Written by Dr. Sam Osmanagich
Begliktash is a prehistorical megalithic sanctuary. It’s located on the far southeast Bulgaria, on the Black Sea, near the border with Turkey. For a long time it was closed to the public because the tens of hectares of the forest and shore was the propriety of the leader for the decades Bulgarian Communist Todor Živkov who had a summer house there.
The archaeologist Tsonia Drazheva started the excavation campaign in 2002 which produced interesting findings. First, this is the prehistoric megalithic sanctuary. Second, this location was used by the Thracians many years later in the Bronze (1,300 BC) and the early Iron Age (1,000 BC). It’s assumed that The Thracians themselves rearranged and shaped the natural magma rocks and used them for the religious ceremonies.
In the natural cave nearby, ceramics were discovered from the Iron Age (3,000 ago). The solar clock is formed with megalith which was indicating the time on the cave entrance.
Today Begliktas is defined as the oldest and largest Thracian megalithic sanctuary on the Black Sea spreading on 12 hectares. Each block represents some element of the life and challenge. They’ve formed numerous water pools and channels in the stone, steps and voids. The central installation is the two stone circles formed by the huge rocks. It’s assumed that the Thracians offered to the gods the gifts, fruits, flowers, scarified animals, wine, milk, honey, olive oil, etc.
My Bulgarian friends, led by Asen Asenov, made my wish come true to pay the visit to this megalithic location. After the dirt road drive, in front of us was the spacious flat meadow, which ends with the great volcanic rocks. Some of them are rounded, some flat, you could see that before they were a part of a bigger complex. They lie on a stone surface.
Originally, these megalithic rocks formed a circle. I observe each one. Different shapes, dimensions.
This is the ideal place to relax and meditate. I’m asking myself about the purpose of this place. I get images which could add to the explanations related to Begliktash.
MEDITATION
Millions of years old volcanic rocks were shaped by the natural forces, the ghosts of the Nature. They’ve formed the circle to amplify the effect of the underground energies. They’ve added two smaller rocks. The Energy flow was vortex shaped, it spin and from the middle it rose to the sky. Much before the human came the location was partially destroyed, “disabled”.
The arrival of the men happened in the period before 8,000 years. The first phase came along with the people which were spiritual and knew how to appreciate the energy characteristics of this location. The additional energy allowed them to easily reach the spiritual dimensions in which they were able to travel through the time and space and acquire the knowledge. Different rocks made different capabilities possible: astral projections, initiation, extrasensory capabilities, clarity of the thought.
The second phase is characteristic for the connection of the spirituality with the everyday life. The priesthood was in a constant link with the agricultural population. Before the harvest, numbers of people gathered on the platform, grown in grass (the combination of the stone and grass surface, without the trees that exist today). On the front flat side of rock stood the Head Priest. In one hand he had the seed and in the other the blood of the scarified goat. From a small pool below his feet, the mixture of the blood and the seeds run through the channels to the ground surface to announce the fruitful season.
Later, this tradition faded out. As well as are the memories on old times. The circles are destroyed, the rocks spread.
Between two parallel rocks the stone was inserted. It’s exactly directed at the southeast. At noon, the Sun casts the shadow through the opening. The seasons can be followed depending on the position of the Sun between the winter and the summer solstice.
The location is still strong with the energy, the trees love it, and they adhere to the rocks as it grows. The group of erecting rocks was the place where people, gathered in four groups, formed four rows and sung the high tones. With the help of the stone, the sound was travelling the valley and then up to the sky.
As if it was trying to reach the voyages of its ancestors.
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