Basarabi Cave Complex
Encyclopedia
Basarabi Cave Complex or Murfatlar Cave Complex is a medieval Christian
monastery
located near the town of Murfatlar (named Basarabi
between 1924–1965 and 1980–2007), Constanţa County
, Dobruja
, Romania
.
In 1957, a little complex of cells dwellings, small churches, crypts and tombs, used from the 9th until 11th century, was discovered in a caves carved into a chalk
hill. At that time the territory was under the control of the Byzantine Empire
and First Bulgarian Empire
. After the fall of this Bulgarian state, the place was abandoned.
There are many inscriptions graved on the walls in Old Slavic Glagolitic and Cyrillic
, some in Greek alphabet
and some in Turkic runes. The language of the Slavic texts is Old Bulgarian. The language of the Turkic runes is Proto-Bulgarian, as suggested by Bulgaria
n scholars, or Turan
ic, as implied by Romanian scholars. In fact that may be the same, because the Proto-Bulgarian language most probably is a mix of Turanic and Aryan
origin. Some Romania
n scholars questioned the Latin origin of the names such as "Petre" found in the cave, but it actually is a derivative from the Greek πέτρα and of the name of Saint Peter, which is widespread Christian name. Others even look to the possibility of Nordic "Rainpilpe" of inscriptions. Among the drawings on the walls they see the representations of Viking
ships (because the land of Dobruja
was most likely near the trading routes between the Vikings and the Constantinople
). Still, Rainpilpe is not of a known Northern origin, and the low hull banana-shaped keel of the so-called Viking ship resembles Mediterranean patterns.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
located near the town of Murfatlar (named Basarabi
Basarabi
Murfatlar is a town in Constanţa County, Romania.-Etymology:The name of the town originates from the Turkish word murvet .Between 1921 and 1965, and from 1975 to 2007, the locality was known as Basarabi...
between 1924–1965 and 1980–2007), Constanţa County
Constanta County
Constanța is the name of a county in the Dobruja region of Romania. Its capital city is also named Constanța.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 715,151 and the population density was 101/km². The degree of urbanization is much higher than the Romanian average. In recent years the...
, Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
In 1957, a little complex of cells dwellings, small churches, crypts and tombs, used from the 9th until 11th century, was discovered in a caves carved into a chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
hill. At that time the territory was under the control of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and First Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
. After the fall of this Bulgarian state, the place was abandoned.
There are many inscriptions graved on the walls in Old Slavic Glagolitic and Cyrillic
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
, some in Greek alphabet
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet is the script that has been used to write the Greek language since at least 730 BC . The alphabet in its classical and modern form consists of 24 letters ordered in sequence from alpha to omega...
and some in Turkic runes. The language of the Slavic texts is Old Bulgarian. The language of the Turkic runes is Proto-Bulgarian, as suggested by Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n scholars, or Turan
Turan
Tūrān is the Persian name for Central Asia, literally meaning "the land of the Tur". As described below, the original Turanians are an Iranian tribe of the Avestan age. As a people the "Turanian" are one of the two Iranian peoples both descending from the Persian Fereydun but with different...
ic, as implied by Romanian scholars. In fact that may be the same, because the Proto-Bulgarian language most probably is a mix of Turanic and Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
origin. Some Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n scholars questioned the Latin origin of the names such as "Petre" found in the cave, but it actually is a derivative from the Greek πέτρα and of the name of Saint Peter, which is widespread Christian name. Others even look to the possibility of Nordic "Rainpilpe" of inscriptions. Among the drawings on the walls they see the representations of Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
ships (because the land of Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
was most likely near the trading routes between the Vikings and the Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
). Still, Rainpilpe is not of a known Northern origin, and the low hull banana-shaped keel of the so-called Viking ship resembles Mediterranean patterns.
External links
- A complete monograph, including photos, layouts, detailed descriptions, explanatory texts, and a video, of the entire Basarabi Complex - in Romanian, but photos are useful - at the Romanian Group for an Alternative History Website Patzinakia
- Basarabi - The Cave Churches Complex
- The Rupestral Complex of Basarabi (in Romanian)
- General Overview of the Inscriptions from Murfatlar (in English)
- The cave monuments (the quarry and the monastic complex) from Basarabi, Constanta County
- Съчетанията от графична рисунка и рунообразен надпис в Равна и Мурфатлар. – Културните текстове на миналото, Рашо Рашев, Кн. III. София, 2005, с. 140-148. (in Bulgarian)
- За четенето на един рунически надпис от Мурфатлар – Северна Добруджа, Иван Т. Иванов М. Минкова, Националeн исторически институт с музей при БAН, София 2009. с. 297 - 299 (in Bulgarian, English summary)
- Надписи из Мурфатлара,Д-р Живко Войников (in Russian)
- Popkonstantinov, Kazimir 1986: Die Inschriften des Felsklosters Murfatlar. Die Slawischen Sprachen 10, 1986, 77-106.(in Deutsch)