The Thracians “Headhunters”

Authors:

Pages: 337-355

Abstract:

The initiatory head-hunting is a very specific phenomenon, linked to the functioning of the archaic age-set stratification. The spread of this phenomenon among the Celtic peoples represent its classical example in the epoch of Antiquity. Together with this the data registering this practice among many other peoples, including ancient Thracians, are evidenced. The cult of the cut-off human head which is a part of this phenomenon, is represented for the ancient Thracians by the example of the Orpheus’ prophetting head. Another artifact of this Thracian phenomenon is added to the data elucidating the practice of initiatory head-hunting presented on the Letnitsa applications – the image on the golden plate from Kurdjip, Caucasus. An reactualization of this phenomenon’s illustration by the image of a Thracian goddess bearing a cut-off head on a marble plate near the village of Konush, made by Bulgarian scientist Yanko Todorov, is also included.

Keywords:

initiatory head-hunting, age-set stratification, Orpheus’ propheting head, Letnitsa applications, golden plate from Kurdjip, Yanko Todorov, Hristo Danov, Ivan Marazov.

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