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

lation of tumuli forms certain constellations. Just few metres away from the famous Sveshtari tomb, two smaller tumular necropolises were found, which possess an impressively high construction culture. Stone, and limestone in particular, was the building material which was used in the necropolises in this region. The Gaete had a strong political and economic power at the time when the tombs were built (3rd century BC). The proximity of the Black Sea Greek colonies facilitated the penetration of the Hellenistic influences. The Sveshtari tomb was discovered in 1982 under a tumular mound. The tomb consists of three chambers and a dromos. The walls of the three chambers - an antechamber, a central burial chamber and a lateral chamber where the horses of the deceased were buried - have ideally calculated vaults. The tomb is built of dressed limestone quadrae which fit closely, and are situated as both a internal and external construction. The internal construction is composed of stone blocks with ideally finished faces, and is connected with the external construction. Limestone pebbles are used to fill in the space between the rough edges of the slabs, and iron clamps soldered with lead are used as joints for the purpose of strengthening the construction. This testifies of a construction technique of an exceptionally high class which was widely used until the Late Middle Ages. The Sveshtari tomb was plundered in ancient times. Few objects were found: a gold earring - a typical jewellery piece worn by noble Thracian women of those times; a glass vessel intended for holding perfumes or ointments (lachrymarium), and a tripod - objects of burial rites which were placed in the tomb together with the deceased. The dromos, the antechamber and the lateral horse chamber are comparatively poor in decorations, while the central chamber is very richly decorated. The entrance to the central chamber is richly decorated, too, and bears the characteristics of the Hellnistic style. Two pillars which are rectangular in cross section flank the entrance. Over the pillars are the capitals which have an ovolo decoration painted red and blue. They are topped by an architrave decorated with a relief frieze of bucrania connected with garlands and rosettes. The antechamber is connected with the central burial chamber through a decorative entrance, and the lateral horse chamber - through a door and a window, their presence here being an unusual solution which is not to be found in other excavated tombs. THE CENTRAL CHAMBER This premise has the richest plastic solution, and is an example of a successful attempt at introducing the Hellenistic order in the specific sepulchre architecture. The majority of the elements are of the Doric style but there are also elements of Ionic and Corinthian style. Four Doric and one Corinthian semi-columns support an architrave and frieze with metopes and triglyphs. A frieze of panels with ten female figures with raised arms in high relief has been skilfully introduced within the framework of the colonnade. The figures create the impression that they support the upper architectural elements, like Caryatids in a Greek temple. The figures are presented frontally, and are dressed in chitons; the chiton is rendered decoratively as an upturned calyx made up of three acanthus leaves. The hair of all the figures is plaited, and the heads are toped by calathi. The figures were colored. All the faces are individual, and not idealised as is typical of the Greek culture. Each one has some special feature: some of them are faces of elderly and mature women, while others look young. Some have sharp features, others are gentle and soft. Who are these female figures who have such a remarkable individuality? Was this an attempt at a portrayal of existing women? It is difficult to answer this question.