The Village in Middle Stara Planina Mountain at the End of the 19th and 20th Century. An Attempt for Ethnological Typology

Abstract

Mira Markova’s article “The Village in Middle Stara Planina Mountain at the End of the 19th and 20th Century: An Attempt for Ethnological Typology” presents the results of field ethnographic research (1997–1999) conducted in the mountain regions of Troyan, Teteven, Dryanovo, Gabrovo, Elena, and Sevlievo. The main objective is to develop an ethnological typology of the Balkan village in its transition from traditional to modern society.

The author applies a complex methodology combining geographical, historical, architectural, economic, and ethnocultural criteria. Based on these indicators, she identifies seven traditional and five modern settlement types, reflecting the adaptation of mountain communities to economic, social, and cultural transformations.

Markova defines the village as a sphere of equilibrium between nature and society, where people cultivate and use the environment, transmit social experience, and reproduce tradition through livelihood and settlement patterns. The study traces the transformation of this equilibrium—from the dispersed hamlet system and multifunctional rural economy of the 19th century to industrialisation, collectivisation, and depopulation in the 20th century.

The conclusion defines the ethnological type of village as a stable yet variable cultural model, determined by ecological conditions, human needs, and the broader historical evolution of the Middle Balkan mountain region.