Golden treasures in Sofia

Bulgaria is the country that has had the longest human settlement in Europe and has a rich arcaeological history. The archaeological museum has a very interesting exhibition from the earliest settlements and up to the written word, including rich pottery and metal work. There is one farm (Tell Karanovo) that has produces incredible amounts of artefacts.

The richest prehistoric collection in the Museum from Tell Karanovo, Nova Zagora region, excavated from 1946 to 1957, is the highlight of this section. Tell Karanovo produced artifacts from almost all prehistoric periods, Early and Late Neolithic, Early and Late Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze Age. The exhibits from Tell Karanovo illustrate the basic prehistoric periods with emphasis upon the development and the typology of the ceramics as a ground for working up the chronology. The chronology of this tell, where archaeological research continues even nowadays, is the ground for the chronology of South-Eastern Europe. Rich collection of tools from the Neolithic and the Chalcolitic layer of the same tell are also on display. Thus the section provides valuable information necessary for students and specialists in Prehistory. Various ritual artifacts of Tell Karanovo collection are distinguished in two chronological groups, Neolithic and Chalcolitic. Unique anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, a stamp with inscribed pre-written signs, small ceramic altars and other ritual artifacts are on display in the cases.

There were treasures from Roman times and earlier. As a Norwegian I was very impressed with how low there have been human settlements here and how rich their societies were.

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