Sacred Groves of the Tribali on Miro^ Mountain*

UDC 903.5 '16(497.11)"-05/-04" DOI: 10.2298/STA0656271J 271

MILO[ JEVTI] Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade

SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN*

Abstract. – In this work are presented the results of the archaeological investigations at the site Mihajlov ponor (spring) conducted in 2005 and 2006. Few groups of densely concentrated circular stone structures, from 4 to 10 meters in diameter, have been discovered in the thick forest. The structures consist of outer stone circle made of few courses of broken stone and smaller inner circle made of the same stone. Various archaeological objects – fragments of pottery vessels, pieces of jewelry (iron and bronze single-looped fibulae with rectangular catchplate), iron knives, large iron arrowheads of Ferigile type and fragments of two pairs of bridle bits ending with horse head and gryphon head have been discovered within two investigated structures. Particularly important are the finds of wild animal bones (deer, chamois, doe) and one human mandible that are like the other finds scattered within the stone structures.

Key words. – Triballi, cult places, Miro~ open area sanctuaries, 6th – 5th century BC, iron bridle bits, stone structures.

he Miro~ Mountain is situated on the right bank type discovered in Oltenia and the Romanian section of the Danube, above the narrow and deep Iron of the Iron Gate1 or on the right Danube bank on the T Gate gorge. This is the wooded area with all necropolis of Basarabi culture at the site Vajuga–Pesak characteristics of karst, i.e. with many deep sinks, water downstream of Kladovo.2 This idea was supported by springs, small rivers and underground streams, caves, some of our »assistants in the field«, the self-proclai- rock shelters and clefts in the rock. The highest, mostly med lovers of antiquities with metal detectors who told rocky mountain plateau with just a few clearings ex- tends in the north–south direction immediately along the Danube bank and the highest points are Veliki [tr- * We gave a lecture under this title on November 17th 2006 in bac (768 meters above sea level) in the central area and the National Museum in Belgrade when we officially presented the Visoki ^ukar (632 meters above sea level) in the south. project Praistorija severoisto~ne Srbije (Prehistory of northeast Working on the project Prehistory of Northeastern Serbia) The basis for this work is also a lecture titled Miro~ karst in Serbia – Archaeological Site Surveying and Excavations the Danube Gorges hinterlands (NE Serbia) – one of the Sacred Mountains of the Triballi, given at the colloquium »Interpreted Iron that we initiated in 2004 on behalf of the Department Ages – Case studies, method, theory«, in the beginning of Novem- of Archaeology of the University of Belgrade together ber 2006 in Linz (Landesmuseum). In gathering the material for the with Du{an Bori} from the Cambridge University we study of the Thracian sanctuaries very valuable help was offered to were faced with archaeologically insufficiently inve- me by the colleague Nikola Theodossiev, from the University of St. Clement of Ohrid in Sofia and I wish to express my gratitude to him stigated wooded terrains in the Iron Gate hinterland. We on this occasion. We are aware of the fact that term grove (in Serbian must admit that at that time it did not passed through gaj – small forest), which we use is not the most adequate for the our minds to search for the Triballian sanctuaries or vast forest areas of the Miro~ Mountain. However, slightly archaic sacred places in the forests. In the background of re- Slavic world gaj (grove) has something mystic in itself. Sacred groves were permanent or temporary habitations of the deities of the nowned prehistoric sites Padina, Lepenski Vir, Vlasac antique world and cult places were mysterious initiation rituals took and Hajdu~ka Vodenica on the Danube bank upstream place. and downstream of the mouth of Pore~ka river we 1 Berciu, Comºa 1956; Dumitrescu 1968; Guma 1993, 220–242. expected to find smaller Early Iron Age barrows of the 2 Popovi}, Vukmanovi} 1998.

