site.btaProf. Nikolay Ovcharov Presents Newly Discovered Thracian Altars for Blood Sacrifices at Perperikon

Newly discovered Thracian altars for blood sacrifices and divination were presented on Wednesday at Perperikon, the ancient Thracian city in the Eastern Rhodopi Mountains, by Prof Nikolay Ovcharov, head of excavations at the site for nearly 25 years.

"As the altar is from the Roman era, we are using the data from that era and doing a comparative reconstruction", Ovcharov said. He noted that it was most likely an altar for the underground gods, where it was necessary for people to dress in black and animals to have black fur. He added that it must have been small animals, like goats and sheep, which were brought as sacrifices, and that it was also mandatory the animals were healthy, as well as that the animal itself went voluntarily, and not to be dragged by force. 

Ovcharov said that the altar was most likely made as early as the end of the Bronze Age or the beginning of the Iron Age and was abandoned in the Middle Ages. It is related to the temples of the 3rd-4th century, which have been studied in the southern quarter and include the temple of the Eastern god Mithras, the temple of the Ancestors and an unidentified temple. Ovcharov emphasised that the two large sacrificial altars are only the beginning and more finds are to be expected.

The excavations at Perperikon will continue until the beginning of November, with around 60 people working on the ground. The allocated funds from the State for 2024 are in the amount of BGN 500,000, which is the largest subsidy for the 25-year studies of Perperikon.