• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The Panagyurishte Treasure, which was excavated near the town of Panagyurishte, Bulgaria, is the great work of goldsmiths of the early Hellenistic period at the end of the fourth century – the beginning of the third century BC. It consists of a total of nine vessels - a phial and eight rhytons which combine ancient Greek motifs with Thracian and Achaemenid style techniques. It is assumed that the golden treasure belonged to the famous Odryssian ruler Seuthes III and was used for religious ceremonies.

The vessels depict gods and heroes, sacred animals and mythological creatures, since they had a ritual function in antiquity, and, according to the belief, these images cleaned liquids and protected the participants in the ritual. The collection has two rhytons with a deer's head shape, the one representing the scene "Judgment of Paris" with Athens, Hera, Aphrodite and Paris and the other - Theseus fighting the Cretan Bull and Heracles capturing the Ceryneian Hind. The amphora-rhyton depicts the Theban myth the "Seven Against Thebes" or a festive procession. The story can be interpreted in the context of Thracian religion - as a ritual dance of five men in front of a temple, at which a ceremony is being prepared.

Recently, a very well preserved bronze head of the alleged owner of the golden treasure Seuthes III has been discovered, which is made by legendary ancient sculptor Phidias. It is expected to be sent to the Louvre in Paris in the spring.

Text and pictures - Polina Spartyanova