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Fig. 1a and 1b. Bronze fibula bow and drawing of similar silver fibula from Mihajlov ponor in the private collection of @. ^vorovi} Sl. 1a, 1b. Luk bronzane fibule i crte` sli~ne srebrne fibule sa Mihajlovog ponora iz privatne zbirke @. ^vorovi}a us that they discovered some metal finds (iron spear- In the course of site surveying in 2004 and 2005 heads, knives, bronze and iron arc fibulae, etc.) »under we registered, besides Mihajlov ponor, previously un- the stones« in the forested areas of the Miro~ mountain known Late Bronze Age settlements (culture with en- and we cautiously associated these finds with stone- crusted pottery of @uto Brdo – Gârla Mare type) in the covered barrows. The real gold fever was instigated village Miro~ and at Plo~e above the Gorge (Kazan). among the local treasure hunters by certain pieces of We also discovered one multi-layered settlement dating silver jewelry allegedly discovered in »tumuli« in the from the end of Bronze Age and from Early Iron Age vicinity of Donji Milanovac. Somewhat more tangible under the hill called Glavica (site Kopana Glavica) to traces were provided by @eljko ^vorovi}, teacher in the north of the village Miro~ with pottery of Gava, the village Miro~ who has a small collection of antique Basarabi and Ferigile type. (Fig. 2). and prehistoric artifacts. Special assemblage in this The small-scale archaeological investigations were collection was a group of few iron objects (small single- conducted in 2005 and 2006 only at the site Mihajlov -edged knives, fragments of spearheads and arrowheads ponor (spring) situated around 12 kilometers to the with concave base) discovered with metal detector at northeast of the village Miro~ in the south section of the site Mihajlov ponor situated few kilometers to the the central Miro~ plateau.4 The site is located around northwest of the present forest road Donji Milanovac – 200 meters to the southwest of the strong water spring at Miro~ – Brza Palanka (modern road overlaps the line the foot of the hills Konjska glavica and Visoki ~ukar of the antique road Taliata – Gerulatis – Aegeta). In the on the elevation in the thick forest surrounded by sinks collection of @. ^vorovi} originating from the stone and covering the area of approximately one hectare structures at Mihajlov ponor was also one single-looped (Fig. 3). Thirty-two circular or elliptical stone structu- bronze fibula, which the finder presented as a gift to our res, 4–12 meters in diameter, 0.40 to 1.20 meters high, archaeological team (Fig. 1a) According to @. ^voro- and arranged in smaller groups have been identified in vi} one silver arc fibula (lost on the black market of this area (Fig. 4). All the structures have the outer ring antiquities) has also been found at Mihajlov ponor. We were only able to obtain the drawing of this silver single-looped arc fibula with elongated rectangular 3 catchplate made by @. ^vorovi} (Fig. 1b) The archaeological site surveying of the later prehistoric sites in the Iron Gate hinterland have been carried out in 2004 by In the first phase of the project we conducted the Mirko Pekovi}, keeper in the Military Museum in Belgrade and archa- site surveying in the end of 2004.3 At the site we enco- eologist Marija Mari~i}, while this author took part in survaying untered significant number of considerably destroyed from time to time. circular stone structures and isolated finds of the pre- 4 Members of the team investigating Mihajlov ponor in 2005 historic pottery. As some of these structures were ob- and 2006 were the directors M. Jevti} and M. Pekovi} and archaeologists Marija Mari~i} and Milica Baj~eta, archaeology student viously destroyed by the treasure hunters we assumed Aleksandra Suboti}, geodesist Milan Arsenovi} and geologist Goran that it was the devastated tumulus necropolis. Klemen~i}. SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 273

Fig. 2. Positions of the cult places Mihajlov ponor and Plo~e on the Miro~ Mt. and the others Early Iron Age sites in the Iron Gate Sl. 2. Polo`aj kultnih mesta Mihalov ponor i Plo~e na planini Miro~ i drugi lokaliteti starijeg gvozdenog doba u \erdapu

Fig. 3. Map detail with the site Mihajlov ponor on the Miro~ Mt. Sl. 3. Detaq sekcije sa lokalitetom Mihajlov ponor na Miro~u

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Fig. 4. Mihajlov ponor – Disposition of the circular stone structures Sl. 4. Mihajlov ponor – skica rasporeda kru`nih kamenih konstruicija of rather large broken stones and the inside area is consisted of three structures of various sizes. Similar covered with earth and smaller stones (Fig. 5a, 5b). It groups consisting of few circular stone structures have was often the case that smaller circle consisting also of been discovered about 700 meters to the north of the broken stones were constructed in the central zone of central area of the site also in thick and hardly passable the larger circular structure. The massive outer circle forest. The new location marked as Mihajlov ponor 2 of rather large broken stones that was higher than the with rather large group of circular structures made of internal segment of the structure was usually construc- broken stone have been discovered about 350 meters ted against the virgin rocks protruding from the ground. to the southeast of the spring Mihajlov ponor, not far The circular structures, which are smaller in diameter from the hill ^oka Grekuluj (meaning Greek hill in and not so high, were usually covered with smaller Romanian). At this location the zones with stone struc- broken stones. Any regularity in disposition of these tures are also surrounded by big and deep ravines. Rather structures is difficult to establish as some of the stone massive dry stone wall made of large broken stones circles are partially spread out and some of the circular resting on the virgin rock is preserved up to the length stone structures were completely devastated by the tree of around 30 meters in the northwestern section of this roots. Nevertheless, it seems that each group usually site (Fig. 6). Although this dry stone wall was disturbed SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 275

Fig. 5. Mihajlov ponor: a) internal ring of one of better preserved stone structures; b) detail of the peripheral stone circle of one of larger structures Sl. 5. Mihajlov ponor: a) unutra{wi prsten jedne od boqe o~uvanih kamenih konstrucija; b) detaq perifernog kamenog venca jedne od ve}ih konstrukcija

Fig. 6. Mihajlov ponor 2 – Detail of dry masonry »rampart« surrounding stone structures Sl. 6. Mihajlov ponor 2 – detaq suhozida »bedema« oko kru`nih kamenih konstrukcija to a great extent the protected entrance to the area with the thick forest in the central zone of the Miro~ plateau circular stone structures was encountered at one end nearby the hunting lodge of the Djerdap National Park and at the other end was rather large circular »tower«, and to the northeast of the belvedere above the Gorge i.e. the remains of the foundations of massive circular (Kazan) (Fig. 8). The traces of unfortified settlement structure of indistinguishable purpose that was con- from the Late Bronze Age were registered in the im- structed of large broken stones in the same manner as mediate vicinity of the hunting lodge and forest warden the »rampart« (Fig. 7). post. The settlement, judging by discovered pottery Somewhat smaller stone structures of circular fragments, belonged to the culture with encrusted pot- shape, from 3 to 6 meters in diameter, with more or less tery of @uto Brdo – Gârla Mare type and was situated prominent ring of broken stone have been also disco- on the fringes of the forest, approximately 200 meters vered in considerable quantity at the site Plo~e to the far from the first stone circles. The site survey of north of Veliki [trbac above Mali Kazan. Rather large surrounding area revealed that this was not the single number of circular stone structures at Plo~e is situated in site of the @uto Brdo culture on the Miro~ Mountain.

