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

Bulgarians honor the work of the Seven Saints

On July 27, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and people glorify the work of the seven saints- the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, and their disciples Saints Kliment, Naum, Sava, Gorazd and Angelarius. The day was chosen by the church..

published on 7/27/24 7:15 AM

Latest archaeological discoveries in Urvich fortress revive legends of Tsar Yassen

On the road leading from Sofia to Samokov upstream the Iskar River near the big picturesque bend between the former villages of Kokalyane and Pasarel at the Devil's Bridge is the Srednoberdie Ridge. There the Vedena River flows into the Iskar and the..

published on 7/26/24 5:05 AM

Today Orthodox Christians mark the Assumption of St. Anna

The Bulgarian Orthodox church marks the assumption of St. Anna – the saint who gave birth to Maria, the future mother of Jesus Christ. Christians in Bulgaria mark Day of St. Anne - patron of motherhood St. Anna is considered to be the..

published on 7/25/24 7:55 AM