Golden treasures of a Ancient civilization from the 3rd millennium BC.

In 2004, by a mere chance, archaeology received a precious gift – the treasure from the village of Dabene, Karlovo, Bulgaria.

In the spring of 2004, near the town of Sopot, an archaeological expedition was making excavations in a Roman roadside service station, located on an old Roman road that passed nearby. One day two archaeologists entered a shop in the town and noticed a woman wearing a golden necklace reminding them of ancient gold. She told them that her husband came across it while ploughing a field in Dabene. The man showed them the place and soon after that the archaeologists started their excavations. In the period 2004-2007 over 20 000 gold jewellery items from 18 to 23 carats were found – beads, necklace rings, earrings, spirals, hairpins, little golden amulets in the form of an adze and other exquisitely wrought ornaments – the smallest are with a diameter of 1,5 mm. That’s an unthinkable size according to our idea of the technologies of the Bronze Age. The items date from the end of the 3rd millennium BC. It turned out that a highly developed civilization inhabited the Karlovo Valley at that time and according to some scientist the precious metal was exported to the entire Middle and Southern Europe. And the gold was wrought by local master goldsmiths who lived in these regions. Especially interesting is the place itself, where the items were found. The archaeologists knew about a prehistoric settlement from the 4th-3rd millennium BC but it was located several kilometers from here. On the place of the findings there are no traces of a settlement or buildings, of fires, and there are no clues that this is an ancient necropolis. The finds are made in hundreds of little mounds in the field itself. Ceramic, bronze and silver vessels, as well as a golden plaque were found in them. Probably the items were buried as a sacrifice to an unknown deity, most likely to the Great Mother Goddess of the Thracians. The vessels were put in the ground, the golden necklaces were torn and scattered above them and then covered with earth as a gift to the Goddess.

By the excavations in 2006 a unique golden dagger or poniard was found – alloy of gold, platinum and other metals with a high purity of the gold. The golden dagger is 16 cm (6.3 inch) long. Its point end is cut and sharpened and at the butt end there are two holes used for fastening the haft, made of bone or wood. The alloy that it was made of is so hard that the dagger remained sharp through the millennia and the gold content is so high that it was preserved in a perfect condition without patina. It is one of a kind in the entire world. Scientists assume that it represented the power of its owner and most probably belonged to a ruler or a priest.

At the time of the excavations in 2007, in a deep and stone-filled pit, were found eight different in kind and size ceramic vessels, one cup and a golden spiral made of high quality gold and interestingly wrought – from a narrow golden pipe.

The research continues. We don’t know what more will be found out about the ancient civilization that existed here, but the Dabene finds have already changed the ideas of the archaeologists and scientists regarding the forming of the European civilization. They threw light on the influence of this ancient civilization, existed on the territory of contemporary Bulgaria, on the development of the European civilization. The Dabene treasure gives the connection between the age old civilization of the Varna Culture and the treasures from the village of Hotnitsa from the 5th millennium BC, which were somehow isolated in time until now, with no relation to the Thracian tribes and their masterpieces from the better known 1st and 2nd millennia BC. Are these the more ancient ancestors of the Thracians, called “pre-Thracians”? What happened in the 5th millennium so they disappeared for 2 000 years? Invasions of other tribes, wars, a world cataclysm, a flood? We hope to find answers to these questions with the help of the archaeologists.

View more treasures of ancient civilizations found in Bulgaria

• Gold from Hotnitsa. Civilization from 5th millennium BC
• Chalcolithic necropolis town of Varna. Civilization from 5th millennium BC

The oldest gold treasures in the world – 5th millennium BC.

The village mound near the village of Hotnitsa dates back to the 5th millennium BC. It was 6 m wide and was discovered by chance. In 1955 by the construction works of irrigation canals, the workers unearthed one side of a mound and found clay wares and stone implements. The regional museum in Veliko Tarnovo is informed about the finds.

