What about the ancient history of the treasure?
Like the series of events that occurred immediately after the treasure was discovered, there is also a lot of uncertainty about its ancient history. For example, some argue that these vases were made by local Thracian craftsmen, while others claim that they came from Lampsacus, an ancient Greek city east of the Hellespont, in present-day Turkey.
Historical map of the Balkan peninsula including Thracian territory from 150 BC. (Spiridon MANOLIU / CC BY-SA 3.0 )
Likewise, there are two different theories as to how the artifacts came to be at Panagyurishte. According to the first story, the precious objects were hidden by its owners when the area was invaded by the Macedonians or Celts. Additionally, it has been suggested that the pieces were part of booty. Needless to say, the identity of the original owner of the treasure is completely unknown.
The Panagyurishte treasure consists of nine individual items – four rhymes, three rhymed urns, a rhymed amphora and a large, shallow phiale. All objects are made of gold and weigh a total of approximately 6,164 kg (13,589 lbs).
The golden phiale was found with the Panagyurishte Treasure. ( CC BY-SA 2.0 )
In addition to the considerable amount of gold used to create the artifacts, the Panagyurishte Treasure also impresses with its beautiful details, reflecting the high level of workmanship in the production of the vessels. Additionally, these artistic details give us a glimpse into how the Thracians saw the world.
The Thracians and their Panagyurishte treasure
The Thracians were people who lived in what is now Bulgaria. The earliest mention of Thrace that we know of comes from Homer’s Iliad, in which they are said to have been allies of Troy. The Thracians also appear in Achaemenid sources, where they are depicted in reliefs as among the empire’s subjects.
The Thracians were conquered by the Achaemenids in the late 6th century BC, and their territory became a satrapy known as ‘Skudra’. During the 4th century BC, Thrace was conquered by Philip II of Macedon and gradually became a Hellenistic state after the death of his son, Alexander the Great, in 323 BC.
Mysterious scene from Amphora Rhytonoized
The Panagyurishte treasure has been dated to this Hellenistic period, based on the details of the artifacts. A good example that can be used to demonstrate this is the rhyming amphora. This vase is the largest of the nine artifacts, weighing 1,695 kg (3,737 lbs), and is arguably the most intriguing. A total of seven male figures are depicted on the body of the vase – five on one side of the amphora, and the remaining two on the other side.
In the first scene, five men line up in a row, “half-naked, barefoot, walking or running, over rough surfaces to the door… The last one holds a trumpet in his mouth, gives a signal, or just blows . Others were armed and swung powerful swords.” In contrast, the two men in the second scene are shown leaning on crudely hewn sticks and look as if they are discussing something. The object of their discussion may have been “a vague object in the old man’s left hand to which the young man hesitantly extended his right hand.”
Photo of one of the scenes of the golden rhyming amphora found with the Panagyurishte Treasure. The man holding the trumpet can be seen on the left. (stanimir.stoyanov / CC BY-NC 2.0 )
Scholars’ interpretation of these scenes can be divided into several groups. For example, one has argued that these scenes depict an incident from everyday life, i.e. a group of drunken Thracians rushing into the night in search of women. The second claims that these scenes depict a historical event, i.e. the capture of the Persian Gates by Alexander the Great. However, another explanation is that these scenes are taken from Greek mythology, i.e. the story Seven Against Thebes.
The final interpretation is that these scenes depict a Thracian ritual and is based on the archaeological discovery of two Thracian monuments – a mausoleum at Strelcha and a temple near Starosel. According to this interpretation, these scenes depict the burial of a Thracian ruler. Five warriors are outside the temple performing a ceremonial dance, while the remaining two warriors are inside the temple and are preparing for the burial ceremony.
Hercules and the African heads, what does it all mean?
Although the scenes on the body of the amphora are the highlight of the object, the object also has other decorations worth mentioning. For example, the artifact’s handle is made in the shape of a pair of centaurs. Another element taken from Greek mythology can be found at the bottom of the amphora. It was pointed out that the decoration in this area “was done in a more careless and unprofessional manner than the decoration on the body, which has led one to suggest that the two scenes may not have been done by the same one owner”.
The golden rhyming amphora of the Panagyurishte Treasure. The large amphora has a centaur-shaped handle and wine pouring holes that represent African heads. In between those two openings, the amphora is decorated with a scene of Hercules fighting a snake. (Ann Wuyts / CC BY 2.0 )
In all cases, four numbers are seen. One of them is a baby with a pair of snakes in his hands, clearly depicting the myth of the boy Hercules strangling two snakes sent by Hera to kill him. The other was a satyr lying on his side. Given his reputation as a drunkard in Greek mythology, this is an appropriate character considering the function of this vase.
In addition to the infant Hercules and the satyr, there is also a pair of African heads at the bottom of the amphora. These are not just decorative elements but also serve a practical function. It was from the mouths of these Africans that wine was poured. One hint at the special placement of a pair of holes at the bottom of the vase is that the amphora was used for ‘befriending rituals’.
Essentially, “two men can drink at the same time or can pour the liquid themselves by placing two other vessels below it.” Additionally, it has been suggested that the ship was used to honor warriors.
In Histories, Herodotus mentions a Scythian tradition according to which a ceremony was performed every year to honor warriors. A bowl of wine was mixed by the provincial governor, and all Scythian warriors who killed their enemies that year were allowed to drink, while those who failed to do so were forced to sit apart in disgrace. And those who have killed many enemies are “given two cups to drink together”. Another translation says that these warriors drank from “jars with two holes”, perhaps like the amphora of the Panagyurishte Treasure.
Rhytons and rhyming pitchers
As for the rhymes and rhymed vessels, they were made in the form of various exaggerated figures and human figures. Three of the rhymes feature animal heads (a young ram and two deer), while the fourth is shaped like the upper half of a goat. In addition, scenes from Greek mythology are found on the necks of these vases.
Two of the rhymes feature deer heads from the Panagyurishte Treasure. (stanimir.stoyanov / CC BY-NC 2.0 )
As for the rhyming vases, they are in the shape of a woman’s head. These women were identified as Amazons or Greek goddesses, specifically Hera, Aphrodite and Athena. Finally, the phiale is decorated with African heads and acorns arranged in four concentric circles.
A rhyming vase in the shape of a woman’s head from the Panagyurishte Treasure. (stanimir.stoyanov / CC BY-NC 2.0 )
The Panagyurishte treasure is certainly a priceless set of artifacts from Bulgaria’s Thracian past. In addition, the treasure also has a significant impact on the country’s image on the world stage. Thanks to its travels around the world, the Panagyurishte Treasure helped change “the traditional perception of Bulgaria as a communist country dealing with drug and arms trafficking” into one of “rich places in Europe for discoveries from ancient times with high artistic value. ”
