March 05
Bulgaria, Greece at Odds over Mythical Orpheus
Politics
Bulgarian and Greek tour operators have come at odds over advertising campaigns using the name of the mythical Orpheus, MPA reports.
Greek operators from the Evros region are working on an advert with the slogan "Come to the land of the mythical Orpheus, at the same time their Bulgarian colleagues voiced their disagreement with that campaign, as "it would be a twist of history."
We are against that slogan, as it would deprive Bulgaria from its history and one great treasure, Donka Sokolova, chairperson of the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies (BATA) said. Sokolova also pointed out that there are several Bulgarian tour agencies using the same slogan in their brochures.
Experts say that Greece's advertising campaign will deprive Bulgaria from its chances to present Orpheus, Dionysus and Spartak as part of its rich history. In the words of Lyubomir Popyordanov, chairman of the Bulgarian association for alternative tourism Bulgarian should alarm the Greek authorities over that problem.
The mythical Orpheus is believed to have lived in the Rodophes mountain. Orpheus grave was unearthed in Bulgaria in the summer of 2004, but still, there is controversial information whether he lived in the Bulgarian or the Greek part of the mountain chain.
The MPA agency reported that the "Come to the land of the mythical Orpheus" campaign will be first launched at a special tourism conference in Moscow.
March 05
Saxe-Coburg First to Glimpse at Unique Seutus Inscription
Politics
Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg will be the first statesman to see the unique inscription "To Seutus" upon the bronze helmet, which was unearthed this summer by Dr Kitov near Kazanluk, in the very heart of Bulgaria.
The inscription on the helmet, decorated with gold and silver fittings, proves archeologists were right to believe it belonged to king Seutus III - a mighty rival to Alexander the Great.
The prime minister, who will mark the national holiday with the people in the small town of Shipka, will also give the greenlight to the project "Valley of the Thracian Kings", where a number of archeological discoveries put into the spotlight Bulgaria's ancient Thracian heritage.
Among the most significant archeological finds was the discovery of the 2,400-year-old Thracian shrine. One of its chambers contained the bronze helmet, a delicate two-handled gold drinking cup and three amphoras as well as 10 spears, a sword, a round shield and leg armour.
March 05
From Archaeology Magazine:
http://www.archaeology.org/0503/abstracts/kitov.html March 05
Tall Bronze Age skeletons found in Bulgaria
Archaeologists working near the village of
Moguila in the district of Yambol, Bulgaria, have
uncovered 3,000 year-old skeletons.
The skeletons were around 2 metres in length,
unusually tall compared to other Early Bronze Age
remains found in the area. They were found curled
up in an embryonic position, which was believed
to immortalise the soul. These people arrived
in the region having moved from the Black Sea
steppe, mixing with locals to produce the
Thracian race. The Thracian heritage of Bulgaria
has been highlighted this year by a number of
important discoveries in the so-called "Valley of
the Thracian Kings", including the unearthing of
Europe's oldest skeleton last week.
Source: Sofia News Agency (16 November 2004)
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=41588 March 05
Bulgaria's Golden Treasure Heads for Globe-Trot
Lifestyle
The unique Thracian treasure of nine solid gold artifacts leaves the country to be exhibited for a year in several cities of Spain.
This weekend was the last chance for Sofia residents to drop in and see the unique gold set before its departure on Monday.
The Panagyurishte treasure consists of nine utensils with rich decoration unearthed accidentally by three common workers in 1949. It is made of solid gold and weights 6.164 kg.
The biggest utensil is an Amphora rhyton. Seven utensils are rhyta (horn-shaped), three are in the shape of animal heads, one is like front part of he-goat's body, three are like women's heads, and one is phiale. It is dated to the last 3-4 decades of the 4th century B.C.
It is most likely that the set was used for drinking wine in religious context or in everyday life, and some suggest it was probably used by mighty Thracian King Seutus III. There is also an opinion, that it was designated for ritual purifying of a liquid, probably wine, by decanting from one utensil into another.
So far, the Panagyurishte treasure has visited several countries abroad, including Japan, Germany and Switzerland.