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Fig. 7. Mihajlov ponor 2 – Detail of dry stone wall in the process of exploring inner and outer side of »rampart« Sl. 7. Mihajlov ponor 2 – detaqi suhozida prilikom ras~i{}avawa spoqne i unutra{we »bedema«

The inhabitants of the village Miro~ told us that there Circular, low structures of rather small size and co- is a settlement of this culture in the vicinity of the vered with small broken stones have been also encoun- antique fortification Gerulatis and there was found a tered in the course of site surveying in the forests in the fragment of the large figurine of the @uto Brdo type northeastern regions of the Miro~ Mountain near the (Fig. 9). We consider this to be of particular importan- crossing of the forest roads of which the main one runs ce for studying circular stone structures as both Late to the Danube bank near Brza Palanka. Bronze Age settlements are at the same distance from We have managed so far to investigate just two the site Mihajlov ponor where while exploring and stone structures in the central zone of Mihajlov ponor photographing one rather small structure we have dis- with unusually small professional team and more than covered small washed out fragment of a vessel decorated modest financial means. They are located between with false cord ornament organized in the manner of 450.15 and 451.34 meters above sea level and recor- the @uto Brdo pottery. ded in the field as structures VII and IX. Structure VII According to @eljko ^vorovi}, who was our main (10.90 x 9.20 m in diameter) consists of the outer ring guide when we discovered the site Mihajlov ponor, the built of two to three courses of larger broken stones and plunderers with metal detectors have once discovered the interior segment within which the indigenous flat mostly iron objects (knives, spearheads, arrowheads rocks were leveled using small broken pieces of lime- etc.) at the site Plo~e. After revisiting the site in May stone and sandstone mixed with reddish earth (Fig. 10). 2007 we encountered new traces of »antique lovers«, As the rocky foundation in the central zone of the stone i.e. few shallow pits within the stone structures. We structure was descending in cascades towards one end also found few fragments of black burnished Iron Age this zone was leveled using earth and small stones pottery (fragments of a neck of one amphora) in the (Fig. 11). The circular walkway covered with earth and excavated earth in the central zone of one of the stone small pieces of broken stone that surrounded the cen- circles. As the fragments are characteristics of the tral area of the »feature« was encountered outside the Basarabi culture this corroborates the information virgin rock base. Rather small surface (about 1 square about the discovery of iron weapons at this site. meter) of densely packed and slightly burned soil was SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 277

Fig. 8. View of the Gorge (Kazan) from the belvedere above the Trajan’s table, near the site Plo~e Sl. 8. Pogled na Kazan sa vidikovca iznad Trajanove table, nedaleko od lokaliteta Plo~e encountered in the western section of the circular struc- fragments of smaller bowls with inverted and broadly ture and on that surface either short-lived fire had been faceted rim, deep conical beakers with one handle, burning or the remains of some previously burnt organic beakers on short hollow foot etc. (Fig. 13). Small frag- material were burning out. Sporadic pottery fragments ments of animal bones were likewise pottery and metal characteristics of the Early Iron Age cultures were dis- objects scattered without any conspicuous system with- covered in the peripheral sections of the circular stone in the circular stone structure. Some of the bones, structure. They were of poorly refined clay, of coarse which belong exclusively to the wild and hunted spe- fabric and of brown and red/brown color. Few small cies (doe, deer, chamois), have the butchering marks. bronze and iron objects and few glass eye beads have And finally we should mention as the most important been found in the central zone of the structure. Most find the singed mandible of a rather young male that interesting are rather small bronze single-looped fibula was obviously brought from somewhere else and de- (catchplate is missing) with spindle-shaped bow deco- posited within the stone circle (Fig. 14). In the course rated with incisions and rather big iron arrowhead of of investigations at the site Bagachina in the lower Ferigile type5 (Fig. 12). Large concentration of small course of the Lom River in Bulgaria also a fragment of pottery fragments of the vessels of coarse and fine fabric human mandible was discovered in one of many cult was discovered in a layer of packed earth immediately pits.6 The discovery of lower jaw and parts of human above the virgin rock in the eastern section of the skeleton on another cult pit at this site is explained as structure. We identified the pottery fragments typical confirmation that the Northern Thracians practiced of the so-called post-Basarabi horizon in NE Serbia human sacrifices. and Oltenia and similar to the finds from the so-called Structure IX was situated just couple of meters far Scythian horizon in Transylvania and to the pottery, from previously described structure VII. It was almost which some Romanian archaeologists identified as Proto-Dacian. Besides the fragments of large pots and vessels identified as amphorae with tongue-shaped and 5 Vulpe 1967, 66, Fig. 21 (tum. 62). horse-shoe shaped handles there were also found the 6 Theodossiev 2000, 137.

