village pagan sanctuary, abandoned in the first half of
the 4th century does not exist until now in
Northwestern Bulgaria, along the northern

the Present Bulgarian Tetritory ...

Bulgarian coast and in South Bulgaria. There

is no data availale about precisely stratified
finds from village sanctuaries in these regions
or if some data exists, it concerns few finds
only, dated until the end of the rd century.
These are chance finds however and have
never been subject of proper archaeologi cal study - . g . the sanctuaries near Makresh,Vidin region and Stallevo, Haskovo region, or have very badly preserved remains
and damaged cultural deposits- . g. the sanctuaries near Krun, Kazanlak region and Drian,
Yambol region. That is why no reliale data
re1ated to the present study could derived
from the respective evidence. This a1so concerns the badly preserved or found chance
pagan sanctuaries, the finds with fixed date,
the ones from the 4th century only- . g. those
near Baikalsko, Pernik region and Komatevo
quarter in Plovdiv. The evidence from the investigated and better preserved village pagan
sanctuaries in the mentioned regions proves
indisputaly their functioning during the 4th
century - the sanctuaries at Gaganitza, Berkovitza region, Liliache, Vratza region, Gallata
quarter in Varna, Garlin Vartop 1oca1ity near
S1ivnitza, Daskalovo quarter in Pernik, Kopilovtzi, iustendil region, Varvara, Diulevo and
Patalenitza, Pazardzhik region, Viden, Kazanlak region, Ruchei, Kardzhali region, Lozen,
Haskovo region, etc. What is more, the prevailing number of the finds in some of these sanctuaries consists of 4th century finds.
Over 350 from the pulished 430 coins,
found in the sanctuary of Asclepius near
S1ivnitza, were minted in the 4th century. Besides the most numerous are the coins minted
during the third quarter of the 4th century
( 1985, 96-163, 168-170). The latest
coin among all is coin of emperor Theodosius
11 ( 1985, 163). The numismatic collection from the sanctuary of Zeus and Hera near
Kopilovtzi revealed almost the same picture.
The total number ofthe 2nd-3rd centuries coins
is 45, while the 4th century coins are more than
300, and the latest among them with readale
inscription was minted during the reign of emperor Arcadius ( 1914, 88-89). We
have similar proportion regarding the finds
65

Ventzislav Dintchev

with fixed date, the coins from the sanctuaries at Gaganitza and Patalenitza, and Gallata
quarter in Varna. lot of coins were discovered in the sanctuary in Daskalovo quarter in
Pernik but they are not puished yet. Still
information is availale that: "the latest coins
... are the ones from the beginning of the 5th
century" ( 1980, 139, 140, not. 5).
All of the coins found in the sanctuary near
Viden were minted in the 4th century
(- 1961, 218). The coins
from the sanctuary of the Heros at Varvara,
which number exceeds 60, were also minted
in the 4th century ( 1941, 74-76).
The presented data proves the intensive
functioning of the village sanctuaries during
the decades following the edict from 313 AD.
With view ofthe intensified settlement activity in some up-1ands at and after the beginning
of the 4th century ( 1996, 20), one
could not exclude the possibi1ity that new village pagan sanctuaries were estalished at
that time. Probale objections, that the Late
Roman coins got chance into the sanctuaries or were offered peasants, secretly
abided the paganism, after the sanctuaries
had been demolished, would insignificant.
The ig number of coins yielded regu1ar
cultural deposits indicates that they were offered in functioning sanctuaries. lt is necessary to point out that the igger number of the
discovered 4th century coins in the sanctuaries would the natura1 consequence of the

intensified coin circulation during the period.

The increased number of the coins compensated the decreased number of special voti ve
monuments during the 4th century, including
the votive reliefs, which were more typical for
the cu1t practices of the preceding centuries 2 .
The number ofthe Early Christian 4th ce
tury cult buildings from Bulgaria, discovered
out ofthe walls ofthe military fortresses, fortifies settlements and their suburbs, is comparatively small. No Christian cult building,
constructed for sure before the time ofthe Milan edict from 313 AD, was excavated until
now. Such date was recently suggested for
small "church-baptistery" near Panagiurishte
( 1992, 51-54; et al. 1994,
99-101). Because ofsome uncertain aspects of
the characteristics and the construction periodization of the building, its erection before 313
AD seems rather questionale 3 . lts later appearance would indicate it was part of suburb of
an important fortified settlement "from the 4th6th centuries", the so-called Krassen kale
( et al. 1994, 85-96).
According to the excavators, the earlier basilica at Khan Krum, Shumen region was erected in the first half ofthe 4th century (
1968, 64-65; /-
1981, 21 ). However the precise analysis of
the date available ( 1968, 57- 65;
/- 1981, 1521) suggests later date 4 . The basilica could
contemporary to the single-nave church -

lte

usc of votive reliefs in general and those of the ltracian horseman in particular, pltenomeno11 supposcd
not to conti11ue bcyond the boundary bctween tlte 3rd and the 4th centuries, was recently re-dated until tl1e c11d
of thc 4th - tlte beginning of the 5th centuries on the basis of strong arguments (Vagalinski 1997. 46- 49 ).

When pLtiisl1ed for thc first time, the building was cal\ed " sma\1 baptistery" and was dated i11 "the 4th-6tlt
ccnturics" ( et \ . 1989, 143) . Later on the excavators stated that "t\1e excavated buildig had function
originally as church and after .. . 313 AD was transformed into baptistery" ( \992, 52; nt et
al . 1994 , 1 1). 11 joint between the apse and the interior arch of thc piscina, and thc coi11 of Galeris , fd i
onc of the joint ( 1992, 51-52) \Vere stated as arguments . Thc asonry of the interior arch of tltc piscina
and the apse was one and thc same howcver, "made of crushed stones joint with yellow clay" ( 1992.
5\-52), and tltere was no data about differences in the levels oftheir substructions. Therefore tl1e interval betwee11
the construction of the building and the equipment of the piscina- if any, because the joint migltt not rcga1ded
diachronic indicator in this case- was very short. As for the above mentioned coin, it is just tenninus post quem
for the construction of the building and the piscina i particular.

The excavators dated the earlier basilica in the first half of the 4th century because of the style of its frescoc~ .
Other cxperts assumed that thc same frescoes could date from "the 5th the 6th ccnturies" (/1
1978, 25 ). Most of the coins discovered during the archaeological excavations dated fro the second half of the
4th - tlte beginning of the 5th centuries ( 1968, 58; / n- 1981, 17 , 21 ).

