A műemlékek sokszínűsége (A 28. Egri Nyári Egyetem előadásai 1998 Eger, 1998)

Előadások / Presentations - Svetla KOINOVA METCHKUEVA: Two thracian tombs in Bulgaria entered in the world heritage list

separate the figures means that he was aware of the possible tensions, and had taken measures against them. The figures carry nothing, they seem to float in the air beneath and above them. In spite of the fact that they create the impression of a round carrying sculpture, they belong to the genre of the relief, i. e. from the point of view of both the technique and the construction, they are in harmony with the concrete architecture, and meet its tectonic requirements. There are several curious details of the Sveshtari tomb that are worth mentioning. Some details of the sculptures are clearly left unfinished. For example.the first and second figures of the female frieze are just roughly outlined. The upper part of the plastic decoration of the female sarcophagus is completed but the lower part is only sketched; if we compare them we shall be left with the impression that the drawing had been made to facilitate the stone-cutter in his work. This practice in stone-cutting has been preserved to our days. On the other hand, the excellent stone carving on the columns of the aedicula shows that the soft limestone which is used to build the entire tomb, is very easy to work upon for the purpose of plastic decorations; indeed, such plastic details, fully finished and exquisitely made, can be found in many places of the tomb. The figurai composition of the lunette has also remained just a charcoal drawing. There is no evidence of colour except for several strokes which are made in red on the saddle of the horse. Why has this wonderfully designed tomb remained unfinished? We can simply presume that its owner had died before time. In the tomb was found a male skeleton of a secondary burial but the skeletons of the first burial are missing in spite of the traces and of the signs of a female burial (the earring). COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO TOMBS The mural figurai compostions in both tombs are resolved on friezes. The viewer has the impression of a ritual procession. Both compositions are executed by skilful artists, the lines are pure and have exquisite proportions that are fully in agreement with the Hellenistic tradition and aesthetic rules of the period. Both artists had remarkable anatomic knowledge both about the human body and about horses, which, again, is typical of the Greek art. Most of the figures which are painted in the two tombs are repeated; also, there is a literal repetition of some of the objects they carry, and of the objects which were found on the spot: these are undoubtedly the necessary funeral rite attributes (the wreath in both scenes which symbolises the eternal life of the ruler, the box with the ridged lid, the horses, etc.). Typical Hellenistic decoration elements are also repeated. These are the friezes of bucrania and rosettes, the ovolo decoration etc. Colours and nuances which are typical of the palatte of the Hellenistic artists are used in both murals. Both tombs indicate a common philosophy which has incorporated in itself an allpenetrating tradition - the Hellenistic one. This philosophy comprises the search for a purely psychological effect, including by means of gradation of the architectural forms and of the images whose climax is closely related to the narration of the main evenet and the principal characters. Here, however, we come upon a phenomenon which characterises the complexity and diversity that are relevant to the Thracian interpretation of the Hellenistic influence. The architectural form of the Kazanluk tomb belongs to more ancient examples, and its murals - as plastic art solution - belong to the heights of the Hellenistic art, while the narrative recreates a typical subject taken from the life and religious beliefs of the Thracians. The Hellenistic Doric order, in its pure form, is very much part of the plastic art in the Sveshtari tomb. But its architecture serves other functions related to a different way of life and different religious customs. This is established by the introduction of specific characters - the ten female sculptured figures.