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0 2 4 cm

Fig. 9. Miro~ village – Upper part of @uto Brdo figurine from the Late Bronze Age settlement in the vicinity of Gerulatis Sl. 9. Miro~ selo – gorwi deo `utobrdske figurine sa naseqa iz kasnog bronzanog doba u blizini Gerulatis-a

Fig. 10. Mihajlov ponor, plan of structure VII, after excavations Sl. 10. Mihajlov ponor, skica konstrukcije VII, posle iskopavawa SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 279

Fig. 11. Mihajlov ponor, cascade virgin rock under the structure VII Sl. 11. Mihajlov ponor, kaskadna `iva stena, iznad koje je podignuta konstrukcija VII flat considering the surrounding area and was covered of them is completely preserved including the flat with thick layer of small broken stones without visible rectangular catchplate. This type of fibulae dates from traces of the peripheral stone circle and its dimensions the time of the late Hallstatt period and is characteristic are 8.20 x 8.50 meters. Despite considerable difference of the Ferigile group in the western parts of Romania. in appearance of stone structures before investigation According to T. Bader the single-looped fibulae with the archaeological situation within »structure IX« pro- bow of circular section and rectangular catchplate are ved to be similar to the situation within previous struc- very widely distributed jewelry type identified as the ture. The massive peripheral circle consisting of virgin Donja Dolina type.7 In Oltenia this type of fibulae rocks and few courses of rather large broken pieces of mostly comes from the tumulus burials (Gogoºu, Balta limestone was clearly discernible and interior space Verde, Gruia, etc.). Similar single-looped fibulae with above the virgin rock was filled with smaller and larger flat rectangular or trapeze have been encountered in stones mixed with earth (Fig. 15). Many pottery frag- the graves in northwestern Bulgaria dating from the ments, few smaller animal bones and few bronze and post-Basarabi horizon.8 It is assumed that this type of iron jewelry pieces, tools and weapons have been scat- single-looped fibulae emerged in the northern Greece tered immediately above the virgin rock within the and via Macedonia reached as far as the north Balkans cover consisting of earth mixed with stones (Fig. 16). and Oltenia. Therefore, the fibulae with square catch- The pottery was, like in structure VII, very fragmented plate are also known as the Marvinci – Gogoºu type.9 often washed out and of rather poor, sandy fabric. In The fibula of almost identical shape as the bronze spe- addition to the similar pottery shapes like the bowls cimen from Mihajlov ponor (structure IX) and dated in with broadly faceted rims many fragments of finer the second half of the 6th century was registered in the fabric decorated with series of incised dots surrounding necropolis with the cremation burials under the tumuli deeper impressed lines or broad channels have been also (tumulus 4) at the site Ieºelniþa in the Mehedinþi district, found in structure IX (Fig. 17). Many metal objects have been discovered within this structure as well as in the immediate vicinity (in the area between the stone 7 Bader 1983, 93–94, T. 31/255–257; T. 32/258–276, T. 50. circles) (Fig. 18). Particularly interesting are small 8 Gergova 1987. single-looped fibulae made of bronze or iron and one 9 Vasi} 1999, 74–77, Taf. 40–41.

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12 3

Fig. 12. Mihajlov ponor, structure VII, archaeological objects Sl. 12. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija VII, pokretni arheolo{ki nalazi

123

67 8 9

Fig. 13. Mihajlov ponor, structure VII, pottery from the accumulation inside the structure Sl. 13. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija VII, keramika iz nasipa unutar konstrukcije SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 281

Fig. 14. Mihajlov ponor, structure VII, human mandible and wild animal bones discovered inside the structure Sl. 14. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija VII, qudska mandibula i kosti divqih `ivotiwa otkrivene u sloj nasipa unutar konstrukcije

upstream from the mouth of river Cherna, on the oppo- tures at Mihajlov ponor we could cautiously assume site Danube bank.10 Similar fibulae made of silver and that we are on the track of distinct cult places on the rarely of gold with trapeze or square catchplate have Miro~ Mountain. It is important to point out that the been found in the horizon of so-called princely graves nearest Early Iron Age settlement at the site Kopana of Atenica – Novi Pazar type in the heart of the central Glavica is just few kilometers far from the cult place at Balkans. All these analogies suggest the 6th and the Mihajlov ponor on the other side of Visoki ^ukar. It is beginning of the 5th century as the time of their use. necessary to explore archaeologically this settlement Another interesting find is the upper segment of ring- but already on the basis of the surface finds it is clear like pendant of the Ghidici type11, which is characte- that these two sites existed simultaneously in the Early ristic of the late Basarabi culture (Zlotska pe}ina, So- Iron Age. It could be assumed that inhabitants of this fronievo). Few rather big iron arrowheads with con- settlement, alone or with their neighbors, took part in cave base and perforations on the tip (Ferigile type) were construction of circular stone structures at Mihajlov also found in this structure. Many similar iron arrow- ponor and in ritual deposition of offerings within these heads have been found at the site Kornjet in the village structures. Certain differences regarding the pottery Podgorac in eastern Serbia.12 There were also found two found in one or the other investigated stone structure fragmented iron belt buckles of rectangular shape (si- indicate that it was a long-lasting cult ritual, which was milar specimen comes from Zlotska pe}ina but it is still unpublished), many fragments of iron single-edged knives etc. One complete and two fragmented iron cheek- pieces have been found in the immediate vicinity of 10 Nica 1975, Fig. 17/12; Guma 1993, 237–239. structure IX. According to the ends stylized as horse’s 11 Kilian 1975, 133, Taf. 91 (map of distribution of the ring-like head and gryphon’s head they could be attributed to the pendants); Irmma Kilian – Dirlmeir calls this type Ghidici, after the hoard in Oltenia where 72 specimens were found (Kilian-Dirlmeir 13 Szentes–Vekerzug type, i.e. to the Scythian horizon 1984). Unusually large quantity of these pendants has been found at in the south Hungary and west Romania as it is confir- some sites in western Bulgaria (D. Gergova 1987). Bronze ring-like med by the finds from the tumulus necropolis Curtea pendants have been mostly chance finds and they were usually expla- de Argeº.14 As far as we are informed these are the very ined as horse harness decoration. In the grave of so-called Paeonian priestess from Macedonia this ring-like pendant was an integral ele- first finds of cheek-pieces with zoomorphic endings, ment of the elaborate belt garniture (Mitrevski 1991). i.e. of the Scythian type, from the central Balkan area. 12 Vasi} 2004, 16; Stoji} 2006, Fig. 6,7. On the basis of the archaeological objects and the 13 Párducz 1954. archaeological context within the circular stone struc- 14 Vulpe 1967, 196, Pl. XVI,3.; Vulpe 1970, Abb.3/4.

