KARNOBAT ABANDONED CEMETERY

The largest Jewish necropolis in Bulgaria was created by the Jews of Karnobat, who had lived in the town since the 16th century, and of neighbouring cities who would burry their dead here. 

It used to contain over 1,000 tombstones. The earliest dates back to 1686 and the newest ones are from the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars and the First World War. 

Unless you have a knowledgeable local guide, it can be difficult to find the remnants of Karnobat's Jewish cemetery. It is situated on a slope on the outskirts of the Galata neighbourhood, whose official name is Krasno Selo. You are advised to visit in dry weather because rain and snow can make the whole ravine prohibitively muddy. 

Barking sheep dogs, some of which are kept unleashed, can also be a problem. 

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Once you negotiate the pitfalls and reach the ridge, you will be rewarded with a surreal sight. The whole side of the hill is covered with hundreds of large and small reclining tombstones. Years ago many of them were cleaned up when some historical research was done, but most are now overgrown with vegetation. Many cannot be seen at all, unless viewed from close up. Flocks of sheep, and sometimes pigs, will be your companions throughout. 

Some of the tombstones imitate sarcophagi, others are just slabs covering the graves. Many of the marble tombstones have been purloined by locals over the past several decades. What remains now are mostly granite and sandstone tombstones. 

Walking through them is like holding a meeting with several generations of Karnobat Jews. Brush aside the grass covering them and you will see Hebrew and Ladino epitaphs, as well as images recreating, at least partially, the life of those buried beneath. The local masons developed an intricate system of symbols to represents the sex and occupation of the dead. The graves of many women bear children's cribs, tambours and embroidery threads, while the men have scissors and hammers, parchment scrolls and ink-bottles with quills. 

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The peace and tranquillity of the site does not hide the fact that this is one of the most mercilessly vandalised Jewish cemeteries in Bulgaria. Having ignored it for years, the locals then started plundering its tombstones to use in the construction of sheep pens and pigsties. 

The local climate also plays a role in the general dilapidation of Karnobat's Jewish cemetery. The soil has begun to slide down towards a seasonal brook, causing some tombstones to tumble downhill, ending up in some cases several metres from the graves they used to cover.