Scordisci Swords From Northwestern Bulgaria

Of the later Celtic material from Thrace, most remarkable is a dense concentration of La Tne C/D swords recorded over the last 100 years between the Timok and Iskar rivers in todays northwestern Bulgaria (Popov 1922, 1924; Mikov 1932/33, 1933; Velkov 1957; Milchev 1958; Nikolov 1965, 1981, 1990, 1993; Alexandrov 1975, 1983; Wozniak 1975; Werner 1977; Petrov 1978; Tacheva-Hitova 1978; Domaradski 1984; Torbov 2000 with cited lit.; see also Paunov 2012). By the end of the 20th century over 60 such swords had been registered in this area of northwestern Bulgaria alone the largest concentration of such Celtic material in Europe. From the La Tne C1 period examples include those from Popitza or Dobrolevo, which are typologically identical to Celtic swords found in northeastern Bulgaria at sites such as Dolez, Isperich, Lesicheri and Kazanlak / Seuthopolis, while examples from the LT C2 period from northwestern Bulgaria, such as those from Koynare or Enitza, are identical to examples from Scordisci territory in neighboring Serbia, and fall into the Belgrad 2 / Mokronog 2-4 category of Celtic swords (Torbov 2000). However, it is from the La Tne D period (late 2nd / 1st c. BC) that the majority of these swords date. This coincides chronologically with the period of the Scordisci Wars between the Thracian Celts and Rome, and represents further evidence of the militarization of Balkan society during this troubled period.

Material from the Scordisci Warrior Burial at Montana (n.w. Bulgaria) (RGZM Inv. # 0.42301/01-08)

As with the aforementioned LT C2 swords, examples from the La Tne D period are again identical to Scordisci swords found in neighboring Serbia, in this case falling into the Belgrad 3/Mokronog 5-6 category of Celtic swords (Torbov op cit). Examples of such in northwestern Bulgaria include those discovered at sites such as Kriva Bara, Stubel, Bistrilitza, Montana (all Montana region), or Altimir, Chiren, Galatin, Galiche, Dobrusha, Komarevo, Krivodol, Kruschovitza, Mizia, Osen, Ostrov, Tarnava, Sofrienovo, Varbeschnitza, or Mezdra (all Vratza reg.). At the latter site 4 Celtic swords of this type were registered, indicating multiple burials (loc cit). The concentration of finds of Celtic iron swords (and other material of La Tne D type) is most intense along the valleys of the Ogosta, Skut and Vit rivers in northwestern Bulgaria, where a high density of Celtic coin hoards is also to be observed (Paunov 2012).

Scordisci Sword Scabbard from Kopanata Tumulus (Pavolche) Vratza reg. (Detail; after Megaw 2004) The scabbard is decorated in the Hungarian Sword Style (Megaw 2004:100) which is a product of the eastern Celtic expansion (Szab, Petres 1992). The decoration includes the split palmettes and circular tendrils and has parallels in Celtic scabbards from Slovenia, Croatia and Transdanubia (Todorovi 1968; Szab, Petres 1992: cat # 37/41; Megaw op cit). Also found in the burial was a short curved sword machaira examples of which have also been found in Celtic burials in Serbia (Todorovi op cit, Zotovi 2007), and at
Kamburovo (Targovischte region) in northern Bulgaria (Wozniak 1974, App. 1 #79; Domaradski 1984, obr. 35).

Distribution of Celtic Weapons in N.W. Bulgaria (after Paunov 2012)

ACCIDENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY

It should be noted that these swords, as with the vast majority of Celtic material from Bulgaria, have been discovered, not by archaeologists, but by local treasure hunters i.e. the 60+ Celtic swords from this small area of northwestern Bulgaria between the Timok and Iskar rivers have simply appeared in the local museums (Torbov 2000). It is also remarkable that in no case have archaeological excavations been subsequently conducted in the areas where this Celtic material was discovered.

The case of the Scordisci swords from northwestern Bulgaria also raises other fundamental questions. If such a massive amount of Celtic swords, and other weapons, have been discovered accidentally by locals, how much more Celtic material from this and other areas of Bulgaria still lies unpublished in the vaults of the local museums, or in the hands of private individuals?

On this phenomenon see also: https://www.academia.edu/4136789/Celtic_Coinage_from_Bulgaria__The_Material_Evidence

Literature Cited

. (1984) a . . Megaw J.V.S. (2004) In the footsteps of Brennos? Further archaeological evidence for Celts in the Balkans. In: Hnsel B., Studenikova E., (eds.) Zwischen Karpaten und gis. Neolithikum und ltere Bronzezeit. Gedenkschrift fr Viera Nemejcova-Pavukova. Rahden / Westf. 93-107. Paunov E. (2012) From Koine To Romanitas: The Numismatic Evidence For Roman Expansion And Settlement In Bulgaria In Antiquity (Moesia and Thrace, ca. 146 BC AD 98/117) Phd. Thesis. School of History, Archaeology and Religion. Cardiff University. November 2012 Szab M., Petres E. (1992) Decorated weapons of the La Tne Iron Age in the Carpathian Basin. Inv. Praehist Hungariae 5. Budapest. Todorovi J. (1968) Kelti u jugoistonoj Europi. Dissertationes 7. Beograd. . (2000) II-I . . . . In: , . 28 2000 . p. 11-33 Werner J. (1977) Spatlatene schwerter norischer herkunft (B) Ausklang der laten Zivilisation und Anfange der germanischen Besiedelung im mittleren Donaugebiet. Bratislava 1977: 367 401 Woniak Z. (1974) Wschodnie pogranicze kultury Latenskiej. Wroclaw-Warszava-KrakowGdansk Zotovi R. (2007) Social and Cultural Aspects of the burial Krajinoviiv -Slana Voda (South-West Serbia, Mid II c. BC). Acta Septemcastrensis, VI, 1.

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