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Fig. 15. Mihajlov ponor, structure IX, drawing of partially disturbed peripheral stone circle Sl. 15. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija IX, skica delimi~no rasutog perifernog kamenog venca

probably periodically resumed. It is also interesting three oaks. It is interesting that there are usually one or that even modest data obtained at the site Plo~a above few trees in the central zone of the stone structures at the Kazan also indicate the connection between the cult Mihajlov ponor. It is also significant that only in these circular stone structures and nearby settlement from the regions of Serbia is venerated »the mother of the Late Bronze Age. This connection between Mihajlov forest« or the lady of the forest.15 This belief is parti- ponor (cult places within few »sacred forests«) and the cularly popular in the Walachian villages in the Homo- nearby settlement Kopana Glavica is, as it seems, alre- lje and Miro~ area, where the mother of the forest is still ady confirmed. venerated today under the name of »muma Paduri«. The registered stone structures of circular shape at The lady of the forest is imagined as beautiful woman few sites on the Miro~ Mountain point to the traces of with ample bosom and loose hair who is kind to the cult places within few sacred groves (»sacred forests«) people especially women and pregnant women. There so this mountain could be identified with reason as the is significant information from the Walachian traditi- »Sacred Mountain« of the Triballi, one of the largest onal culture that there are certain cult activities con- Paleo-Balkan tribes in the Pre-Roman times. nected with the veneration of the »mother of the forest« It is probably not accidental that ethnological pa- (pomane muma Paduri). Also, one medicinal herb as rallels from the northeastern Serbia also indicate vene- well as picturesque forest area is also called »muma rating of sacred groves and certain trees, particularly Paduri«. It is obvious that we are facing here clear re- the oak. One prehistoric settlement in the vicinity of Rudna Glava near Majdanpek, the earliest copper mine in the Balkans, is named Tri goruna meaning 15 Ze~evi} 1969; Kulu{i} 1979. SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 283

Fig. 16. Mihajlov ponor, structure IX, situation after excavations; distribution of the most important finds Sl. 16. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija IX, skica posle iskopavawa, sa mestom najzna~ajnih nalaza

miniscence of the venerating of »sacred forests« in the tion of Theodossiev concerning material and spiritual Pre-Christian times. In the Serbian folk songs is also culture of the Triballi and their successors in the north- mentioned a fairy (vila Ravijojla) who is connected western Thrace in the Late Iron Age special attention with the Miro~ Mountain and this is certainly very was paid to the archaeological identification of the cult deeply rooted in the tradition of the autochthonous places and sanctuaries in the area between the river population in the Iron Gate hinterland. Morava (Margos) in Serbia and the river Isker (Ois- We borrowed the term »Sacred Mountain«, which kos) in Bulgaria.17 Particularly interesting for us is the is polysemantic and is usually associated with the cult idea of N. Theodossiev about the existence of »Sacred places and sanctuaries of the ancient Thracians from Forests« in the territory of the Northern Thracians.18 In N. Theodossiev from the University in Sofia.16 Accor- contrast to relatively numerous Pit Sanctuaries, which ding to this author the term Hieron oros in Greek lite- in our opinion are not always archaeologically confir- rature clearly denotes the sacred character of the med with certainty and Cave Sanctuaries (Fig. 19), the mountain massif and indicates the connections of »ani- identification of Sacred Forests as places where the conical mountain rocks« with archaic idea about Great Northern Thracians constructed their cult places and Mother of Gods. The idea that there is a connection between the »Mountain« and »Great Mother of Gods« is confirmed already in the end of the 5th century BC 16 Theodossiev 1995; Theodossiev 1998; Theodossiev 2000, in Aristophanes’ comedy Birds where Rhea (who is 53–55; Teodosiev 2003. frequently syncretized with Phrygian Cybele) is called 17 Theodossiev 2000, 19–24. Meter Oreia, i.e. »Mother Mountain«. In the disserta- 18 Theodossiev 1998; Theodossiev 2000, 24.

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Fig. 17. Mihajlov ponor, structure IX, pottery from the accumulation inside the stone circle Sl. 17. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija IX, keramika iz nasipa unutar kamenog venca SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 285

1234

5678

10 13 14

12 15 16

Fig. 18. Mihajlov ponor, structure IX, metal objects (1, 2, 8: bronze; 3–7, 9–16: iron) Sl. 18. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija IX, metalni predmeti (1, 2, 8: bronza; 3–7, 9–16: gvo`|e) sanctuaries has for the time being confirmations only in the Lom River in the vicinity of Stalijska Mahala in the antique literary sources. The explanations of The- northwestern Bulgaria is well-investigated.19 Besides odossiev that it is possible to identify some pits within already mentioned parts of human skeletons in two the Early Iron Age settlements in the eastern Serbia as pits at this site, other cult pits contained large quantity distinct cult places of the Triballi is hardly plausible so of pottery and many sacrificed domesticated and wild these sites should certainly be omitted from the map of the Thracian sanctuaries. Only the large sacred com- plex with about 200 cult pits at the site Bagachina by 19 Bonev, Aleksandrov 1993; Theodossiev 2000, 137–138.

