Hello, Hivers! Today I present to your attention one of the most important and famous things in Bulgaria -
The Panagyurishte Gold Treasure
The Panagyurishte gold treasure is probably the most famous of the many discovered precious treasures from antiquity found in the Bulgarian lands. The exceptional gold elements never cease to amaze with their remarkable ornamentation, grace and artistic value.
Here you can see how big some of the element of the treasure are
Where it is located?
To enjoy this amazing miracle of Bulgarian history you need to visit the town of the same name - Panagyurishte. It is located in southern Bulgaria at the foot of the Balkan Mountains. Not far from it is Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria. The treasure is kept in the town's historical museum and to see it in person you will have to pay a fee of 3 euros. There is a 50% discount for children, students and seniors. The museum is a two-storey house, and at the checkout you can ask for a guide to explain the history of the treasure in more detail. For an additional fee, of course.
View of the Balkan Mountains, which separate Bulgaria in two parts - south and north
The Panagyurishte gold treasure consists of 9 massive gold objects, which according to archaeologists is a serzviz that was used for ritual purposes by its owners back through the centuries. In all likelihood they were noble Thracian nobles.
Map of The Thracian Kingdom of the Odrysae(5th-1st century BC)
As you already know it consists of 9 elements:
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 1. | Phiale |
| 2. | Amphora |
| 3-9. | Rhytons |
The pfial, which is round in shape and is also called a platter; the large amphora and the seven rhytons with various human and animal figures are made of 24 carat gold and have a total weight of over 6 kg. Standing in front of them, one wonders how they managed to craft them with such precision and perfection down to the detail.
The big Amphora
History of the Panagyurishte Treasure:
The treasure was found quite by chance by three brothers in December 1949 in the immediate vicinity of the town of Panagyurishte. It is his name that the treasure bears. The dating of the vessels indicates that it was most likely excavated in the 4th-3rd century BC for the needs of a noble Thracian ruler. Archaeologists still cannot establish the origin of the gold. There are two hypotheses. The first states that the gold was mined and worked in a local goldsmith's workshop. And according to the second hypothesis, the gold was processed and brought from Asia Minor.
Inside Panagyurishte Historical Museum
On the nine gold elements are depicted numerous scenes with mythological subjects. The various vessels depict deities and mythological characters. Some of the images such as those of Heracles and Paris are depicted in Greek letters on top of the elements.
One of the nine Rhytons with a woman head
Ritons are ritual vessels from which the wine flows and as a result various Thracian rituals were performed with them.
Panagyurishte Treasure nowadays
Nowadays, the treasure is one of the most frequently exported from Bulgaria to be displayed abroad among the most famous halls in the world. The treasure kept in Panagyurishte is a replica. The real treasure is kept in the National History Museum in Sofia. But it has often been brought back to its birthplace.
Three of the 7 rhytons depict female heads with beautiful faces. One of the female heads has an ornate helmet.
The rest of the rhytons represent the front of animals such as deer, ram and goat.
If we have to determine the value of the Panagyurishte gold treasure - I must disappoint you. It is priceless.
