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Bulgaria: Silver-gilt pitcher from a Thracian tomb
Silver-gilt pitcher from a Thracian tomb at Rogozen (drawing: E. Tsenova; Vratsa Mus.of History)
The
Rogozen Treasure, discovered in 1985-6 in northwest Bulgaria (ancient
Thrace), is the largest single collection of ancient tomb riches ever
found in southeastern Europe. It included 165 silver vessels, mostly in
the form of pitchers and phialai or shallow bowls decorated with
elaborate designs in repousée (hammered foil) style. About 20% were
also gilded. These finely decorated items had been created over a
period of about 150 years by artisans from Anatolia, eastern Greece,
and Thrace, before being assembled in the grave offering at Rogozen.
Many of the phialai are inscribed in Greek with punched lettering, with
a variety of place names showing their sites of manufacture.
This drawing shows a silver-gilt pitcher from the Rogozen tomb dating from the time of Alexander the Great (ca. 330 BC).
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