New data on the use and veneration of labris in Thracia in the 13th-11th centuries В. C.

Abstract

The labrys, or double axe, constitutes an important element of research on symbolism and cultural contacts in the Bronze Age, especially in the context of relations between the Aegean world and the Balkan area. Its presence in Thrace allows for an analysis of ideological and social transformations, including the formation of symbols of power and ritual practices. Previous interpretations pointed to its utilitarian and cult functions; however, its significance in the Thracian environment remained ambiguous. The aim of the article is to analyze new finds of labryses from Thrace (13th–11th centuries BC) and to determine their symbolic function. The study is based on a typological and comparative analysis of archaeological materials from the territory of present-day Bulgaria, taking into account the context of discoveries, the form of artifacts, and analogies to Aegean culture. The results indicate that in the Aegean world the labrys performed sacrificial and cult functions and later became a symbol of power. In Thrace it is a rare find, but the discoveries from Yagodina are of key importance. Two bronze specimens, morphologically differentiated, were placed on the chests of the deceased in a tumulus burial, which indicates their symbolic function. Analogous finds from Varna suggest a long-lasting presence of this symbolism in the region. The labrys in Thrace should be interpreted primarily as an insignium of power associated with elites, which is confirmed by its role in funerary ritual and its significance in the social structures of the Bronze Age.