Classical Near East

Until 1993 there were conducted first excavations in what promised to be the site of one of the most important buildings of Petra, the stunning capital of the Nabataean kingdom. Its construction, whose initiation century BC, several changes, reconstructions and landslides along its more than five hundred years of operation. But despite this still unknown for certain functions for which it was designed and that, regardless of the construction elements, materials have been located just still less inscriptions that shed some light on a mystery that will try here exhibit various theories that enable closer to resolution.

""En Filipo II y el Arte de la Guerra tendremos la oportunidad de conocer en profundidad a uno de los más grandes reyes de la antigua Macedonia. Gracias a su habilidad como estratega, diplomático, político y soldado, heredó un reino pobre, débil y acosado por innumerables enemigos y lo transformó en el más poderoso de toda Grecia.

A lo largo de sus páginas podremos conocer la historia del reino Macedonio, desde sus orígenes míticos hasta la formación de un imperio, de la mano del que, a la postre, se convertiría en el padre del mítico Alejandro Magno y en el forjador de un nuevo ejército que cambiaria el devenir de la guerra en la Antigüedad. Filipo II fue el creador de la falange macedonia, formación que se demostraría como inigualable en el campo de batalla y que reportaría incontables victorias sobre poderosos enemigos, como los ilirios, los tesalios, los tracios, los beocios o los atenienses. Pero no sólo eso, logró integrar en el campo de batalla a la infantería y a la caballería para emplearlos en nuevas formaciones tácticas: armó a sus soldados con las míticas sarissas y apreció como pocos las posibilidades militares que la maquinaria de guerra podía proporcionarle, siendo el mecenas de numerosos avances en este campo. Soñó con conquistar el Imperio persa, cuando ya había logrado lo que nadie antes fue capaz: el control de Grecia.

Sólo la muerte le arrebató esa hazaña, pero sentó las bases de lo que más tarde conseguiría su propio hijo. Su figura levantó tanto odios como pasiones; se le conocía como mujeriego y bebedor, pero también por su habilidad para la oratoria, por sus astucia, determinación y valor. Siempre luchó en primera línea junto a sus soldados y nunca permitió que éstos le llamaran rey, sino solo "General".

We found totally 1020 word with common meaning and pronouncing in Bulgarian and Hindi;
ancient Bulgarian ethnonims in India; and names of Vedic gods in Bulgarian language and family names.
We found 328 word with both similar meaning and pronouncing in Bulgarian and Hindi, consisting
3,5% of the most common words in Hindi. Correlation of Bulgarian with Sanskrit is far lower. This
suggests that there are traces of direct ancient contacts of Hindus with living Bulgarian language.
We determined 647 different Bulgarian ethnonims (names of towns and places (toponims) and water
bodies (hydronames) formed on the base of the national or clans names of the ancient Bulgarians
(Kutigurs, Utigurs, Onogurs, Kuchi- Bulgars, Dulo, etc.)) in India. We found also 45 names and
synonyms of 33 Vedic or Hindus gods in Bulgarian names or family names, or having functions
understandable in Bulgarian from their names (which are in Sanskrit). Names of these gods form 74
different Bulgarian family names.

After the death of Alexander III of Macedon, the Seleucid Empire emerged as one of the most powerful Hellenistic kingdoms of Asia. His huge territorial extension and the various peoples who came under their control necessitated the creation of a mighty army that would ensure their control and help protectit from its enemies.

След рекапитулация на съществуващите тези за произхода на българите напоследък бе показано, че те са древни индоевропейци (Добрев, 1994, Шопов и др, 2002), а не славяни с незначителен примес от прабългари (които били тюрки). Това се подтвърждава и от последните изследвания на генофонда на човечеството (Димитров, 2002). Академик Державин (1946) смята, че етногенезиса на българския народ достига с корените си далечното доиндоевропейско минало заедно с шумерите, иберите и италиките и, че “българите са българи, а не турци, не татари, не фини, не хуни, не чуваши, не славяни, а по своя произход те принадлежат към най- древните доиндоевропейски народи”. До тези заключения той достига на базата на палеолингвинистичен анализ.
Основните използвани методи са:
1. Анализ на писмени сведения
2. Лингвинистичен анализ
3. Генетика
Разглеждането на формирането на индоевропейските народи и преселенията им (Шопов, 1998) показва, че създаването на европейската общност се явява възстановяване на индоевропейската общност съшествувала преди хиляди години. (Пра)* българският календар е най-ранният индикатор за наличие на обособена българска народност. Неговото начало е 5505 г. пр. Христа, което съвпада с времето на Библейският Потоп датиран независимото с два различни метода от Rayan & Pitmann (Wilford 1996) и Shopov et al., (1996). Потопа е станал в Черноморският басеин, тогава обитаван от индоевропейците, в това число и от предците на българите. Според Анонимния хронограф от 334 г. българите произхождат от внука на Ной Зиези. Димитров (2000-а) индентифицира Зиези с шумерския владетел Заггизи (2750-2726 пр. Хр.). Още по-ценни сведения за държавното устройство на ранните български държави откриваме в шумерските хроники за управлението на Шумер от кутиите (Шопов, 2000). Според Херодот народа утии е живял в Памир през V в.пр. н.е. П. Добрев (1994) показва, че ранната форма на името на един от прабългарските клонове - утигурите е утии, тъй като вместо окончанието -гури (означаващо народ) е използвано добре известното окончание -и за множественно число. Следвайки тази логика би следвало другия прабългарски клон - кутигури да се е наричал “кутии” (Шопов, 2000). В действителност такъв народ е населявал обширни територии от Двуречието в горното течение на р.Тигър още през IV-III хилядолетие преди Христа (Всемирная история, 1955). През 2495 г. преди Христа кутиите завладяват Шумер и Акад и ги управляват повече от един век (Авдиев, 1948). Този период от Шумерската история е известен с разцвет на стоителството и литературата. Кутиите са били наричани още гудеи или гутии. През 2360 г. до н.е. владетеля на Урук възстава и разбива “царя на кутиите Тирикана” (Авдиев, 1948). Можеби Тирикана не е малко име а титлата на командващия войската- таркана. При прабългарите боила таркан е бил втория престолонаследник (Добрев, 1995-б). Твърде вероятно е народа кутии да е еквивалентен на прабългарския клон кутигури. Титлата цар не е от руски произход, а е била употребявана още от кутиите. Срещана е в Шумер (Добрев, 1994) и в Египет като "шар" (Димитров, частно съобщение) със значение на император.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
*- Тук на базата на последните представителни генетически изследвания прабългарите са напълно индентифицирани със съвременните българи и затова навсякъде вместо употребявания по инерция термин "прабългари" се употребява коректния термин българи. Недопустимо е индийците преди повече от 20 века да са наричали нашите деди българи (по техният си начин), а ние да ги наричаме пра-, древни, черни и т.н. българи за да се дистанцираме от тях.

