A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

download A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

of 43

Transcript of A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    1/43

    1

    Welcome Note

    ,

    , .

    , . . .

    !

    ,

    Dear passengers,

    Thank you for choosing to fly with us.

    We hope that you enjoyed a pleasant vacation during thesummer and that the autumn months will be beneficial toyou and your business. At the height of the working season,the hours spent on board Bulgaria Air will give you theopportunity to steal some time for yourself in a calm andpleasant atmosphere. Our professional crew will take care ofyour comfort and safety.

    Have a nice flight!

    Dimitar PavlovChief Executive OfficerBulgaria Air

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    2/43

    2

    Cover Story , by Plamen Petrov, photography by Alexander Nishkov

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    3/43

    3

    Cover Story

    Indiana Jones

    and the Templeof Millennia

    .

    ,

    Professor Nikolay Ovcharov shows

    us around his Perperikon 'residence'

    on foot before seeing us off

    on horseback

    - . : 19 1957 ., , . ,

    . 300 30 ., , . 50 - , , - , . , , ...

    2008

    , 15 .

    ?

    . . , . , .

    ?

    . , . , .

    Aworld-famous archaeologist like Nikolay Ovcharovhardly needs an introduction his finds are hiscalling card. And yet: he was born on 19 July 1957;has two daughters, and his wife is a philologist. He isa senior research fellow at the Bulgarian Academy ofSciences, professor at the International Slavic Institutein Moscow and has a PhD in Historical Sciences. He has

    published over 300 articles and 30 books. His latest bookentitled The Discoveries of the Bulgarian Indiana Jonescame out recently. It describes 50 of Ovcharov's mostinteresting finds: the rock town Perperikon, the Thraciansanctuary Tatoul, the Womb Cave which served as anOrphic temple, the mediaeval Saint Yoan Prodrom (JohnProdromus) Monastery in Kardzhali, the royal palace inVeliki Preslav and the Urvich and Monyak fortresses...

    At the end of the 2008 archaeological summer, wearranged an interview with Professor Ovcharov shortlybefore he suspended excavations (until next year) at

    Perperikon, located 15 km (nine miles) northeast ofKardzhali.

    What is the origin of your sobriquet 'the Bulgarian Indiana

    Jones'?

    It was given to me by my students many years ago becauseof my likeness at the time to Harrison Ford. As the years,and new finds, went by, journalists turned it into a regularnickname. I must say that Indiana Jones is a very pleasantcharacter. He presents archaeology in a light that has kindledthe enthusiasm of a lot of people.

    And how was your enthusiasm kindled?

    As long as I can remember, I've been around sites. My father,Dimitar Ovcharov, is a Professor of Mediaeval Archaeology,and my mother, Maria Ovcharova, is also an archaeologist andhistorian. For better or worse, I've committed myself to this

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    4/43

    4

    , , 5-6 .

    ?

    - ( ).

    30 (3-4 ), . - ( . .).

    . - , . , , ., , , ,

    . . (20 15 ). , .

    discipline for life. As you can see for yourself, we work in quiteunfavourable conditions, five to six months a year.

    What's the latest from Perperikon?

    Two-thirds of the Acropolis (the fortress at the top) has

    been unearthed. There, we already have more than 30representative buildings from the Roman era (3-4th CenturyAD), which marks the heyday of Perperikon. The rock townhad been inhabited as early as the Chalcolithic Age (the endof the 5th and the beginning of the 4th Millennium BC). Thencame the Thracians and the Romans. The top is graduallyrevealing an impressive network of streets and squares thatwould seem unthinkable for a mountain town. The donjonthat towers over everything else dates back to the mediaevalByzantine period; it was part of the innermost defences.We used to think we knew its height imagine our surprisewhen we excavated its foundations and found out it hadbeen raised on top of a 4 m (13 ft) Roman wall. This is also

    where the Archon's Palace used to be. We unearthed its lowerfloor this year (20 by 15 m, or 66 by 49 ft). There is a curiousepisode related to it, described by the Byzantine chroniclerand ex-emperor John Kantakouzenos. Taking advantageof the internecine struggles in the Byzantine Empire, theBulgarian Tsar Ivan Alexander sent troops to seize Perperikon.

    Cover Story

    . , Professor Ovcharov displays a Roman coin and mediaeval rings, all unearthed at Perperikon

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    5/43

    , 1343 . , . ( ). ,

    . , . . , . 3-4 , - 378 . , 5 . 1362 ., . , .

    , , , .

    ?

    The tsar installed the Bulgarian archon of the entire Rhodopemountain region there and delivered his orders to him viahrisovuls (missives bearing the royal gold signet). One of thesehrisovuls was discovered some years ago, but was later stolenand is part of a private collection in the US nowadays.

    We've found a lot of household objects in the Archon's Palace,including Chinese ceramics. Perperikon used to control theextraction of gold in the region, yet there's not a single traceof gold treasures; apparently because the town has beencaptured and destroyed at least three or four times duringcivil wars among the Thracian tribes, later by the Goths in378 after the Battle at Adrianople, when the Roman EmperorValens was killed, and perhaps by the Huns in the 5thCentury. The end of Perperikon came in 1362 when, after agruelling siege, it was seized by Ottoman invaders. The townwas plundered and burnt down, and its inhabitants wereenslaved. We have established all this through archaeology

    we've found broken and chopped-up crosses, sets of slaveshackles, lots of spear and arrow tips, as well as the bodies ofPerperikon's last defenders.

    Architectural monuments aside, what other objects have

    you found during your excavations?

    Cover Story

    , , 6 270 000 This rain water cistern was used in times of drought or siege. It is 6 m (12 ft)deep and can hold up to 270,000 litres

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    6/43

    6

    Cover Story

    10-9 . .

    , . , - , . ,, .

