Ancient gold, artifacts in Bulgaria reveal lost civilisation wealth

In the 1970s, an extraordinary archaeological discovery in Bulgaria shed new light on one of the most advanced civilizations of the prehistoric world.

The wealthiest grave containing the oldest golden artifacts ever found, dating back to the 5th millennium BC. This remarkable find, uncovered by excavator operator Raycho Marinov, is considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the country’s history, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Among the graves discovered, some were richly adorned with treasures, including gold jewelry, heavy copper axes, exquisite ornaments, and intricately decorated pottery. However, other graves contained far fewer items, reflecting simpler burials. In an unexpected twist, some graves contained no human remains at all. These 'symbolic graves'—also known as cenotaphs—were the most opulent, filled with large quantities of gold and other valuable artifacts.

Some of these cenotaphs also contained human-sized masks made from unbaked clay, placed where the deceased's head would have rested. The discovery of the vast Copper Age necropolis in the 1970s revealed many extraordinary graves, but grave 43, in particular, captivated archaeologists due to its remarkable implications. This grave contained the remains of a high-status male, who is believed to have been a ruler or leader. His tomb was filled with unimaginable riches, far more gold than typically found in other graves of the time.

Analysis of the graves revealed that elite members of society were buried in shrouds with gold ornaments sewn into cloth wrappings, providing evidence of the highly structured society of the Varna culture. From 1972 to 1976, Mihail Lazarov oversaw extensive excavations, and Ivan Ivanov continued the work from 1972 to 1991, uncovering the impressive civilization of Varna. The first evidence of this ancient civilization came in the form of tools, vessels, utensils, and figurines made from materials such as stone, flint, bone, and clay.

Over 22,000 remarkable artifacts were unearthed from the graves, including more than 3,000 gold items weighing a total of six kilograms (13.23 pounds). In addition to the gold, rare relics such as copper tools, exquisite flint implements, jewelry, Mediterranean mollusk shells, pottery, obsidian blades, and beads were also discovered. Varna, home to the largest known prehistoric necropolis in southeastern Europe, offers a window into an ancient belief system, rich cultural traditions, and complex funerary customs. This advanced civilization, which predated both Mesopotamia and Egypt, was the first known culture to craft gold artifacts. Archaeological evidence suggests that goldsmithing began in Varna between 4600 and 4200 BC.

By Naila Huseynova