66

tl1e

Ethno-culta/

Features o/the

Vage

vated r, which existed "from the d ofthe

4th to the middle of the 5th cetury (
/- 1960, 34--38;
/- 1981, -13).
The Christia cult buildig excavated r
Krichim dated also from the 4th cetury (
1983, 90-91; 1984, 94). The pulished iformatio does t provide opportuity to fix its chroology d costructio periods . The crusiform martirium r Vode,
Yambol regio was also dated i the 4th ce
tury. Later ig moastery comp1ex was bui1t
aroud it (- 1993, 73 - 91;
et 1. 1994, 116). The experts assume that the erectio of the basi1ica r
Bhovo happeed i the time s betwee
the 4th d the begiig of the 5th cetury
( 1934, 300-309; -
1974, 262). At the middle or i the secod ha1f
of the 4th cetury the sig1e-aYe church of
the Late Roma vicus the Tzarevetz hi11 in
Veliko Turnovo was erected ( 1973,
272-273, 332, 335; 1986, 41). Probaly the second half ofthe 4th cetury was the
time when the church i the ecropo1is of the
orc-miig vicus at Popoviane, Samokov regio was costructed (-
1975, 74-75; - 1977, 2).
it was also the time ofthe costructio
of the basi1ica at Strumsko quarter i B1agoevgrad (/ 1965, 78;
- 1987, 123 ). The probaie
vault costructio however, wou1d argumet i favour of later date ofthis basi1ica
(- 1968, 20-21;
1974, 253). The basi1ica r Gori
Vode, Asseovgrad regio is supposed to
constructed in the second ha1f or to more
precise, at the end ofthe 4th century (
1983, 13- 17). About the end of the 4th ce
tury the origia1 tetraconcha1 building near

Population

1he P1esent Bulgarian Territory ...

Perushtitza, trasformed 1ater ito the socalled Red church ( 1985, 149;
Vak1iova 1989, 641-643). r related to
the Christia re1igion and probaly contemporary was the tetracocha1 building in Veranito
locality near Lesicheri, Ve1iko Tarnovo regio
as well ( 1977, 23 ). The list i1 udes
also the sigle-ave churches i the settlemets, estaished the ruins of villa N 1
r t ( 1983 , 64-65,
73) and the villa i Chatalka locality, Stara
Zagora region ( 1984, 23-26, 55). lt
seems that the hume basilica, found during
the archaeological excavatios of villa N 2
near Montana ( 1980, 39-44) also
belonged to similar settlement ( J 997,
40-41, 1 10-111, t. 35). These post-villa settlements were estaished after 378 AD, r
before the last and in the last decades of
the 4th century ( 1997, 34,37, 63).
These are the Christia cult bui1digs
dated from the 4th cetury known unti1 w,
which fuctio could related to the village
people's life in preset Bu1garia at that time 5.
With the exception of the churches in the vici
the Tzarevetz hi1l in Veliko Tarovo, Popoviae, t region and Chatalka locality, Stara Zagora regio, the settlemet context ofthe rest ofthe mentioed cu1t bt1ildings
is still uclarified. Some of them were parts
of unfortified settlement structures, contai
ig other representative buildigs as well and
their remains coverig 1arge areas today. I
this istace it is the dimesios of the sites
that questions their idetificatio as village
vici 6. For example, it was poited out that the
tetracochal buildig, uderlyig the socalled Red church, had belonged to cosid
erale settlement cetre "with towp-like culture" ( 1985, 149; Vakliova 1989,
639), i. . to semi-urba vicus. As for others,

Tlte stratigraphic context they camc from was not reliaie one, but still they could
rcfercncc point for thc timc of the first phase of the site, and the basilica inclusively.

regarded

kind ot

ln this paper we shall not stop our attcntion on the Christian cult buildings known until now from presct Bulgaria,
constructed at the end of the 4thlthc bcginning of the 5th- thc first half of the 5th15th centuries.

Together with the villagcs, thc unfortified semi-urban settlements were basic settlement type in Bulgaria during
the Roman and Latc Roman periods. According their juridical d administrative aspects , thcy wcre the same as
vici , i. . tltcy did not have the status of town ( 1996, 99-1 02) . The unfortified semi-urban settlcrne11ts,
(Jct"ined al so as "s mall towns", "agglorncrations secondaires", etc., were typical phenomenon for thc rest of tl1c
Empire as well (Wcbstcr 1975, 53-66; Ferdiere 1988, 291-300; Hingley 1989, 26-29,78-80, 86-94, 111-116;
Burnha \995 , 7-17; King 1995, 183-192).

67

Ventzislav Dintchev
. g. the basilicas near Buhovo and Strumsko,
and the two cult buildings near Khan Krum as
well, it is still not clear whether they were
closely related to any settlement features.
Some of them could have been parts of monastery complexes. The latter, in view of their
principles and activity organisation, could not
regarded direct indicator for the religion
and the life as general ofthe village population
of the relevant regions, in comparison with pagan sanctuaries and consecrated grounds the
sirnilar in location 7.
Even accepting the definition "village" for
all mentioned Christian cult buildings, their
total number is still smaller than the number
of the listed above village pagan sanctuaries
(fig. 1). What's more, in contrast to the pagan
sanctuaries, functioning from the beginning
of the 4th century, most of the mentioned
Christian cult buildings were built up as late
as the end of the century. lt is also an indicative fact that no one of these Christian buildings was erected on the ruins of an earlier pagan sanctuary. The earliest traces of direct
acts of religious antagonism in the country regions led to demolition of pagan sanctuaries
and the construction of Christian cult buildings on the ruins - . g. the buildings near Liutibrod, Vratza region (r/ 1985,
40, 53), Draganivetz, Targovishte region (
1980, 157), Gallata quarter in Vama
( 1953, 21) or Komatevo quarter in
Plovdiv ( 1959, 163), dated from the
very end of the 4th - the beginning of the 5th
centuries.
considerae number ofvillage necropolises, used in the 4th century but functioning
as early as the 2nd-3rd century are known
from the present Bulgarian territory. The Late
Roman burials there were done according the
pagan rites, developing in accordance with the
tendencies from the preceding period (
1970, 1-12). The Late Roman burials from the

