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Monday, 2nd June 2008 (2145 views)

Ancient gold coins have been found in a rocky mountain area of Bulgaria, it has emerged.

A total of 79 coins were found in the Rhodope Mountains near the village of Galabovo, VisitBulgaria.net reports.

A total of 74 Venetian gross and dive Byzantine hyperpyrons were found, according to the team from St Kliment Ohridski at Sofia University headed by Dr Borislav Borislavov.

They said that the coins were found in a cleft in a rock - typical of a Thracian offering - around 30cm under the ground.

The Byzantine coins are dated between 1295 and 1328, and are deemed to be of excellent workmanship, the group said, while the Venetian grosso are from the early 13th century.

According to mythology, the sparsely populated area of the Rhodope Mountains are considered by many to be the birthplace of Orpheus the lyre player and his wife Eurydice, while archaeological sites in the area relate to the cult of Dionysus.

 

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