Χρονόμετρο

    PHILIPPI’S ROCK PAINTINGS: the secrets of the rocks

    Δημοσιεύτηκε στις

    Prayers, obsecrations, signs of mystic men – metallurgists and celestial maps through the theology of the eternal marks.

    By TheodorosAn. Spanelis

     

    In order to get to know the extremely important and admirably rich history of Philippi, the visitor is able to move in three different fields, in the archeological site and the museum, the historical sources and the rocks exhibition.  A large part of Philippi history, from prehistory to its historical end, is written on the hard stone, with scribbles and reliefs.

     

    The “Voices” of the rocks, throughout the ages have been revealing their secrets, but as they “speak” a forgotten language, we can’t understand it and can’t perceive the meanings they carry in the present from the deep prehistoric times. Secret prayers to known and unknown gods, movements of celestial bodies and totemic representations, are “written” on the rocks. Unknown and lost in time ceremonies took place above and next to these emblazonments, in these outdoor sanctuaries or more accurately, temples, as life, with its agonies and doubts was intersected, with the transcendental and unknown space. Sacred places, pilgrimages, bloody and bloodless sacrifices, came into being in those places that stand as perdurable witnesses of a history, not only of the people, but also of the chronicle of their relation with God.

    A point where someone can witness some of the most beautiful rock paintings is the one found in the village of Philippi, on three rocks, near the chapel of prophetess Elijah (Elias) (see map). One rock is located on the north side of the road at a distance of 30 meters, while the other two on the south side, at a distance of 40 meters and are fenced with wooden piles.

     

    In these rock paintings there are various animals, but the one thing that makes them stand out are the various human forms depicted, with the most important perhaps being the one of the warrior holding many weapons, a possible sign of great power or even of divine power. Probably, the site was an open-air sanctuary of the ancient Thracians, as there are a number of evidence supporting this point of view. These particular rock paintings are some of the most beautiful and characteristic of the genre and it is worthwhile for someone to take the time, sit and look for forms hidden in these “magical images”.

     

     

     

     

    A few kilometers to the west the archeological site of Philippi is located, where also here, in various spots the habitants of the ancient city have left engraved prints, in their passage. From drawings with “board games” to crosses and unexplained symbols.

     

    Nevertheless, the place where the visitor feels that he is experiencing something totally different, is when he’ll go beyond the archeological site and up to the sacred rock of the acropolis of Philippi, as the southern as well as the western sides are scattered by the unique engraved rocks.

     

    The stone is the protagonist in the ruins of the archeological site of Philippi. From the top of the acropolis rock, the ancient city began to unfold and with the same stone as the raw material this bright city was built. This city that gives you the feeling that it hovers between earth and sky. On the stone the history of this place was written, as the need of the man for answers met with his fears and these two together wrote an epic on the rock that lasted for almost 20 centuries. These stones became a meeting point for Thracian, Greek and Roman deities and then they all confronted with Apostle Paul and the Divine Word that eventually triumphed!


    Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 0

    Επιτρέπεται η αναδημοσίευση του περιεχομένου της ιστοσελίδας εφόσον αναφέρεται ευκρινώς η πηγή του. Νόμος 2121/1993 και κανόνες Διεθνούς Δικαίου που ισχύουν στην Ελλάδα.