following necropolises contained cremation

or inhumation burials according to pagan rite:
the flat necropolises near Drashan, Vratza region ( 1975, 41-50; 1985,
26-27), Kragulevo, Dobrich region (
1985, 321-327), Yourta locality near Hissaria ( 1981, 69) and Liaski, Gotze
Delchev region (-
1987, 83-84; 1995, 102-103), the
tumular necropolises of the loca1 settlement
systems in the valleys of Gorni Passarel
(/ 1962, 202-211, 221-222,
251) and Batak (/ 1970, 151174, 194-200, 203), the necropolises of the
vicus in the modern town of Strelcha (
1979, 59-60; 1979, 3-4, 20-21;
et al. 1990, 108), the tumular necropolises near Yana, Sofia region (
1933, 373-374), Chernozem ( 1971,
39-61) and Popovitza ( 1954, 217228), Plovdiv region, Kirillovo (
1946, 181-184), Staroseletz ( et al.
1979, 51; / 1985, 165;
et al. 1991, 307, 312-315), Kovachevo
( et al. 1989, 46---47) and Glavan
( 1990, 35-36; 1991, 58- 59) ,
Stara Zagora region, Liubenetz ( et al.
1989, 57- 58) and Radetzki (/
1983, 93-94), Nova Zagora region, Merrichleri, Haskovo region ( 1965, 77122), Mladinovo, Svilengrad region (
1934, 109-121), Ruen (/
1986, 117; / 1987, 84), Vizitza ( 1988, 68-69) and Fakiia
(/ 199 5, 1 1; /
- 1996, 45), Bourgass region, etc.
Burials according to Christian mortuary
practices or at least influenced them were
done also in quite lot of the excavated village necropolises, which started to function
before the 4th century. Sometimes there were
coins in the relevant graves. That was the way
the secondary Christian graves from the tu-

Among tl1e Late Antiquity monasteries known, the one in Arbanas quarter in Radomir dated from the 4th ccntury
1985, 26; 1988, 118-119; 1990, 98-99). Its sett1ement identification- situated
in isolated locality or relat~d to kind of scttlemcnt feature - is sti\1 uncertain. The e~tatishment of tl1e
monastery complex in Tritc Chuchura locality near Stara Zagora is also supposed to date from the 4th century
( 1994, 221-237). Being c1ose to Augusta Traiana, it dcfined as an suburban mor1astery . Thc
fortificd complex in Orlandovtzi quarter in Sofia, \vhich we assume to also suburban monastery in the vicinity
of Serdica, was built up in tl1e 4th century (rr 1997, 96-97) as wel\.
(

68

the Ethno-cultural Features ofthe Village Population

the Present Bulgarian Territory ...

muli of the village necropolis in Chatalka lo- Obruchishte ( 1962, 50-55) and
cality, Stara Zagora region were dated with Bogomilovo ( 1979, 105-1 06), Stara
the help of the coins of the emperors Theo- Zagora region, Tvarditza (- et
dosius 1, Honorius and Arcadius ( al. 1995, 77-79) and Levka and Raikova mo1984, 53-54; 1986, 46-56, 58-62, gila, Svilengrad region ( et al . 1995,
94-101). The lower chronological margin of 73-75). Finds with fixed date were not disthe Christian burials in and around the covered in the relevant Christian graves,
mounds in Vesselchani quarter in Kardzhali which appeared to secondary for the tumular necropolises. In some of the necropolises,
(- 1988, 36-44;
ones in Kokidava locality near Varna,
the
1991, 131; / 1990, 69)
was fixed coins dated from "the end of the Kalugerovo, Bogomilovo and Tvarditza how4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries", ever, pagan graves dated from the 4th century
yielded one of the relevant graves ( were excavated, fact suggesting later date
1991, 131 ). golden coin of emperor Zeno, for the Christian funerals there. The Christian
found in damaged grave ( graves from the necropolises near Levka and
Raikova mogila were defined as Early Byzan 1988, 39), proved that the necropolis functioned at least until the end ofthe tine, i. . after the end ofthe 4th century (
5th century 8. The graves from the flat necropo- et 1. 1995, 73).
Part of the rock graves and tombs of the
lis of the vicus near Barutin, Smolian region
necropolises near Kamen Briag, Kavarna re( 1988, 189-190; 1990, 93,
94-95), oriented according to the Christian re- gion, assumed to used during the 3rd-4th
ligion, have the same chronology as well 9. centuries, were r Christian ones (
The secondary Christian funerals in the exca- 1985, 79-80; 1986, 199-205;
vated tumulus of the necropolis near Haskovo /n 1986, 112-113;
were done definitely after the 4th century /n 1987, 162-163; /n
1988, 123). The mortuary practices and
(/ 1973, 70-82;
1979, 4-5). Two coins of-emperor Anastasius the date ofthe burials- many ofthe tombs were
were discovered in one of the relevant graves re-used during the mentioned period as well are still uncertain because of the lack of com(/ 1973, 71-73, 80).
Christian burials or at least ones under prehensive pulication of the excavations.
Christian influence were done in other village
Among the village necropolises in present
necropolis in Bulgaria as well, which started Bulgaria known, there were necropolises
to function before the 4th century- in the flat which started to function as early as the 4th
(mixed ?) necropotis of the vicus in Kokidava century or at least ones, in which no earlier
locality near Varna ( 1985, 12-13) or in graves were found until now. In many ofthem
the tumular necropolises near Kalugerovo, Paz- the Late Roman burials were done according
ardzhik region (/ 1977, 62-63; to the pagan mortuary practices. For example,
/ 1978, 90-91), Koprinka, Kajust small part, no more than 15% of the
zanlak region ( et al. 1979, 108; above 1 graves excavated until now in the
flat necropolis of the ore-mining vicus near
/ 1980, 106- 107),
8

The first excavator of the Yesselchani necropolis in Kardzhali made obviously mistake, assuming that most of
the graves dated earlier than the middle of the 4th century, because they were "earlier" than the tumuli
(- 1988, 40). These graves were secondary in fact. They were dug-in into the foot and the
lower part of the tumulus, presented in the puiication . Later on, the upper part of the mound spread out and
CO\'ered the graves. lt becomes clear from the presented situation towards the configuration of the mound
(- 1988, 37, fig. 2) . The burial goods with fixed date are from the 5th century
(- 1988, 38-39).

1 \vould like to thank to the excavators N. Damianov and . Kiriakov, who provided me with an additional
information about the flat necropolis near Barutin as whole and for the chronology of the burials, oriented in
accordance with the Christian rite in particular.