    - ,

    , . II

    14 . , . ,

    . - , . , 12 13

    We've found several prehistoric clay idols dating from the10-9th Century BC. Among these male and female figures is an

    animal a chargingbull, which has beena symbol of royal

    power ever since thecivilisation of ancientCrete. We've comeacross a stratumfrom the Iron Agecontaining a lotof pots and platesalong with miniaturecopies of them, oneor two centimetres(less than an inch)in size, apparentlyused in religiousrituals. We've alsodiscovered stoneaxes and tools, andspindles made ofvertebrae.

    Later ages haveprovided us withvarious coins, suchas those minted byEmperor Licinius,co-emperor of

    Constantine theGreat. We've alsoobtained a sealbelonging to theByzantine EmperorAndronikus IIPalaiologus fromthe early 14thCentury. There areonly 10 of those inthe world, and twoare in Bulgaria. Thisyear we discovered

    four mediaevalsilver rings, withornaments andimitations ofWestern coats ofarms a fashionwhich grew popularafter the FourthCrusade crossedthe Balkans. Themost interesting

    of them is the ring displaying a monogram with the nameManuel. It probably refers to Manuel Kanitsa, a Byzantine

    army commander from the late 12th and early 13th Centuryconsidered to be the richest man in the Empire, who made hismark in this region.

    () Nikolay Ovcharov (left) directs excavations at Perperikon

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    7/43

    7

    , - , .

    1982 .,

    ?

    , -. , , , ,

    . . , 2-4 , , . , , 25 .

    ,

    ,

    ,

    ?

    2003 2004 . , , ,

    . 3 2 , . , -

    Has anyone lifted the veil surrounding the secret military

    operation in 1982 when a helicopter carried a sealed

    sarcophagus away from Perperikon?

    The veil is not only still there it's getting thicker. Recently,pictures made by eyewitnesses have surfaced, showing thatnot just one, but three or four sarcophagi have been takenaway. We've also found a piece of a sarcophagus lid at theAcropolis. The sarcophagi date back to the Roman period,2-4th Century, and it is obvious that their occupants were

    no ordinary people. I called for a prosecutor's check, but itconcluded that there was no evidence about what happened25 years ago.

    How did you decide that Perperikon was the actual

    location of the lost Thracian oracular shrine of Dionysus

    where Alexander the Great and Octavian Augustus

    received a prophecy that they would rule the world?

    In 2003-2004, we unearthed a chamber that matched theancient historians' descriptions word for word oval, roofless,with a monumental altar hewn into the rocks. The altar, 3m (10 ft) high and 2 m (7 ft) in diameter, is of the domostype that were found only on Crete and the neighbouring

    islands. We've already collected a great deal of proof thatthe Crete-Mycenaean and the Thracian cultures wererelated. The designs of their rock sanctuaries are similar. Theonly inscription in Bulgaria, which was found precisely at

    The sarcophagi of Thracian dignitaries

    The Thracians used to send food up to the ceremonial hall from here in a lift-like device

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    8/43

    8

    Cover Story

    . . , , .

    ? . 11 , , 40 . . , , . , , . -, , 4-3 . . . , , . , , 35

    , . . . , , .

    -

    ? . , ,

    (1393-1394 .). . - 80 .

    -

    ?

    2005 . 43

    , . , . . 24 24- , . . 187000 , . . ,

    , ,-. - . (

    Perperikon, contains several letters from the Cretan Linear Ascript.

    What about the Thracian sanctuary in Tatoul?

    Thanks to PHARE funding, Tatoul has been completely

    restored and conserved. It does look monumental 11 m (36ft) of architecture unearthed, some 40 km (25 miles) awayfrom Kardzhali. It used to be a heroon, a shrine belongingto a Thracian king who was deified post-mortem. Thraciansbelieved that the shrine kept away diseases such as theplague. Then, during various periods, temples graduallysprouted around the rock where the tomb stood. The mostimposing one (which we've sheltered under a roof) dates fromthe 4-3rd Century BC. It was reconstructed in Roman times,and during the Byzantine age, it became a secular manor, asmall castle of sorts. Within the wall-enclosed sacred spacewe've discovered 35 altars designed for sacrifices to thatdemigod. It's a matter of much controversy whether this was

    the mythical Orpheus. According to Professor Alexander Fol,there has never been an Orpheus shrine, but rather temples of

    the religious Orphism movement.

    What was your most significant find

    this year?

    Let me single out the unearthing ofSaint Ivan Rilski's Church in VelikoTarnovo in June. Not so much becauseof the gold rings we found there, butrather because of the fact that it wasour last patriarchal church beforeBulgaria fell to the Ottoman Empire

    (1393-1394). Patriarch Evtimiy, an iconicfigure in Bulgarian history, served there.Later on, the relics of St Ivan Rilski (Johnof Rila) were kept in the church forsome 80 years.

    Which Bulgarian sites have the

    greatest potential to attract tourists?

    In 2005, during the short existence ofthe Ministry of Culture and Tourism,we proposed a list of 43 priority sites archaeological, ethnographic andso on. The list was endorsed and then

    shelved. Recently, Bulgarian newspaper24 Chassa (24 Hours) published a

    list of the 24 Bulgarian Wonders, compiled from readers'votes it constitutes a good starting point. Let the numberof visitors be the main criterion. With its 187,000 visitorslast year, Perperikon came second only to Tsarevets Hill inVeliko Tarnovo where far more funds have been invested.The same applies to Tatoul and the Zlatograd EthnographicComplex. Yes, we've been developing the Eastern and CentralRhodope on a cluster-by-cluster basis: destinations featuringmany and diverse sites, where archaeology mingles withethnography and other forms of tourism environmental,

    hunting and fishing. Within the next couple of years, weexpect the border passes to Greece to be opened; then we'regoing to include the Greek monuments in our tours too. Myfavourite island Samothrace (inhabited by Thracians in ancienttimes, then colonised by Greeks from Samos) was visited

    The sacrificial altar can only be seen from above

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    9/43

    9

    Cover Story

    The Orpheus shrine

    )

    70 000 , . .

    .

