Bird images in the mosaics of Late Antique basilicas in the town of Sandanski (Blagoevgrad Region, SW Bulgaria)

Zlatozar Boev

doi:10.48027/hnb.41.02001

Abstract

This paper presents and analyses for the first time all data on bird images of two Late Antique basilicas of the Roman period (5th-6th c. AD) in the town of Sandanski (SW Bulgaria). A total of eight species have been recognised on the floor mosaics of both basilicas: Anas platyrhynchos, Bucephala clangula, Dendrocygna viduata, Nettapus coromandelianus, Marmaronetta angustirostris, Porphyrio porphyrio, Psittacula krameri, and Sypheotides indicus. Exotic birds of Palaeotropic (Ethiopian) and Indomalayan (Oriental) distribution confirm once again the active ancient Roman contacts with East and Trans-Saharan Africa and the Hindustan Peninsula.

Highlights

The town of Sandanski is located in the Petrich-Sandanski kettle and was inhabited from about 2200 BC
This paper presents and analyses for the first time all data on bird images of two Late Antique basilicas of the Romаn period
A total of eight species have been recognised on the floor mosaics of both basilicas: Anas platyrhynchos, Bucephala clangula, Dendrocygna viduata, Nettapus coromandelianus, Marmaronetta angustirostris, Porphyrio porphyrio, Psittacula krameri, and Sypheotides indicus

Summary

Introduction

The town of Sandanski is located in the Petrich-Sandanski kettle and was inhabited from about 2200 BC. Its ancient built area was situated within the present territory of the town. Its height in the Antiquity was in 4th–6th century AD when it was an important Christian centre (Petkov, 2006). Ancient mosaics of both studied monuments decorated two important Christian temples – the Bishop’s Basilica (in the Early Christianity Complex, uncovered in 1967), evaluated as the most valuable building in the town (middle of 4th–middle of 6th century) and measured as 22 | 36 m. During that period Sandanski was a main economic and cultural centre in the region. It played an important role in the dissemination of the Christianity

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Conclusion