69

70
~~

Tomis8

Fig. 1. See the next page!

the Ethno-cultural Features ofthe Vi/lage Population

Popoviane, Samokov region, were Christian

ones, and the rest were cremation burials
(- 1975, 73-79;
1977, 2-8). The pagan mortuary practices were practiced in this region until the end
of 4th century. The latest find with fixed date,
was coin from 384 AD yielded cremation
buria1 (- 1975, 74). The Christian graves, situated around the small singlenave church mentioned above, contained
scanty grave goods and 1acked finds with
fixed date (- 1975, 74-75).
The various graves did not over1ap, fact
which was considered an indication that "the
two burial customs existed contemporary"
(- 1977, 2). The contemporaneity of the two kinds of burials must have
been partia1 one, even iftwo different buria1
customs existed simultaneously, in view with
their quantitative proportion, i. . the earliest
Christian buria1s there would hardly done
before the middle of the 4th century.
Different pagan rites were practiced in
many other village necropolises in present
Bulgaria as well, which started to function or

the Present Bulgarian Territory ...

at least contain graves from the 4th century. g. in the flat necropolises near Obrochishte,
Dobrich region ( 1962, 55-56), Kremen (-/
1969, 103- 115) and Alanitza (/
1977, 84-85; -
1987, 41; et al. 1990, 1), Gotze De1chev region, Beden - Chereshovo
neighborhood ( 1976, 34-35;
1990, 95), Lucki ( 1960, 50-52) and
Grohotno ( 1990, 93, 95}, Smolian region, in the grave mounds near Gorun, Dobrich
region ( 1978, 111-116), Trapoklovo, Sliven region ( 1976, 53-54), Kochan, Gotze Delchev region, (/
1979, 52; / 1982, 34;
et al . 1990, 104 }, Ostrovitza, Kardzhali
region (-/
1972, 12-14) or in the mixed necropolis near
Borino, Smolian region ( 1986, 53;
1987, 81-82; 1990, 94, 95;
1990, 61-62). Several necropolises
could also mentioned here, containing secondary tumular graves from the end of the 3rd

Fig. \ . Village cult buildings in the 4th century AD on the present Bulgarian territory (made

the

autlr) .

Lcgend:
---- modern state border; 8 - capital of Late Roman provincc; - pagan sanctuary, functioning during
tl1e 4tl1 ccntury;ffi- pagan sanctuary, functioning until the bcginning of the 5th century inclusive%- pagan
sanctuary \Vith unccrtain final date within the period of 4th - the beginning of the 5th centuries;
Christian
CLIIt building, constructed until 380 AD;~- Christian cu\t building from the end of the 4th- the beginning of
the 5th centuries; , Christian cult building with uncertain initial date within the period of the 4th - thc
beginning of tl1c 5th ccnturies;L:J};/1.- cult building of uncertain villagc bclonging.

*-

1 - Makrcsh , Vidin region ; 2- Gaganitza, Berkovita region; 3 - Liutibrod, Vratza region ; 4- Liliache, Vratza
rcgion; 5- Zlatna Panega, Lovech region; 6- Devetaki, Lovech region; 7- Kreta, Pleven region ; 8- Lesichcrski
stalb locality near Lesicheri, Vcliko Tarnovo region ; 9 - Draganovetz, Targovishte region; 1- Kolartzi, Dobrich
rcgion ; 11 - Gallata quarter in Varna ; 12- Botunetz quarter in Sofia; 13- Garlin Vartop locality, ncar Slivnitza;
14 - Petrovski krast pcak, near Dragoman ; 15 - Daskalovo quartcr in Pernik; 16 - Baikalsko, Pernik region ; 17
- Giueshevo , Kiustendil region ; 18 - Kopilivtzi, Kiustcndil region; 19 - Bablak, 8\agoevgrad regio; 20 - St.
Jvan locality r Bansko; 21 - Strclcha; 22- Varvara, Pazardzhik region; 23 - Patalenitza, Pazardzl1ik regio ;
24 - Diulcvo, Pazardzhik rcgion; 25 - Ognianovo, Pazardzhik region; 26 - Ostretz peak near Velingrad ; 27 Komatevo quarter in Plovdiv ; 28- Bossilkovo, Smo\ian regio ; 29 - Kirillovo, Stara Zagora region ; - Viden,
Kazanlak rcgion; 31 - Bostandzhiiska koria Joka\ity near Krun, Kazanlak region ; 32- Attemov Orel1 locality near
Krun, Kazanlak region; 33 - Ruchei , Kardzhali region; 34- Kasnakovo, Haskovo regio; 35 - Lozen, Haskovo
regio; 36 - Sta\cvo, Haskovo region; 37- Drianovo, Yambol region; 38- "villa N 1" near Montana; 39- " villa
N 2" ncar Motana; 40- Veranito Jocality near Lesicheri, Veliko Tarnovo region ; 41 - the Tzarevetz hil\ , Veliko
Tarnovo; 42 - Khan Krum , Shumen region ; 43 - Khan Krum , Shumen region ; 44 - Buhovo ; 45 - Popoviae ,
Samokov region ; 46 - Strumsko quarter in 8\agocvgrad ; 47 - Krassen kalc locality near Panagiuris11te ; 48 Krichim ; 49 - Pcruslitza ; 50 - Gorni Voden , Assenovgrad region ; 51 - Chatalka locality, Stara Zagora rcgion ;
52 - Vode , Yambol region.

71

Ventzislav Dintchev

and the 4th centures - . g. the ones near

Boliartzi, Assenovgrad region (/
1968, 33-3 7), lvailovgrad (
1971, 38-51) and Brani Pole, Plovdiv region (/ 1990, 36-37;
1991 , 58; 1992, 55). In these cases the
tumuli themse1ves were piled up either for
burials before the pre-Roman period, . g.
Boliartzi, or were related to some kind of cult
practices, . g. Brani Pole and r the
tumulus excavated near lvailovgrad as well.
Christian graves or at least graves orientated according to the Christian rite were also
excavated in some of these necropolises, . g.
in the flat necropolis near Beden - Chereshovo neighborhood. The lower chronological margin of this necropolis, and the Christian burials in it inclusively, was defined
coin of emperor Arcadius, discovered in
child's grave ( 1976, 35). Two of the
secondary "east-west" oriented graves in tumuli, which were excavated near Boliartzi,
yielded coins- coin of emperor Constantius
Il and coin of emperor Gratian ( /
1968, 35, 36) 10 . Half of the skeletons
of the secondary graves in the tumulus near
Ivailovgrad have Christian ori.entation.
coin of emperor Probus was found in one of
the graves ( 1971, 48, 49). This appears to the earliest fixed terminus post quem
for presumale Christian burial in Bulgaria.
However ifthe necropolis dated from the end of
the 3rd-4th centuries indeed, the chance of being village one is too slim 11 . Christian or
influenced the Christianity graves were excavated also in other necropolises listed
above - part of the flat graves in the necropo10

