Forty years ago, archaeologists in Bulgaria found a huge hoard of gold, and by huge, we’re talking the largest hoard in the world. As if that weren't fortuitous enough for the great country of Bulgaria, interestingly, just a few days after a more than 4,000-year-old settlement was found, another gold stockpile has been located in an ancient tomb in Bulgaria. It’s been a hot few weeks for awesome artifacts in that country.
On Thursday, Bulgarian archeologists uncovered treasure near the village of Sveshtari. This isn’t just any treasure. We’re talking about gold dating back to the end of the fourth century or perhaps the beginning of the third century. That’s not quite as old as the ancient ruins of Europe’s oldest town found in the country just a few ago, but it’s old. Plus, it's hard to get excited about ancient ruins when we could be talking about hidden treasure.
According to Reuters, the gold finds are from the apogee of the rule of the Getae, a Thracian tribe that ruled via a warrior aristocracy. In the time the treasure hails from, the Thracians spanned through Bulgaria and Romania, as well as parts of Greece and Turkey. The tomb was clearly an important one, and archaeologists are speculating it may have some connection with Cothelas, the first Getic ruler. Pieces in the tomb that have been found include a ring, snake heads, a tiara, and even a horse head piece. Female figurines and even some buttons were found, made of gold, in the tomb. The Thracians may not have left behind any written records, but they did leave behind a ‘wealth’ of information about their culture.
