Pistiros

Emporion Pistiros is situated in the territory of the city of Vetren, municipality of Septemvri, district of Pazardzhik, between the northern slopes of the Rhodopi Mountain and the foothill of Sredna Gora Mountain, in the westernmost part of the Maritsa river valley.

The excavations of the archaeological site on the left bank of Maritsa began in 1988. They led to the discovering of a big trade centre – emporion Pistiros – that had had a main part in the economical and cultural life in Ancient Thrace.Emporion Pistiros, a name taken from the ancient Greek inscription discovered in 1990, was founded by Thasian merchants. It sustained intensive relations with the main economical centers in Aegean Thrace.

How it was possible to found a strongly fortified Greek city so far inland, even if apparently accessible for small boats on the Hebrus river, needs an explanation. The first idea, expressed by the Professor Mieczyslaw Domaradzki that the city was also a royal residence of the sub-king of the Upper Thrace, has little probability. No palace, nothing like hierarchy known from smaller sites – thurseis, or from Seuthopolis, has not been uncovered at Pistiros, and M. Domardzki changed his mind soon after the famous inscription was found. Only very few scholars, among them G. Tsetskhladze, still expressed such opinion still in late nineties. The problem of identification of the place as Emporion Pistiros is also the most probable solution, as shown by further survey at the Roman Bona Mansio, some 3 km away. Apparently the city walls of the emporion served as quarry when building the Roman mansio, and a large number of stones used for the construction of Bona Mansio can easily be identified as coming from the emporion city walls: alternative explanations have therefore much less credibility.

The archaeological finds make it clear that Pistiros was founded during the reign of the first kings of the Odrysian kingdom, Teres I or Sitalkes. Under Amadocus I the emporion already exists and maintains wide trade contacts. Under Cotys I (383/2-359 BC) and his successors, the Thasian, Apollonian, and Maroneian traders obtain guarantees, included in the "Vetren inscription", concerning the integrity of their life, property and activity. This status coincides with the period of zenith for Pistiros.

The excavations uncovered the East fortification wall with a gate, towers, and a bastion, built of stone blocks on the analogy of Thasian fortification system, as well as stone-paved streets, buildings with stone bases, and well-constructed sewerage. The archaeological excavations outlined the following phases of the site:

I phase (second half of the 5th c. – end of the first quarter of the 4th century BC): foundation of the emporion, building of the fortification system, pavement of the first streets, building of the drainage system.II phase (second quarter - end of the 4th century BC): reconstruction in the site’s plan, connected with the reign of King Kotyis I, heyday of Pistiros, regulations concerning the statute of Pistiros and its emporitai in the Vetren inscription.III phase (3rd – beginning of the 2nd century BC): burning down and destruction of Pistiros by the Celts in the late 3rd century BC as well as its transformation in metal production centre.

That co-existence between the Greeks and Thracians got them closer and made them allies to a certain extent. The grave inscriptions of Greeks originating from Apollonia and Maroneia, discovered in Pistiros, and the names incised on pottery (graffiti) both of Thracians and Greeks prove that the people from Pistiros were not homogenous ethnically.Adjacent to the territory of emporion Pistiros are the Bessoi, the clan-keeper of the Dionysian sanctuary in the Rhodopes. Dionysos as a God, and the Bessi, on His behalf, patronized and ensured the peaceful life and activity of the emporitai in the Upper Thrace. The oath taken in Dionysos’ name by King Cotys I and his successor, according to the Vetren inscription, represents additional proof for the significance of that cult in the official ideology of the Odrysian state.The excavations provided a lot of evidence regarding the cult practices in Pistiros. There were found preserved or fragmented clay altars with various form and decoration (few of them preserved in situ), cult zoomorphic figurines made of clay or stone, clay anthropomorphic figurines, miniature artifacts and portable hearths (pyraunoi), etc. More than 1000 copper and silver coins discovered during the excavations in Pistiros shed light on its internal and external trade contacts. This is the unique numismatic complex, till present day, discovered during ordinary excavations where the coinage of several Thracian rulers is represented, e.g. Amadocus I, Bergaios, Cotys I, Amadocus II, Teres II, Cersobleptes, Seuthes III. Here are also found coins from Greek city-states, e.g. Thasos, Maroneia, Parion, Thracian Chersonese, Kypsela, Enos, Apollonia, Messembria, Damastion, Sermyle, Kardia.
Teres 450 BC - 431 BC

Moreover the coinage of Ancient Macedonian and Hellenistic rulers is represented (Philip II, Alexander III the Great, Cassandros, Demetrios Poliorketes, Lysimachos, Seleucus I, etc.). In 1999 another fundamental discovery was made – a collective find consisting of 552 silver and gold coins issued by Alexander the Great, Demetrios Poliorketes, Lysimachos and Seleucus I.

The inhabitants of this antique centre imported luxury pottery from Attic workshops for their domestic usage. Among the painted pottery discovered in Pistiros, prevailing are those vessels of krater and scyphos types, more rare are those of kylix and pelike types. On the vessels are depicted scenes of everyday life, mythology, leisure, and games of Ancient Greeks. Regarding their variety, better are represented black glazed, e.g. scyphoi, kanthaoroi, bows and one-handled cups, kylices and various shapes of latter type, lekythoi, and fish plates. The import of luxurious Attic pottery in Pistiros was interrupted about the mid III century BC. This trend is typical for whole Thracian plain.

Among the good number fragments of amphorae prevail those manufactured in Thasian workshops or in those belonging to the peraea of Thasos. Various patterns of autochthonous pottery – handmade or wheeled – prevail compared to the imported pottery. One could observe entirely preserved vessels, e.g. sealed oenochoai representing scenes of the Dionysian cult – Silenus abducts a menade, a Satyr’s masque.

Thrace with its rich ledges succeeds in attracting the interest of the population from Aegean region. Emporion Pistiros, which was created under the tutelage of the Thracian kings, became key centre in the export of metals from Thrace to Ancient Greece. Despite the metal export, workshops for jewellery are organized as well in Thrace. The crucibles, blowers, cuts, matrixes, moulds, etc., discovered in Pistiros, are evidence for the development of this activity (what activity) in this region. After the burning down of the emporion by the Celts in early III century BC, on its remains was established a village for manufacturing fibulae and other ornaments made of iron, bronze, silver and gold.

The excavations of emporion Pistiros are done by a team of Bulgarian, British (Liverpool University), Polish, Czech (Prague University), and French (French School in Athens) archaeologists. The research work is carried out under the scientific guidance of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in co-operation with the Archaeological Museum “Prof.Mieczysław Domaradzki” – town of Septemvri.

The rich archaeological material found in Pistiros is preserved in the Archaeological Museum “Prof.Mieczysław Domaradzki” – town of Septemvri.The archaeological excavations on Pistiros were discussed in a good number of scientific conferences, publications, and exhibitions.