11

lises near Borino and Grohotno, the secondary

graves in tumuli near Ostrovitza and the
graves from the necropolis near Alanitza,
where the bones of the buried people were
"piled up" (/ 1977, 85) .
These graves either lacked grave goods or it
was not possie to fix the date of the finds.
The relevant burials were not done in the last
two decades ofthe 4th century because the pagan mortuary practices in the same necropolises had been performed until the end of the
4th - the beginning of the 5th centuries inclusively. So the latest coins from the cremation
burials in tumuli near Borino belonged to emperor Arcadius ( 1990, 95) . The
north-south oriented cist graves from the necropolis near Aanitza yielded "5th century
AD" coins as well (/ 1977,
85). An argument in favour ofthe later date of
the Christian graves (the ones yielding evidence of pagan relicts inclusively) from the
mentioned necropolises in the Rhodopes is
also the chronology of other Late Antiquity
necropolises from the same region, containing
graves similar in mortuary practices and features.
Late Antiquity village necropolises containing only east-west oriented graves and
lacking the bones of the buried people were
excavated in different regions of the Rhodopes - near Ribnovo, Gotze Delchev region
(/ 1983, 173-183), Nova
Mahala ( 1993, 36-37, 41-46), Fotinovo ( et al. 1987, 277;
1993, 39) and Sarnitza (/
1986, 114 }, Pazardzhik region, Skobelevo,
Plovdiv region (/ 1983,
180, . 14; 1993,38-39,46, not. 6).

grave with coin of emperor Licinius was excavated in this necropolis but unlike the graves mentioned above
in the text, it was puiished that the orientation of this skeleton was "west-east" (/ 1968, 36).
There is no information in the paper what direction the heads ofthe buried people pointed to . lfthe head pointed
to the west and the orientation of thc skeleton was "cast-west", the grave which yielded the Licinius's coin \vas
pagan one . lf the head pointed to the west and the orientation of the skcleton was "west-east" , the graves with
later terminus post quem, mentioned in the text, were not Chri.stian ones and this fact questions the Christia
burials in the necropolis as whole.

The tumulus with the secondary necropolis was situated only 250 m away from the famous villa in tl1e Armira
valley , which had existed from the beginning of the 2nd to the end of the 4th centuries ( 1971 , 50).
Therefore, if the necropolis dated from the end of the 3rd-4th centuries, it had probaiy belonged to tl1e staff,
serving the residential part of the villa and/or working in the pars rustica.

72

the

Etho-cultural

Features ofthe Village

These necropolises were assumed Christian

ones and the lack of skeletons in the grave pits
was considered clear indication ofpagan relicts in the mortuary practices (/
1983, 180-181; 1990, 9596; 1993 , 39- 40) 12 . Coins, the latest
readale among them minted in 383-395 AD,
were discovered in one of the graves of the
necropolis near Ribnovo (/
1983, 178). The date is terminus post
quem for the relevant burial and for the necropolis in general. The rest of the necropolises did not yield finds with fixed dates but
the pottery found in some of them, . g. near
Nova mahala and Skobelevo, indicated also
that their use started not earlier than the end
ofthe 4th century ( 1993,37,38-39,
41-46). The estaishment of complex with
single-nave church (monastery ?) at the end
of the 4th-5th centuries, excavated nearby,
could regarded an indirect indication for
the chronology of the necropolis near Nova
Mahala ( et al. 1987, 236;
/ 1989, 156; 1990,
111 ; 1993 , 36) 13 .
Late Antiquity village necropolises containing on1y inhumation graves, oriented according to the Christian custom are known
from various regions, the Rhodopes inclusively, and they are usually assumed to date
from the 4th-5th or 4th-6th centuries - near
Gorna Koznitza, Kiustendil region (
1984, 91; et al . 1990, 102), Drenski Rid lokality near Dupnitza (
1994, 82-83), Akandzhievo, Pazardzhik region, where the Late Antiquity Christian graves were dug-in into pre-Roman mounds
( , 1984, 52-53; 1985, 100101), Dolen , Gotze Delchevo region (
1990, 203-204; et al . 1990,
102- 103), Goliamata Chorkva lokality near
12

13

14

Populatio

Beden

the

Preset Bulgaria

Territory ...

1972, 141 - 156), Pavelsko

1941, 29-33) and Gella (
1970, 26; Vaklinova 1987, 121), Smolian region, Borovitza ( 1989, 163-164;
1990, 172) and Star Chitak
( 1991, 169) 14 , Kardzhali region,
etc. The graves or at least most of the them in
the necropolises near Dolen, Beden and Pavelsko contained grave goods, everyday pottery mostly. In one of the graves near Pavelsko, containing two skeletons, considerae
amount of coins was discovered. The latest
coins belonged to emperor Theodosius 11
( 1941, 30, 32). They are terminus post
quem for the doue-burial as well as for rest
of the burials in the necropolis. Most of the
secondary Christian graves, dug-in in the preRoman tumuli near Akandzhievo, did not contain grave goods but in one of them " coin
from the first half of the 5th century" was discovered "beside the head of the buried person" (, 1984, 53). The coin is also
terminus post quem for the relevant burial and
for the Christian necropolis as whole. The
1ack of grave goods or the scanty number of
object in the grave pit, typical feature for the
graves in the rest of the mentioned necropolises as well, indicates for stricter observation of the Christian burial custom and therefore later initial date of the necropolises,
probaly the middle of the 5th century or
1ater. The later initial date for the big Christian necropolis near Gella conforms also to
the chronology of the basilicas excavated
nearby ( 1970, 26- 28 ; Vak1inova 1987,
120- 125).
The heads of the persons buried in Tuzlata
locality, to the north ofBalchik, pointed to the
west. The few excavated graves there contained grave goods, dated from the "3rd-4th
centuries" according to the excavator' s opin(

1 intcntionally do not di scuss the proem of the presence of pagan relicts in the cast-west oricntcd graves , empty
or conta inin g skeleton with head to the west. 1 would just point out that it is possie that s of these graves
belonged to population sti\1 pagan but influenced the Christian mortuary practices. For such cases the definition for the graves s hould not " Christian graves with pagan relicts" but " pagan gra ves under Christian
influcnce" .
Rcrnains of contemporary settlement were discovered in thc vicinity as we\1
1990, 111 ).
1 wa s provided witl1 an additional information on this necropois

et \ . 1987, 237 ;

D. Hadzhieva, whom 1 am very thankful.

73

Ventzis/av Dintchev

ion ( 1953, 119-123). However they

contained no finds with fixed date. The
Christian burial rite in this case, apart from
the orientation of the skeletons, is also questioned15. some ofthe graves in the necropolis, located in the south part of Assenovgrad, were Christian ones. The pulish
ed data does not provide enough information
for the mortuary practices and is contradictory as far as the chronology is concerned
( 1981, 146; 1982, 96;
- 1989,211, 212) 16. lt seems
that the graves discovered chance in the
eastern part of Devin, had also Christian orientation. One of the graves yielded coins,
"badly preserved but dated from the 4th century most probaly" ( 1976, 117).
The similarity ofthe grave goods and features
of these graves with the ones from other Late
Antiquity necropolises in the Rhodopes is
also an argument in favour of later date,
about or after the end of the 4th century. The
necropolis, used as early as the first half or at
the middle of the 4th century, underlying the
center of the modern town of Bourgas, was
probaly Christian one. According to the excavators, the necropolis belonged to big settlement near road station ( 1967,
48-53; 1979, 28). If confirmed,
the semi-urban nature of the pointed out settlement would require similar identification
for the necropolis as well.
Nevertheless there are several necropolises from present Bulgaria, which could
defined as village and Christian ones and star15

16

ted to function before the last quarter of the

4th century. For example the partially excavated necropolis near Brashlianitza, Pleven
region was Christian one. had functioned
during the first half or at the middle ofthe 4th
century; two ofthe graves yielded coins ofthe
emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius
( 1972, 7-11; -
1979, 35). The necropolis near Peichinovo,
Russe region could defined as Christian
one as well though displaying some pagan relicts. The graves were east-west oriented. All
heads except one pointed to the west. There
were lot of coins among the grave goods and
the latest ones belonged to the emperors Constantine 11, Constantius and Constantius 11
( 1966, 13-27). They were the finds
to fix the chronology of the necropolis. It
seems that the graves, discovered chance
in the Late Roman necropolis near Koriten,
Dobrich region, were Christian ones too.
Among the grave goods, pulished as closed
complexes, the latest finds with fixed date
were "coins of ... Constantine ll" (
1962, 57-60; 1973, 44). We cou1d
also add to the list the earliest Christian
graves from the necropolis in Strazhata locality near Pleven, preceding the estalishment
of the fortified settlement Storgosia situated
nearby. Most of the finds with fixed date
among the grave goods ofthese graves- coins
and crusiform fibulae, decorated with emperors' images- dated from the reign of Constantine the Great {- 1981, 104105,110,111-112, 114, 136, 169, 173-176) 17.

There were three persons buried together in one of the grave pits ( 1953. 120). gravc-stonc "with
rough image of sanding human figurc" was found on one of the single-graves ( 1953, 119, 123 ), which
was Jtot typical for thc Christian grave-stones.
The graves, most of them lacking grave goods, had been "east-west" oriented but thc position of the heads was
not specified. At the beginning the necropo\is was considered "Thracian-Roman dated from the 2nd-4th centuries" ( 1981, 146). Latcr on the necropo\is was dated from "the second ltalf of the 4th ccJttury" (
1982 , 96) or from "thc 4th century" ( - 1989, 211 ).

17 Coins of emperor Constantius 11 were the earlicst 4th century finds with fixcd date, discovered during the
excavations ofthe fortified arca ofthc Late Antiquity Storgosia . This information was providcd . Kovacheva,
whom 1 am vcry indebted. The pu\ication of the data on the coins is forthcoming- lvanov (ed.), in print.
Therefore the necropolis in Strazhata locality could regarded village one, at least for the initial phasc of its
functioning, until the estatishment of the fortified semi-urban settlement. ln fact we could not ccrtain for
direct relation between this necropolis and the Latc Antiquity Storgosia, even aftcr the estatishment ofthc \attcr.
The necropolis was situated abotlt 0,5 km to the north-east of the Storgosia fortrcss but the steep slopes of tltc
Kailaka valley separated thcm.

74

the

Etho-cultutal

Features ofthe Village

Populatio

the

Presel Bulgaria

Terrilory ...

The data for the necropolises as well as the partia1 one or countig idirect proves, is
information for the cult buildings indicates important for the ethno-divisional pro\ems.
that the village population, which inhaited As for the proiem on the ethnic structure of
the territory of present Bulgaria continued as the village population in Bulgaria in the 4th
century, 1 think that its solution, at least for
whole toobserve the pagan beliefs and customs almost until the end of the 4th century. the differentiation "loca\, Thracian - new setThe number of the known village pagan ne- tled, non-Thracian" is related to the pervasion
cropolises exceeds many times the number of of the Christianity as well.
Among the presented sites with excavated
the contemporary, similar in belonging Christian ones for the period ofthe last two decades cult bui1dings ad/or necropolises, it is the
of the century (fig. 2).
Late Roman vicus on the Tzarevetz hill in
The acceptance of the Christian mortuary Veliko Tarnovo that was supposed to inpractices in the village necropolises as well as haited n- Thracians. The experts relate
the construction of village Christian churches its estaiishmet, the sigle-nave secular
church inclusively, to the migration of the so larger scale started at the very end of the
4th century. Burials according to pagan rites called Gothi minores in 348 AD (
were still done ho\vever in the beginning of 1973, 272, 333; 1986, 40-42;
the 5th century. Some ofthe mentioned pagan 1994,23; Velkov 1995,491-496). Thesettlemet is situated in the mountaious region of
sactuaries still functioned at that time.
Therefore the \\ population accepted com- the territory of the Roman town Nicopolis ad
pletely the Christian religion t earlier than Istrum, an area where accordig to the written
the end of the first quarter of the 5th cetury. sources, the mentioed Gothi, uder the leaderStill the data for the ecropolises and the ship ofishop Ulphi1as were settled down (lorcult buildings idicates that the spread of the danes, Get., 265-267 - 1958, 359; /siChristianity amog the village population dorus Hisp., Hist. Goth., 1- 1958, 382).
started before the last two decades of the 4th The finds from the end ofthe 3rd- the first ha1f
century. This statement raises the questio ofthe 4th centuries ( 1973, 200-20 l;
about the way it was done. Our answer inds - 1983, 16, 20;
together the appearance d the initial dis- 1985, 214; 1992, 183) and the Thracian
semination ofthe Christian religion i the vil- name Zikideva, which was inherited the
lages with the ethic belonging of the relevant Early Byzantine town center on the Tzarevetz
hill (Dintchev 1997, 67-69) do not permit the
popu1ation.
The pro\em of the ethno-divisional idi acceptance of the "Gothic" thesis about the
esta\ishment of this Late Roman settlemet
catios in the cultural assem\ages in the Late
without asking some questions. Still the finds
Atiquity, the 4th cetury in particular, is
comp1icated one. There is still no system de- from the Late Roman layer on the Tzarevetz
ve1oped of criteria for ethnic, n- Thracian hill indicate the Gothic presence there (Velkov 1995, 493) and prove at least, that in the
separatio of the archaeological assem\ages.
The proper ethic interpretation of remais second ha1f of the 4th century the inhaitants
and finds of r\ n- Thracian origin is ofthe vicus had heterogeneous ethnic origin
much more pro\ematic and the reasons are if not Gothic one.
t only subjective. The new sett1ers acquired
lt is supposed that inhaitats of the oresoon most of the artificial components of the mining vicus near Popoviane, Samokov reprovincial Late Roman culture and in their gion were of non-Thracian origi as well (
turn influenced the formation and the devel- - 1975, 76; -
opment of some of them, i. . there was cer- 1977, 2, 7-8). The impressive number of flat
tain level of unificatio of the artificial cul- Late Roman cremation burials rich in grave
turc of both locals and newcomers. That is goods, which were discovered in the necropowhy every attempt for cotribution, even lis of the vicus, is firm ground for such sup75

