Borovo Treasure
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| Material | silver |
|---|---|
| Created | 383 BC – 359 BC |
| Discovered | 1974 at Borovo |
| Present location | Rousse Regional Historical Museum |
The Borovo Treasure, also known as the Borovo Silver Treasure, is a Thracian.[1][2] hoard of five matching silver-gilt items discovered in late 1974 while ploughing a field in Borovo, Bulgaria.[3]
The treasure is kept in the history museum at Ruse.[1]
Items
It consists of a table set of five Silver-gilt items:[1][2]
- Three rhyta, each a different size, and with a different base. The largest has a figure of a sphynx and bears the inscription: "[Belongs to] Cotys from [the town of] Beos.", as well as the name of the craftsman, Etbeos. The second has a figure of a horse, and the third, the smallest, has a bull. Each are half figures.
- A large, two-handled bowl: This item is decorated with a relief of a deer being attacked by a griffin.[4]
- A rhyta jug with images gods at a feast, scenes showing the mythological cycles, with images of Dionysus and Heracles, satyrs, griffons, and sphinxes.[3]
Discovery
The discovery was made while ploughing a field approximately 2 km from the village of Borovo, Ruse, in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, the plow severely damaged objects, but after extensive restoration work, the damage is nearly invisible.[1][2][4]
It is unknown why the treasure was buried at that particular site, since no tumulus was found at the location.[4]
Origins
The inscription on the sphynx rhyta indicates that the treasure may have been a gift to a local Getic ruler from the king Cotys I (382-359 BC),[3] who reigned in the Odrysian Kingdom from 383 to 359 BC.[4] It is for this reason that the treasure is considered to be from the early to mid fourth century BC.[1][2][3][4]
Gallery
See also
Other Thracian treasures:
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Borovo Treasure - Landmarks/Treasures - BulgariaInside.com". Bulgariainside.eu. 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Borovo silver treasure | Ancient Treasures, Ancient Thracians". Ancient-treasure.info. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bulgaria's Thracian Heritage - The Borovo Treasure". Omda.bg. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Borovo Treasure". Heritage Key. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
Further reading
- Ivan Venedikov, "The Archaeological Wealth of Ancient Thrace," Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 35.1 (1977), 7-71.