Gothic amulet found at Bulgaria’s Perperikon

A Gothic amulet with a swastika dedicated to Odin, supreme god of the Germanic tribes, has been discovered by archaeologists at Bulgaria’s ancient holy site of Perperikon near Kurdjali.

The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon [Credit: bulgariainside.com]

It is believed that the amulet belonged to a warrior who participated in the capture of the rock city 17 centuries ago, Bulgarian National Television quoted archaeological expedition leader Professor Nikolai Ovcharov as saying.

The amulet was one of the first discoveries as the new archaeological season got underway. Another was a bronze cross estimated to date from the 11th century.

Ovcharov said that the end of the fourth century CE was a dramatic period in the history of Perperikon when it was conquered by Goths. 

At the time, the barbarians took on Roman legions near Edirne, killing the emperor Valens and going on to ravage the Balkan peninsula, including capturing and burning Perperikon. 

The team of 100 led by Ovcharov is working at Perperikon this year for three months. 

Ovcharov said that the team was close to its goal of completing a study of the acropolis at Perperikon. This year sees work on the eastern sector. 

This is the 12th year that Ovcharov’s team is working at Perperikon, the site of a settlement in the Rhodope mountains estimated to date back 7000 years.

Source: The Sofia Echo [July 14, 2011]