Според Добрев (1995-б) когато българите се пренасят отвъд Дунав те донасят със себе си изключително развита държавна система със 37 нива на държавните постове и разделение на обществото на 4 касти. Това кастово деление е подобно на индийското, с тази разлика, че при българите може да се преминава от по-ниска каста в по-висока по заслуги, което е един механизъм за стимул за по- добра служба. Тази изключително развита държавна структура показва изключителната си древност.
Изобилни сведения за българите, тяхната религия (Шопов и др., 2002), култура и държавност идват от древна Индия. Добрев (1994) подчертава, че управляващата династия в Индия се е наричала "Балхара". Димитров (2000-б) подчертава, че династията на империята Магадха (Балгадха) в древна Индия се наричала "Балкхара". Шопов и др., (2002). показват, че по лингвинистичните правила името Българ(ин) се поизнася от индийците като Балкхар(а) И днес украинците наричат българите "балхар" (Й. Шопов, частно съобщение). Самото име на страната ни се състои от две части- корена Бълг и -ария, което в същност представляват два последователни индо-ирански суфикса -ар (Добрев, 1994) и -ийа (Шопов и др., 2002). По същите правила корена Бълг преминава в Балкх, което пък е името на столицата и държава на българите до Памир.
Основния писмен документ за българската държава е Именника на българските канове (писан от самите тях). В него се твъди, че българската държава е създадена през 165 г. (според някой 153 г.) и че тя е пренесена отвъд Дунава. Няма никакви индикации за образуване на нова държава от Аспарух.
Българите са имали особена традиция да създават едновременно по няколко държави в различни части на света. Например Кубрат разделя България на 7 държави. Интересна е приликата на (пра)българските и персийските градове. Пренасянето на част от старата Велика България отвъд Дунава от Аспарух не е завладяване на нови територии, а завръщане в прастарата прародина на индоевропейците (“Мадари” на сродните с прабългарския език санскрит и хинди означава Отечество. Така се казва и един от първите градове построени от кана Аспарух). Тук е било нашето отечество до преди повече от седем хиляди и петстотин години, когато сме били част от индоевропейските племена (народи?) обитавали тогава нашите земи (Шопов, 1998).
Най ранните закони останали от дедите ни са Крумовите закони, които са били много справедливи и градивни, като корупцията е била третирана като държавна измяна и е наказвана със смърт. Това е гарантирало ефективно функциониране на държавата.
В българската държава никога не е съществувал феодализъм (Й. Шопов, частно съобщение). Българската държавна традиция датираща още от III хилядолетие преди Христа е либерално царство.

Throughout history, the Seleucid military might demonstrated
many times its importance for the maintenance, expansion and defense of the Empire. Rarely the Seleucid army was defeated in a campaign and it happened in front of the almighty Rome. After the defeat at Thermopylae and Magnesia, and following the imminent withdrawal must conquer the Ptolemaic Empire, the new king Antiochus IV Epiphanes held a military parade as never been done before, its real purpose is unknown, but the Seleucids showed the world the power that still had the Empire. Through the stories of several classic sources, we can come closer to this event and what
it could entail.

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions
Key words: mythological mosaic, House of Aion, Nea Paphos, Late Antiquity, Roman art, allegorical narrative, allusive language of mythological pictures, wordplay (Marsyas-Messias), Jesus Christ, anti-Christian polemic, Dionysos, Cassiopeia, Apollon, Nereides, Abstract Personifications, Greek Mythology, ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

"This paper proposes three new (and tentatively, another two) identifications of sundials in Middle Eastern mosaics of the 5th – 8th century. The author discusses a vignette from the Holy Martyrs’ Church at Tayibat al-Imâm, central Syria, a mosaic panel from the tomb of Georgia and Theodosia in Jerusalem, two
vignettes of Sebastis and Kastron Mefaa from the St. Stephan’s Church at Umm al-Rasas, and a vignette of Jerusalem from the St. George’s Church at Madaba. These mosaics date, respectively, to 442, to the reign of Justinian (527 –565), and to the Byzantine Umayyad era (718). According to the author, these are probably the latest representations of sundials known to date from the Late Antiquity. Until this study, only six representations of sundials on mosaics from the Roman period were known. This paper adds three new items and two hypothetical ones from Byzantine times. It also offers an interpretation of the function of the famous column in Jerusalem, shown on the map of Madaba and the mega-vignette of the Holy City.
Key words: Sundials, Sonnenhuhren, Meridiane, Cadrans solaires, Relojes de sol."

"Компютърен анализ на фамилните имена в телефонния указател на София за издирване на редки и остарели думи от прабългарски произход.

Я.Й.Шопов, Л.Т.Цанков, Т. Ялъмов, С. Шопова, Л. Ненчев, Г. Канканосян
Институт по интердисциплинарни изследвания на древни цивилизации.

Цел: Издирване на редки, остарели и изчезнали думи от прабългарски произход, включени във фамилните имена в телефонния указател на София. Търсене на сродни езици на прабългарския език.

