Ancient Thracian gold hoard unearthed in Bulgaria

This would qualify as my "learn something new everyday goal"..

An archaeological dig in Bulgaria has unearthed some amazing artifacts.. attributed to Thracian tribe, the Getae.

I am sure that more tuned into this field would recognize the Getae, it's a first for me, and an interesting group of folks.

www.dailystar .com

Bulgarian archaeologists unearthed ancient golden artifacts, including bracelets with snake heads, a tiara with animal motifs and a horse head piece during excavation works at a Thracian tomb in northern Bulgaria, they said Thursday.

The artifacts are dated back to the end of the fourth or the beginning of the third century B.C. and were found in the biggest of 150 ancient tombs of a Thracian tribe, the Getae, which was in contact with the Hellenistic world.

More images at the source link, and an additional article can be found here:

www.google.com...

reply to post by JacKatMtn


S & F

Thanks for the headsup. I can't wait to see detailed pictures of the find. These are the kinds of stories the keeps me coming back to ATS.

Ruled by a powerful warrior aristocracy rich in gold treasures, the Thracians inhabited an area extending over modern Romania and Bulgaria, northern Greece and the European part of Turkey from as early as 4,000 B.C.

This civilization thrived for four thousand years before they were assimilated by the Roman Empire, and yet they had no written language, and left no records? I find that hard to believe. I'm not saying it isn't true, just hard to believe.

Cool find OP. Thanks, and S&F.

Originally posted by Klassified

Ruled by a powerful warrior aristocracy rich in gold treasures, the Thracians inhabited an area extending over modern Romania and Bulgaria, northern Greece and the European part of Turkey from as early as 4,000 B.C.

This civilization thrived for four thousand years before they were assimilated by the Roman Empire, and yet they had no written language, and left no records? I find that hard to believe. I'm not saying it isn't true, just hard to believe.

Cool find OP. Thanks, and S&F.

edit on 11/8/2012 by Klassified because: (no reason given)

ever heard of the incas?

they didn't have a written language either
perhaps the thracians had something similar to quipu's?

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger

Indeed I have. And you already said it. They had quipu. Which is why it's hard to believe a 4000 year old civi would have nothing. Especially considering who their neighbors were.

reply to post by Klassified


perhaps after 4 thousand years their "quipus" rotted away?
or perhaps they used some sort of rebus/symbolism that hasn't been recognized yet

you do know that folks who never learned to read tend to have better memories?
perhaps a priestly caste memorized everything?
with multiple "backups" to prevent corruption, of data and of other types.
perhaps songs? or instrumental music [mathematically based]
or perhaps they kept their records and [to steal a book title from Rand's "the fountainhead"] sermons in stone?

i get what you're saying, just pointing out that you're projecting/imposing your rationalist mode of thought/conceptualization [only about 500 years old btw] on ancient cultures who's thought processes may have been entirely different from us "moderns"
humans were around and had societies long before history, which "began" with writing began to be recorded.
catal huyuk and this other new find padang [dated 14,000 BC ]
hopefully more will be learned from this dig regarding the admittedly curious non use of writing by these folks given that they did have to know about writing from observing their neighbors.

en.wikipedia.org...

Some more images are surfacing..

here's an image search link for those interested:

Bulgaria Gold Hoard Google Image Results

I have just been keeping an eye on the results from the past 24 hours, and one of the pics seems to show the mound site where these pieces were unearthed..