ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF SITALK
The village of Starossel is to be found some 20 km away from the town of Hissar. In proximity to the village is located the largest preserved Thracian king complex with a temple-mausoleum in Southeast Europe. It is believed that the temple is from the time of the Thracian king Sitalk, even his own.
Sitalk was an Odrissian king who ruled around 440 BC. He was the son of Teres I, brother of Sparadok. During his reign Sitalk managed to settle in a diplomatic manner the conflict with the Scythians and reinforced the northern borderline of his kingdom, which ran along the banks of the Danube River. Sitalk fought in the Peloponess war as an ally of Athens. In 429 BC he initiated a campaign against Macedonia, leading an army of 150 000 warriors. His plan was to expand the territory of his kingdom west to the Strimon (Stryama) River. In 424 BC he lead an unsuccessful campaign against the Tribalts.
In a stone-built tomb near the main temple were uncovered rich findings that date to the end of the fifth and the beginning of the fourth century BC. A main staircase with monumental corridor, ritual landing and two chambers leads to the temple. The entrance is outlined with slabs with plastic and color decorations. The inside area is a round, domed chamber with semi-columns and color ornaments, where the initiated established connection with the Gods.
The royal burial discovered 30 meters away from the temple is exceptionally valuable. A massive golden ring-seal with a picture of a horseman, armor, arrows, silver, bronze and ceramic vessels were taken out from the sarcophagus, all very well preserve. The stone-built grave near the temple, where no skeleton was found, is an evidence of a “cenotaph” - a symbolical funeral. A segmented skeleton was found near a rock next to that grave. Thus, it was either a sacrifice (which was a common practice in Thracian community) or a ritual funeral.
Near to the temple stone-tubs for wine (winery) was discovered. It has been used for wine sacrifice rituals in honor of the Thracian God Dionysus.
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