THE ROCK TEMPLE

 

            Probably the big cave “Badjaliata” is initially accepted as a not made by human hand divine temple and in this quality here were done cult actions and mysteries since high antiquity.
Naturally the expunged plain around the ancient river, bordered by rock garlands and caves, is limited by a bank and so the sacred Г-formed territory temenos is framed. Approximately in its center remains the big natural cave “Badjaliata”, which rises above the high right shore of the dry river valley, branch of Taban. From the foot to the rock garland a pathway is cut, which expands and lays horizontally by the approach to the rock structures. It leads to a natural tunnel, which marks the beginning of the rock sanctuary.

           The grooves, formed by the entrance witness, that the tunnel has been closed by a door anchored in the rock wooden. The Г-formed gallery leads to a horizontally cut pathway, which leads to a large natural cave with measurements 18,80 x 8,50 x 7,60 m.. Near the entrance of the cave a cultural horizonhas been registered with ceramics and traces of a fireplace. Here have been found 7 silver drachmas, cut in Istria and three Roman republic dinars from the I-II A.C. On the right in the cave is the most thoroughly cut room in the complex - a deep elliptical in section and half-eliptical in plan alter (measurements: width 5,15 m, depth 6,00 m and height 2,00 - 3,20 m), the floor of which is perfectly even. In its foot the rock pathway is winded and so an original  platform is formed. Under it a 20 m deep abyss is revealed, which reaches the level of the dry river valley. Here as a result of the centuries-old sacrifices on the platform in front of the alter of the rock temple in the lowland a cultural layer is piled up with a diameter of about 22 m. And depth between 1.70 m (near the rock) and 3.30 m (in the lowland). Here an archeological drilling has been set with a width of 5 m