Материал и методика: Използвана е електронна версия на телефонния указател на София, от който са отделени фамилните имена от явен неславянски произход. Те са съпоставени с известните редки и остарели думи в българския /1,2,3/, известните прабългарски думи /4/ и най-употребяваните думи в източно- иранските езици пушту и дари /5/ , индо- иранските езици хинди /6,7/, непали /8/ и санскрит /9/ и западно- иранския персийски език.

Исторически бележки: Още акад. Державин /10/ демонстрира, че етногенезисът на българския народ достига с корените си далечното доиндоевропейско минало заедно с шумерите и, че “българите са българи, а не турци, не татари, не фини, не хуни, не чуваши, не славяни, а по своя произход те принадлежат към най- древните доиндоевропейски народи”. До тези заключения той достига на базата на палеолингвинистичен анализ, направен от акад. Н. Марр /11/. Напоследък Петър Добрев /4, 12, 13,/ и някои други изследователи /14/ убедително доказаха, че прабългарите са индоевропейски народ от източноиранската група. Народите от тази група са наричани още ведически арийци (този термин няма нищо общо с измислената от хитлеризма суперраса). Те са изиграли ключова роля при формирането на индо- европейската езикова общност, защото са колонизирали Индия и са занесли там ведическата култура и ведите.

Основания за търсене на паралели между прабългарския език и иранските и индо-иранските езици.
Ведите са били разпространявани устно на ведически санскрит, който е синтетичен език от най-доброто от арийските наречия. Така езикът на арийците навлиза в езика на местното население и образува индо-иранските езици (хинди, непали и др.). Това ни дава основание да потърсим паралели на прабългарския и българския език от миналия век с тези групи езици. Това също показва, че прабългарите са били носители на ведическата религия в древни времена. Това ни накара да потърсим паралели между българската митология (от езически произход) и ведическите божества. Резултатът беше поразителен:- оказа се, че 8 от ведическите божества още битуват в българския народен фолклор, 16 ведически божества имат имена (на санскрит) от които на български се разбира ясно тяхната функция, 8 ведически божества имат имена, широко употребявани в българския. Така 32 ведически божества имат имена срещани или разбиращи се на български.
Според Теофилакт Охридски прабългарите са имали религия като скитите /15/. Скитите са ираноезични народи, говорещи на един и същ език /16/. Всички ираноезични народи са изповядвали религии, явяващи се разновидности на зороастризма. Основните различия в тях са в имената на боговете. Иранистът Абаев /17/ подчертава, че според Херодот общоскитските богове са 7, какъвто е началният брой на Адитите- водещият брой богове в митологията на ведическите арийци и в зороастризма. Според някои изследователи най-старите части на Авестата (свещената книга на зороастризма) са написани на бактрийски език, който е ирански език /18/. Според /19/ имената бактрийци и българи (балхара) са били използвани като синоними. Нещо повече, в самата Авеста (21-вата книга на авестата- Вендидат, глава I) върховният бог Ахурамазда изброява 16-те арийски страни, които е създал, между които на 4-то място е Бактрия, “държаща високо знамето” му, и дори страна, наречена Варна (област от древен Иран) /20/. Дори при съвременната миграция, когато едно старо име на град или област се появи на ново място, то това обезателно се дължи на миграция на население от старото място (затова на картата на Америка има десетки градове и села с имена Лондон, Париж, Москва и т.н.). По тази логика името Варна просто е донесено от зороастрийци (прабългари), които са живели в областта Варна в Иран (Ариана) в дълбока древност още преди миграцията им към северна Индия. Това е едно достоверно доказателство за етническата и езикова принадлежност на прабългарите към иранските народи и участието им в миграцията на източните иранци в колонизирането на северна Индия."

This is a more elaboret and developped version of the first paper published in Polish : M.T. Olszewski, Uwagi na temat mosaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr), Menander XLII, 9-10, 1987, pp. 421-438 (translated to English : The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory (In Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus), see on academia.edu

The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographical and iconological programme of five panels mosaic from the House of Aion at Nea Pahos in Cyprus. He proposes reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; ; 3. Apollo and Marsyas; 4. The Dionysian thiasos; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception (Leda and a Swan)  and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis (the apotheosis of Cassiopeia).
The author rejects the interpretation of W.A. Daszewski, (Dionysos der Erlöser, Mainz am Rheim 1985) proposed in 1985 and his order of interpetation the five mythological pictures (1. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 2. Leda and Zeus; 3. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia; 4. Apollo and Marsyas 5. The Dionysian thiasos). Daszewski would like see in Dionysos - a newly born supreme god, the universal savior.
see also a new article: M.T.Olszewski, The iconographic programme of the Cyprus mosaic from the House of Aion reinterpreted as an anti-Christian polemic, in: Et in Arcadia Ego. Studia memoriae professoris Thomae Mikocki dicata, Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 2013, pp. 207-239, Pls 74-86.

This paper deals with some questions concerning the iconography, iconology and date of execution of the famous mosaic pavement from Sheikh Zoueide in Sinai, now exibited in the Ismailiya Museum. The author analyses both the mythological mosaic with the representation of various subjects, like Dionysiac procession, Nilotic theme, Hippolytos and Phaedra, and another geometric mosaic. The iconological study of all symbolic elements sheds light on the mentality of Nestor who lived in this house and of other inhabitants of the city.  The author sees the great influence of Egypt probably of Alexandria, in the mosaic's style. He also discusses stylistic problems and suggests a date of its execution in the first half of the 5th century.
On the iconological study of the mosaic see also: M.T. Olszewski, Mauvais œil et protection contre l'envie dans la mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï (IV-Ve siècle), published in: Paunier, D., Schmidt, Ch (ed. by), la Mosaïque gréco-romaine VIII. Actes du  VIIIe Colloque international de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Lausanne 1997 (2001), pp. 276-301.
M.T.Olszewski, Two Late Antique synonymous mosaics from Sheikh Zuweid (Egypt) and Vinon (France) (translated) / Deux  mosaïques  synonimiques  de l’antiquité tardive: Cheikh  Zouède  (Egypte)  et  Vinon  (France) / Dwie późnoantyczne mozaiki synonimiczne z Szeikh Zued (Egipt) i Vinon (Francja) - (in Polish), Światowit IV-A, 2002, pp. 99-105.

