A close encounter with the art of our ancestors from 7000 years ago in Magura cave
Magura cave is a cave in North-west Bulgaria, close to the town of Belogradchik. It was not my first visit there and I was still wondering whether I wanted to see the beautiful cave again. One of the guides was trying to explain to a small group of tourists that the last group that entered the cave was too large and it would be very difficult for them to hear the guide. Finally I think they reached a deal because the tourists just wanted to see the cave.
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My friends and me sat on a bench in front of the cash desk after we paid for our tickets. The enthusiastic guide tried to explain the situation with the big group again. She insisted that we should wait for the next tour without giving us a chance to say that was exactly what we were doing at that moment. We were just waiting because we wanted a full tour. Meanwhile we understood that a very interesting part of the cave had been opened for visitors. This is the part with the ancient stone drawings which had been closed for years. Then I was sure I want to enter the cave and we bought additional tickets for that room. (The stay in the cave with drawings room included is around 2h. So you have to wear warm clothes)
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” rounded_corners=”false” inside_shadow=”false” ]The temperature inside the cave is around 12°C year-round. In the summer you will need a coat but in the winter you will feel pretty warm.[/dropshadowbox]
The Magura cave
Magura cave was the very first cave opened for tourists in Bulgaria. This happened on 2nd July 1961. The cave was created by earthquakes and rivers a long time ago. The galleries are amazing and in the summer they are cool with temperature around 12°C.
The Magura cave has been known to the mankind for millennias. Now it is used not only for tourism but also for producing Natural Sparking Wines. In the recent past it has been used also as a sanatorium, a store for cheese, a refuge for partisans and for many other purposes. But maybe one of most interesting periods was the Stone age when our ancestors inhabited the cave. Luckily for us they were quite artistic and left a lot of paintings on the stone walls of the cave. This is one of the oldest cultural monuments in Europe.
7000 year-old stories
The cave is really amazing but I want to show you especially the old drawings. This gallery is the place where you can ”touch” something created more than 7000 years ago. I can’t imagine those ages.
Tourists walking in the cave’s galleries
The Sun Hall. At the bottom the sun calendar from Neolithic era
So, a little explanation about the historic periods:
In the cave, among the stunningly shaped tunnels, you can find more than 700 drawings from different periods: Epipaleolithic (the Stone ages), Neolithic (New stone ages), Eneolithic (Copper ages) and from the beginning of Bronze ages. Our ancestors left us paintings of animals, men and women, cult rituals, one of the first calendars from the Neolithic ages with 366 days for one year, hunting scenes and etc. made by bat guano.
Hunting ritual
Can you guess the ritual?
The stunning galleries in the Magura cave
On the left – snake
The ritual of the conception
The cave is amazing, isn’t it?
The amazing forms made by the Nature
Other picturesque places near the Magura cave you can find it this post: The biggest tourist attractions in Northwestern Bulgaria
More photos from Bulgarian caves: Underground
[info]Here you can see beautiful drawings from the Neolithic age but there are also other places in Bulgaria where you can see tracks from that ancient period. Among the best-preserved Neolithic sites is the mound in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, where you can see the remains of a two-floor Neolithic house and some prehistoric art. All of this is being kept in the Neolithic Dwellings museum, a must-visit place when you are in Stara Zagora. [/info]
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