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Coordinates: 41°58′58″N 25°43′9″E / 41.98278°N 25.71917°E / 41.98278; 25.71917

Hunting scene on the main chamber fresco

The Aleksandrovo tomb is a Thracian burial mound and tomb excavated near Aleksandrovo, Haskovo Province, South-Eastern Bulgaria, dated to circa 4th century BCE.

On December 17, 2000 the tomb was accidentally uncovered by an earth-moving machine.^[1] Looters subsequently entered the tomb, damaging some of its frescoes. In 2001 Bulgarian archaeologist Georgi Kitov led a rescue excavation of the tomb, discovering a round chamber of about 3 meters (10 ft) in diameter, accessible through a small antechamber and a tunnel, approximately 6 meters (20 ft) long. Both the antechamber and main chamber are decorated with well-preserved frescoes that reflect the artist's knowledge of Late Classical and Early Hellenistic art.^[2] The fresco in the main chamber depicts a hunting scene where a boar is attacked by a mounted hunter and a naked man wielding a double-axe. The double-axe is interpreted as representing royal power^[1], the naked man as representing Zalmoxis, the Thracian solar god corresponding to Zeus.

A graffito in the chamber inscribed with the Thracian name Kozemases indicates either the tomb's noble patron^[2] or its artist.^[3]

The Thracian tomb of Alexandrovo is dated at early 4th century BC^[4]. Wall paintings exhibit the change in appearance due to Greek influence^[5]. In the wall-paintings beards, tattoos, cloaks, boots, hats, top-knots have disappeared^[6]. Greek footwear replaces their boots^[7].

The tomb may be that of Triballi^[8]. Also other changes are seen such as Thracians wearing gold or bronze torcs around their necks (usually three)^[9].

[edit] See also

• Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
• Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari

[edit] Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Webber, Christopher. "The Alexandrovo Tomb and other Recent Discoveries", Slingshot 216, July 2001, pp 47-50
2. ^ ^{a b} Theodossiev, Nikola, "The tholos tomb at Alexandrovo: Thracian funerary paintings in a broader context", 2005
3. ^ Petrov, Irko. "The Thracian Tomb in Aleksandrovo", Haskovo, 2007
4. ^ The Thracians 700 BC-AD 46 (Men-at-Arms) by Christopher Webber and Angus McBride,2001,ISBN-10:1841763292,page 19
5. ^ The Thracians 700 BC-AD 46 (Men-at-Arms) by Christopher Webber and Angus McBride,2001,ISBN-10:1841763292,page 19
6. ^ The Thracians 700 BC-AD 46 (Men-at-Arms) by Christopher Webber and Angus McBride,2001,ISBN-10:1841763292,page 19
7. ^ The Thracians 700 BC-AD 46 (Men-at-Arms) by Christopher Webber and Angus McBride,2001,ISBN-10:1841763292,page 19
8. ^ The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume 6: The Fourth Century BC (Hardcover) by D. M. Lewis,ISBN-10-0521233488,1994,page 463
9. ^ The Thracians 700 BC-AD 46 (Men-at-Arms) by Christopher Webber and Angus McBride,2001,ISBN-10:1841763292,page 19

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