    . ? . , ... , , .

    by only 70,000tourists last year,as many as therewere in Zlatograd.The Thracian

    heritage therehas remainedcompletelyunexplored.

    However, theBulgariangovernmenthas to intervenedecisively. Wecan't rely merelyon municipalbudgets and EU

    projects. How didGreece and Turkey

    secure their tourist boom? By investing huge public funds inpriority monuments. I toured several Greek islands last year on Rhodes I saw whole citadels being restored, the entirestadium at Ephesus is undergoing a reconstruction... I've saidit a million times we're not talking about sponsorship, we'retalking about investing in sites that can draw throngs oftourists to Bulgaria.

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    10/43

    10

    ,

    . ,

    ,

    ,

    . e . - , . -, , , ,

    . ,

    2003 ., .

    . , , . , . , ( ),

    .

    Bulgaria

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    11/43

    11

    by Evelina Ivanova, photography by Georgi Velkov and Vladimir Anignostov

    In the Footsteps

    of the ThraciansWith its rutted and winding road, the rock sanctuary at Beglik Tash is difficult

    to reach. But its worth the effort: the site offers a sundial, a marital bed and a

    journey through the Underworld

    Bulgaria

    Beglik Tash, or in Turkish, the stone (ta) where shepherdspaid tax (belik) on their sheep is how the Thraciansacred site near Primorsko (on Bulgarias southern Black

    Sea coast) came to be known during Ottoman rule.

    The lush meadow at the foot of Mount Kitka was a favouritehaunt of shepherds from near and far, who would whileaway their working hours by sitting on the giant boulders atthe northern end. The younger and more adventurous oneswould also explore the labyrinth of narrow slits and cracks,never suspecting that in doing so they were taking part in anancient Thracian initiation rite.

    Later, during communism, the odd-shaped rock formationsconveniently surrounded by forest attracted the attention ofBulgarias long-time leader, Todor Zhivkov, and the area was

    incorporated into the grounds of his local hunting residence,Perla, which of course was off-limits to the public. Thus, BeglikTash long remained hidden from the eyes of the world and itwas not until the summer of 2003 that the truth about it cameto light, after an archaeological expedition rediscovered thesacred site.

    In truth, one only seems to fall in love with this ancientThracian sanctuary upon a second viewing. At first sight youmight well find it somewhat unprepossessing, but if you takethe time to wander around for a bit youll soon see whatmakes it so special. Although the string of oval boulders

    and flat rocks smacks of human intervention, the truth isthat the master-builder here was Nature itself. The Thraciansonly moved, arranged and added the finishing touches (aformidable feat in itself) to the fantastic rock formations which

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    12/43

    12

    . , . , . . .

    , , , , , .

    ...

    , . . ,

    Bulgaria

    the magmatic spring from the long extinct volcano of MountKitka had shaped and polished almost to perfection.

    The sanctuary itself also appears a little theatrical the lowrock terrace near the entrance looks amazingly like a smallround stage. Its rocky floor is decorated with distinctly visiblemystic solar signs and pentagrams symbolising the masculine

    and the feminine principle theres even a nuptials' bed inthe left corner. This long, level slab has a bulge at one end, asif the Thracians had wanted to make sure their priests wouldbe comfortable by providing them with a pillow. But thestone bed was not accessible to everyone this is where thepriest and priestess performed fertility rites with overtly sexualelements. The throne to the right of the nuptial bed wasreserved for the priest.

    Human sacrifices were not performed at Beglik Tash theThracian tribes propitiated their gods by offering plants andanimals, and pouring milk, wine, olive oil and water (symbolsof the four natural elements) into the grooves on one of the

    two sacrificial stones.

    According to senior research associate Tsonya Drazheva,the archaeologist who headed the team that discovered the

    Sacred stones encircle the rock terrace at Beglik Tash

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    13/43

    13

    Bulgaria

    - The pillar stone points the way to the sacred cave

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    14/43

    14

    ,

    , . , - .

    , . ,

    Bulgaria

    sanctuary, the Thracians performed their Orphic mysteries,

    which were associated with the worship of the Sun God andthe Great Mother Goddess, here. Two footprints carvedinto the rock are clear proof of this. That of the Great MotherGoddess is on the front part of the rock terrace, while the SunGod has left his footprint on the tall, crown-like boulder thatscreens the terrace to the north. Both impressions, however,can be attributed to man.

    Even today the priests throne attracts worshippers

    Worshipping the Sun God in front of the arch of Apostle Tash

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    15/43

    15

    , . , , . e , . . , , .

    , , .

    Bulgaria

    The Thracians also applied their chisel to the heart-shapedboulder rising on the eastern side of the rock terrace. Known

    as Apostle Tash, this boulder is miraculously perched onjust two points of support, and has an archway carvedthrough its centre. If the ancient builders had carved out

    just another couple of inches, the giant Apostle would havecome crashing down but their calculations were obviouslyflawless, considering that the boulder has remained in placefor more than four thousand years. Behind it is a huge dolmenknown as the sacred cave. This is where the Thracian Hero(Heros), protector of the tribe and son of the Sun God andthe Great Mother Goddess, was born. The Gods chosenone would be the first to be initiated in the sacred cave,after which he would pass through the arch of Apostle Tashtouched by the sunrays filtering through it.

    Behind the huge dolmen is a sundial which looks like a fallendomino, and a labyrinth of narrow passages carved into therocks. Passing through the labyrinth was also part of the

    The nuptial bed is equipped with a pillow at its left end

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    16/43

    16

    , . , , . e , . . , , .

    , , . . ,

    Bulgaria

    The Thracians also applied their chisel to the heart-shapedboulder rising on the eastern side of the rock terrace. Knownas Apostle Tash, this boulder is miraculously perched on

    just two points of support, and has an archway carvedthrough its centre. If the ancient builders had carved out

    just another couple of inches, the giant Apostle would havecome crashing down but their calculations were obviouslyflawless, considering that the boulder has remained in placefor more than four thousand years. Behind it is a huge dolmenknown as the sacred cave. This is where the Thracian Hero(Heros), protector of the tribe and son of the Sun God andthe Great Mother Goddess, was born. The Gods chosenone would be the first to be initiated in the sacred cave,

    after which he would pass through the arch of Apostle Tashtouched by the sunrays filtering through it.

