Panagyurishte Gold Treasure Returns Home, on Display Until 23 October (PHOTOS)

The original of the Panagyurishte Gold Treasure has returned to the town of Panagyurishte and from today, September 16, it will be on display in the specially built vault in the Museum of History in the town. The vessels will remain on display in the museum until October 23.

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All nine vessels from the Panagyurishte Treasure are made of 23-carat gold. The objects are the property of the National Museum of History in Sofia.

The Panagyurishte gold treasure is by far the rischest and most brilliant gold hoard discovered, which was unearthed by accident by three brothers in 1949 during clay digging near the town of Panagyurishte, central Bulgaria.

It consists of nine solid gold vessels (a phiale, an amphora and seven rhytons) with total weight of 6.164 kg of 23-karat gold. All of the objects are richly and skilfully decorated with scenes of Thracian myths, customs and life.

The decoration features scenes from ancient Greek mythology, depicting a number of deities and heroes - Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, Silenus, Nike, Heracles, Theseus, Paris, the Bacchante Eriope. There are images of winged sphinxes and Amazons. The phiale of the treasure is decorated with African heads.

Photos by BTA