Archaeological excavations 1956-1959

In 1956 archaeologists from Veliko Tarnovo started excavation works. They found relatively well preserved settlement with 20 one-room dwellings. They were built of wooden stakes fixed into the ground, and walls weaved of branches and pasted over with mud. They had thatches. There were streets separating the dwellings, which were organized in blocks as residential quarters. The dwellings had a fireplace in one of the corners, plank-beds and scanty utensils, consisting of clay vessels and items of copper, bone, stone and flint. The settlement dated back to the 5th millennium BC. Totally unexpected for that time period, when people used mainly primitive instruments and objects, in one of the rooms the archaeologists found a heap of gold items, weighing about 350 g (0.80 lb). 40 rings made from wire, and 4 strangely shaped plates. The plates had openings – one bigger in the middle and 2 smaller over it, and on one of the plates – 3 little openings, forming symbolic human faces. It is supposed that these are occult items, which belonged to the priest, and he used them in cult rituals or as an amulet. The unearthed treasure became famous to the world as the Hotnitsa Golden Treasure. In 1958, the further excavations in the village, revealed a room, where many prehistoric little idols made of bone were found. Their great number and the fact that some of them were not finished suggest to the archaeologists that they came across a prehistoric workshop. The inhabitants of the settlement were forced to leave it because of a fire and it was found intact after 7 000 years.

Archaeological excavations 2000-2007

After the initial excavations near the village of Hotnitsa the researches began again and continue to the present day. Over 300 sq. m. of the northern side of the mound were unearthed for this period. The findings exceed 5000 items. 6 dwellings were examined. Especially interesting are the new gold items, copper implements, rich collection of anthropomorphous and zoomorphous sculptures. Many ceramic vessels and stone instruments were also found. In 2000 three golden plates were unearthed. One year later the archaeologists found a golden spiral and then in 2006 they came across another one. However the latter was unique and pretty interesting. It was found several cultural layers deeper than the entire Hotnitsa treasure, which together with the treasure from the Varna Chalcolithic Necropolis is qualified as the world’s oldest gold. And the depth where the spiral was found proves that it is older than «the oldest gold». That is also evident by the way it is wrought. The previously found items were drawn out, and the metal, pure natural 23,5-carat gold for the last spiral was forged. A very important fact concerning the finds in Hotnitsa is that the gold was found in its natural environment, not in tombs or necropolises. It becomes clear that the people wore the ornaments and used them in their everyday life.

The experts claim that the civilization from the 5th millennium BC, a coeval of Varna Culture, whose traces and golden jewellery were unearthed in the village of Hotnitsa, Bulgaria, is older than Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations.

View more treasures of ancient civilizations found in Bulgaria

• Chalcolithic necropolis town of Varna. Civilization from 5th millennium BC
• Treasure from Dabene. Civilization from 3th millennium BC

• on their back with the body stretched

• curled up in a ball with legs and arms tucked in, resembling the position of the embryo in mother’s womb

• symbolic burials — there were no bodies in the tombs, only burial gifts were found. (practice for paying honour to the deceased who had fallen dead far away, in battle, while travelling or for other reasons preventing the burial of the mortal remains)

Rich burial items are found by each one of the three kinds of burial. The items were intended to accompany the buried people after death. These were clay vessels, sea shells, numerous decorative objects made of precious and base metals, as well as bone human figures representing idols. In their hands were put instruments like knives, axes, chisels made of stone, copper or flint. The richest in gold items are the empty tombs of the symbolic burials. There were also vessels and instruments. Symbolic human faces made of clay surrounded by rich decoration were found in some of the tombs. In only one of the excavated tombs (Nr 43 regarding its unearthing) were found 990 gold items weighing over 1,5 kg (3.3 lb). The burial in tomb 43 was made over 4000 years BC. The unearthed remains belong to a male, about 45 years old, who was athletic and relatively tall of stature (170 cm), having in mind the normal height at that time. He had massive gold bracelets on each hand, as well as strings of sea shells and gold beads. A splendid adornment resembling a wide collar decorated his neck and chest. It consisted of gold plates and jewels. These were also sewn on to his clothes and hat. In the tomb there were also many instruments made of copper and flint, and clay vessels. All these findings evidence that this was the tomb of a noble ruler or priest and also prove the existence of a well structured hierarchical society…

Video – The treasures from Chalcholithic necropolis town of Varna

View more treasures of ancient civilizations found in Bulgaria

• Gold from Hotnitsa. Civilization from 5th millennium BC
• Gold from Dabene. Civilization from 3th millennium BC

