Perperikon is a sanctuary rising high on a rocky peak at 470 m of height. It is situated in the eastern part of the Rhodope Mountains and is 15 km away from the town of Kardzhali. In its foot is the village of Gorna krepost (Upper fortress), and close to it flows the river of Perperikon ,which runs into an artificial lake called “Cold spring”. Along river’s valley there are a lot of archeological places, dating from different ages, which are scattered in the chaos and well set around the real centre of Perperikon.
It includes four main parts which represent a brilliant composition of the New Stone Age: -a massive fortified wall -Acropolis- an enormous stone blocks, situated on the highest part of the hill. -A palace- hewn into the rock with 10 000m2 of size. -Northern and southern suburbs- represents a kind of short streets right into rocks, buildings and tombs.
Millenniums ago Perperikon sheltered various generations who left their stamp on the rocks. In the New Stone Age (the end of the VI century- the beginning of the V century B.C.) Perperikon was an outcrop. People did not use tools so the nature was to model the rocks. Perperikon was recounted to have been not a settlement, but a deified rock. Later, after perfecting the tools Romans and Thracians engraved much more surfaces from the rocks and turned the stone into fortified walls, built without using any connecting materials. The first vigorous growth of Perperikon was at the time of Troy and Mycenae. Thousands of historical records, representing altar bays, drainage, and tombs date back to that period of time. Some of the sanctuaries were used for animal sacrifice, others for humans as well.
1 comments:
What an interesting place! My daughter, who is working on an archeological dig in Sozopol just visited the site and her response was "Awesome". I am definitely adding this region to my bucket list of places to visit.
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