![Newly-Discovered Equipment in the Thracian Tumular Necropolis near Shipka and Sheynovo](/api/image/getissuecoverimage?id=picture_1993_46206.gif)
We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
Today, Bulgaria is both a political and a cultural member of Europe, while Korea forms a common areal with its neighbours, China and Japan. Throughout the centuries, however, both countries, located geographically on the road of intensive commercial and cultural exchange, experienced the impact of nomad peoples, like the Mongols and the Turks. This is why today we can find many similar elements in the culture of Korea and that of Bulgaria, which are the result of the centuries-long thread connecting Koreans, Mongols, Turks and Bulgarians. One of these elements worthy of academic research is the deified Heaven known as tengri, which most probably lies at the core of the names Tangra in Bulgaria and Tangun in Korea. The Korean Tangun is only mentioned once in the work of the Buddhist monk Iryeon from the 13th century as a celestial son, founder of the first Korean kingdom – Ancient Joseon. The name Tangra was deciphered by some scholars in Bulgaria from a Turkish manuscript which did not survive to this day and a somewhat illegible writing on a stone pillar. Throughout the centuries, there have been no traces in either country of people worshipping Tangun or Tangra. There is no historical, archaeological or ritual evidence supporting the existence of a religious cult of the two deities. However, in modern times, in both Korea and Bulgaria, Tangun and Tangra have been brought to public attention as the symbols of an ancient proto-Korean and proto-Bulgarian religion, respectively. For patriotic reasons, the two peoples have brought Tangun and Tangra to the foreground in opposition to the official religion. The aim is to derive a monotheistic religion from one main proto-deity to equate (and why not to precede) the official religions (Christianity in Bulgaria, and Confucianism and Buddhism in Korea). This study investigates the construction of the image of Tangun as a supreme national symbol in Korea and draws a parallel with Bulgarian Tangrism. It focuses on the transformation of the image of Tangun in Korea from a deified mythological hero into a historical figure, through a large-scale, well-coordinated and well-funded state policy. While the cult of Tangra in Bulgaria is a source of national pride for some Bulgarians, it has not received the strong state support the cult of Tangun in Korea has.
More...
The paper offers an analysis of the ancient written sources about the ethno-political and religious-political situation in Southwestern Thrace – between the lower course of the rivers Strymon and Nestos, and especially in the region of the Pangaion Mountain (Pınar Dağ or Kushnitsa) in the 5th century BC in the context of two sets of events: - Graeco-Persian wars and the march of the Persian army of Xerxes through the Thracian territories; - Athens’ early colonisation efforts in Southwestern Thrace. The concepts of sacred, sacred infrastructure and sacral communication are defined. An attempt has been made to reconstruct the possible sacral infrastructure of the region based on a system of sacred topoi and rituals registered by the ancient authors and specific forms of sacral communication among the local Thracian tribes, dominated by the Edonoi.
More...
Old and new finds belonging to EBA II and III are considered. Most of all, these are the artefacts from Mikhalich, Constantsia, Ezero, Dubene, etc. Some of them are imports into Thrace and are commented enough in the specialised literature. Others were made in Anatolian style. A stone cup in the collection of the village of Svezhen, Plovdiv region, may also be indicated as an example. It is made of serpentinite, probably of local origin. However, its decoration has a very good parallel in one silver vessel of Anatolian origin. On the other hand, some finds from the Anatolian region evidence to the two-sided process of influence and contacts during EBA III and later. The data give reason to confirm the conclusion that contacts with Anatolia are certain at least since EBA II, and this is discernible in the artefacts considered, while they are considerable during EBA III.
More...
On June 26, 1987 Professor Fol put the beginnings of Bansko Expedition. His programme was grounded on the idea of the roots from which the intellectual power broke off in the 18th c. to give birth to the Bulgarian Revival – a brave new idea against the common belief that Bansko was founded in the 15th century by refugees from the Ottoman invasion. The members of the expedition believed that far back in time a rich pre-history existed waiting to be revealed and read properly. Today we know much better the territory after historical research, terrain observations, regular archaeological excavations and interdisciplinary analyses of artifacts. The work presents the results. St. Ivan Sanctuary A small mound with two wooden crosses and wooden iconostasis with candles. Offerings of flowers and small coins. The research revealed a sanctuary of nearly three thousand years of life and unchanged practices. Kilns for building ceramics, 4th – 6th c. in the same area. Early Christian (4th – 6th c.) and Medieval churches and a large necropolis (10th – 13th c.) all of them built over a Thracian sanctuary – Shipotsko site. The building manner of the Early Christian church has followed some earlier Thracian building practices. Most probably serious demographic changes have not taken place. The religious site was visited also by pilgrims coming from the Rhodopian Mountain judging from the pottery left. Early Christian necropolis (4th – 5th c.) in Karagonsko site. Traces of a Thracian community recently adopted Christianity and still keeping some of their earlier inherent practices. An interesting find – one of the graves contained a complete bronze belt set from the time of Constantine the Great or heirs, found for the first time in the Southern Bulgaria – a dramatic meeting between the Thracian warrior and Rome? Ancient and Medieval town in St. Nickolas site. Early Byzantine fortress of Sitan Kale – once again earlier Thracian building traditions.
More...
Bulgarian Golden Age is, on the one hand, a time of territorial expansion and significant presence on the political map of Europe; on the other hand, it is the period of the first major peaks in Slavic literature, and, probably, in arts and architecture. At its core, the Golden Age is joining the spirituality and mentality of the Byzantine world and adoption of the achievements of its centuries-old philosophical tradition. The Byzantine models in literature were borrowed by using two co-existing principles: copying and adaptation. The former might be observed in most of the works intended for non-liturgical individual or monastic reading, which were translated in full. The latter is found in miscellanies compiled from partial translations and excerpts, or in Old Bulgarian translations that were abridged, edited, or reworked. The article aims at examining the most important examples of such adaptation and its features, pointing out the role of the aristocracy and the ruler himself in guiding these processes.
More...