This paper describes a pattern of predatory rule in the Seleucid Empire in which Seleucid kings despoiled treasures from temples within their own realm. It argues that these incidents, when taken in the aggregate, problematize the view that the Seleucid dynasty enjoyed consistently close and positive relations with native priestly elites. Rather than viewing incidents such as Antiochus IV’s sack of the Temple in Jerusalem as aberrations, it argues that these represented a streak of predatory rule that was a persistent aspect of Seleucid imperialism.

The mosaic from Sheikh Zuweid on the western coast of North Sinai, discovered in 1913, as well as the mosaic brought to light in 1919 at Vinon near Aix-en-Provence in southern France had to wait until the end of the 20th century for scholarly studies to focus again on their iconography, but also their iconological program. It is the reading of this program that one can truly call sensational. The mosaic from Sinai consists of three panels: Hippolytus and Phaedra, a Dionysian cortege and an inscription surrounded with motifs referring to the fauna and flora of a Nilotic landscape as well as to iconography of the seasons of Spring and Fall. The mosaic from Vinon also consists of three pictures: Dionysus offering Ikarios the grapevine, the Three Graces and a panel depicting a voracious goat defiling the gift of Dionysus. Inscriptions accompany both the mosaics, in Latin at Sheikh Zued and in Greek at Vinon.
Numerous apotropaic symbols and inscriptions are known, but never before has a mythological picture been interpreted as apotropaic. The latest research has shown that the owners of the respective estates had chosen mythological themes in order to protect them and their property from the Evil Eye and Hatred. Dionysian motifs are associated with the putative function of the rooms, where banquets with music and dancing must have been held, and wine must have flowed in abundance. The allusion to the abundance of the Nile was meant to ensure the prosperity and wealth of the house, in similarity to the Dionysian motifs as a matter of fact. Dionysus, Heracles and Venus were patrons of the houses. The interpretation of the two mosaics takes advantage of studies in the field of the history of mentality of the communities standing on the threshold of post-classical times. At the same time, it constitutes a huge step forward in the understanding of this category of finds. The two mosaics confirm what Artemidoros of Daldis (2nd century AD) had to say about the status of pictures: that they could be synonymous in meaning (see: M.T. Olszewski, Le statut de l'image selon Artémidore et l'art romain, in: Morlier, H. ed., IXe Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Roma 5.11.2001-10.11.2001, Collection de l'Ecole Française de Rome 352/2, Rome 2005, pp. 859-880).
See also: M.T. Olszewski, La mosaïque de style naïf de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï, Archeologia (Warsaw) 53, 2002, pp. 45–61, pls III+VI; M.T. Olszewski, Mauvais œil et protection contre l'envie dans la mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï (IV-Ve siècle), in: Paunier, D., Schmidt, Ch (ed. by), la Mosaïque gréco-romaine VIII. Actes du  VIIIe Colloque international de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Lausanne 1997 (2001), pp. 276-301.

La célèbre mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède, situé au nord-ouest du Sinaï, ainsi que celle de Vinon dans la Gaule Narbonaise ont été découvertes dans les années dix du XXe siècle. Depuis leurs mises à jour jusqu’à la fin du siècle dernier, elles devaient attendre deux réexamens scientifiques qui ont apportés une analyse iconographique plus complète ainsi que deux nouvelles lectures iconologiques que l’on peut sans doute considerer comme sensationelles !
La mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède est composée de trois tableaux superposés. Deux panneaux représentent des scenes mythologiques: procession dionysiaque et Hippolyte et Phèdre. La troisième image comporte une inscription de bienvenue bordée au-dessus et au-dessous d’animaux et de plantes; une allusion aux scènes nilotiques et à la symbolique printanière et automnale.
La mosaïque de Vinon est également composée de trois tableaux qui sont cependant juxtaposés. Ils représentent, au centre, les trois Grâces et deux scènes à caractère dionysiaques. Celle de gauche représente le don de la vigne (grappes de raisins) par Dionysos à Icarios et celle de droite, le sacrilège de la vigne par un bouc. Les deux mosaïques sont accompagnées par des inscriptions en grec et latin. Elles sont datées à la première moitié du Ve siècle.
On connais plusieurs inscriptions, images et symboles de caractère apothropaïque. C’est pourtant la première fois que des images mythologiques ont dévoilées aux chercheurs leurs sens prophylactique et apotropaïque. Les propriétaires de ces deux résidences ornées de belles mosaïques ont choisis ces thèmes mythologiques pour protéger et écarter le Mauvais Œil et l’Envie. Les sujets dionysiaques dans les salles à manger évoquent probablement des fêtes joyeuses arrosées de vin où la danse et la musique constituaient des éléments essentiels. Par contre, l’abondance nilotique évoquait sans doute le bonheur et l’opulence des dons de la Nature sur les tables de la maison; cette signification concernait certainement aussi les scènes dionysiaques. Les maisons ont été protégées par Dionysos, Héraclès et Vénus.
Pour interpréter ces deux œuvres, les auteurs ont utilisé des recherches sur “l’histoire de la mentalité” des sociétés administrées par les Romains. La lecture de ces deux mosaïques confirme ce que l’on vient de découvrir en étudiant le célèbre texte d’Artémidore de Daldis (IIe siècle) sur les images synonimiques (cf. M.T. Olszewski, Le statut de l'image selon Artémidore et l'art romain, in: Morlier, H. ed., IXe Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Roma 5.11.2001-10.11.2001, Collection de l'Ecole Française de Rome 352/2, Rome 2005, pp. 859-880).
Voir M.T. Olszewski, La mosaïque de style naïf de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï, Archeologia (Warsaw) 53, 2002, pp. 45–61, pls III+VI; M.T. Olszewski, Mauvais œil et protection contre l'envie dans la mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï (IV-Ve siècle), in: Paunier, D., Schmidt, Ch (ed. by), la Mosaïque gréco-romaine VIII. Actes du  VIIIe Colloque international de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Lausanne 1997 (2001), pp. 276-301.

