The squares and temples of Perperikon were adorned with full-length statues, the recently discovered fragments of figures show, the head of the research, Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov, told journalists.
According to him, the finds from the 3rd-5th centuries are not representative, but for the rock city they are something “epochal". The archaeologist added that such architecture is not typical for a mountain city. He added, quoted by BTA, that it is not clear whether the statues in question were of gods, people or depicted something else due to the lack of discovered inscriptions on them or on the discovered pedestal.
Prof. Ovcharov specified that the finds were discovered around the rotunda-type mausoleum discovered this summer. According to him, the statues were desecrated and it is not possible to determine exactly where the monuments themselves were located.
„However, the left side is certainly visible on one of them. Here is the hand, the shoulder of the hand, which is raised up, a little from the chest... it is a male figure, without a doubt“, the archaeologist also said. He added that the second piece found was most likely from a statue of an animal.
Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov added that in the rock city, columns, capitals, cornices were found in the so-called by him “perperikon style“, which is not distinguished by artistic qualities.
„But it is a fact that they tried... to achieve the splendor of the cities in the plain, of the large cities in the plain. So for us - I'm talking about historians and archaeologists, it is an extremely important step in unraveling the mystery called Perperikon,“ noted Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov.