June 13, 2013

0677-0678 BULGARIA (Razgrad) - Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (UNESCO WHS)


About Thracians I wrote when I presented the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, so I'll get straight to the point. One single remark I would like to make: the Danube was a barrier or a boundary only when the locals wanted that. I mean, for them, for the locals, this big river connecting central Europe to the Black Sea has been a source of food and a communication path ("Danube, Danube / Road without powder"), but in need they used it as line of defense or separation. Getae, for example, one of the most important Thracian tribes, stretched on one side and on the other of the river (in today's Romania and Bulgaria). Much later, the Cumans called a part of the territory once occupied by the Getae Deliorman (Crazy Forest), become Teleorman on the north of the Danube (in Romania) and Ludogorie on the south (in Bulgaria).


In 1982 in Ludogorie, at 2.5 km southwest of the village of Sveshtari, located 42 km northeast of Razgrad, was discovered in a mound a Getic tomb dating from the 3rd century BC. Built of limestone blocks, it consists of a dromos (corridor) and three premises (chambers), each covered by a separate vault. The decoration of the central chamber is exceptionally rich. Four different Doric and one Corinthian column support a frieze with triglyphs and metopes, between those there are ten caryatids with uplifted arms and above them is the picturesque scene of deification of the deceased ruler. A massive decorative stone door (naiskos) hid the burial bed from the eyes of the mortals. A second bed was designed for the wife.

Because "is a remarkable reminder of the culture of the Getes, a Thracian people who were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds, according to ancient geographers", Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

About the stamps
On the first postcard
The first stamp, depicting Buhalov Fountain Karlovo (0.20 BGN), is part of the definitives series Historical sights, fountains (2nd part), about which I wrote here.

The second stamp, depicting Arctia caja (0.80BGN), is part of a definitives series entitled Night Butterflies, about which I wrote here.

On the second postcard
The stamp is one of a series of two, depicting flowers, about which I wrote here.

References
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari - Wikipedia
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari - UNESCO official website
Unknown World of Getaes in Municipality Isperih - Official website 


sender 1: Desislava Eneva (direct swap)
sent from Sofia (Bulgaria), on 29.06.2012
photo: Boyko Kalev, design: Vlado Prangov
sender 2: Mircea Ostoia / dr-ostoia.ro
sent from Isperih (Razgrad / Bulgaria), on 27.05.2013
photo: Mehmed Asuc

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