This is a chapter from a Blackwell "Companions to the Ancient World" volume.

Between the seventh and the tenth centuries, Arabic became the chief language of learning from Spain to Afghanistan. Beginning in the late eighth century and for three hundred years, scholars knowledgeable in older literary traditions, including Aramaic, Middle Persian, and above all Greek, translated innumerable works into Arabic. Nothing was translated that was not available in Late Antiquity, and many works extant in Late Antiquity are lost in the original but survive in their Arabic translations. Importantly, the selection of works for translation and preservation in the new Arabic medium was based on different criteria from those used in the Carolingian renovatio, the Renaissance, and the Byzantine scholarly tradition, effecting thereby a different, third major “classical tradition” of reception of ancient works besides those in Greek and Latin.

Издирени са 781 етнонима (имена на градове и местности (топоними) и водни басейни (хидроними) образувани с основа родовите имена на древните българи (кутигури, утигури, Дуло и т.н.)). Изследвана е морфологията на тези древно- български етноними. Те са сравнени с българските етноними в България и със синтетични етноними образувани от същите основи със суфиксите с които се образуват топонимите в България. Така са установени 216 различни древно- български етнонима в Иран, които съвпадат с теоретичните (синтетичните) български топоними. 68 от тях се срещат в България, Велики Булгар или Волжска България.
Намерени са много топоними в Иран, които съвпадат с имената на основните градове и върхове в България, които са наименовани от прабългарите (Варна, Бургас, Мадара и т.н.). Някой от тях се повтарят в 43 топонима в Иран. Изследването на тяхното значение на фарси доведе до разгадаване на значението на имената на някой от тях, което е било загадка до днес.

"This paper proposes a new identification of a mosaic workshop of Late Antiquity in the Near East. Two mosaic pavements, that is, the mosaic of the Bath of Achilles discovered forty years ago in room 40 of the Villa of Theseus in Nea Paphos, Cyprus, and the renowned representation of the Life of Alexander from the
Villa of Patrikios in Baalbeck, published by M. Chéhab in 1958, display many similarities which leave no doubt that both of them were made by the same mosaic workshop. In the first half of the 5th century, like during the whole Roman period, Cypriot mosaics were closely linked with those of the Syro-Palestinian coastal area. The author suggests also a new date of execution of the mosaic from Baalbeck in the first half of the 5th century."

Abstract: Le village de Shahba, devenu la colonie romaine de Philippopolis, est situé à quatre-vingt dix kilomètres au sud de Damas et à vingt kilomètres au nord de Suweida’ en Syrie du Sud. Sa notoriété et son développement sont dus à l’empereur Philippe l’Arabe qui a transformé la petite bourgade où sa famille s’était installée, en une petite, mais riche cité de 244 à 249 lors de son règne.
La mosaïque polychrome qu’on pourrait appeller mosaïque de la « Fête Nocturne Pannychis » - à cause de sa représentation personnifiée - a été quelque peu oubliée par la littérature scientifique. On trouve cependant quelques brèves descriptions dans les travaux de J. Balty, de J.-Ch. Balty, de H. Hatoum, de L. Abad Casal, de H. Sichterman et d’A. Kossatz-Deismann. À ma connaissance, elle n’a été publiée que par petits fragments. Seul J.-Ch. Balty, dans un article du LIMC consacré à la personnification abstraite d’Euphrasia, propose une rapide interprétation de la mosaïque en expliquant le sens des mots « pannychis » et « euphrasia ».
La mosaïque de Pannychis n’est plus malheureusement en place, on peut néanmoins supposer, vu le thème représenté, qu’elle devait probablement orner une salle à manger (triclinium ou œcus).
Cette mosaïque rectangulaire, abritée au musee de Shahba, est composée d’une large bordure géométrique, de six petits panneaux représentant des personnifications inscrites sur les cotés courts du tapis, et d’un grand tableau central avec une effigie des trois Grâces (Charites) mis en valeur dans une belle bordure géométrique de ruban torsadé. Les tableaux angulaires représentent les Quatre Saisons. En commençant par l’angle gauche dans la rangée inférieure et en suivant le mouvement contraire à celui des aiguilles d’une montre, les Saisons sont placées en ordre suivant : Theros (l’Été), Methoporon (l’Automne), Heimon[e] (l’Hiver) et Ear (le Printemps). Entre l’Été et l’Automne, l’artiste a placé le buste de la personnification féminine de Pannychis – de la Fête Nocturne. Entre les personnifications du Printemps et de l’Hiver, le portrait en trois quart de la personnification féminine d’Euphrasia – (la Gaîté, la Joie dans un festin, la Réjouissance) a été placée.
Quel sens se cache derrière toutes ces images et à quelle idée elles font allusions ? Si le tableau central est le plus grand, il n’est que complémentaire par rapport aux panneaux latéraux. La clé du programme de la mosaïque est la personnification de Pannychis – de la Fête Nocturne. La personnification de la Gaîté – Euphrasia fait son pendant.
Que sait-on de ces faites nocturnes que les citoyens romains hellénisés en Orient célébraient en se réunissant en grand nombre ? Une source inestimable dans la recherche sur l’histoire des mentalités grecques sous la domination romaine est l’auteur grec d’Éphèse connu sous le nom d’Artémidore de Daldis, spécialiste de l’oniromancie. Il est célèbre grâce à son manuel d’interprétation des rêves (Onirocriticon) rédigé probablement à Éphèse à la fin du IIe siècle. Artémidore parle des Fêtes nocturnes vues dans les rêves. La fête nocturne est célébrée très joyeusement par ses participants. C’est une fête bruyante avec danse et musique. C’est l’occasion pour tout le monde de se rassembler et de faire de nouvelles connaissances. De plus, cette fête permet aux jeunes de dépasser certaines interdictions et d’exprimer leurs sentiments. Les nouveaux couples formés durant cette fête nocturne peuvent confirmer leur engagement par un mariage. Artémidore effectue des rapprochement entre la Fête nocturne et la réunion de personnes, le mariage, la gaîté, la bonne humeur, l’abondance et l’acquisition des biens (pour les pauvres). Le Pannychis et l’Euphrasia sont présents ensemble dans le texte d’Artémidore comme sur la mosaïque de Philippopolis. Sa description met l’accent sur des éléments caractérisant la Fête Nocturne : la joie, la bonne humeur et l’abondance (de la table et des boissons) que les fêtes offrent aux participants. La signification des Charites est complémentaire de celle qui est évoquée par les personnifications de Pannychis et d’Euphrasia. Le tableau de la mosaïque de Philippopolis fait sans doute allusion aux fêtes nocturnes que le propriétaire envisageait d’organiser, et sans aucun doute organisait dans sa demeure.
La mosaïque de la Fête Nocturne de Philippopolis qui ornait probablement un triclinium rappelle ce qu’on rencontre dans d’autres salles à manger chez les riches propriétaires. La théorie du caractère allusif à la vie de l’aristocratie de l’époque romaine (et de ses nouveaux riches) dans la décoration interne des maisons et des villa a de plus en plus de partisans parmi les chercheurs. La mosaïque de Philippopolis ressemble à la décoration des salles à manger qui évoquent la fête, les festins, la boisson, la bonne nourriture, la musique et la danse, tout les ingrédients d’un banquet réussi.

