The Thracians inhabited the lands of today’s Bulgaria, the Balkan Peninsula, the islands of Thassos, Samothrace, Lemnos and Imbros, and the lands in North-West Asia Minor, in the IV-III centuries BC. to the VI century AD They had a rich culture, were well trained and fiercely warred, performed various rituals in honor of the gods they believed in.
Good farmers and herders, they also skillfully made various ornaments and vessels. Some of them have been discovered and amaze us with the precision and beauty of their craftsmanship, another part is still waiting to be found. Below we will look at 10 interesting facts about our ancestors.
1. “Wolf Wars”
This is how the Thracian warriors were identified, they wore animal skins as part of their battle gear, believing that in this way they also acquired the qualities of the animal. Very often, instead of wolf skins, they wore foxes, as they believed that they would be able to outwit their enemies and defeat them in battle. The hairstyle of a warrior is also characteristic, cut short with only the so-called “wolf lock” left on the head.
2. Wine – the sacred drink of the Thracians
The love of the Thracians for wine is proverbial. Not a single important event in their lives – from their birth to their death – was missed wine. Special gold and silver vessels were made for him. They included it in many rituals believing that drinking wine was a divine act, it connected them to the gods and changed them.
In the sanctuary of Dionysus in the Rhodopes, the so-called A libation, in which wine was poured on a hot altar, and if it flared up in strong flames above the roof of the sanctuary, then the guarantor of the ritual was born for great deeds.
3. The Odrysian kingdom and its kings
Each Thracian tribe had its own ruler, and his authority was constantly contested in bloody feuds by his relatives and friends. King Teres was the first Thracian ruler who managed to unite the tribes and stabilize the government of the state by establishing his own dynastic line leading the Kingdom of Odris.
After his death, his successors – King Sparadok, King Sitalkus I and King Kotis I – managed to continue his work. They added new territories to the Odris kingdom and scored success after success. After the death of Kotis I, the kingdom split into three parts and was never united again.
4. The cult of Orpheus – Orphism
The main belief of Orphism is in immortality. Thracian Orphism was an aristocratic faith that was only allowed for men. It was handed down orally from generation to generation and thus it was preserved for quite a long time in the Thracian society. Orphism was transmitted through the Thracian priest-kings, who believed that after death, body and spirit passed into another reality. Their subjects also believed in this and revered their kings as gods.
5. The Great Mother Goddess
The Great Mother Goddess is the primary deity in Thracian religion. She is the mistress of all earthly creatures, of nature and everything that comes from it. She is the patroness of people and guardian of the home hearth. Over time, during the coexistence of the Thracians with Greeks and Romans, the Mother Goddess became Hellenized and Romanized and embodied in the images of a number of Greek and Roman goddesses.
6. The Thracian goddess Bendida
Bendida is one of the most revered deities of the ancient Thracians. She is the patroness of nature and animals. She is depicted as a huntress, wearing a cloak, boots and a fox hat as a symbol of having defeated the most cunning animal in the forest, holding a bow, spear or net and accompanied by a hunting dog.
Rituals in her honor are called Bendidis – with them, an animal was sacrificed, then a sumptuous lunch was given to all present. The ceremonies continued until the evening, when a horse race with torches was organized and ended with a night feast.
7. Rite and Thracian kings
The Thracian kings were not only rulers of the tribe, but also priests. It was believed that it was they who made the connection between ordinary people and the gods. That is why many rites and rituals are connected with their existence. They performed various rituals with wine, the divine drink of the Thracians.
They offered gifts to the gods solemnly, they also offered gifts to their guests, demonstrating their generosity and magnanimity. Most often they gave animals (horses) as gifts, thus showing their wealth. The Thracian priest-kings also performed sacrifices to appease the gods, not only of animals but also of humans.
8. Royal funeral
As extraordinary people in the tribe, Thracian kings were solemnly sent away after their deaths. Believing that death is not an end but a new beginning, special tombs were built for the Thracian rulers. Their bodies were transported by carriage, with specially selected animals.
The chariot was then dismantled and placed in the tomb, then the horses were killed and also laid in the vestibule of the tomb. This is how the ruler’s social status was demonstrated in order to be accepted in the afterlife with royal honors. The king’s favorite wife was also buried with him, being killed over his grave so that she could join him in the afterlife.
9. The cult of the god Dionysus
Dionysus originated from the lands of Thrace. The Thracians worshiped him as the god of wine, viticulture and merriment. Depicted as a young man with long hair, a doe skin slung over his shoulder, high shoes, and carrying in his hand a staff – a staff wrapped in ivy, topped with a cone. He was often accompanied by maenads, and great feasts of wine and sumptuous feasts were held in his honor.
10. The Golden Book of Orpheus
There is not much surviving evidence for the existence of the Thracian language, but one of the most significant archaeological finds is the golden Book of Orpheus. It was discovered about 60 years ago by a soldier who was working on digging a tunnel around the Struma River. It is a book of six pages entirely made of gold, bound together by golden rings.
It is supposed to have been made for the burial of a Thracian aristocrat who preached the cult of Orpheus. Scientists are currently working on the translation of the book, which may shed more light on the Thracian language and writing.
Source: 10te.bg
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