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Fig. 19. Map with cult places and sanctuaries of the Thracians after N. Theodossiev. Map is modified and Mihajlov ponor is added Sl. 19. Karta sa kultnim mestima i svetili{tima Tra~ana, prema N. Teodosijevu. Karta je prera|ena i uba~en je Mihajovo ponor animals. As possible sacred places of the Northern Belasica in Macedonia) is related chiefly to the ritual Thracians are distinguished the »cave sanctuaries« like practice of the Odrysae in the southern Thrace.21 Stri- the Rabi{a (Magura) cave and Suha Pe~ in northeastern king discoveries in recent years in the territory of the Bulgaria and the Zlot cave near Bor. There is an attrac- Odrysian kingdom, in the so-called Thracian valley of tive idea of N. Theodossiev that Early Iron Age horizon kings, had an impact on the opinion that cult architec- in Zlot cave perhaps indicates the cult place, first of all ture in Thrace could be mostly associated with rich royal on the basis of unusually numerous metal objects, i.e. tombs – under large barrows.22 The existence of sacred jewelry pieces, weapons and horse equipment discove- forests in the lands of the Northern Thracians (Triballi red there.20 The venerating of some forests as sacred places and identification of Hieron oros with the Thracian mountain 20 Theodossiev 2000, 109. Ganos (word from Thracian language denoting attri- 21 Fol 1994, 53–55. butes as shining, sacred as well as the Slavic oronym 22 Russeva 2000,111–154. SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 287 and Moesi) is indirectly confirmed by Cassius Dio Finally we tried here to summarize some of the (2nd–3rd century) who in his history of Rome in Greek ideas of the archaeologists from Bulgaria who are as it language mentioned among other things the invasion seems rather intensively searching in last twenty years across the Danube of the Bastarnae (30/29 BC), who sub- for the cult places of the Thracians. Particularly inte- dued Moesia and then defeated their neighbors Triballi resting for us are the investigations in the area to the and Dardanians that were living in the land of those.23 north of the Balkan Mountain where we expect that con- The Roman state response to the crossing of the Bas- nections with NE Serbia are rather conspicuous. Thus, tarnae over the Balkan (Hemus) Mountain and their circular stone structures resembling those at Miro~ have invasion of the land of the Thracian Denteleti was the been recently published. They were discovered densely successful campaign of the proconsul Marcus Licinius arranged one next to the other in the lands of the Getae Crassus from Macedonia towards the Danube in 29/28 (NE Bulgaria) at so-called Sector 168 within the large BC and the expulsion of the Bastarnae. Some of them got center Sboryanovo to the east of the town Ruse.26 These drowned in a panic flight across the Danube (the king sites are usually connected with the cult places of some of the Bastarnae was also killed) while the others found of the ancient deities and it is assumed that libations refuge in the »sacred forest« somewhere in the lands of were poured there (there were found the eschara, hearths, the Moesi or Triballi (Dio. Cass. LI, 23,2–27,2, after kiln segments, braziers and the like). Slightly burned M. Ta~eva 1987, 149–153) that was certainly not far soil within structure VII at Mihajlov ponor vaguely in- from the Danube. The direct evidence for the existence of dicates the place having similar purpose. sacred places in the forests of the Northern Thracians Despite certain similarities with some cult places known in the Serbian archaeology and historiography in Thrace every attempt to reconstruct in rough outline as Daco–Mysians comes from rather late source dating the cult rituals at Mihajlov ponor seems at this level of from the end of the antique period, i.e. from the geogra- investigation rather hopeless. However, we got the help phic lexicon of Stephanos Byzantinus dating from the in the course of excavations that we did not expect. The 6th century. Namely, in the note of Stephanos Byzantinus site was visited by local prophetess who talks with the is interesting the explanation about the hill Temenites deceased and has contacts with the world of the dead. (Temeh/t»j LÒfoj) that could not be precisely dated After falling into trance this woman (called rusalja) said but the »Sacred Hill« is related to Thrace towards the that she saw a group of beautiful women with loose hair, Triballi, i.e. for the Thracian territory in the vicinity of dressed into aprons and with light leather sandals around the lands of the Triballi as F. Papazoglu assumes24 or the stone structures. Perhaps, in the vision of this pro- for the Thrace within the lands of the Triballi25 (N. phetess should be recognized the priestess or followers Theodossiev 2000, 53). of the »mother of forest«, i.e. Great Mother of Gods.

