PREHISTORIC ROCK SANCTUARY WITH ARCH NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KOVACHEVITSA, BULGARIA: SPATIAL ORIENTATION AND SOLAR PROJECTIONS

Study of spatial - temporal organization of the sanctuary interior of rock – cut monument with rock arch is presented in this work. The sanctuary is located in the Western Rhodopes, village of Kovachevitsa, Garmen Municipality and it is archaeologically dated back to the Eneolithic. The monument is about 20 meters long and it is part of a large rock ridge. The topographical, landscape and microrelief features of this monument are described and the excellent view of the ancient observer to the sky and local horizon is noted. An analysis is made of the structural elements of the sanctuary and possible observational purposes. Astronomical azimuths of the base lines connecting the arch opening and the other elements of the sanctuary are determined. It has been found that sunrise during the summer solstice can be observed from the observational platform through the arch opening. Chronological boundaries of existence of the rock-cut monument are determined. They refer to the era of the late Eneolithic - III - II millenium BC.