Archaeologists in Bulgaria have uncovered a rare marble carving depicting the mother goddess Cybele alongside three nymphs at an ancient temple believed to have been destroyed by fire around 1,500 years ago.
The discovery was made at the Balak Dere archaeological site near Ivaylovgrad, close to the Arda River, by a team led by archaeologist Ivaylo Kanev of Bulgaria’s National Museum of History.
The carving features four ancient female figures in an arrangement researchers say offers further insight into religious practices at the site.
The temple is believed to have been used for pagan worship from the third century AD before being destroyed by fire around the middle of the fifth century.
Researchers have not established whether the fire was deliberate, although the destruction occurred during a period when Christianity was spreading and pagan religious practices were declining in the region.
The sanctuary’s location near the river and the presence of a surrounding water channel have also drawn attention to the possibility that the site was associated with the worship of nymphs.
The temple itself measured approximately 49 feet and contained three distinct rooms.
Archaeological work at Balak Dere began in 2004 and has revealed evidence of human activity spanning several centuries, including Roman and medieval remains.
Researchers say the latest discovery adds to understanding of ancient Thracian religious traditions and how pagan beliefs persisted as religious practices changed across the region.
The marble carving provides another piece of evidence for archaeologists studying the site’s history and the religious traditions of its former inhabitants.
