Скално-култов комплекс с.Бенковски, Ancient Thracian sanctuary near Benkovski, Bulgaria
The Benkovski rock sanctuary is a natural shrine featuring carved stone formations spread across several square kilometers between three villages. Volcanic rock displays worked niches, channels, and depression shapes that reveal human intervention dating back thousands of years.
The site dates to the Early Iron Age when Thracian peoples carved these rocks for religious ceremonies and burial practices. The successive use of this location across centuries shows how it remained an important center for ancient communities.
The site holds meaning for the surrounding communities as a place where ancient spiritual traditions shaped the landscape itself. Local people view these carved rocks as a tangible connection to the ancestors who lived here.
The site is accessible from Benkovski village and equipped with information panels and signs to help you navigate the area. Since the sanctuary spreads across open terrain with uneven ground, wearing sturdy shoes and bringing water are practical considerations.
The rocks contain numerous kidney-shaped depressions of varying depths that puzzle researchers about their precise purpose. These unusual carved forms suggest ancient people developed specialized techniques for creating features that served specific ritual or practical needs.
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