Mogilanska Mogila is a half destroyed mound in the town of Vratza which was located in the yard of a house in the very centre of the old part of the town. For the most people it was just an elevation but the archaeologists knew that there is a tumulus on this place and in1965-66 they began excavations. 3 tombs were found. One of them was robbed in antiquity and the other two were relatively preserved. Most interesting are the findings in the second tomb. A chariot with two horses in harness killed at the time of the burial are found in it. Furthermore, behind the chariot, there was a skeleton of another horse probably intended for the chariot’s driver. On the horse remains they found a silver-plated bridle, silver appliques, part of the horse trappings decoration. Next to the horse the archaeologists found the skeleton of a young woman without ornaments, and it is supposed that this is a servant girl, killed during the burial ritual to be laid next to her mistress. In the west part the experts unearthed a precious find. They found the skeleton of a young woman, about 1.50 m (59 inch) high, with a golden crown of laurels on her head and 47 golden appliques on and next to her head. It is supposed that the woman had a veil over her face decorated with these golden appliques. On her ears she had 2 exquisite golden earrings. The remains of a man were found near her. He was probably a warrior for his arms were next to him. The archaeologists found a silver knemida (greave, worn by horsemen to protect the lower leg from knee to the ankle) with many decorations and partially plated with gold, 88 spear points, a sword and a bronze shield. There were also four silver phialai, a silver jug, a rhyton-shaped amphora, 50 clay figures and other findings. The girl’s head was decorated by a golden crown of laurels. The pure gold weighed 205 g (0.45 lb). She also had massive golden earrings, whose bottom side was decorated with sphinxes and floral ornaments. Especially valuable is the mirror in her left hand. In the third tomb, partially robbed in antiquity, the skeletons of a man and a woman, golden and silver jugs, golden jewellery, clay items and iron-pointed arrows were unearthed. Two riding Thracian chariots with four horses each, driven by men in armour, are depicted on the golden jug.

The rich finds in Mogilanska Mogila confirm the assumption that it is a royal tomb, connected with the dynasty of the Tribali, who inhabited the territories of the contemporary region of Vratsa in the 4th century BC.

It was an accidental finding. In 1985 the tractor driver Ivan Dimitrov was making a water main in his garden when he came upon a pile of beautiful silver vessels almost on the surface (50 cm depth). This pile consisted of 42 jugs, 22 phialai and a cup, which were handed to the employees of the museum in the town of Vratsa.

The excavations on the place confirmed to the archaeologists that the treasure was buried under extreme circumstances and probably was divided in several parts. Soon after that a second pit is found, containing 100 silver vessels buried at 40 cm depth. This part consists of 86 phialai, 12 jugs and 2 cups. Thus the overall number of the items increased to 165 silver vessels – 54 jugs, 3 cups and 108 phialai.

It is supposed that these objects belonged to a local noble family and were gathered for many years — from the 5th century BC to the 40s of the 4th century BC. On some of the vessels are engraved different inscriptions, which gave us the names of various Thracian rulers and gold- and silversmiths who made the vessels.

The decoration of found objects represents many scenes from the Thracian and Greek mythology, proof of the strong relationship and cultural exchanges between ancient Greeks and the Thracian tribes.

The Rogozen treasure is the biggest Thracian treasure found so far.

Four of the rhyta are shaped as animals’ heads or torsos – ram, goat, and two of them have fallow deer heads. The upper part of the rhyta is decorated with scenes and heroes from the Greek mythology. On one of the rhyta are depicted god Dionysus with Ariadne (a Cretan princess) on the feast on the occasion of their wedding. Three of the vessels are jugs with Amazon heads. Their handles are formed as mythological creatures with animal figures and human heads.

A skilfully made shallow bowl, called phiale, is also found. There are four concentric circles on it, with 24 relief ornaments in each circle, which become smaller from the rim to the centre of the phiale. The biggest and the next two circles are arranged with Negro heads, and the last, most internal, circle consists of a row of acorns. Between the rows of elements the phiale is decorated with floral ornaments.

Most interesting regarding its form and decoration is the big amphora. Its handles are formed as fighting centaurs, and the two openings for pouring the wine, located at the bottom end of the vessel, represent Negro heads. Between the Negro heads is the figure of the child Heracles, fighting the snake. The amphora is richly decorated with realistic scenes from the Greek mythology.

The items of the Panagyurishte Treasure form a rich and expensive gold set with a great artistic value and a ritual function. The treasure has an enormous significance regarding the study of the Thracians, their way of life, relations with Hellenic culture and their similar believes.

After the vessels were examinated, the archaeologists arrived at several hypotheses concerning the origin of the vessels. The most popular are two of them: the first is that the items are made in the settlement, called Lampsak, a Hellenic colony, located on the southern Black Sea coast, contemporary Turkey. And the second hypothesis, which predominates after the recent archaeological excavations and having in mind the high quality craftsmanship of the found items, is that the set is made in a local goldsmith’s workshop, located in the Panagyurishte region.