23 Papazoglu 1969, 416. 24 Papazoglu 1969, 56, 419. 25 Teodossiev 2000, 53. 26 Stoyanov et al. 2006, 48–49.

STARINAR LVI /2006. 288 MILO[ JEVTI]

ABBREVIATIONS:

AAH ...... Acta Archaeologica Hungarica, Budapest. Arch. Bulgarica ...... Archaeologia Bulgarica, Sofia. BAR ...... British Archaeological Report, Oxford. MMA ...... Macedonica acta archaeologica, Skopje. MCA ...... Materiale ºi cercetari arheologice, Bucureºti. MemAntiq ...... Memoria Antiquitatis, Acta Musei Petrodavensis, Piatra Neamþ. PBF ...... Prähistorische Bronzefunde, München, Stuttgart. PZ ...... Prähistorische Zeitschirft, Berlin.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Bader 1983 – T. Bader, Die Fibeln in Rumänien, Nica 1975 – M. Nica, Complexul de tumuli hall- PBF XIV/6, München 1983. stattieni de la Ieºelniþa, Historica III, Bucureºti 1975, Berciu, Comºa 1956 – D. Berciu, E. Comºa, Sapa- 7–40. turile de la Balta Verde ºi Gogoºu (1949 ºi 1950), MCA Papazoglu 1969 – F. Papazoglu, Srednjobalkan- II, Bucureºti 1956, 251–490. ska plemena u predrimsko doba, Sarajevo 1969. Bonev, Aleksandrov 1993 – A. Bonev, S. Aleksan- Papazoglu 1978 – F. Papazoglu, The Central Bal- drov, Bagachina – trakiiski kultov centar, Arheologia, kan Tribes in Pre-Roman Times, Amsterdam 1978. Sofija 1993/1, 24–30. Párducz 1954 – M. Párducz, Le cemetière Hall- Dumitrescu 1968 – Vl. Dumitrescu, La nécropole stattiene de Szentes–Veketzug II, AAH IV, 1954, tumulaire du premier âge du fer de Basarabi (Dép. De 25–91. Dolj, Oltenie), Dacia XII, Bucureºti 1968 177–260. Popovi}, Vukmanovi} 1998 – P. Popovi}, M. Fol 1994 – A. Fol, The Thracian Royal City of Ka- Vukmanovi}, Vajuga – Pesak. Nekropola starijeg gvoz- byle. In: III Mezhdunaroden Simposium Kabyle, Yam- denog doba, Beograd 1998. bol, 1994, 53–55. Stoyanov and all 2006 – T. Stoyanov, Zh. Mihaylo- Fol, Spiridonov 1983 – A. Fol, T. Spirido- va, K. Nikov, M. Nikolaeva, D. Stoyanova, The Capital nov, Istori~eska geografiç na trakiüskite ple- in Sboryanovo, Sofia 2006. mena do III v. pr. n.e., Sofiç 1983. Russeva 2000 – M. Rousseva, Thracian Cult Archi- Gergova 1987 – D. Gergova, Früh-und ältereisen- tecture, Jambol 2000. zeitliche Fibeln in Bulgarien, PBF XIV/7, München 1987. Stoji} 2006 – M. Stoji}, Podgorac. Iron Age Hillfort Guma 1993 – M. Guma, Civilizaþia primei epoci – Kornjet, Starinar LV/2005, Beograd 2006, 75–79. a fierului în sud-vestul României, Bucureºti 1993. Ta~eva 1987 – M. Ta~eva, Istoria na bulgar- Kilian 1975 – K. Kilian, Trachtzubehör der Eisenzeit skite zemi v drevnosta II, Sofiç 1987. zwischen Ägäis und Adria, PZ 50, Berlin 1975, 9–140. Theodossiev 1995 – N. Theodossiev, The Sacred Kilian-Dirlmeir 1984 – I. Kilian-Dirlmeir, Nadeln Mountain on the Ancient Thracians, Thracia 11, Studia der frühhelladischen bis archaischen Zeit von der Pelo- in Honorem Alexandri Fol, Serdicae 1995, 371–384. pones, PBF XIII/8, München 1984. Theodossiev 1998 – N. Teodossiev, Sanctuaries Kitov 2002 – G. Kitov, Trakiüski kultov centÅr and cult places in northwestern Thrace during the 1st Starosel, Varna 2002. millenium BC, Arch. Bulgarica 1998/2, Sofia 1998, Kulu{i} 1979 – S. Kulu{i}, Stara slovenska religi- 15–27. ja u svjetlu novijih istra`ivanja posebno balkanolo{- Theodossiev 2000 – N. Theodossiev, North-Western kih, Djela ANUBIH, knjiga LVI, Sarajevo, 1979. Thrace from the Fifth to First Centuries BC, BAR, Mitrevski 1991 – D. Mitrevski, Prilog kon Internatinal Series 859, Oxford 2000. vrednuvawe na Dolnovardarskata – pajonska grupa Teodosiev 2003 – N. Teodosiev, Svetiliàa v na `eleznoto vreme, MAA 12, 145–161. severozapadna Trakiç prez hil. pr. Hr., Godi{nik SACRED GROVES OF THE TRIBALI ON MIRO^ MOUNTAIN 289 na Sofiüskç universitet Sv. Kliment Ohridski, Vuple 1967 – A. Vulpe, Necropola hallstatiana de Tom 2/1995, Sofiç 2003, 93–101. la Ferigile, Bucureºti 1967. Vasi} 1999 – R. Vasi}, Die Fibeln im Zentralbalkan, Vupe 1970 – A. Vulpe, Archaeologische Forschun- PBF XIV/12, Stuttgart 1999. gen und historische Betrachtungen über des 7. bis. 5. Jh. Vasi} 2004 – R. Vasi}, Die Eisenzeit im Zentral- im Donau-Karpatenraum, MemAntiq II, Piatra Neamþ balkan – chronologische und ethnische Fragen. In: Silber 1970, 115–213. der Illyrer und Kelten im Zentralbakan, Nationalmuseum Ze~evi} 1969 – S. Ze~evi}, Mitska bi}a narod- in Belgrad, Landesdenkmalamt Baden–Wüttembarg nih verovawa severoisto~ne Srbije, Glasnik etno- Esslingen, Keltenmuseum Hochdorf/Enz (Sonderaus- grafskog muzeja u Beogradu, kw. 31–32, Beograd 1969, stellung), Eberdingen 2004, 11–32. 327–360.

