The village of Balkaya from the necropolis

A grave on top of the limestone ridge

Immediately to the north of Balkaya Church 3 is the outcrop of limestone into which the necropolis is carved. There are many rectangular tombs dug out of the rock. Most have been covered by the deposition of soil over time. Tombs are occasionally exposed after high winds such as those occurring over New Year 2016-2017. Trees growing in the shallow depressions cannot grow deep roots. When they blow over, they take a neat package of roots and soil with them, leaving the shape of the grave. No idea how many burials were carried out here. I guess we’ll have to wait for a hurricane.

Looking east from the necropolis

Grave exposed by fallen tree

There are probably hundreds of these buried under a few centimetres of soil

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North-facing rock wall

Across the river from Balkaya village on a small plateau above the permanently waterlogged fields is an outcrop of rock that has been tunneled extensively by ecclesiastical Byzantines. The major remaining church (41.61059818995, 27.96443773317) is surrounded by rectangular tombs cut into the top of the rock. There are also small structures cut into the rock on either side.

Entrance to the big storage jar cut into the rock

Interior of the storage chamber

The surface of the rock that was suitable for this sort of construction faces north. Immediately to the west of the church is one of the kaya küpleri characteristic of this limestone area. It is a 2.5 metre high stone jar cut into the rock and would have been ideal for food storage. To the east of the church is a chamber that has been excavated by treasure hunters. Its original conformation has been obliterated. The Kırklareli Envanteri site mentions two rooms here but they seem to have been knocked into one. Treasure hunters are now using generators and power tools to gouge through the rock and they do not bring a great deal of knowledge of the ancient buildings to their search. I fear for the future of this site and ones near it.

Entrance to the east of the church

Interior of chamber. All detail has been obliterated by treasure hunters

The church itself is entered through an elaborate opening in the rock. It is aligned on an east-west axis with the sanctuary on the eastern side. There was once an iconostasis carved to give the impression of three naves. This has been eroded so that the two dividing pillars are now gone but enough remains for the observer to visualise what must once have been a pretty little church. The apse is precisely carved and contains a niche in the centre. Chambers remain within the sanctuary that once served as prothesis and diaconicon.

Iconostasis. Treasure hunters’ accoutrements in the foreground

Apse of church

The western end of the church is cut into a circular shape with a central niche. The southern wall has two niches. One contains a mortise which indicates that some, perhaps wooden, structure was attached. There is a small amount of graffiti cut into this surface.

South wall

It takes something of a feat of imagination to visualise this monastic community in action. Most of it has disappeared but the number of graves in the necropolis section shows that this area must have once been heavily populated with eccentric Byzantine dropouts from society.

Civelik, E. (2016) Balkaya Kült Alanı. Kırklareli Kültür Varlıkları Envanteri. Available online at: http://www.kirklarelienvanteri.gov.tr/sitler.php?id=130 Accessed 24^th Jan 2017

Tanindi, O, Kurt, Ö. et al (2009): Archaeological Destruction in Turkey, Preliminary Report – Marmara Region Byzantine Period, TAY Project – Scientific Reports Series 16/Eng, Istanbul. Partially available at: http://www.tayproject.org/dosyabizmareng.html

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