Paper short abstract:

This paper looks at the phenomenon of 'imanartsvo', 'gold-digging', among the Pomaks, a Muslim minority in Bulgaria. It investigates how 'imanarstvo' and the 'antique' objects it generates influence the constitution of the Pomaks' ethnic, religious and political identities.

Paper long abstract:

This paper looks at the phenomenon of 'imanartsvo', 'gold-digging', among the Pomaks, a Muslim minority in Bulgaria. The Pomaks are inhabitants of the Rhodopes mountains, an area rich in ancient remains such as Roman settlements and burial mounds. The term 'imanarstvo' refers to the illegal excavation of archaeological sites but also means 'treasure seeking', in a more spiritual sense. The paper investigates how 'imanarstvo' and the 'antique' objects it generates (coins, spears, medallions, ...) influence the constitution of the Pomaks' ethnic, religious and political identities.