    Behind the huge dolmen is a sundial which looks like a fallen

    Only the Thracians could tell the time with this sundial

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    17/43

    17

    - (II ). 5 , ( ). . 10 18 . 2 ., , . 1,50 ., , . : 056/ 842 582.

    Bulgaria

    Beglik Tash is the earliestmegalithic sanctuary discovered to date in southeastern Thrace and

    on the Black Sea coast (it dates from the second millennium BC). Thesanctuary is located some 5 km (3 miles) from the town of Primorskonear the Ropotamo River, and it is signposted on the main road (still,make sure you also follow the arrows on the asphalt). Thanks to thesundial discovered at the site, Beglik Tash has come to be knownas the Bulgarian Stonehenge. The site is open to visitors Monday toFriday from 10 am to 6 pm. The admission fee is two leva, with a 50percent discount for students, plus an extra fee if you want a guidedtour. You can buy richly illustrated brochures at just 1.50 leva each,

    from which you will learn more also about the ancient city of Ranuli,the fortress of Vulchanovo Kal and the Lions Head, a natural rockformation at the estuary of the Ropotamo River.For more information, call 056/842 582.

    ,

    The path crossing the Underworld is short but narrow

    domino, and alabyrinth of narrowpassages carved intothe rocks. Passingthrough the labyrinth

    was also part of theancient initiationrite. The processionof worshipperscoming from the baysaround the nearbyCape Maslen Noswould disappearinto its depths,wandering aroundfor a long time beforereappearing in whatwas a symbolic act of

    rebirth. There are twoways out of the rockmaze one straight

    ahead and the other to the left. Those who chose to turnleft, crossing through Underworld like Orpheus survived theordeal and received spiritual initiation, while those who tookthe straight and 'easy' path only proved their ordinarinessand thus failed the task. Present-day thrill-seekers have asingle option that of the spiritual rebirth, as the direct pathis blocked by a fallen slab of rock. Could our ancestors havedecided to leave their door wide open in the hope of findingworthy successors?

    ,

    ( ). . , , . , , . , , . ?

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    18/43

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    19/43

    19

    by Plamen Petrov, photography by Alexander Nishkov

    Greece

    A Memory of Tsar SamuilThe Prespa lakes lure with their crystal-clear waters,

    pelicans, churches and serenity

    Drive on for another 700 metres and turn left. Turn left,the disembodied female voice tells us. So we do turn leftbut then lose our way and end up driving around in circles again. And no wonder: never trust a GPS to give you directions,especially when youre abroad. Welcome to Greek Macedonia, aregion which (to the regret of some and the delight of others) hasvirtually no travel industry. And which has preserved traces of theerstwhile Bulgarian way of life, language and architecture. Afterall, this part of northern Greece was (with some interruptions)Bulgarian territory from the late 7th Century right up until theFirst Balkan War in 1912.

    We are on our way to the two Prespa lakes, a nature park withrare animal species and a place that keeps the memory of thefamous penultimate ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire, Samuil(997-1014), alive. The usual route is through Thessaloniki, Edessaand Florina, but obviously misdirected by our sat nav, we take amore roundabout road which, as we would eventually discover,turns out to be easier on the stomach. As we climb northwardstowards the lakes, the subtropical vegetation gradually gives wayto mountain woodland. Then a bend in the road reveals a viewthat makes us stand on the brakes: an expanse of emerald bluewater cupped between distant mountain slopes. Driving down

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    20/43

    20

    , .

    ().

    , , , . 11 , , 1888 . , . .

    Greece

    towards Little Lake Prespa, we take the turn to

    the village of Agios Germanos.

    Populated today by Slavs, Vlachs and Pontic Greeks, it is namedafter Patriarch German, the head of the Bulgarian OrthodoxChurch during the reign of Tsar Samuil. Standing out among theold stone houses in the village is the 11th Century mediaevalchurch of Agios Germanos (Saint German), famous for Samuils

    Inscription discovered in its foundations in 1888. The inscription wasengraved on a marble tombstone on Samuils orders, and carriesthe names of his father, Comita Nikola, his mother Ripsimia and hisbrother David. But the tombstone is no longer here it was movedto Sofia during the First World War and is now kept at the NationalMuseum of History.

    On the way to our next stop, the small island of Agios Achillios(Saint Achilleus) where the remains of the mediaeval city of Prespa

    . The church of Agios Germanos

    The island of Agios Achillios

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    21/43

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    22/43

    22

    Greece

    a monastery built between the 10th and the 16th centuries arewaymarked, and not just by the local cows.

    Even from a distance, the ruined Basilica of Agios Achilliosimpresses with its size its total built-up area is almost aquarter of an acre (1011 sq m). It is believed to be one of sevencathedral churches built on the orders of Prince Boris I (852-889)

    - , .

    986 . ,

    , , ( ) .

    . The basilica of Agios Achillios

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    23/43

    23

    Greece

    shortly after the conversion of the Bulgarians to Christianity in864. St Clement of Ohrid, the favourite disciple of SS Cyril andMethodius, the creators of the Slavonic alphabet, may even havepreached in it. Tsar Samuil extended the church to receive theBulgarian patriarch after the Byzantines conquered Bulgarias

    capital of Veliki Preslav in 971. The patriarchal church had anarthex and three aisles, separated by colonnades. It was enteredthrough seven doors. Inscribed on the apse were the namesof the 18 episcopates under the jurisdiction of the BulgarianPatriarchate. The throne of the relevant metropolitan (bishop)stood under each inscription, and that of the patriarch was in themiddle. The palace of the tsar probably rose higher up on the hillcalled Kaleto.

