In the 1970s, Bulgarian archaeologists discovered a large Bronze Age necropolis. Notably, there is a strange set of remains buried with a lot of gold.

Specifically, in 1972, excavator operator Raycho Marinov accidentally discovered a large cemetery from the Bronze Age, 5th millennium BC. It is filled with the oldest gold artifacts ever discovered near the present-day city of Varna. This discovery became one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Bulgaria.

Archaeologists have discovered a lot of gold in a huge Bronze Age cemetery.

In the cemetery, more than 300 graves and more than 22,000 exquisite antiques have been excavated. Including more than 3,000 items made from gold, total weight 6 kg. Other valuable artifacts were also found such as bronze, high-quality flint, stone tools, jewelry, Mediterranean sea animal shells, pottery…

Through analyzing the evidence found and based on historical documents, archaeologists concluded that these tombs belonged to the Varna civilization.

Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Indus Valley are considered the most ancient civilizations in history. But few people have heard of the Varna civilization that appeared on the shores of the Black Sea lake about 7,000 years ago in Bulgaria. Varna is considered an incredibly advanced civilization, older than the empires of Mesopotamia and Egypt. In particular, Varna was the first known culture to make gold artifacts.

Varna is home to the largest known prehistoric necropolis in Southeast Europe, reflecting a wealth of cultural practices, rituals, an ancient belief system and the ability to craft Sophisticated, professional items. Varna civilization is also compared to the cradle of European civilization.

According to research, gold crafting began to appear in Varna between 4600 and 4200 BC. As Varna society began to progress, copper and gold smelting became more and more developed. They began trading with neighbors in the Northern and Southern regions, eventually expanding trade relations in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions. This is of great importance for the development of society. At that time, Varna became an extremely prosperous commercial center.

Developing trading activities helped metallurgists accumulate enormous wealth. This led to the emergence of a social gap, with metallurgists at the top, followed by merchants in the middle class and farmers at the lower class. The Varna culture had a highly structured society, with a ruler or powerful leader emerging.

The huge Bronze Age necropolis discovered near the modern-day city of Varna has provided a clearer view of this mysterious Varna civilization. Accordingly, elite or prominent members of society were buried in shrouds studded with gold jewelry. Their tombs were filled with precious treasures while others were buried simply with a few ordinary items.

The man in grave number 43 was buried with a lot of gold.

Among the many graves of the elite discovered, there is a tomb that is quite special compared to the rest, which archaeologists named tomb number 43. Inside the tomb is the body of a man. buried with a huge “treasure”. A lot of gold was found in the tomb, this amount of gold is greater than all the gold archaeologists have ever discovered at Bronze Age sites. This proves that the character lying in the grave while still alive had a very high status. So who is this rich man?

The penis of the man in grave number 43 was also covered in gold.

Based on the evidence collected, archaeologists determined that the remains inside tomb number 43 belonged to a certain ruler or leader. This person was buried with a scepter – a symbol of high power. More uniquely, the man in the grave also wore a solid gold sheath outside his penis. However, until now researchers have not yet discovered the true identity of this man.

Also according to archaeologists, at the end of the 5th millennium BC, the Varna culture began to disintegrate. There is a theory that the decline of the Varna civilization was the result of climate change, with large areas of arable land being turned into swamps and low-lying waters, accompanied by attacks by cavalry. Soldiers came from the steppe.

Although it left no direct descendants, the Varna civilization left behind many lasting legacies as well as setting the stage for the emergence of subsequent civilizations throughout Europe. They also developed social structures that displayed many of the characteristics of a developed and advanced civilization. The metallurgical skills of the people of the Varna civilization are extremely unique, considered unprecedented anywhere else in Europe, or even throughout the world.