Bulgaria's Golden Treasure Heads for Globe-Trot
Society | March 27, 2005, Sunday
The Panagyurishte Treasure collection consists of nine solid gold vessels with a total weight of 6.100 kg, discovered in 1949 near Panagyurishte. It now heads for Spain where it will stay for a year. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia News Agency)
The unique Thracian treasure of nine solid gold artifacts leaves the country to be exhibited for a year in several cities of Spain.
This weekend was the last chance for Sofia residents to drop in and see the unique gold set before its departure on Monday.
The Panagyurishte treasure consists of nine utensils with rich decoration unearthed accidentally by three common workers in 1949. It is made of solid gold and weights 6.164 kg.
The biggest utensil is an Amphora rhyton. Seven utensils are rhyta (horn-shaped), three are in the shape of animal heads, one is like front part of he-goat's body, three are like women's heads, and one is phiale. It is dated to the last 3-4 decades of the 4th century B.C.
It is most likely that the set was used for drinking wine in religious context or in everyday life, and some suggest it was probably used by mighty Thracian King Theres. There is also an opinion, that it was designated for ritual purifying of a liquid, probably wine, by decanting from one utensil into another.
So far, the Panagyurishte treasure has visited several countries abroad, including Japan, Belgium and Switzerland.
This weekend was the last chance for Sofia residents to drop in and see the unique gold set before its departure on Monday.
The Panagyurishte treasure consists of nine utensils with rich decoration unearthed accidentally by three common workers in 1949. It is made of solid gold and weights 6.164 kg.
The biggest utensil is an Amphora rhyton. Seven utensils are rhyta (horn-shaped), three are in the shape of animal heads, one is like front part of he-goat's body, three are like women's heads, and one is phiale. It is dated to the last 3-4 decades of the 4th century B.C.
It is most likely that the set was used for drinking wine in religious context or in everyday life, and some suggest it was probably used by mighty Thracian King Theres. There is also an opinion, that it was designated for ritual purifying of a liquid, probably wine, by decanting from one utensil into another.
So far, the Panagyurishte treasure has visited several countries abroad, including Japan, Belgium and Switzerland.
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