Starosel

Starosel () is a village in central Bulgaria, Hisarya Municipality, Plovdiv Province. It lies at the foot of the Sredna Gora mountain range along the shores of Pyasachnik River.

Starosel is known for the abundance of ancient Neolithic and Thracian sites, with some finds dating as far back as the 5th-6th millennium BC. Evidence from 20th-century excavations reveals that the village burgeoned into an important and wealthy Thracian city in the 5th century BC. 

Among its main features are the underground temple, the largest of its kind in the Balkan Peninsula, built under the Chetinyova Mogila (tumulus) and a mausoleum. The temple, as well as the nearby Thracian king's residence under Mount Kozi Gramadi, likely date to the reign of Amatokos II (359-351 BC). 

Another important site, the Horizont tumulus, contains the only known Thracian temple to feature a colonnade (a Doric one). It is one of ten tumuli located within the location range.

The Kings' palace and treasury have also been discovered nearby at Kozi Gramadi at 1200m altitude. It was begun under Thracian king Cotys I (384-359 BC). 
The palace is enclosed with a defensive wall preserved up to a height of 2m and two bastions have been revealed. Philip II of Macedon broke in and captured the palace in 341BC from king Teres II (351-341 BC) and evidence of severe destruction has been found. Among the finds many lead slingshot bullets stamped with the names of Philip's generals Cleobulus and Anaxandros were brought to light within the palace.

Honour
Starosel Gate on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Starosel.

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External links

Category:Villages in Plovdiv Province