76

Fig. 2. See the next page!

the

Etho-cu/tura/

Features ofthe Village

posaJ 18 . Therefore the change in the mortuary

practices detected there as well as the construction ofthe cemetery church, reflected the
conversion of population of non-Thracian
origin.
The presence of new "ethnic groups, which
kept to certain extent their cultural traditions in the Roman environment" is supposed
for the people, buried in the necropolis in
Strazhata locality near Pleven as well (
- 1981, 173-174; et al.
1961, 40-41 ). There was also change in the

Popu/atio

the

Preset Bu/garia

Territory .. .

mortuary practices there - from pagan to Christian ones - as early as the first, "village" phase
of the necropolis 19.
We could assume that the people, buried in
the Late Roman village necropolises in nowadays N orthern Bulgaria, was of foreign ethnic
origin too: the necropolises near Brashlianitza, Pleven region, Peichinivo, Russe region
and Koriten, Dobrich region. All of them, similar to the one near Pleven, functioned as
early as the first half or in the middle of the
4th century. Such date was not found out until

18

Flat cremation burials dated from the 4th century were excavated in necropolises, supposed to belong to Thracian
population, . g. in the mentioned necropolises near Drashan, Vratza region, Kragulevo, Dobrich region and
Kremen, Gotze Delchev region . There is not big number of 4th century flat cremation burials. The mentioned
necropoliscs are not an exccption and most of the graves excavated in them were dated from the previous period,
. g. the onc near Drashan ( 1975, 41-50) or other burial rites were practices as well, . g. Kragulevo
( 1985, 321-327) and Kremen (-/ 1969, 103-115). Actually in view
with the impressive number of Late Roman flat cremation burials, there is no other necropolis in present Bulgaria
to compare with the one near Popoviane. For this reason , notwithstanding the Jack of detailed puiication of
the finds, we could accept that the necropolis belonged to population of non-Thracian origin .

19

The graves discovered in Strazhata locality at the biggest depth , i. . the earliest ones, were "north-south oriented"
( et al. 1961, 33, 40; - 1981 , 168, 170-173). There are three of them and their number
is many times exceeded the number of the Christian graves in the necropolis .

Fig. 2. Village necropolises in the 4th century AD on the present Bulgarian territory
Legend :
---- modern state bordcr; 8- capital of Late Roman province; \FJ- necropolis containing pagan burials
from thc 4th century;~- necropolis containing pagan burials from the 4th century and Christian burials before
necropolis containing pagan burials from the 4th century and Christian burials of uncertain date
380 AD;
in the 4th - the beginning of the 5th centuries;
necropolis containing pagan burials from the 4th century
and Christian burials from the end of the 4th- the beginning of the 5th centuries (5th century); ~- necropolis
containing pagan burials until the beginning of the 5th century inclusively and later Christian burials;WChristian necropolis, estaiished until 380 AD;W- Christian necropolis from the end ofthe 4th- the beginning
of the 5th centuries;\:}?tf:!/i"\J? - necropolis of uncertain village belonging.

W-

W-

1 - Drashan, Vratza region ; 2- Kragulevo, Dobrich region; 3- Obrochishte, Dobrich region; 4- Gorun, Dobrich
region; 5- Yana, Sofia region; 6- Gorni Passarel valley; 7- Liaski, Gotze Delchev region; 8- Kremen, Gotze
Delchev region ; 9- Kochan , Gotze Delchev region; 1 - Strelcha; 11 - Batak valley; 12- Yurta locality near
Hissaria; 13 - Chernozem, Plovdiv region; 14- Brani Pole, Plovdiv region; 15- Popovitza, Plovdiv region ; 16
- Lucki , Smolian region ; 17 - Kirillovo, Stara Zagora region ; 18 - Staroseletz, Stara Zagora region; 19 Kovachevo , Stara Zagora region; 20 - Glavan, Stara Zagora region; 21 - Liubenetz, Nova Zagora region ; 22 Radetzki , Nova Zagora rcgion; 23 - Trapoklovo, Sliven region; 24- Merrichleri, Haskovo region ; 25 - Mladinovo, Svilengrad region ; 26- Ruen, Bourgas region ; 27- Vizitza, Bourgas region; 28- Fakia, Bourgas region;
29 - lvailovgrad; - Kamcn Briag, Dobrich region; 31 - Popoviane, Samokov region; 32 - Boliartzi, Assenovgrad; 33- Kokidava locality near Varna; 34- Kalugerovo, Pazardzhik region; 35- Barutin, Smolian region ;
36- Grohotno, Smolian region ; 37- Chatalka locality, Stara Zagora region; 38- Bogomolovo, Stara Zagora
region ; 39- Tvarditza; 40- Vesselchani quarter in Kardzhali ; 41 - Ostrovitza, Kardzhali region; 42- A\anitza,
Gotze Delchevo region ; 43 - Borino, Smolian region; 44 - Chereshovo quarter in Beden,Smolian region ; 45 Strazl1ata locality near Pleven ; 46- Brashlianitza, Plevcn region; 47- Peichinovo, Russe region ; 48- Koriten,
Dobrich region; 49- Bourgas ; 50- Ribnovo, Gotze Delchev region; 51 - Dolen, Gotze Delchcv region; 52 Nova Mahala, Pazardzhik region; 53 - Skobelevo, Plovdiv region; 54- Devin; 55 - Pavelsko, Smolian region ;
56 - Goliamata Chorkva locality near Beden, Smolian region .