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Rezime: MILO[ JEVTI], Filozofski fakultet, Beograd

SVETI GAJEVI TRIBALA NA MIRO^U

U istraìvawima materijalne i duhovne kulture paleo- {umi, nedaleko od izvora pitke vode i jedne velike vrta~e, balkanskih naroda na tlu dana{we Srbije nedostaju prou- otkriveni su na prostoru od pribli`no jednog hektara osta- ~avawa religijskog ìvota iz predrimskog doba. Ovaj nedo- ci preko 30 kru`nih kamenih prstenova od krupnijeg lom- statak se posebno uo~ava kod Tribala koji se podjednako qenog kamena. Na osnovu prikupqenih povr{inskih nala- prou~avaju u srpskoj i bugarskoj arheologiji. Kada smo svo- za unutar niskih kamenih prstenova predpostavili smo u jevremeno pitali kolege iz Bugarske kako prepoznaju neko po~etku da se radi o ostacima razgra|enih kameno – zemqa- tra~ko svetili{te na otvorenom dobili smo odgovor da je nih tumula. Bilo nam je neobi~no {tu su na Miro~u sa~uva- najva`nije da se otkrije ambijent u kojem se nalazi kultno ni samo periferni kameni prstenovi, dok se »tumuloidne mesto ili svetili{te. Posle prvih, po~etnih radova na konstrukcije« zaravwene i sastoje se iskqu~ivo od sitni- istraìvawu kultnih mesta iz predrimskog doba na Miro- jeg i krupnijeg lomqenog kamen, bez nasute zemqe. Pri tome ~u, svesno smo da je ambijent veoma vaàn za otkrivawe sve- su unutar spoqneg venca od jednog ili dva reda ve}eg kamewa tili{ta na otvorenom. sa~uvani u sredi{wem delu ostaci uskog kamenog prstena Zahvaquju}i velikim za{titnim arheolo{kim rado- od nekoliko redova lomqenog kamena, o~uvani do visine do vima koji su prethodili podizawu elektri~nih centala na jednog metra. izlasku iz \erdapske klisure, u te{ko pristupa~nim prede- U 2005. i 2006. godini istraìli smo dve, lo{ije o~u- lima klisure otkriveni su neki od najzna~ajnijih praisto- vane kamene, kru`ne konstrukcije, pre~nika pribli`no rijskih lokaliteta u ovom delu srpskog Podunavqa (Lepen- oko 10 metara svaka. Unutar delimi~no o~uvanog venca od ski Vir, Padina, Vlasac, Hajdu~ka vodenica). Skoro sva ot- lomqenog kamena, neposredno iznad ìve stene, otkriven krivena praistorijska nalazi{ta u \erdapu zabeleèna su je ve}i broj pokretnih arheolo{kih nalaza koji ukazuju na u malim uvalama i najniìm re~nim terasama, neposredno ostatke kultnog mesta. U tankom sloju zemqe i sitno lo- uz dunavsku obalu. U zale|u \erdapa zabeleèno je svega mqenog kamena na|ena je ve}a koli~ina ulomaka kerami~- nekoliko mawih praistorijsih naseqa, a detaqnije rekog- kih posuda, koja je doneta iz jednog ili vi{e udaqenih na- noscirawe izvedeno je samo u dowem toku Pore~ke reke. seqa. Unutar kru`ne kamene konstrukcije otkriven je ve}i U organizaciji Odeqewa za arheologiju Filozofskog broj metalnih predmeta, prete`no ra|eni od gvo`|a (jed- fakulteta u Beogradu 2004. godine pokrenut je novi proje- nopetqaste lu~ne fibule, ve}e strelice Feri|ile tipa, je- kat sonda`nog rekognoscirawa praistorijskih nalazi{ta dnosekli mawi noèvi, delovi kopqa), nekoliko staklenih u {irem zale|u \erdapa. U po~etnoj fazi rada, rekognosci- perli sa okcima i dr. Posebno je zna~ajan nalaz nagorele rawem je obuhva}ena, pored ostalog, planina Miro~, koja mandibule mu{karca mla|ih godina, uz nekoliko kostiju se prostire du` Dowe klisure \erdapa. To je retko nasta- lovnih ìvotiwa (jelen, srna, divokoza). Iz druge kamene weno karstno podru~je, sa stenovitim predelima, u kojima konstrukcije posebno se izvajaju nalazi gvozdene psalije sa se nalaze velike vrta~e, mawe pe}ine i potkapine, uz ve}i protomom kowa, koji pripadaju skitskom horizontu kasnog broj izvora pitke vode. S toga nas je prili~no iznenadilo Hal{tata. Svi nalazi se opredequju u mla|u fazu starijeg neobi~no praistorijsko nalazi{te na lokalitetu Mihaj- gvozdenog doba (VI–V vek pre n.e.) i mogu se pripisati Tri- lov ponor, ispod Visokog ~ukara, jednog od najvi{ih vrho- balima iz Herodotovog vremena, koji su u to vreme ìveli va u ju`nom delu Miro~a (632 m nadmorske visine). U gustoj na prostoru od Morave do Iskera.