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SEUTHOPOLIS
 Seuthopolis
is the most famous underwater archaeological site in
Bulgaria – it is the only completely studied
Thracian city in Bulgaria. The city is not only
unique as an archeological and historical site, but
it’s also a “treasure-house” containing vast
knowledge for the everyday life of the Thracians.
The city was completely uncovered and studied
between 1948 and 1954, during the construction of
“Koprinka dam”, near Kazanlak. The research team was
led by prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, thoroughly studied
and photographed the site, before it was covered by
the waters of the Koprinka dam.
 After
many years of work, a team of archaeologists stumble
upon an amazing discovery – the ruins of an ancient
Thracian city. This is why Seuthopolis becomes the
first and only uncovered Thracian settlement of
urban type in Bulgaria. The site was completely
uncovered, together with three tombs from its burial
complex. Then the mane of the city was discovered.
Seuthopolis was founded
by the Thracian ruler Sevt III in the heart of
Kazanlak region in 323 B.C. The city quickly
developed into a political, economical and cultural
center of the Thracian state. The city was capital
of Sevt’s state until 270 B.C.
The archaeological excavations revealed that the
city consisted of fortified settlement on an area of
5 hectares and several suburbs. The city was build
over the ruins of an older palace complex and a
Thracian settlement. The Tundzha river (then called
Tonezus) surrounds it from three sides. Seuthopolis
was also encircled by a wall, witch was 890 m long.
From the two city gates from which spread two wide
streets, which crossed at a 90 degree angle in the
city center and formed the square next to which was
situated the temple of Dionisos. The city was
inhabited by around 50 families, which were the core
of the Thracian aristocracy. In the palace
archeologists discovered a record from the office of
Sevt III, in Greek, witch stated:
“This record to be carved on
two tablets and to be made in Seuthopolis, in the
temple of the great Thracian gods” .
 The
palace of Sevt III had two storyes with a 40 m long,
posh facade. From the numerous rooms of the palace,
one stood out, with its beautiful decoration with
multicolor plaster, witch resembled marble.
Seuthopolis was full of
many architectural monuments; just some of them
were: the palace-temple complex, the temple of
Dionis and the Temple of the great Thracian gods.
The incredible scale of the construction of
Seuthopolis is testimonial to the economical might
of Sevt’s capital and its political significance for
the region. According to the opinion of the
archaeologists, in the city planning of Seuthopolis
stand out the
principles of the Greek city of the same era. But
the city planning had many specifics, which made the
city different than the other ones in Thracia - the
wide use of bricks as a building material.
The vivid economical
and cultural relations of the city with the great
urban centers in the Greek world and the highly
developed of indigenous crafts made Seuthopolis the
most significant center of the Thracian economy and
culture in the region of Kazanlak. Many elements of
the Greek culture can be noted, but Seuthopolis
retains a number of special features, distinctive
for the Thracian culture.
Sevt III was the
Thracian ruler who started producing Thracian
coinage. During the research of Seuthopolis were
discovered 2000 coins of witch 800 have the face of
Sevt.
The archaeologists also
discovered many luxurious Greek ceramic vessels,
jewels, fragments of stone statues, amphoras and
other precious artifacts.
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Fact:
Seuthopolis, the city of Sevt III, capital of the
Odris state from the late IV century - beginning of
III century BC was discovered and studied between
1948-1954 during the construction of Koprinka dam
near the city of Kazanlak.
Hypothesis:
There was another city...
There is a hypothesis that Seuthopolis is contructed
upon the remains of another older city which was
demolished and burned. The hypothesis says that it
was at the Northern part of Seuthopolis. After the
fall of the city - 320-323 BC Sevt returns
gloriously and puts the foundations if the future
Thracian capital.
Multimedia:
Authentic images from the first excavations
Format:
PDF
Size:
8.01 ÌÂ
Pages:
18
Download:
Press the image
Compiled by:
BOYANA PETROVA
Authentic images from the first excavation -
high resolution
If used, copied,
printed or issued please write as source of
images: www.sevtopolis.info
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