Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

A 2500-year-old Scythian sceptre discovered during excavations near Provadia

Photo: BTA

Archaeologists found a 2,500 years old Scythian sceptre in the last days of this season's excavations in the prehistoric salt mining and urban center "Provadia - Solnitsata" in Northeast Bulgaria, BTA reports.


The 5th century BC sceptre is 39 centimetres long and its handle is made of two pieces of bone glued together. At the bottom it is covered with a socket and has an opening, suggesting that the sceptre was probably hung somewhere, according to Acad. Vasil Nikolov, who is leading the excavations at the site.


The connection between the head and the handle of the scepter is meticulously made. The head is carved in the characteristic Scythian animal style. Viewed from one side, it is like the beak of an eagle, but on the other, the ancient craftsman has carved an anthropomorphic image on which the beak looks like a hat. 




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The Monument of Unification in Plovdiv

Unification Day is a celebration of national unity and community

For Bulgarians, who cherish and honour the memory of their ancestors, 6 September symbolises the unification of their nation, which endured five centuries of Ottoman oppression while preserving its faith and identity. After the liberation of Bulgaria..

published on 9/6/24 7:15 AM

Archaeologists find a cave lion tooth during excavations at the cave dwelling ''Chaya''

A cave lion tooth has been discovered during excavations at the cave dwelling ''Chaya'' near the town of Chepelare, announced Marin Gospodinov, director of the Museum of the Rhodope Karst. According to him, this is an exceptionally valuable and..

published on 9/1/24 3:46 PM

Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the beheading of St. John the Forerunner

On August 29, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist - on this day the saint was beheaded. For the Church of Christ, Saint John the Forerunner is the greatest among the prophets, and therefore his..

published on 8/29/24 9:25 AM