Regional tourist association Stara Planina 9, Opalchenska Street 5300 Gabrovo, Bulgaria tel./fax: +359 66/ 809 161 tel: +359 66/ 807 137 fax: +359 66/ 806 199 e-mail: office e-mail: info With the financial support of the Swiss government		ANTIQUITY IN CENTRAL BALKAN MOUNTAIN At the end of the second and the beginning of first millennium BC, the Thracian tribes of Krobisi, Geti and Denteleti built many fortresses and settlements in Central Stara Planina Mountain. Names like Gradishte, Kaleto, Grada, Boruna and Gera have remained from Antiquity. Historians claim the Gradishte near Dryanovo to be the largest Thracian fortress on the Balkan Peninsula, identical to the Strinava fortress known from chronicles. Near the town of Apriltsi, one can find the ruins of an ancient Thracian sanctuary on Ostrets Mount. Thracian tombs, evidence of life from past times, are to be seen near the village of Ivankovtsi (Gabrovo region), Dryanovo, Sevlievo and Teteven. The first cult site to be explored in Stara Planina was the Turlata neighbourhood near Troyan. It is a sanctuary where Thracians worshiped the Sun and the Rock, i.e. the Great Mother Goddess. Present-day Lovech was built over the remnants of the Thracian settlement of Prezidum, which was known for its rich material and spiritual culture. Evidences of that are the findings in a few necropolises. The Goran - Slatina necropolis shows the earliest findings connected with the presence of the Thracians - golden and silver pendants, bronze chisel, clay vessels from the third millennium BC. Several golden spirals, a golden rivet, a bronze edge of a dagger and some interesting clay vessels together with some burnt grapes have been found inside the Tabashka cave and in the center of Lovech. Several Thracian treasures found in Lukovit and in the villages of Letnica, Vladinya, Alexandrovo and Radyuvene have brought popularity to Lovech. Some of them are consisted of applications for horse-trappings made of silver or silver with a golden layer. Others include silver and bronze vessels - jugs, phialas, and cups. Some of the painted scenes on the applications are unique in the Thracian art - the treasure from Letnica includes an entire picture story of the way to the knowledge. The realization of this way embraces a certain chronological cycle shown in a unique way with different characters and actions by the Thracian master. The trade connection of the local Thracian tribes and their economic mightiness are marked by a number of coin-finds as well as by stamp - marks on Rhodes amphorae with the names of the priests, and the month in which the wine was poured inside, written on them. Excavations at three burial tombs near Gradnitsa village (Sevlievo region) demonstrate the fine taste and love for luxury of the Thracian tribes who lived here during the 5th and 4th century BC. The influence of Ancient Hellas on Thracian social structure and mode of life is quite obvious. A burnt body, a bronze hydria depicting a siren and various items from everyday life have been discovered in the three tombs. In several villages in Lovech region (Glava Panega, Brestnitsa, Dermantsi, Chavdartsi) the archaeologists have found sanctuaries, dedicated to different gods. In these sanctuaries have been preserved many parts of architectural details, votive tablets of marble and clay picturing the Thracian horseman, Arthemis, Zeus, Venus, Priap and Apollo. Historical geography and archaeology have proved that the Krobisi and Geti Thracian tribes dwelling in the lands of today's Gabrovo District had an early state government in the 5th century BC. Evidence is shown by the localities of Gradat (Batoshevo village), Vitata Stena (Zdravkovets village), Imaneto (Stolat village) and the fortifications at Prechista locality (Gradnitsa village). In year 15 BC, the lands of Thracians north of Stara Planina were conquered by Romans and became a Roman province called Misia; fast construction of fortresses, roads and road stations started consequently. The preserved parts of the Roman military road of Via Trayana along the main ridge of Stara Planina date back to the 1st and 2nd century AD. The road started at the Roman town of Ulpia Escus (today village of Giggen on the Danube River), crossed the Aemon Mountain (Stara planina) at Troyan and reached Phillippopolis (present Plovdiv). Already in the 1st century AD Via Trayana has been an important road, which served the trade and military traffic between provinces Misia and Thracia. Although the road has been used even in Middle Ages, its "Golden age" is connected with the time of the Roman Emperors from the Severs Dynasty (193 - 235 AD). So-called Pevtingor Map (4 century) proves the location of the road stations. The best-preserved part of this road today lies in Troyan region, between Beklemeto and the village of Beli Osam, where the road stations Sostra (Lomets Village), Ad Radices (Kamen most locality) and Montemno (Beklemeto locality) were situated. Tourists can go back the centuries, stepping on a stone pavement, 6 m wide, with stone curbs and axis line. Along the road there are several Thracian sanctuaries from the Roman times. The whole route is marked and signed. Present-day Lovech was built over the ruins of the Roman fortress of Melta, which had kept the settlement safe for many centuries. The remains of Discoduratera, a fortress from the time of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 AD), are well-preserved and accessible for visitors. Its name means a double strong fortress. Fortresses and settlements - speechless witnesses of victorious quests and economic boom in Antiquity - are Kaleto, Karaka, Gera, Boruna and Gradat near Dryanovo, and Gradishte near Gabrovo.
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