7'7

Ventzis/av Dintchev

now for Christian burials in village necropolises of undoubted Thracian belonging, even
with clear pagan relicts, . g. in the Rhodopes.
At the same time the Late Roma burials in the
village ecropolises kw from Northern Bulgaria, ascribed to Thracia population, . g.
the ones r Drashan, Vratza region (
1975, 48), Kragulevo ( 1985, 325)
d Gorun ( 1978, 116), Dobrich region or i Kokidava locality r Varna (
1985, 12-13) were done in accordance with
the g mortuary practices.
The earlier Christian burials metioed
above from preset Southern Bulgaria, the
s in the mound near Ivailovgrad (?) d
uder the modern cetral part of Bourgas,
were probaly t village ones. Their probale ethnic idetification, for the burials from
Bourgas at least, could non-Thracian 20.
The aalysis of the presented archaeological data proves that the earliest manifestations
of the Christiaity in the country areas of the
preset Bulgarian territory were due mainly
to n- Thracia populatio. The written
sources provide informatio about the pervasion of various "barbarians" at the end of the
3rd - the d of the 4th ceturies in preset
Bulgaria, at that time being in the provinces
of the dioceses Thracia and Dacia (
1971, 45-46; /
1979, 413-41 7; V elkov 1977, 262264, 274-279; Velkov 1985, 157-160). big
part of the ewcomers, regardless of probale
differences in their social status, settled there
as coutry people. Some of them came as
Christias, . g. the Gothi minores, the w
ihabltants of the vicus on the Tzarevetz hill
in Veliko Tarovo iclusively . Others should
have pagas but the w political and
economic environment made them more pliale to the Christianity, . g. the people buried
i the necropolis near Pleven and the inhabltats of the ore-mining vicus r Popoviane.
The analysis of the archaeological data attests also, that at the beginning the influence
20

ofthe Christiaity was stronger in the country

areas of preset Northern Bulgaria d to
more precise, in Central Norther and Northeastern Bulgaria, . g. the church of the vicus
the Tzarevetz hill in Veliko Tarnovo, the
necropolises r Pleven, Brashlianitza,
Peichinovo and Koriten. These were the regions affected most badly the 3rd century
invasios d regions, where the percentage
of the n- Thracian country population i the
4th cetury was the highest . The sources
about the Christianizatio of the Balkas also
support indirectly the earlier date of the pervasion of the Christianity among the coutry
people in present Norther Bu1garia d, the
stroger presece of the non-Thracian country ethnic e1emet there respectively.
At the very end ofthe 4th century, famous
church authors glorified the conversion of
"the bessi", i. . the Thracias, Niceta, tl1e
bishop of Remesiana (Euseblus Hieronym ..
Epist., LX, 4- 1958, 217; Paulinus
Nol., Carm., XVII - 1958, 257-259).
These authors and ishop Niceta himselfwere
representatives ofthe Roman-Latin Christianity, struggling with the Constatinople church
at that time to take the upper hand over the
Balkans ( 1995, 101-105). The Constantinople church also undertook similar
missionary activity among the Thacians-pagans. It becomes obvious from the speech of
the Costatinop1e patriarch Joh Chrysostom from 398 or 399 AD and especially from
the paragraph concernig the "barbarian" translations of the holly books, including the trans1ation in the laguage ofthe Thracians (Ioannes
Chrys .. ., VIII, 1 - 1949, 420). The
mentioed writte sources were discussed
many times ( 1958, 735, 739;
1965, 55-59; 1966, 46-47; Mihailov 1981, 3-7; 1982, 194-198;
1984, 259-260, 270- 272;
1995, 26-27, 39-40). Now we could accept
that they concern the mountainous and hilly
areas to the south of the Balkan Mountains in

The gravc goods of the relevant graves are scanty and it was not possiie for the excavator to propose any ctlic
identification ( 1967, 48-53 ), i. . non-Thracian origin is also probaie. Thc wcst Black Sea coast region
in general and Bourgas region in particular was heterogeneous cthnic zone during the wholc period of thc
Antiquity.

78

the

Etho-cultural

Features o,(the Village

general, populated compact groups of

country Thracian population and reflected the
true course of the conversion process 21 . The
lack of information about missionary Christian activity in the border provinces of Thracia and Dacia, and in present Northern Bulgaria inclusively, analogous to that from the
very end of the 4th century is quite indicative
in this case. lt means that in the border provinces the Christianity had won recognition in
the villages as well and such activity was not
necessary there.
So, the presence of the Christianity in the
country areas and regions of Northern Bulgaria and of present Bulgarian territory in
general in the 4th century was due to great extent to the non-Thracian ethnic element, Gothi
and other "barbarians" of northern origin predominantly. It is true however that smaller
number ofthe latter lived to the south ofSrara
Planina (Haemus). In fact the Christianity
pervaded the town centers of Thracia and
Dacia in similar way and the difference is that
the emigrants from different eastern provinces played significant role among its believers and disseminators in the towns of the
diocese Thracia (Velkov 1977, 270-272, 281;
1983, 31-33). The second main
difference is the time when the Christianity
won recognition as dominant religion. It

Populatio

Preset Bulgaria

the

Territory ...

happened at the middle of the 4th century in

the towns, which had been the first centers of
dissemination in Thracia and Dacia (Hosek
1990, 309-323; 1995, 23-26) 22 . The
Christianity began to dominate in the villages
as whole and especially among the compact
groups ofthe Thracian population to the south
of Heamus half decade later 23.

BILIOGRAPHY
, .

1979.

9.

, . 1974. , , .

6.

, .

1965.

11 -

1962.

28 , 77-122.

. .

3. .
, ./, . 1973.
N 1 .- 15, 3, 70-83 .
, . 1983. No. 1
. -
8, 37-81 .
, . 1980. No. 2
. -
4, 9-64.

21 According to some authors, . Todorov for example, the mission of bishop Niceta from 396 and the speech
of John Chrysostom from 398/399 appeared " final termius ad quem" for the Christianization ofthe Thracians ( 1984, 270-271 ). The author refers to the gecral tendency of strengthening the positions of the
Christianity in thc Latc Roman lcgislation but does not rendcr an account of the fact, that the periodical issuing
of regulations at the end of the 4th century, almost identical in content, indicated they were not workable or at
least not efficient enough. The large-scale Christianization of the isolated areas and regions became possible
during the reign of emperor Theodosius 1, when the temples in the towns had been closed ( 1976. 94;
1995, 17). Moreover the Christianization of the country areas and regions and the especially those,
inhabitcd compact groups of pagan population, what were actually the mountainous areas, populated the
Thracians in the 4th century, was longer process occupying at least two three decades. Therefore the mentioned sources and events fixed the beginning and the course of events of the campaign for the large-scale conversion of thc Thracians but not its end. According to V. Beshevliev for example, "one could conclude from
fragment of the writer Olympidorus of Thebes- FHG IV/27 that the Thracian sanctuaries in the Rhodopcs had
already not existed in 421 ." ( 1965, 55). This is more t\ as final date for the mentioned
campaign . The archacological data alrcady prcscntcd also supports latcr date of the Christianization of the
Thracian country population.
22 The analysis of the archaeological data about the pervasion and strengthening the positions of the Christianity in
the towns of Thracia and Dacia will subject of another paper.
23 We could assume in this context, tltat the intensive functioning of many village pagan sanctuaries in the second

half of the 4th century was partly due to adherents from the towns, whose possibllities for cult activity in the very
towns were restricted at that time.

79

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Dr. Ventzislav Dintchev

Archaeological Institute and Museum
2 Saborna Str.
BG - 1 Sofia

87