The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (Bulgarian: Казанлъшка гробница, Kazanlǎška grobnica) is a vaulted brickwork "beehive" (tholos) tomb located near the town of Kazanlak in central Bulgaria. This tomb is part of a large royal Thracian burial site in the Valley of the Thracian Rulers, near their ancient capital of Seuthopolis. This area contains more than a thousand tombs belonging to royalty and important members of the Thracian aristocracy. The tomb is in the Kazanlak Valley, surrounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Sredna Gora mountains to the south.
The monument was built in the fourth century BC and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1979. The paintings inside this small tomb are some of Bulgaria's best-preserved art from the Hellenistic period.
Description
The site includes a narrow corridor that leads to a round, domed room large enough for a burial. Both the corridor and the room are painted with murals showing a Thracian couple at a ritual funeral feast. The murals were made using a technique called fresco. The walls are painted in a sanguine or dark reddish color.
In the dome of the tomb, a seated couple holds each other’s wrists while others approach in a procession carrying trays and items. The couple sits separately on different decorated chairs. Bulgarian art historian Lyudmila Zhivkova suggests the couple’s shared gesture represents a moment of tenderness and equality, though not all experts agree. Horn musicians are shown playing their instruments as they walk in the procession. The mural includes horses in various scenes: some are being led or held without riders, an attendant guides a team of horses pulling a waiting chariot, and a chariot race is shown at the top of the dome.
At the bottom of the dome’s mural, a border features cattle skulls with scarves draped over their horns, alternating with cross-shaped designs thought to represent flowers. Other borders divide the dome mural, including a band with an egg-and-dart pattern from the Hellenistic style, as well as stripes, tooth-like patterns, and images that may have held cultural or family importance.
To protect the fragile paintings, the tomb is not open to the public. However, a full-size and exact replica was built nearby so visitors can see it.
In contemporary culture
The woman sitting in the tomb mural is shown on the back side of the Bulgarian 50 stotinki coin, which was released in 2005.
Gallery
- Mural showing a Thracian couple with a decorative border
- Mural showing a chariot race with a decorative border
- Mural showing horses with saddles but no riders
- Close-up view of horses with saddles but no riders
- Mural showing people carrying objects
- Mural showing people carrying objects and a chariot ready for use
- Items found in the tomb
- Structure built to protect the tomb and a sign explaining it
- View of the protective buildings
- Another view of the protective buildings
- Entrance to a copy of the tomb
- Informational sign explaining the display