    In 986, Samuil took Larissa, the chief town of Thessaly, andtranslated the relics of the provinces patron saint, St Achilleus,to the basilica, so that the saint would protect (according toOrthodox mystic belief) the Bulgarian state. The cult of the

    saint has survived to the present day childless women comehere from afar to pray in the ruins of the church for a child and,when their prayers are answered, they bring it back and have itbaptised here.

    Poppies poke up through the ancient cobblestones, like dropsof blood from Samuils soldiers. After the 1014 Battle of Belasitsa,this is where Samuil met his 15,000 soldiers who had beencaptured and blinded by the Byzantine emperor Basil II, andwhere he died from a heart attack at the unbearable sight. In1969, a Greek archaeologist discovered Samuils grave and thegrave of his successor, Gavril Radomir (1014-1015), togetherwith approximately another 300 bodies buried around the

    basilica. Today, wild blackberries grow through the two stonesarcophaguses, and theres no sign to reveal their secret. A singlefaded and badly-scratched information board at the entrance,obviously placed there many years ago, talks about the site inGreek and English. In the phrase the tsar of Bulgaria, Samuil, thehand of a vandal has furiously scratched out the word Bulgaria.

    Basil Bulgaroctonus, or Slayer of the Bulgars, as Basil II came tobe known after the Battle of Belasitsa, preserved the basilica,the palace of Samuil and the surrounding fortress. They weredestroyed in 1073 by West European mercenaries during thesuppression of the uprising of Georgi Voiteh. The only survivingfrescoes are pale figures of saints; some frescoes are kept at

    the archaeological museum in Larissa. Most of the dome of thechurch is missing, but its acoustics remains just as impressive asit must have been in Samuils day, and so does the divine view ofthe lake.

    In the village of Psarades

    perched on the shore of Big Lake Prespa at the foot of Suha Gora,we see a new chapel its so beautiful that we feel like movingin straight away. Old women dressed in typical local style, withblack headscarves, striped aprons and the traditional cattlehide or pigskin boat-shaped shoes called tsarvuli, are bustling

    around. The square is lined with taverns, their tables in the openoffering a stunning view of the lake. We ask in Bulgarian wherewe can stay for the night. There are rooms, a large blue-eyedman tells us. We have no language problem. Nivitsi was a purely

    , .

    .

    1014 . 15 000 , II, , . 1969 . (1014-1015) 300 , . . - , , . .

    , . 1073 . . , . - , , .

    (),

    , , . , . , . . " ", . . , , 158 2001 ., . (60 ) .

    , . - , , , . ( ) 5 ( 30 ).

    , . 275 . , - 50 . . (

    ) . 20 3 . , . ,

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    24/43

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    25/43

    25

    Greece

    take us around the lake. We find this is the easiest thing in theworld it turns out that all men in the village who arent tavern-keepers are boatmen. Old German (Im named after the saint)approaches us while were still in the square and gives us a five-euro discount (a one-hour trip around the Greek part of the lake

    by motorboat costs 30 euros for a maximum of six tourists).

    Big Lake Prespa is divided between three countries: Greece,Macedonia and Albania. It has a total area of 275 sq km (106square miles), and reaches a depth of 50 m (164 ft). It is trulycrystal-clear, and supplies drinking water to all the border townsand villages. But here, too, climate change (to use a populareuphemism for what humans are doing to the planet) has leftits evil mark. The level of the lake has dropped by 3 m (almost10 ft) in the last 20 years. This is probably due not least to theunderground canals that link it to Lake Ohrid. The last twosnowless winters alone have caused a drop of a 1.5 m (almost 5ft), exposing a strip of round pebbles that encircle the shore like a

    white necklace.

    Along these unexpected beaches we can reach, even without aboat, three amazing chapels carved into the rocks by the lake.These are the hermitages of St Saviour (Metamorphosis), ofLittle Saviour (Mikri Analipsis) and, the loveliest one, of St Peter(Panaghia Eleoussa), which lies in a deep cave that looks like acats eye.

    Lazar speeds up the motorboat and almost cuts into a flockof pelicans resting on the water. Spreading their 3m (9.8 ft)

    ? The tomb of Tsar Samuil?

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    26/43

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    27/43

    27

    long wings, the magnificent pink-white birds fly off in apanic, together with their black cormorant companions. Wechase them as though in a computer game, intoxicated bythe speed. The pelicans follow the cormorants, which arestalking the fish mostly white bream and undermouth. Thecormorants dive and catch them, each cormorant keepingseveral fish in its stomach and occasionally spitting one outwhile flying the pelican behind it immediately gobbles upthe fish, the boatman explains. I never got to understand therole of the pelican in this unequal symbiosis. At the end ofSeptember the pelicans fly off to Africa, while the cormorants

    remain to spend the winter here, obviously delighted that theywont have to share their catch.

    On the way backto Thessaloniki we chose the shorter road down to Florina andregretted it. The road is well-asphalted but narrow, steep and fullof bends, which we had to take slowly and rhythmically like slalomskiers. I was in the back seat and felt like a softened metronomeplaced in a shaker an association that would please only SalvadorDali. But this ordeal enabled me to see how the Greeks, whoare much better off than us Bulgarians, are maintaining their ski

    resorts without megalomaniac ambitions. This is what Vigla (Bigla)is like: a ski centre with only two ski runs cut through narrow andsymmetrical openings in the forest, double chair lifts and cosywooden chalets.

    Greece

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    28/43

    28

    Golfng Gusto

    , Lighthouse Golf & SpaResort. ,

    .

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    29/43

    29

    Golfng Gustoby velina Ivanova photography the author

    A buggy ride

    by the sea

    Keen golfers in Bulgaria can now

    enjoy a third golf resort by the

    Black sea and a brand new golftournament

    Iam already known as the golf mayor of Bulgaria, thegovernor of Balchik, Nikolai Angelov, declared at the pressconference for the opening of the Lighthouse Golf & SpaResorts professional golf course. And although his statementwas meant as a joke, many recognised it as the truth.

