site.btaUnique Well from Late Bronze Age near Breznik Is Crumbling, Says Local Historian

A cultural monument of national importance to Bulgaria is crumbling under the weight of time, local historian Aniela Asenova told BTA in Breznik on Sunday.

The well near the village of Garlo in Breznik Municipality is unique in Bulgaria and dates back to the late Bronze Age, Asenova emphasized. Similar sites exist on the island of Sardinia in Italy, but according to the historian, the Bulgarian site is the oldest among them. There are ongoing scientific debates about whether the site functioned as a temple-well or an ancient space observatory, but no definitive evidence has been found to confirm its exact purpose.

Asenova noted that the entire area surrounding the temple-well is considered sacred, as it contains the remains of a Roman bath, a road station, a sanctuary, and a church—none of which have been sufficiently studied by archaeologists. Access to the megalithic temple-well in Garlo is difficult, she pointed out. There are two possible routes: one, which is prohibited, runs along the very wall of the Krasava Dam, while the other, a gravel-paved road, begins at the edge of Garlo and leads toward the village of Murtintsi.

She recalled that credit for discovering the site in Garlo goes to the late archaeologist Prof. Dimitrina Mitova-Dzhonova. Local residents first pointed her to the location. Initially, Dzhonova believed it was a tomb, but in 1972, she identified it as a temple-well dedicated to the Sumerian god Enki, the deity of underground waters, space, life, and vegetation. During excavations, she uncovered steps leading to the well, along with processed, pointed oak sticks and animal bones.

In the early 1980s, a restoration of the ancient site took place, but Asenova explained that this intervention compromised its authenticity. Additionally, the site's gradual deterioration has been exacerbated by illegal human activity. She stressed the urgent need for the temple-well to be restored and preserved for future generations.