For a third year in a row the ethnographic village of Phanagoria in Bulgaria’s Black Sea capital Varna welcomes guests from Bulgaria and abroad curious to learn more about the history, culture and livelihood of the Proto-Bulgarians, who settled in these lands more than 1300 years ago.

A clatter of hoofs, and the sound of iron crushing against iron, hammer blows in tiny craftsmen’s workshops, mingle with children’s chatter and laughter in the residential area of Asparuhovo in Varna. One finds oneself transported immediately into the 6th-8th century A.D., the time when the Proto-Bulgarians first settled in the lands south of the river Danube and founded the First Bulgarian Kingdom. The unique open-air museum is a revival of the life of the forefathers, and is an exact replica of a military Proto-Bulgarian camp. The settlement is surrounded by wooden fortifications and turrets, and displaces 8 yurtas, the big cone-shaped wooden constructions used as dwellings by the Proto-Bulgarians. The yurta of the Khan, the supreme chieftain and military commander, is the most richly decorated. On the inside it is ornated with furs, and battle and hunting trophies hang from the walls. Visitors admire the restored khan’s armour, as well as the List of Names of Bulgarian Khans, a document that has saved the memory of the first Bulgarian rulers who reined over one of the most powerful of European states in the early Middle Ages. Next to the yurta of the Khan is the Kolobur’s dwelling, the tribe’s high priest, who was the only mortal to have the privilege to converse with the god of the Sun, Tangra. What else is there for the visitor to see? Here is more from the director of the complex Pavel Pavlov:
“Visitors are able to see the genuine crafts’ centre at work, where the principal crafts of the Proto-Bulgarians are represented. The principal place among those occupy leather and tissue dressing, but of course one can pay a visit to the pottery workshop, and get acquainted with the ceramics of the Proto-Bulgarians, an interesting find in itself, and an important archeological evidence, too. We have created the spitting image of a two-chamber furnace for annealing the pottery. The guests can have a look at a typical blacksmith’s and foundry or ironmonger’s workshop, and attend a demonstration of old technologies for forging weapons and various household articles.”
While making the tour of the various workshops, the tourists are able to purchase unique souvenirs related to the daily routine of the Proto-Bulgarians. The guides also make the tour rich in facts about the history, daily lives and culture of the ancient Bulgarians.
Says Pavel Pavlov: “The Proto-Bulgarians were famous for being invincible warriors. Our ethnographic complex offers the unique “Echo from the centuries” programme. It enables visitors to catch a glimpse of the basic martial and ordinary life skills. Our stuntmen perform live demonstrations of skills with all kinds of weapons, swords, sabres, bows, etc. on horseback. The complex has received nearly 2 500 foreign tourists from the beginning of the summer season. The complex provides them with a wonderful opportunity to enrich their knowledge of the history and unique identity of the Bulgarian people.”

Written by Veneta Nikolova
English version by Radostin Zhelev

Source: Radio Bulgaria