The Tomb near Dolno Lukovo

The Tomb near the village of Dolno Lukovo (Ivailovgrad district, southeastern Bulgaria) was constructed at the level of the ancient terrain and covered by a mound, 4 m high. The tomb chamber was built by carefully formed marble and limestone blocks, joint by iron cramps lead-coated. The floor is covered by marble plates. The chamber is overlaid by two layers of big limestone blocks. The first row of the walls is formed by cubic marble plates, as the plastic decoration of the tomb is carved in them. Geometrical figures are presented in high relief – disks, squares, rectangles, one pentagonal star, and two realistically worked out animal images – a horse head and a fish. These figures along with the crescent carved on the entrance form a composition having a strong esthetic impact, and which probably carries coded information related to the funeral cult. The tomb has been robbed yet in the antiquity. A large part of the findings, as well as parts of skeletons, has been found in the antechamber and in front of it. The tradition of making repeated funerals in tombs under the mound and the horse sacrifice bespeaks of Thracian nobility. It is believed that a lcoal Thracian king, the name and the residence of whom are still unknown, has been buried in the Tomb near the Dolno Lukovo.