The Varna Neolithic Culture
The Varna culture has developed in the Northeast Bulgarian lands during the late
Neolith (4400-4100 BC). This culture exists relatively simultaneously with the Karanovo
culture in the present-day region of Thrace in Bulgaria.
The culture is characterized with its fine ceramics with polished surface, perhaps
produced with a potter wheel, and the rich cemeteries abundant with golden treasures. The
archaeological findings belonging to the Varna period speak for a highly developed society
and sophisticated culture. The main economical activities sustaining the community were
agriculture and trade. The proximity with the sea played a crucial role for the development of
the culture. It’s impressive that the Varna culture had trade relations with distant lands as
lower Volga region and the Cyclades. There is no agreement about reasons for disappearance
of the culture which took place in the end of V millennium BC. Some of the hypothesis
explains the extension of the culture with invasion of tribes from the north or with drastic
climatic change. Many scholars consider that some traditions of the Varna culture penetrated
the cultural heritage of the Thracian ethnical community that developed later in the Bulgarian
lands.
The most important sight is the Varna necropolis with its golden treasures. It is
considered that the golden objects found in the Varna necropolis are the oldest golden
treasure found so far in Europe. They speak about a sophisticated beliefs about afterlife and
developed hierarchy. In total, 294 graves were excavated near Varna. It is interesting that
some of the richest ones were merely ‘symbolic’ graves, which means no body was buried
there only gifts can be found (produced with copper, gold or pottery). One of the richest
graves is of an aristocratic man buried with numerous golden jewels of very high quality and
armament. Since this is the earliest burial of an ‘elite’ and obviously highly respected man,
this burial is considered to be symbolically marking a new époque during which the female
dominance in the European prehistoric societies was replaced by male one.
Another important example of archaeological heritage left by the Varna culture is the
complex of Dorankulak which is also rich in grave-findings (around 1200 graves have been
excavated) and stone buildings. In Durankulak the biggest golden treasure in Southeast
Europe was found.
Denislava Ilieva