The mosaic from the House of Nestor was discovered in Sheikh Zuweid on the western shore of Sinai, by
Jean Clédat in 1912. It covered the floor of a reception room of a large villa with private baths. Today the
mosaic from the House of Nestor with two mythological panels, three Greek metrical inscriptions and an
interesting geometric carpet are very well known by the specialists of the Late Antiquity. Fifteen years ago I
had the pleasure to make an interpretation of its iconological programme where I had put together the
inscriptions and the images to explain the sense of the mosaic. Hippolytus and Phaedra panel is linked with
the inscription evoking the envy (phtonos) and baskanos (evil eye) - warning for incoming guests. The
second scene of thiasos of Dionysos is associated with the non-violent, happy and festive character of the
reception room in the house. After a very careful study of the style of the mosaic the date of its execution
seems to be around 450 AD. It is possible that it was executed by a mosaic workshop from Egypt
(Alexandria), however it is not excluded that the workshop could have come from Gaza.I would like to
present the oldest and recent researches of my colleagues specialists of Late Antiquity who wrote about the
programme of the mosaic. I think that it is important after one hundred years of scholarly research to make a
recapitulation of the state of research on its semantic programme. Rina Talgam (Hebrew University),
Vlastimil Drbal (Academy of Science, Prague), Delphine Laurentzen (Académie de Créteil), Gianfranco
Agosti (Universita di Roma, La Sapienza) and some others wrote about the programme of mosaic evoking its
connections with the culture and civilization of Late Antiquity in the Near East. I will also discuss the question
of a mysterious word "telete" present on the panel of Dionysos. I believe that its meaning seems clear.

""The author analyses the mythological subjects known from the funerary paintings of the Near East. He is interested principally in the meaning and the message which these representations conveyed. He studies the interpretative problems of funerary iconography in terms of the principles that we encounter in the iconography of roman art - principles which are confirmed by Artemidorus of Ephesus (or Artemidorus of Daldis), a Greek author of the Antonine period, in his manuel Key to Dreams (Onirocriticon). This approach has never previously been attempted. To support his argument, he refers to numerouse monuments of funerary art as well as to a series of inscriptions adorning the monuments in Roman necrpoleis.

L’auteur analyse les sujets mythologiques connus de la peinture funéraire au Proche-Orient. Il s’intéresse principalement au sens et au message que ces représentations portaient. Il étudie la problématique de la sémantique de l’iconographie funéraire en fonction des principes qu’on retrouve dans l’iconographie plastique et qu’Artémidore d’Ephese (soit Artémidore de Daldis), auteur grec de l’époque antonine, confirme dans son manuel La clef de songes (Onirocriticon). Cette démarche n’avait jusqu’alors, jamais été entreprise. Pour appuyer son raisonnement, l’auteur se réfère à des nombreux monuments d’art funéraire, ainsi qu’à une série d’inscriptions ornant des monuments des nécropoles romaines.
See also: M.T. Olszewski, Artémidore, mythologie et symbolique funéraire, Archeologia (Warsaw) 52, 2001, pp. 39-60.
M.T. Olszewski, Le statut de l'image selon Artémidore et l'art romain, in: Morlier, H. ed., IXe Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Roma 5.11.2001-10.11.2001, Collection de l'Ecole Française de Rome 352/2, Rome 2005, pp. 859-880.""

The following English text (with Dutch translation following) on "Arabicization, Islamization, and the Colonies of the Conquerors" is a full version of a paper I delivered in abbreviated fashion for the Zenobia Foundation on November 14, 2015. The Dutch version has appeared before the English publication. I know that many of my colleagues do not read Dutch, so I am posting the English original final draft along with the published Dutch, which occupies the second part of this pdf file. I have indicated the page numbers of the Dutch version in the English text to facilitate cross-reference; of course, the published Dutch version should be cited, at least until the English version appears in print (expected 2019).

This paper is a tranlation from Polish into English, see: M.T.Olszewski, Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr), Meander XLII, 9-10, 1987, pp. 421-438, on http://www.academia.edu/3256649
The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographical and iconological programme of five panels mosaic from the House of Aion at Nea Pahos in Cyprus. He proposes reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception (Leda and a Swan)  and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis (the apotheosis of Cassiopeia).
The author rejects the interpretation of W.A. Daszewski, (Dionysos der Erlöser, Mainz am Rheim 1985) proposed in 1985 and his order of interpetation the five mythological pictures (1. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 2. Leda and Zeus; 3. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia; 4. Apollo and Marsyas 5. The Dionysian thiasos). Daszewski would like to see in Dionysos - a newly born supreme god, the universal savior.
See too a more elaboret and completed version of the first paper published in Polish on academia.edu : M.T. Olszewski, L'allégorie, les mystères dionysiaques et la mosaïque de la Maison d'Aiôn de Néa Paphos (Chypre), BullAIEMA 13, 1990-1991, p. 444-463.

