The Varuna Necropolis, located on the Bulgariаn Black Sea coast, is where the “Oldest Gold of Mankind” was unearthed. In 1972, while excavating the industrial zone of Varuna, a remarkable archaeological site was accidentally discovered. The Necropolis is situated around 4 km away from the city center and approximately half a kilometer from Lake Varuna. Scholars estimate that it was constructed between 4,600 BC and 4,200 BC and contains a wealth of historical treasures.

Around 300 graves have been found at this burial site, but the most significant is grave 43. It contained the remains of a high-status person and was covered with treasures. This single grave holds more gold than all of the other archaeological sites from that period put together.

We consistently speak about early civilizations like the ones that thrived in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley, shaping humanity as we know it. But not a lot of people know about the mysterious people that lived on the shores of the Black Sea in modern-day Bulgaria 7,000 years ago. Archaeologists call this civilization the Varna Culture.

The Varna Culture was considered small and insignificant for a long time until it was proven that this was a highly developed culture that preceded Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. The discoveries made at the Varna Necropolis also showed that it was the first known culture that produced artifacts made of gold. This site is the largest prehistoric necropolis in southeastern Europe.

Varna people were able to accumulate great wealth, especially the craftsmen that worked with gold and copper, and farmers, who were part of a class system. This was the foundation upon which a powerful and influential culture emerged, one that would spread across Europe over the years.

Before 1972, the only artifacts found from the time of the Varna Culture were tools, vessels, utensils, and figurines made from stone, flint, bone, clay, and seashells. However, after the discoveries from the time of the Varna Culture were taken to the world, this amazing civilization was viewed from a different perspective.

Since the 300 graves of the necropolis, archaeologists unearthed more than 22,000 artifacts. This huge list of items comprises more than 3,000 golden artifacts, which is equivalent to 6 kilograms of pure gold. Besides this, there were plenty of high-quality copper, flint, and stone tools, jewelry, shells of Mediterranean mollusks, pottery, obsidian blades, and beads.

Among the many elite burial items in the necropolis, there was one that was different from the others. Different in the sense of a “more spectacular.” After unearthing grave 43, archaeologists concluded that it was the final resting place of a high-status male, probably a ruler or some kind of leader in the society.

This was the richest grave of all that have been found in Varna Necropolis, but in the whole world at that time. The person was buried with a beautiful golden scepter in his hand. The scepter is a symbol of high rank or spiritual power.

His whole body and its surroundings were adorned with golden items. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, round-shaped golden items placed on specific parts of the body, and even a golden plate around his neck. Together with the golden artifacts, there were also grave goods found.

Some of the graves didn’t contain skeletons; they were only filled with items. These symbolic graves, known as cenotaphs, were only a part of a rich and grave burial below the mask, where the neck of a buried person was supposed to be.