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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.

T
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
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
the Danube Gorges hinterlands (NE Serbia) – one of the Sacred
Serbia – Archaeological Site Surveying and Excavations
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 gro-
ves 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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272 MILO[ JEVTI]

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 The archaeological site surveying of the later prehistoric
catchplate made by @. ^vorovi} (Fig. 1b)
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.
4 Members of the team investigating Mihajlov ponor in 2005
circular stone structures and isolated finds of the pre-
and 2006 were the directors M. Jevti} and M. Pekovi} and archae-
historic pottery. As some of these structures were ob- ologists 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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274 MILO[ JEVTI]

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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276 MILO[ JEVTI]

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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278 MILO[ JEVTI]

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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280 MILO[ JEVTI]

1 2 3

4 5

Fig. 12. Mihajlov ponor, structure VII, archaeological objects


Sl. 12. Mihajlov ponor, konstrukcija VII, pokretni arheolo{ki nalazi

1 2 3

4 5

6 7 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

1 2

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 kni-
ves etc. One complete and two fragmented iron cheek-
10 Nica 1975, Fig. 17/12; Guma 1993, 237–239.
pieces have been found in the immediate vicinity of
11 Kilian 1975, 133, Taf. 91 (map of distribution of the ring-like
structure IX. According to the ends stylized as horse’s
pendants); Irmma Kilian – Dirlmeir calls this type Ghidici, after the
head and gryphon’s head they could be attributed to the
hoard in Oltenia where 72 specimens were found (Kilian-Dirlmeir
Szentes–Vekerzug type,13 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-
ined as horse harness decoration. In the grave of so-called Paeonian
de Argeº.14 As far as we are informed these are the very
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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282 MILO[ JEVTI]

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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284 MILO[ JEVTI]

1 2

3 4

6 7

10

0 2 4 cm
9

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

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

10 13 14

11

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.

STARINAR LVI/2006.
286 MILO[ JEVTI]

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:

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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.
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Fol, Spiridonov 1983 – A. Fol, T. Spirido- va, K. Nikov, M. Nikolaeva, D. Stoyanova, The Capital
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na Sofiüskç universitet Sv. Kliment Ohridski, Vuple 1967 – A. Vulpe, Necropola hallstatiana de
Tom 2/1995, Sofiç 2003, 93–101. la Ferigile, Bucureºti 1967.
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Vasi} 2004 – R. Vasi}, Die Eisenzeit im Zentral- im Donau-Karpatenraum, MemAntiq II, Piatra Neamþ
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stellung), Eberdingen 2004, 11–32. 327–360.

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290 MILO[ JEVTI]

Rezime: MILO[ JEVTI], Filozofski fakultet, Beograd

SVETI GAJEVI TRIBALA NA MIRO^U

U istra`ivawima 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 `ivota 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-
istra`ivawu kultnih mesta iz predrimskog doba na Miro- jeg i krupnijeg lomqenog kamen, bez nasute zemqe. Pri tome
~u, svesno smo da je ambijent veoma va`an 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 istra`ili 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 `ive stene, otkriven
krivena praistorijska nalazi{ta u \erdapu zabele`ena su je ve}i broj pokretnih arheolo{kih nalaza koji ukazuju na
u malim uvalama i najni`im re~nim terasama, neposredno ostatke kultnog mesta. U tankom sloju zemqe i sitno lo-
uz dunavsku obalu. U zale|u \erdapa zabele`eno 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 no`evi, 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 `ivotiwa (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 `iveli
va u ju`nom delu Miro~a (632 m nadmorske visine). U gustoj na prostoru od Morave do Iskera.

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