    Next year the districts in the complex will be complete

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    30/43

    30

    Black Sea Rama Thracian Cliffs, 6 Lighthouse Golf & Spa. 90 Mercedes-

    Benz Open. 1988 ., Mercedes Trophy.

    Mercedes , 18 . , 41 . , , , .

    Lighthouse Ryder Cup 2006

    The luxury golf resorts of BlackSeaRama and Thracian Cliffsextend along the Balchik coastline and a third golf course that of the Lighthouse Golf & Spa complex opened itsdoors to visitors on 6 September. Ninety eager Bulgarian andEuropean golfers arrived especially for the event, testing theirswing at the countrys first Mercedes-Benz Open Tournament.

    The high-class automobile brand has supported amateur golfaround the world since 1988 when the Mercedes Trophy wasfirst launched.

    It took the participants in the Bulgarian Mercedes GolfChampionship about six hours, and a full set of clubs, tosuccessfully complete all 18 holes of the course. The starquality of Atanas Golomeev shone out and he snatchedthe trophy away in with his 41 points. All through thetournament I thought I was running in second place, and soI am really surprised by this win, the Bulgarian basketballlegend happily admitted.

    The golf terrain at the Lighthouse resort can prove a toughnut to crack even for high-level professionals such as IanWoosman captain of the winning European team in The2006 Ryder Cup and main designer of the resorts golf

    Mercedes Lighthouse Mercedes and Lighthouse make a winning combination

    Golfng Gusto

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    31/43

    31

    . , . 15 . , ,

    , Lighthouse.

    Lighthouse Golf Resort 1000 , 280 . 2009 . , ,

    . Lighthouse Palace , , , , . ,

    .

    course. Each hole has its peculiarities and one of the biggeststumbling blocks occurs at the very finish line. The parfor hole 15 is extremely difficult. This part of the course isfenced off with trees and your strike must be very straightif you dont want to lose the ball in the forest, explainsSwedish entrepreneur, Anders Svanng, a participant in the

    tournament and a property owner at Lighthouse.

    The Lighthouse Golf Resort extends over a territory of1000 decares, of which only 280 have been developed.The complex has five residential areas which will be fullycompleted in May 2009. The Green, Lake and Forest districtsare surrounded by the golf course, while the Marina andLighthouse districts are situated on rocks by the sea. Thefocal point of the complex is the five-star Lighthouse PalaceHotel, which will be equipped with a shopping area, spa& wellness centre, tennis court, both indoor and outdoorswimming pools, restaurants and bars. However, untilconstruction has been brought to a close, refreshments

    and gourmet delicacies will only be available at the resort'shacienda-style clubhouse.

    Mercedes-Benz OpenThe basketball legend Atanas Golomeev triumphs at the first Mercedes-Benz Open

    Golfng Gusto

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    32/43

    32

    The Chivas Snow Studio

    2006 . - Chivas Regal Premium ScotchWhisky , The Chivas Studio. . The Chivas Snow Studio , . The coolest golf tourna-

    ment in the world. (cool , ), , Chivas Snow Studio

    . , , , 50 ., 2800 , , - , !

    33% - , , , . 9, -. , .

    -

    Golfng Gusto

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    33/43

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    34/43

    34

    , , !

    Chivas , Los Tres . , , , Chivas Regal. , ,

    . , , . , ,

    - , , ,, , , , , . ChivasBrothers ( Pernod RicardBulgaria), ( - 9)

    ().

    Santiago is a dream destination

    Golfng Gusto

    covered with snow this place is a real paradise on Earth.

    The snow golf tournament in La Parva one of the mostattractive golf events in the world brought professionalplayers and amateurs from many Latin American countrieslike Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico,Panama, Uruguay and Venezuela together this year. The onlyEuropean representatives were English employees from theChivas Brothers' HQ in London and a small Bulgarian group,which included Pernod Ricard Bulgaria Sales Director VentsislavToskov, the best Bulgarian female golfer Iliana Dimitrova (with ahandicap of nine) and publisher Martin Zahariev.

    Veni, vidi, viciThe Chivas Snow Studio offered its guests not only a uniquegolf experience but also a rather attractive music showfeaturing the famous Latin American trio Los Tres and somelocal DJs with a brilliant house music selection. All this wasaccompanied by a modernistic interior, fusion cuisine andof course, the amber-coloured Chivas Regal. One could rightlyconclude that this is a place where dreams come true.

    Iliana Dimitrova dominated the ladies competition andproved that she was just as good on snow as on grass. OurBulgarian compatriot scored a decisive victory in the ChivasRegal Life Series beating many golf professionals, celebrities,

    journalists and guests from around the world. The result

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    35/43

    35

    Chivas Regal Life Series. , 24- 13 000 .

    . , , ( - ), . , , , 5 , , , . , , , . , 17 - ( 40% ) , 60 .

    . - , , , . , 12- 18- Chivas Regal .

    Golfng Gusto

    completely justified the tiring 24-hour flight from Sofia viaZrich to Sao Paolo (more than 13,000 km, or 8077 miles).The mild Scotch whisky and the outstanding hospitality of

    the event's organisers and our Chilean hosts quickly drownedaway any fatigue.

    Our innate scepticism and the uncertainty of what awaitedus in this New World country (one of the remotest SouthAmerican regions at that) melted away as soon as we landed.Santiago is a modern city, with an impressive downtown andskyscrapers of glass and metal, with luxury hotels and a realgolf course smack bang in between. It is situated only fiveminutes from the banks, fashionable malls and numerousboutiques, and boasts fantastic restaurants and unforgettableChilean red wines. Located in the Andean lowlands, Santiagois a unique mixture of Latin American culture, Caribbean

    flavours and Mediterranean charm. After nearly 17 yearsof democracy and booming economic development, wewere surprised to discover that Chile is the biggest copperore exporter in the world (with 40 percent of the worldsreserves). Together with its structurally important economicsectors fishery, forestry and wine production Chileanexport revenues for the last year amount to nearly 60 billionUS dollars.

