The Rogozen silver treasure

Vessels from the Rogozen treasureThe village of Rogozen is located 43 kilometers to the north of the town of Vratsa, in the middle of the Danubian Plain, between Ogosta and Iskar Rivers. The treasure is unearthed in the centre of the village in an empty plot of land, used many years as a vegetable garden.

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.

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