Thracian sanctuary on Ostrets peak

Overview

Ostrets is a peak in northwestern Rhodopes near the town of Velingrad. From the top, there are beautiful views of the Pirin Mountains, Rila, Rhodopes, and Chepino valley.

On the western part of the peak, oriented in the southeast-northwest direction, a Thracian sanctuary was discovered during excavations led by Prof. Diana Gergova in 2009. Prior to that, unsystematic drilling studies were conducted in 1989 by Mechislav Domaradski. The sanctuary was also the object of treasure hunting.

During the excavations in 2009 fragments of cult pottery, objects, and jewelry of the Thracian tribe Bessi were discovered. An iron scepter was found, ending with two serpent heads and a handle with fluted ornaments, suggesting the connection of the sanctuary with the god Dionysus, also called Sabazios. Among the ornaments are bronze brooches from the Early Iron Age (8-7 century BC), clay magical objects, fragments of covers of portable clay altars, a silver tetradrachm from the I century BC, coins from the time of Constantius II, of Constantius Galus, Valentinian I, Valens, Theodosius I, as well as coins from the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th century.

On the northeastern parts, known as Gergevana, were found the ruins of several Christian temples - early Christian basilica and medieval churches, as well as Thracian pottery.