    The country of Nobel Prize laureate Pablo Neruda turned outto be a real find for us. Just an hour away from the capital youcan ski in three of the most exclusive Latin American resorts,and if you travel an extra hour in the opposite direction, you

    can sunbathe on the Pacific coast.A truly marvellous and exotic offer for your next vacationwhich, in combination with a glass of 12- or 18-year-oldChivas Regal whisky, will prove a feast for the senses.

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    36/43

    Chivas Regal Flowers for the winner in the Womens Chivas Regal Snow Tournament

    Golfng Gusto

    Iliana Dimitrovaon her first snow golf trophy

    ?, . , , . . . .

    , . , . , , ,

    Was this your first snow golf tournament? Yes, it was my first such tournament. Ive played in manygolf competitions around the world at magnificent golfcomplexes, but they have always been on grass. Thats whyI was a bit anxious before the competition. It was hard forme to get used to the whiteness of the terrain. The othergolfers were familiar with snow golf and I could see that theirmoves were rather effortless. We did not have much time for

    warming up either and I could not predict how the ball wouldmove on the course or how to define the slope of the fairway.Yet I gradually realized that the principles of the game werethe same. The ball rolls differently on the snow, the rhythmis not the same and your strike changes but you are familiar

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    37/43

    37

    Golfng Gusto

    .

    ? ,

    10.

    ? , , . . 100 , Chivas Regal . , .

    - ? , , . , . . -, - . -, . - , -

    . , . , . -. , .

    ? . , . .

    , ? 8 . , , . . . , . . . , . , - . , , .

    , - , . ,- , . .

    with everything else, including the anxiety of having to play anew course or the need for utmost concentration.

    Was it a keen competition?Some really good golfers, boasting a handicap 10, were in my

    group.

    How did you manage to take the upper hand?My experience has taught me that when you are overambitious and concentrate on winning alone, successsomehow slips away. A game of golf takes a long time and itis crucial that you keep your concentration till the very end.It is not like running 100 meters or swimming a few laps inthe pool, the game may drag on for hours the Chivas Regalsnow tournament took us three and a half hours to complete.You define your own rhythm and if you are excessivelyambitious you inevitably start making more mistakes.

    What are the main differences between the white and thegreen golf?Those familiar with golf know that when the ball approachesthe hole the flag must be removed from it. Hitting the flagis considered an offense that carries penalty shots. This ruledoes not apply to snow golf flags remain staunchly in theholes. The diametre of the hole is also slightly bigger, yetthat does not make it an easier target. The white course ismore slippery, with more rough areas in some cases you areallowed to use a brush on some of the fairways. Spikes areone of the most important elements in a golfers equipmentas they ensure stability on the grass surface. Yet no spikesare allowed on the snow course and different shoes are used

    instead. Hence its not unusual to slip or lose your balance andthus spoil the trajectory of your shot. The sun is blinding onthe white course. I had taken all necessary precautions but Istill got sunburns from the exposure to the sun during thosefew hours of playing.

    Is there a strong rivalry in golf?As with any sport, there is the desire to win. However, youcannot be aggressive in golf as you do not have a directcompetitor. You compete with yourself and the golf coursethat unfolds before you.

    How did you take up this game?

    I started some 8 years ago. We were an all Bulgarian group often people and we were very good friends. We did not haveany golf instructors and learned from each other. Back thenthere were no proper golf courses and we practiced on thedriving range of the Sports Academy in Sofia. We watchedcompetitions on television; we took long weekends andtravelled to a golf course in Istanbul. In the beginning, golflooked like a very difficult sport to me and I was on the vergeof giving up. No one wanted to play with me because I wasthe weakest player in the group. I felt so lonely and I wasabout to quit when some of my friends took pity on me andstarted playing with me. At my very first golf tournament,

    involving foreign diplomats in Bulgaria, I ranked last and I wasawarded a pair of roller skates. I took it as a hint that Id betterroller skate than practice golf. But the next year I got thetrophy in the same tournament.

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    38/43

    38

    Food Prepared and photographed by Alexander Nishkov

    Fish Soup

    . , ! , , , . , . ...

    :

    1/2 , 2 , 2-3 , 2 , 2 , 2 , 1 , , , , , .

    Many gourmands rightfully regard the preparation of fish soup as the pin-nacle of culinary art. And dont say that this is the wrong time of year

    for it! If your tongue is still sore from tiny fish bones or if the taste of thetart and pricy liquid you were served at the seaside still lingers in your mouth now is the time to rectify it. This recipe is brought to you by our in-flightmagazine photographer Alexander Nishkov. When he is not behind his cam-era, he is always in the kitchen which means we spend a lot of time lickingour fingers

    Ingredients

    500 grammes (about 18 oz) of any cartilaginous fish, 2 small mackerels, 2-3

    large onions, 2 medium potatoes, 2 small carrots, 2 small tomatoes, 1 greenpepper, 3-4 bay leaves, lovage, parsley, cooking sea salt, black pepper andfresh lemon peel.

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    39/43

    39

    Food

    :

    1,5 .

    , , . , , , . , . , . .

    .

    .

    !

    Preparation

    Put the fish, along with the bay leaves and the black pepperin 1.5 litres (about 2.6 pints) of cold, salted water. When the

    water starts to boil take out the fish and remove the bones.Strain the bouillon and leave it to simmer. Cut the onionsin half and roast them on a hot plate until they acquire agolden crust. Add them to the bouillon along with the carrots,which should also be roasted and scored. Cut the rest of thevegetables into small cubes, add them and the lemon peel tothe broth and boil. When everything is well cooked, add thefish and lovage to the mix and boil everything for another 10minutes. Your soup is ready. Serve it hot and garnished withsprigs of parsley.Consuming this broth with alcohol is not recommended.