We studied the earliest version of the Deluge story, which was found on two clay tablets excavated from the Older Nippur library in “Tablet Hill”, Nippur by H. Hilprecht. These two tablets with cuneiform inscriptions were written by the tsar (emperor) of Kutians Erridu- pizir after he conquered the whole Sumer and Akkad in 2478 B.C. (accordingly the Nippur chronology). They state that the house-boat of the Ut- napishtim (the Babylonian Noah) landed on the mount Nisir in the land of Kuti (Guti).
We studied the history of people of Kuti and demonstrated that national name Kuti is older version of Kutiguri (the biggest branch of ancient Bulgarians living in the Great Bulgar in VI- VII-th century AD). The affix -guri means people in ancient Bulgarian language, i.e. Kutiguri means “people of Kuti”. This result links the ancient Bulgarians with the land of Kuti where landed the house-boat of Ut- napishtim. Therefore we studied the locations of the Kuti by toponims and hydronames they left in Asia. We placed them on the map to obtain a map of their settlements. We studied the ceramic fragments left by Kutians found at these locations and compared them with ceramics found in Bulgaria. Using the drawing patterns on these artifacts we found that Kutians were leaving in Bulgaria in the first half of the 6-th millennium B.P. and letter migrated south perhaps in result of the Flood. They established settlements in Zagros Mts in Iran in the beginning of the 4-th millennium B.P. Probably Erridu- pizir considered these territories under “land of Kuti”.
We found in Iran 210 toponims and hydronames formed on the base of Kuti. We studied the morphology of these ancient Bulgarian ethnonims. They are compared with Bulgarian ethnonims in Bulgaria and in the ancient states of Volga Bulgar and the Great Bulgar, and with synthetic toponims formed from the same base with the same suffixes as these forming the toponims in Bulgaria. This way we determined the different Bulgarian toponims in Iran, which coincide with the theoretical (synthetic) Bulgarian toponims. 68 of them still exist not only in Iran, but also in Bulgaria, the Great Bulgar or Volga Bulgar territories (now in Ukraine and Russia).
We found also many toponims in Iran, which coincide with the names of the major cities and peaks in Bulgaria, which were named by ancient Bulgarians (Varna, Burgas, Madara, Balkan etc.). Some of them form the name of up to 43 different places in Iran each (they are repeated in up to 43 toponims each).
Using toponims we demonstrated that ancient Bulgarians migrated to Europe from the Kushan Empire after its decomposition. Then they founded Bulgarian state tradition in Europe.

Cheikh Zouède est un village localisé sur la côte ouest du Sinaï, entre Rafah (19 km au sud) et El' Arîche et quelques dizaines de kilomètres de Gaza (54 km au S.-O. de Gaza et 144 km de Jérusalem). Il est identifié avec Bitulion, une ville épiscopale au VIe siècle dont l'histoire remonte à l'époque sémitique avec quelques fondations. A l'époque ptolémaïque existe un bourg, Bytyl, témoigné par la céramique rhodienne (amphores estampillées).
La fouille de 1913 n'était qu'un dégagement rapide des vestiges archéologiques sans méthode au sens actuel du terme. La mosaïque figurative (4,75 x 3 m), très bien conservée, occupe la partie Est d'une grande pièce rectangulaire (7,25 x 6,60 m). A l'ouest de cette mosaïque est juxtaposé un panneau géométrique (1, 72 x 1,65 m). Ces deux mosaïques polychromes contrastent avec le sol monochrome en tesselles blanche.
Le visiteur se trouvait d'abord en face d'une longue inscription, le panneau central déroulé en deux registres figurait un thiase dionysiaque, enfin le dernier illustrait le mythe de Phèdre et d'Hippolyte accompagné au-dessus d'une inscription et couronné d'une autre.
L’auteur analyse trois inscriptions et trois images figurées du point de vue du vocabulaire utilises, de  l’iconographie ainsi que de l’iconologie en suivant leurs apparitions depuis la tragédie grecque jusqu’ à l’époque tardive.
Nous nous demandons si l'inscription contre le Mauvais Œil et l'Envie est placée intentionnellement près du mythe de Phèdre et d'Hippolyte. Il fait allusion aux conséquences destructrices d'un regard maléfique, malheur à celui qui tenterait d'entrer avec de semblables intentions. l'hypothèse nous semble défendable. Nous connaissons toute une série d'inscriptions exprimant l'idée : « Que l'on souhaite du bien ou du mal, il sera rendu au double ».
Dionysos et Héraclès sont associés dans les écrits théologiques de Julien. Le premier veille que la vie ait un sens et le deuxième est un dieu <<gardien>> et <<protecteur>> du monde. Ces caractéristiques attribuées à Dionysos et à Héraclès expliquent leur présence sur cette mosaïque.
Il serait tout à fait justifié de comparer le programme de la mosaïque de Cheikh Zouède avec celui de la villa gauloise de Vinon en Narbonnaise interprétée d'une façon excellente par Henri Lavagne. Nous voyons aussi quelques parallèles avec des inscriptions saluant le visiteur (HAIREI) et l’avertissant (KAISU) en même temps. C'est le cas de la maison de Dionysos à Néa Paphos qui a fait l’objet d’une très bonne étude de Ch. Kondelon. Les mosaïques du vestibule de la maison du Mauvais Œil ont également le pouvoir protecteur comme Doro Levi l’a justement expliqué.
Ce pavement du Sinaï d'une vaste propriété nous laisse penser que ses habitants devaient être hellénisées et profondément païens. Ils se servent de la mythologie pour décorer leur demeure et se protègent contre l'intrusion des forces maléfiques. Le propriétaire est un homme cultivé et le filokalos. Le choix des sujets mythologiques pour représenter des idées qui sont exprimées sur d'autres mosaïques d'une façon beaucoup moins sophistiquée témoigne de son goût raffiné. La date de l'exécution de la mosaïque reste discutable, malgré quelques analogies iconographiques et stylistiques suggérant plutôt la période entre les premières moitiés du IVe et du Ve siècles ( sur la datation et le style de la mosaïque cf. M. T. Olszewski, La mosaïque de style naïf de Cheikh Zouède au Sinaï , Archeologia (Warsaw) 53, 2002, pp. 45–61, pls III+VI).

