Treasures

Gallery

On 7 November 2012 rescue excavations at the Large Sveshtari Mound led to the discovery of a gold 'treasure'. A cavity opened 8 metres below the top of the mound to reveal the impression of a 50x50cm wooden casket, containing a female jewellery set: a diadem with sculpted fantastic creatures with lion's bodies and female heads and torsoes, leading a procession of lions and panthers; four spiral bracelets and a gold ring depicting Eros in relief. The box also contained a set of over 200 appliques that would once have decorated a horse bits, a forehead piece with the shape of a horse, round appliques with Athena's head, other female figures, plant motifs, etc. Fine appliques with filigree decoration or enamel, hundreds of small round and cylindrical beads, golden threads, surviving from a gold-woven fabric.

The casket was buried as part of the piling of the mound, probably as a gift accompanying the deceased. Excavations in 2013 will reveal more information about who was buried in the tomb. One possibility is the Getic ruler Kotela, who is known as an ally of Philip II of Macedon in the latter's campaign against the Skythians in 339 BC.