THE ROCK CULT PLATFORM

 

           220 m southwestern from “Badjaliata” the left shore of the dry river valley is bordered by second limestone garland, in which natural caves and sunshades are registered. A cap-formed rock 13 m high have been  moved out from it to the dry river valley. Its peak is thoroughly cut, and as a result it is perfectly even.

In this way a platform in trapezium-shaped form has been made, oriented by the world directions with a maximum length of 4.10 m and a maximum width of 2.70 m. Exactly in the middle a deep channel with a width of 0,15 m and a depth of 0,40 m has been cut. It is oriented north-south with a 8° diversion to the West. In the center of the channel a nest has been additionally fixed, probably for mooring a wooden strut . From the platform a wide view is revealed and a direct visual connection is established with the alter of the “Badjaliata”, the throne, the hill necropolis (on the peak of the high plateau by the road Silistra-Varna) and the third rock garland in northeastern direction (samples 1).
           On the last one a fourth stationary archeological structure has been explored. I assume that the so called cult platform opposite of “Badjaliata” served for astronomical observations, related with the astrological practices of the worshipers of Zalmoksis.
           Indeed do the cycles, related with the disap-pearance of Zalmoksis in the underground cave and his appearance, as also the periodical sacrifices of chosen messengers, enforce a deep look in the vault of heaven and complicated astronomical calcula-tions. The first observa-tions have been already done for the heaven symbolic in the archeological objects in Sborianovo (the capital with the king’s necropolis of The Getae” , Mostovo (Plovdiv) , the nearby sanctuary by the village Hrabrovo (Balchik) (the channels are analogous with those by “Badjaliata”) and monuments of The Getae in Romania and Moldova . One has even identified Thracian rock observatories (Mostovo, Hrabrovo), to which the rock platform opposite of “Badjaliata” can be possibly  added.

           Therefore, it is reasonable, that recently D. Popov has paid attention to the fact, that in the lands of The Getae and particularly in northeastern Bulgaria  ”... From now on objects of the archeo-astronomy will be found and interpreted” . I think that the monuments around “Badjaliata” in full strength reply to such expectations.