Dans cet article, nous examinerons une série de portraits funéraires documentés dans le Proche-Orient romain, en nous efforçant de confronter les différents types de portraits (portraits peints, portraits sur sarcophages, bustes, stèles, façades de tombeaux) et les différents motifs mobilisés (figures de deuil, personnages militaires ou sacerdotaux, scènes intellectuelles). Nous tenterons tout au long de replacer ces phénomènes artistiques dans leur environnement méditerranéen, et d’en démontrer la malléabilité iconographique et la perméabilité symbolique. Au terme de cette étude, nous verrons la manière dont ces "visages" de défunts, pris dans leur ensemble, dessinent les contours du portrait funéraire antique comme phénomène de masse.

Along the history of Sassanid’s Empire many landmarks marked its turns. But the most important internal issues the kings Shapur I and Khosrau II had to go through were the political, military, social and administrative reforms that they had to imposse to ensure the empire and their power.

We studied the earliest version of the Deluge story, which were found on two clay tablets excavated from the Older Nippur library in “Tablet Hill”, Nippur by H. Hilprecht. These two tablets with cuneiform inscriptions were written by the tsar (emperor) of Kutians Erridu- pizir after he conquered the whole Sumer and Akkad in 2478 B.C. (accordingly the Nippur chronology). They state that the house-boat of the Ut- napishtim (the Babylonian Noah) landed on the mount Nisir in the land of Kuti (Guti).

We studied the history of people of Kuti and demonstrated that national name Kuti is older version of the Kutiguri (the biggest branch of ancient Bulgarians living in the Great Bulgar in VI- VII-th century AD). The affix guri means people in ancient Bulgarian language, i.e. Kutiguri means “people of Kuti”. This result links the ancient Bulgarians with the land of Kuti where landed the house-boat of Ut- napishtim. Therefore we studied the locations of the Kuti by toponims and hydronames they left in Iran. We placed them on the map of Iran to obtain a map of their settlements. We studied the ceramic fragments left by Kutians found at these locations and compared them with ceramics found in Bulgaria. Using the drawing patterns on these artifacts we found that Kutians were leaving in Bulgaria in the first half of the 6-th millennium B.P. and letter migrated south perhaps in result of the Flood. They established settlements in Zagros Mts in Iran in the beginning of the 4-th millennium B.P. Probably Erridu- pizir considered these territories under (land of Kuti).

We found in Iran 210 toponims and hydronames formed on the base of Kuti. We studied the morphology of these ancient Bulgarian ethnonims. They are compared with Bulgarian ethnonims in Bulgaria and in the ancient states of Volga Bulgar and the Great Bulgar, and with synthetic toponims formed from the same base with the same suffixes as these forming the toponims in Bulgaria. This way we determined the different Bulgarian toponims in Iran, which coincide with the theoretical (synthetic) Bulgarian toponims. 68 of them still exist not only in Iran, but also in Bulgaria, the Great Bulgar or Volga Bulgar territories (now in Ukraine and Russia).

We found also many toponims in Iran, which coincide with the names of the major cities and peaks in Bulgaria, which were named by ancient Bulgarians (Varna, Burgas, Madara, etc.). Some of them form the name of up to 43 different places in Iran each (they are repeated in up to 43 toponims each).
related papers:http://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/1297634/Genetic_Research_on_the_Origin_of_Bulgarians_and_their_Relations_with_other_Nations_Y._Y._Shopov_Avant-garde_Research_of_Ancient_Bulgarians_v.1_2_pp._3-47_2007_http://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/964542/The_first_paper_on_the_Noahs_Flood_in_the_Black_Sea_Basinhttp://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/131501/Noahs_Flood_and_the_Associated_Tremendous_Rainfall_as_a_Possible_Result_of_Collision_of_a_Big_Asteroid_with_the_Sunhttp://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/131526/The_Oldest_Written_Version_of_the_Flood_Story_and_its_Relevance_to_the_Migrations_of_the_Ancient_Bulgarianshttp://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/131478/POTENTIAL_AND_LIMITATIONS_OF_THE_ARCHAEO-GEOPHYSICAL_TECHNIQUEShttp://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/1297685/Potential_and_Limitations_of_the_Archaeo-_geophysical_Techniques-_Golyamata_Kosmatka_In_honour_of_Dr.George_Kitov_Yavor_Y._Shopov_in_Along_the_Path_of_the_Past_-_Jubilee_book_in_honour_of_65-th_anniversary_of_Dr.George_Kitov._Edited_by_D.Dimitrova_IK_Aros_pp._204-209http://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/1297651/Similar_and_Equal_Toponims_Hydronames_and_Ethnonims_in_Bulgaria_India_Bangladesh_Pakistan_and_Iran_Shopov_Y._L._Tsankov_._Yalamov_._utafova_H._Azady_G._Hnkanosyan_20_._2009_-_29_2_2004_._.311-_324http://uni-sofia.academia.edu/YavorShopov/Papers/1294895/Bulgarian_State_Tradition_and_its_Delivery_to_Europe._The_Deluge_Oldest_Written_Evidences_and_Migrations_of_Bulgarians._Yavor_Y._Shopov_Petko_Dimitrov_Dimitar_Dimitrov_and_Bono_Shkodrov

In 1812 the Swedish explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in Aleppo could meet the Spanish traveler Ali Bey (Domingo Badia and Leblich) conducted one of the most important discoveries of the time during one of his many trips to locate first the capital of ancient Nabataean kingdom, Petra.