    Enjoy your meal!

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    40/43

    40

    Art , by Evelina Ivanova, photography Alexander Nishkov

    Dreams of aCertain Order

    Vigorous and vivid, the still lives of

    Bulgarian abstractionist Edmond

    Demirdjian are the image of their

    creator

    13 . , , - ... . , .

    , .

    , , , . (1971 .), ,, . , , , , ,

    .

    1995 . - . , , 2006 . .

    . .

    , , 2005 . 1 ModernDrummer Magazine.

    Tucked away on 13 March Street in Sofia, Edmond 'Edi'Demirdjian's gallery is infused with cosiness and highspirits. Fruits, vegetables, flowers and geometrical shapesco-exist in the artists newest exhibition entitled Still Life My Dream of an Order All four walls are covered with large,dream-like colour canvases. Fruit dishes of a quirky shape andflashing colours are home to a host of fairy-tale characters a

    black lemon and a yellow watermelon embark on a friendlysquabble, while a rosy apple is restlessly flirting with anonchalant and entirely brown pear.

    It's easy to lose count of Edmond Demirdjians exhibitions, asthey form part of a biography that is more than impressive.After graduating from the department of Mural Painting at theNational Academy of Arts in Sofia (1971), Edi began workingintensively in the sphere of drawing, painting, collage andgraphic art. His canvases toured the art galleries of Sofia,Varna, Plovdiv, Brussels, Stockholm, Luxemburg and Rome. Intime, his talent was spotted overseas and in 1995 he receivedthe Pollack Krassner grant and an American green card

    awarded to "persons of extraordinary ability". I am probablythe only Bulgarian who has returned his green card, jokes Edi,but I decided I could not live there permanently and gave upmy US citizenship.

    However, his decision to turn his back on the country of'endless possibilities' has not prevented him from fullydeveloping his artistic gift. Today, his paintings adorn thehalls of all the state galleries in Bulgaria as well as the homesof many local and foreign celebrities. And when he is notstirring up mutli-coloured fantasies with his brush andpalette, Edi is jazzing it up on his unique drum kit, proclaimed

    Americas best kit for July 2005 by the prestigious US ModernDrummermagazine. I have all kinds of drums and manyAfrican and Cuban percussion instruments, ranging fromcongas and bongos to cow bells and djembe, Edi proudly

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    41/43

    41

    Art

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    42/43

    42

    Art

    , , . - - .

    - , Standards e .

    ,

    ? . . . . ,- , .

    . , ,

    states and his satisfaction is well-grounded. He has performedhis own musical compositions at the biggest jazz festivals in thecountry (including Bansko and Haskovo) as well as in some ofthe capitals most popular nightclubs. Edi has also played withthe jazz-fusion legend Peter Erskine and the cover of Erskines

    new disc Standards is the work of no other than the Bulgarianabstractionist.

    Is there anything that your music and paintings share?I use them both to tell stories. Music often gives me an idea fora canvas and vice versa. And both arts cant do without rhythm.Yesterday, for example, I was performing one of my musicalplays and the concept for a new painting occurred to me.Its hard to explain what it looks like its a series of abstractbiological and geometric shapes that tell a story and trigger acertain emotion.

    Usually any combination of abstract elements puts you in a

    certain mood. If now I draw a white and a black circle, they willaffect you in one particular way, but if I add a red circle to thecomposition, you will get a completely different impression. The

    joke and the idea behind the two drawings are not the same.

  • 8/9/2019 A memory of Tsar Samuil - Prespa region

    43/43

    Art

    , . , .

    . ?

    , . , , . : ! , -: ? ,. , , . , .

    , . , .

    , : , , , , , --...

    ?, .

    . . , , .

    ?. 1988 , . , , ,, , ... , . , , ,

    . , , . , .

    . . , , . : ,

    You define your style as 'fantastic expressionism'. What

    exactly do you mean by this?I represent the objects in my paintings in a fantastic manner they are not an ideal replica of reality but only resemble it.My paintings are not purely abstract but border on the real.Somehow pure abstractions keep you at a distance, as iftheyre saying: "I dont care what you think of me". There isno such detachment in my art, the message I send is rather"Do you get my meaning?" For example, the shapes in mystill lives resemble those of actual fruits you can distinguishthe contours of an apple, a lemon Sure, I could draw themexactly as they are but that will make them rather trite. I tryto escape pure realism because I want to give my works thepersonal touch.

    My aim is not to limit viewers perceptions but rather to allowthem to rearrange and further develop my paintings in their

    fantasy. The viewers interpretation is a job well done for meas it means that people have seen something of their own inthe canvases.

    In all other respects my technique makes me an expressionist;I use bright colours, many symbols and various contrasts Icombine thick with smooth brush work, whites and blacks,warm with cold colours, small and big shapes, vertical,horizontal and diagonal lines

    Why a still life exhibition?I decided that autumn is very appropriate for still lifes. This ismy favourite season and I find it very romantic. Next month

    I might decide to draw a series of landscapes or fishes. Thisexposition is like a midway stop for me, a stage I need to gothrough in order to go forward.

    Has your artistic approach to the classical genre of still life

    changed?It certainly has. There was a period, up until 1988, when I wassearching for my true self. Then I took lessons from Picasso,Czanne, Van Gogh, Chagall, Kandinsky, Miro Afterwards, Iturned to myself and started to develop my own style. Now,it does not take people long to recognise my paintings whenthey see them. I think Im very lucky in that respect becauseI have a face. Just imagine the millions of painters there are

    around the world and how hard it is for an artist to find aniche of his own.

    My early paintings show my youthful meanderings andstumbling. They are full of allusions and citations from theCubists, the Fauvists Yet they prove that todays clearlydistinguishable style of Edmond was not bestowed on himone Friday afternoon but is the result of much experienceand many lessons learnt. There are three stages in theformation of an artists style; an in-depth analysis of theinformation provided by the genius master painters beforehim, experimentation with this information and adopting it to