Антична куполна гробница "Кухата могила"

Thrakian Tomb "Hollow Mound" Pomorie - Beehive Tomb Pomorie

Useful Information

Location:	West of Pomorie. Road 9 west of Pomorie towards Sarafowo, turn right at camping Europe. (42.567245, 27.596306)
Open:	MAY to OCT Tue-Sun 10-17. Pomorie Historical Museum: All year Mon-Fri 9-19, Sat, Sun 10-18. [2021]
Fee:	Foreigners BGN 5, Adults BGN 3, Students BGN 2, Seniors BGN 2. [2021]
Classification:	Cave Tomb
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Address:	Антична куполна гробница "Кухата могила", М. Кротирия, 8201 Поморие, Tel: +359-59-622-008, Tel: +359-88-242-0102. Ancient domed tomb "Hollow mound", M. Crotiria, 8201 Pomorie, Tel: +359-59-622-008, Tel: +359-88-242-0102. Исторически музей Поморие, гр. Поморие, ул. „Княз Борис I” №33 А, тел: 0596-3-20-82; тел: 0596-2-20-08. E-mail: Pomorie Historical Museum, Pomorie, 33 A Knyaz Boris I Str, Tel: +359-596-3-20-82, Tel: +359-596-2-20-08. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1958-1959	excavation and restauration by Toma Petrov and Boyan Kuzupov.
1965	declared a cultural monument of national importance.

Description

Антична куполна гробница "Кухата могила" (Thracian Tomb "Hollow Mound" Pomorie) is a Thracian burial mound, which is quite exceptional for the form of the underground chamber. It is actually shaped like upper half of a donut, a circular cupola with a circular pilar at the center. The mound has a diameter of 60 m and a height of 8 m. After two vestibules, a 22 m long corridor leads to a vast round chamber with a diameter of 12 m. There is a hollow pillar in the centre and five niches on the outer wall. Like other Thracian tombs it is a structure which was built above ground and was then covered by a mound of earth. The walls are built of red bricks, which is typical Roman. The mushroom-shaped central column with a height of 5.5 m and a diameter of 3.3 m is what makes this tomb exceptional. It is hollow and the circular shaft leads to the surface on the top of the mound. There was once a winding staircase which led to the surface.

Such a structure is known only from the Mausoleum of Emperor Maxentius on the Via Apia Antique in Rome, also known as the Mausoleo di Massenzio o Tomba di Romolo (Tomb of Romulus). So there are actually only two such structures which makes them quite exceptional, and a riddle for archaeologists.

It is a combination of a Thracian custom with a Roman building tradition. Built around the 2nd century it was used until the 4th century by a rich Anhialo family, Anhialo was the Roman name of Pomorie. It was a хероон (heroon) in which religious rituals were periodically performed. A heroon is a temple of the Thracian ruler who was deified after his death. The urns of the deceased were been placed in the five niches on the outer wall. Traces of mortar plaster covered with dark green paint give reason to assume that the central hall was plastered and decorated with frescoes.

The tomb is known among the local population as the Кухата могила (Hollow Mound). On websites, it is generally called Ancient Beehive Tomb, although it is definitely not a beehive tomb.