Bulgarian archaeologists have made significant discoveries at Perperikon, an ancient Thracian city located in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains.

Perpericon Cathedral. Credit: Anton Lefterov, CC BY-SA 4.0

Led by Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov, the team has unearthed two altars used for sacred rituals, including blood sacrifices and winemaking. These discoveries, which date back to the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age, are believed to be connected to the worship of deities such as Dionysus and Mithras.

The altars were found in the southern section of Perperikon, a rich archaeological area that has not been explored since 2016. According to Prof. Ovcharov, the altars provide substantial evidence that the great temple of Dionysus was located within the complex. He explained that sacrifices on these altars, particularly during the Roman period, were likely performed to divine the future through the entrails of animals, a common practice described in Roman texts. “The earliest sacrifices were made 3,000-3,200 years ago, at the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age,” Prof. Ovcharov told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He added that the Roman-era altar offers a unique opportunity to reconstruct ancient sacrificial rituals involving small animals, such as goats and sheep.

One of the altars features a large stone tub with a drainage hole, which allowed sacrificial liquids to flow into special basins. These basins were used for divination, where priests or priestesses could interpret signs from the animal’s blood.

The findings at Perperikon have drawn connections to various ancient religious practices. The city, partly carved into the rock, is believed to have been a significant religious center for different cultures, including the Thracians, Romans, and Byzantines. It is the largest megalithic settlement in the Balkans and has a history that spans 8,000 years. Archaeologists have uncovered numerous rock-cut sanctuaries and altars dedicated to gods like Dionysus, who was central to the Orphic Mysteries. These religious practices, which originated in Thrace, were later linked to deities such as Zagreus and Sabazios.

Prof. Ovcharov explained that the altars were likely used for sacrifices to underground gods, a belief system that required the use of black animals and specific ritual dress codes. The altars, he noted, were likely abandoned during the Middle Ages but had been in use for centuries, indicating the site’s long-standing religious significance.

In addition to the altars, other temples from the Roman period have been identified in Perperikon’s southern quarter, including the temple of Mithras, the temple of the Ancestors, and an unidentified temple. These structures, along with the newly discovered altars, suggest that Perperikon was a central hub for various cultic activities. As Prof. Ovcharov remarked, “The two large sacrificial altars are only the beginning, and more finds are to be expected.”