Who was the owner of the treasure? Is it possible to be a possession of some of the Odrysian kings? What made him hide it in the ground? We can’t get precise answers. We can only guess, but in spite of all that we can feast our eyes on the Panagyurishte golden treasure and treat it as a precious, highly artistic and unique witness of antiquity.

Video – The Panagyurishte golden treasure

• Horse-trappings appliques and

• Vessels (9 vessels — 5 phialai, 3 jugs and a bowl)

The items are made of silver and some of them are partially plated with gold to underline the artistic figures and the decoration. The phialai and the bowl are rich decorated with plants, human heads and other elements. On the appliques there are often depicted animal figures: lion, griffin, dog, deer, etc. Figures of horsemen, very typical to the Thracian art, can be also seen. A lion attacking a deer whose legs are folded under the body is depicted on two of the appliques of the Lukovit treasure. On another applique two horsemen chase lions, who – overtaken – fall under the hooves of the horses. These scenes from the Thracian art have a definite social meaning. They are related to the glorifying of royal power. The rulers and their parties were spreading by all means the legends for their divine origin and even with the decoration of the horse trappings they made ordinary people believe in it and knuckle under to them.

In 1963 workers from a farm in the village of Letnitsa decided to build a new sheep house. While digging, at 50–60 centimeters, they came across a bronze vessel turned upside down. It was full of little silver items, some of them decorated with gold. They shared the treasure. Later on the curator of the museum of the near town of Lovech collected the items with the help of the doctor of the village, who witnessed the unearthing.

Save the silver items, some of which were very small, typical for the horse trappings from the 4th century BC, there was a well-preserved rein. It consisted of two iron braces, which were used to hold the bridle to the halter, and a bit-chain.

The cycle of illustrations of historic scenes on a group of plaques is very interesting. On some plaques the protagonist is represented as a horseman fighting and defeating bears and wolves, on other he is throwing his spear, followed by his servant.

The Letnitsa treasure plaques throw some light on the mythology of the ancient Thracians and their believes, which allows us to take a look at the culture and conception of world of these distant predecessors.

The Letnitsa treasure is exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia.

• Three rhyta ending with figures of a horse, bull and sphinx. The details were precisely made.

• Amphora-like jug — the clothes and hair of the people engraved on it are decorated with gold. The scenes on the jug are beautifully and skilfully made. They depict deities and dancing figures. One of the figures is of the god Dionysus, and other — of Heracles. The figure of Heracles is holding in his hands a rhyton similar to those in the treasure.

• A silver large bowl with gold on its lip and around the massive handles. The heads of satyrs, mythical creatures from the suite of god Dionysus, are welded to the handles. The bowl is put on a cone-like stand. A deer attacked by a griffin is depicted in gold-plated relief in its centre.

The Borovo treasure dates back to the time of the Odrysian king Cotys I (383-359 BC) which is evident by the inscriptions with his name on two of the vessels.

Video – The Borovo silver treasure

• seven of them are lid-shaped objects of different diameters and an extended handle in the middle (very much like the percussion instruments, called cymbals).

• Four deep one-handle cups with their handles bent upwards (one of the cups is much bigger than the other three);

• A bowl characterized by its high swung handles, weighing over 4 kg (9 lb);

• A triple vessel, consisting of three almond-shaped pieces connected to each other with tubes, and with a handle with three branches forming a system of interconnected vessels.

Not only the shape of this vessel itself, but also its intended purpose is very interesting. It is supposed that the Thracian king-priests used the vessels for religious rituals. More specifically rituals related to god Dionysus, worshipped by the ancient Greeks, as well as by the Thracians. The triple vessel allows three different liquids to be poured in it, for example wine, honey and milk, or only two different liquids to be poured in the side (right and left) almond-shaped pieces, and when they mix thanks to the tubes a certain result becomes visisble, a «result» used by the priests to tell the fortune watching the middle piece of the triple vessel. We can only guess what the purpose of the cymbal-like items was. Were they really cymbals or were used as lids for another vessels? Is their shape related to the sun cult or has another merely practical explanation?

A very interesting fact regarding the small cups is that the master goldsmiths made them in such a way that they would stand in upright position only when filled with liquid. Probably we will never find out the right answers to these questions but the Valchitran golden treasure gives us the opportunity to touch on antiquity in a unique and mysterious way. The treasure dates back to the end of the Bronze Age, i.e. to the 16th – 12th century BC.