Beglik Tash - Thracian rock sanctuary

Beglik Tash is a Thracian rock sanctuary situated on the southern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, a few kilometers north of the city of Primorsko.

Beglik Tash is a natural phenomenon of huge megaliths arranged and carved by a Thracian tribe and later used for religious ceremonies. It is part of a wider surrounding area and a natural rock formation of huge monolithic blocks of volcanic origin, and were formed of hardened magma that erupted from a volcano active during the Mesozoic era. Currently, an open-air museum is maintained by the Burgas Historical Society. Most of the megaliths have traces of carvings for the purposes of Thracian rituals. There are also the remains of a labyrinth that visitors can pass through. A Thracian sun clock is formed from huge stones. There also is an enormously big rock, standing on only two points and a cave, resembling a woman's lap.*Wikipedia*

In 2003 a unique Thracian sanctuary Beglik Tash was discovered, which is defined as the earliest Thracian megalith sanctuary found so far in southeastern Thrace and the Black Sea coast area. The conducted studies have shown that since the end of the Bronze Age (XIII century BC) there was already a high density of human activity. The finds prove that the shrine was visited exclusively by the Thracians and it is associated with the cult of fertility, the Mother Goddess, the orphic dedication and immortalization of the Hero.

The sactuary consists of a central section and two smaller structures surrounding with a total area approximately 6 hectares. Large rocks were partially processed by the human hand and assembled on site, and the stone slabs and blocks are arranged in unique shapes. Water channels, cicle holes, and large footprints have been carved out of the flat rocks. The residential buildings and the ritual fireplaces complement the evidence of human activity here.

The excavation started back in 2003, the whole area was cleared of trees and bushes. At the beginning of the exploration it was proven "Beglik Tash" was in fact a Thracian sanctuary and had been used for than a millenium, from 14 th Century BC til 4th Century AD. During the excavation the ruins of the medieval church "St. Paraskeva" was also researched.

In October 2004 the excavation continued in the central area of the sanctuary and at the same time we started exploring to the north. It was revealed that Beglik Tash was a big ritual compound with service buildings and a large built-up area.

http://www.burgasmuseums.bg/index.php?tab=arch&lang=en&page=encyc&enc=poi&eid=23