In 1970, a 6,000-year-old tomb was discovered in Varna, Bulgaria, and a man was covered with more than 900 pieces of gold jewelry, and what made it even more incredible to archaeologists was that the man's lower body had a special gold protective cover.
In the 1970s, Bulgarian archaeologists stumbled upon a huge burial ground dating from the 5th century BC, belonging to the Bronze Age, which contains the oldest gold artifacts found near the present-day city of Varna. However, it wasn't until they excavated Grave 43 that they realized the true significance of the find.
In Tomb 43, they unearthed the remains of a high-ranking male buried in the grave of unfathomable riches – more gold was found in this tomb than was found anywhere else in the world in the 70s of the 20th century.
Most people have heard of the great civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley, all of which were the earliest known civilizations characterized by urbanization, organized administration, and cultural innovation. But few people have heard of the mysterious civilization that appeared on the shores of lakes near the Black Sea about 7000 years ago.
It is well known that the Varna culture was not a small and insignificant society, it appeared in what would later become a small corner of Bulgaria and quickly disappeared into the pages of history. Instead, it was an amazingly advanced civilization, older than the empires of Mesopotamia and Egypt, and the first known culture to make gold.
Varna is also now home to the largest known prehistoric cemetery in Southeastern Europe, which reflects rich cultural practices, complex funerary rituals, ancient belief systems, and the ability to produce exquisite and specialized crafts, known as the cradle of European civilization.
There is evidence that Varna first began goldsmithing between 4600 BC and 4200 BC. With the advancement of science and technology, craftsmen mastered the metallurgical technology of copper and gold, and the inhabitants now have very valuable things to trade.
Increased contacts with neighbors in the North and South eventually opened up trade relations in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, which were of great significance for the development of society. The settlement of Varna along the Deep Bay provided a comfortable harbor for ships sailing on the Black Sea, and Varna became a prosperous trading center.
The increase in trade activity allowed metallurgists to accumulate wealth, and soon a social divide was formed, with metallurgists at the top, merchants following and peasants forming the lower class.
The first evidence of the ancient civilization of Varna appears in the form of tools, utensils, utensils and figurines made of stone, flint, bones and clay. Then an incredible serendipitous discovery came to light and made headlines around the world.
In October 1972, excavator operator Raycho Marinov stumbled upon a huge Bronze Age cemetery containing the oldest gold artifacts ever found.
This will become one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever made in Bulgaria. Extensive excavations under the direction of Mihail Lazarov (1972-1976) and Ivan Ivanov (1972-1991) revealed for the first time the magnificent civilization of Varna.
They found more than 300 graves in the necropolis, of which more than 22,000 fine artifacts were found, including more than 3,000 gold artifacts – totaling 6 kg (13.23 lbs). Other valuable artifacts found in the tomb include copper, high-quality flint tools, jewelry, shells of Mediterranean mollusks, pottery, obsidian blades, and beads.
Analysis of the graves shows that the Varna culture had a highly structured society – members of the social elite were buried in shrouds sewn with gold ornaments, and their graves were full of treasures, including gold ornaments, heavy copper axes, elegant costumes, and richly decorated ceramics, while others had simple burials with few funerary objects.
While many elite burials have been found, there is one that stands out in particular - Tomb 43. Inside Tomb 43, archaeologists found the remains of a prominent male who appeared to be some kind of ruler/leader. The man, known as the Varna, wore a scepter at the funeral — a sign of high rank or spiritual strength — and put a solid gold sheath over his penis.
The significance of this tomb is not only that of the funerary objects – it is the first known tomb of elite male in Europe. Before that, women and children were given the most elaborate funerals.
By the end of the fifth century BC, the once powerful Varna culture began to fall apart. It is speculated that the decline of the Varna civilization was the result of a combination of factors, including climate change turning large tracts of arable land into swamps and invasions from steppe horseback peoples.
Although the Varna civilization left no direct descendants, members of this ancient culture left behind many enduring legacies and laid the foundation for the emergence of later civilizations throughout Europe. Their skills in metallurgy are in Europe and around the world
All are unprecedented, and their societies all show the characteristics of a highly developed civilization.
#历史开讲 #
Author: Samadhi
Reference: Archaeological Discoveries in Varna
