Description:
Georgi Kitov, dubbed the "Bulgarian Indiana Jones," was a Thracian archaeology expert who died in 2008. He led excavations in Bulgaria’s "Valley of the Kings," uncovering significant Thracian tombs despite government indifference and competition from treasure hunters.
In 2004, near Kazanlak, his team found a mid-5th-century BCE tomb with a gold mask, possibly of King Teres I, and treasures like armor, weapons, and 130 jewelry pieces. Another 2004 discovery was the intact tomb of King Seuthes III (290–275 BCE) at Goliamata Kosmatka, containing a golden wreath, kylix, bronze helmet, and a detailed bronze head of Seuthes, linked to Thracian Orphic rituals.
The tomb, the richest found, held 1 kg of gold and 90 artifacts, but only four teeth of Seuthes were found, leaving his fate a mystery. Seuthes III ruled Thrace under Macedonian dominance, rebelling unsuccessfully, and built the organized city of Seuthopolis. The report highlights Bulgaria’s archaeological wealth, Thrace’s harsh climate, and Kitov’s legacy, quoting his 2008 view on the importance of knowing the past.
Georgi Kitov, dubbed the "Bulgarian Indiana Jones," was a Thracian archaeology expert who died in 2008. He led excavations in Bulgaria’s "Valley of the Kings," uncovering significant Thracian tombs despite government indifference and competition from treasure hunters.
In 2004, near Kazanlak, his team found a mid-5th-century BCE tomb with a gold mask, possibly of King Teres I, and treasures like armor, weapons, and 130 jewelry pieces. Another 2004 discovery was the intact tomb of King Seuthes III (290–275 BCE) at Goliamata Kosmatka, containing a golden wreath, kylix, bronze helmet, and a detailed bronze head of Seuthes, linked to Thracian Orphic rituals.
The tomb, the richest found, held 1 kg of gold and 90 artifacts, but only four teeth of Seuthes were found, leaving his fate a mystery. Seuthes III ruled Thrace under Macedonian dominance, rebelling unsuccessfully, and built the organized city of Seuthopolis. The report highlights Bulgaria’s archaeological wealth, Thrace’s harsh climate, and Kitov’s legacy, quoting his 2008 view on the importance of knowing the past.
