bulgarian
Project Details News Sites Conference Guests Links
Conference
Program

International conference
The rock-cut sacred places of the Thracians and other Palaeo-Balkan and Ancient Anatolian Peoples

2nd – 6th November 2005, Stara Zagora Spa, Bulgaria

The conference is organized by the Institute of Thracology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Yuri Gagarin Public Astronomical Observatory, Stara Zagora, Solar – Terrestrial Influences Laboratory - BAS and the International Foundation Europa Antiqua,

with the financial support of UNESCO Bulgarian National Committee

and the courteous assistance of
Dr. Evgeniy Zhelev, mayor of Stara Zagora municipality.

Schedule of the conference:


    Tuesday, November 1, 2005 Arrival and registration at the Latinka Hotel, Stara Zagora Spa

  • 20:00Dinner

    Wednesday, November 2, 2005
  • 7:30Breakfast
  • 8:30Guided visit to Stara Zagora – Neolithic dwellings, Augusta Trayana forum, Roman mosaics
  • 13:00Lunch
  • 14:30 - Opening ceremony
    1. Opening of the Conference Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valeria Fol
    2. Greeting on behalf of the UNESCO Bulgarian National Committee
    3. Greeting by Evgeny Zhelev, mayor of Stara Zagora municipality.
  • 15:00 – 16:30 - Scientific Session        Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Tamila Potyomkina
    1. 1. Prof. Dr. Tamila Potyomkina, Dr. Penka Muglova, Dr. Alexey Stoev, PhD student Mina Stoeva Methodology of the archaeo-astonomical research
    2. 2. Prof. Dr. Pedro Azara In the Beginning there was Chaos... or (a) Cave
    3. 3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valeria Fol A terminological introduction
    4. 4. Prof. Dr. Tamila PotyomkinaBurial mound as an archaeoastronomical object (based on materials of the Revova 3 eneolithic burial mound in the Northern Pontic Area)
    5. 5. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maya VassilevaThe Rock and the Script
    6. 6. Sen. Res. Sci. Dr. Georgi Kitov The Sacred Hill
  • 16:30 Coffee Break
  • 17:00 – 18:30 h - Scientific Session        Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Iwaniszewski
    1. 1. Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Iwaniszewski, Dr. Alexey Stoev, Dr. Penka Muglova, PhD student Mina Stoeva Time and astronomy at Karanovo, Bulgaria
    2. 2. Prof. Dr. Engin Beksac The studies on the rock-cut monuments of the Thrace and the Northwest Anatolia
    3. 3. Prof. Dr. Ana Raduncheva The period of establishing and active functioning of the Perperek sanctuary, and of the system of rock sanctuaries in and outside of the Rhodopes mountain
    4. 4. PhD student Mina Stoeva Symbol signs and time measuring in Prehistory
    5. 5. Dr. Maya Avramova The caves and the ancient inhabitants of the Rhodopes mountain
    6. 6. Dr. Penka Muglova, Dr. Alexey Stoev, Sen. Res. Sci. Dr. Georgi Kitov Archaeoastronomical investigation of temples and tombs in the tumuli of the Valley of the Thracian Rulers
  • Discussion
  • Presentation of video-films about rock-cut sanctuaries
  • 20:30 Welcome party

    Thursday, November 3, 2005
  • 7:30 Breakfast
  • 8:00 Trip to the village of Buzovgrad, Kazanluk municipality
  • 9:00 – 12:00 Terrain working session at the megalithic monument "The gate of the Goddess", the village of Buzovgrad, Kazanluk municipality
  • Lunch during the trip
  • 13:00 – 17:30 Visit to temples and tombs in the tumuli situated in "The Valley of the Thracians Rulers", and to the Historical Museum, Kazanluk
  • 18:30 – 20:00 - Scientific Session        Coordinator: Dr. Alexey Stoev
    1. 1. PhD student Ruja Popova - Caucasian–Thracian relationship in the megalithic culture – problems of the research
    2. 2. Dr. Ilia Iliev - A unique burial facility from the Early Bronze Age
    3. 3. Dimitar Bayrakov - Rock sanctuary ("sacred area") at the ground "Slaveevi skali" – the western Rhodopes
    4. 4. PhD student Diana Dimitrova - Facility (astronomical observatory?) in Cholakova tumulus near the village of Staro Zhelezare
    5. 5. Dr. Alexey Stoev, Dr. Penka Muglova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valeria Fol - Target vectors with astronomical character in the area of the megalithic complex "Buzovgrad" near the town of Kazanlak
    6. 6. Dr. Ruslan Kostov - The stone–cut circles at Paleokastro – a geological and mineralogical approach
    7. Discussion on methodology problems concerning measurement and documentation of the rock-cut monuments and megaliths.
  • 20:30 Dinner

    Friday, November 4, 2005
  • 7:30 Breakfast
  • 8:00 Trip to the village of Kabile, Yambol municipality
  • 9:00 – 17:00 Terrain working session at the rock-cut monument in the "Kabile" archaeological reserve
  • Lunch during the trip
  • 18:00 – 19:15 - Scientific Session        Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Ana Raduncheva
    1. 1. Prof. Dr. Cesar Esteban and Montserrat Delgado Cabrera - Method for the astronomical analysis of the horizon around archaeological sites
    2. 2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kalin Porojanov - Ancient sea sanctuary – Yailata, Kavarna
    3. 3. Dr. Ruslan Kostov - Megalithic and rock-cut monuments – geological aspects of the cosmogeochronic analysis
    4. 4. Dr. Alexey Stoev, Dr. Penka Muglova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valeria Fol, Mina Stoeva, Mincho Gumarov - Astronomical orientations and solar-chthonic elements in the artificial caves in the region of Djebel municipality
    5. 5. Prof. Dr. Gregorio Luri Medrano - The "Promethéôs spêlaion"
    6. Discussion
  • 20:30 Dinner

    Saturday, November 5, 2005
  • 7:00 Breakfast
  • 8:00 Scientific excursion to the town of Kurdzhali (Historical Museum and Public Astronomical Observatory), and to the town of Momchilgrad (Rock-cut monument "Harman Kaya")
  • Lunch during the trip
  • 20:00 Farewell party

    Sunday, November 6, 2005
  • 7:30 Breakfast
  • 9:00 Departure

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
  1. The conference will take place near the city of Stara Zagora in the holiday and health resort called The Mineral springs of Stara Zagora – Latinka hotel.
  2. On November 1 and 2 there will be information bulletin boards on the train and bus stations where the arriving participants will be welcomed.
  3. Directions to the Mineral springs resort: take buses No. 91, 93, 94, 95 from the centre of the city. The buses stop right in front the Latinka hotel.
  4. On November 1 and 2 there will be a person on duty in the National Observatory "Yurij Gagarin", ready to offer any help available upon need. The contact phones are 042 643183 and 042 58198
  5. The accommodation (board and lodging) for Bulgarian participants is 12 levs.
  6. The transportation for the site visits is sponsored by the Stara Zagora Municipality.
    Cell phone information of the organizers:
  • Valeria Fol (+359) 888 87 34 43
  • Penka Stoeva (+359) 48 85 46 69, 887 31 04 18
  • Ruja Popova (+359) 898 60 92 89