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Ancient Golden Mask Unearthed (Thracian)
IOL ^ | 8-20-2004

Posted on 08/20/2004 3:54:16 PM PDT by blam

Ancient golden mask unearthed

August 20 2004 at 06:14PM

Sofia, Bulgaria - Bulgarian archaeologists have unearthed a 2 400-year-old golden mask in the tomb of an ancient Thracian king, a newspaper said on Friday.

The mask bears the image of a human face and is made of 500 grams of solid gold, the project's lead archaeologist Georgi Kitov told the local Trud daily.

The discovery was made on Thursday near the village of Shipka, 200 kilometres east of Sofia.

Kitov, who is at the excavations site, could not be reached immediately for comment.

Dozens of Thracian mounds are spread throughout this region, which archaeologists have dubbed 'the Bulgarian valley of kings' in reference to the Valley of Kings near Luxor, which is home to the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs.

"This unique mask looks even better than the famous image of King Agamemnon," the Greek hero described by Homer in the Iliad, Kitov was quoted as saying.

"This is the first Thracian mask of solid gold ever found," he was quoted as saying, adding that previously archaeologists had only found masks covered with golden foil.

Kitov suggested that the mask could belong to King Seutus III, the Thracian king who ruled these lands in the fifth century BC.

The tomb was covered with six stone slates, each weighing at least two tons. The king's remains have not yet been found, but excavations at the tomb continue, Kitov said.

In addition to the golden mask, archaeologists discovered a golden ring with a rower's image as well as many bronze and silver vessels, the report said. - Sapa-AP


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ancient; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; golden; mask; unearthed
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To: blam

That's the death mask. It would have been made of gold foil.


21 posted on 08/20/2004 5:46:13 PM PDT by RightWhale (Withdraw from the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty and establish property rights)
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To: blam

Looks like my Solid Gold Rolex®: a-w-e-s-o-m-e!


22 posted on 08/20/2004 5:49:52 PM PDT by 7.62 x 51mm (• Veni • Vidi • Vino • Visa • "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
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To: 7.62 x 51mm
Looks like my Solid Gold Rolex...

Looks like me at my last prop blast thingy.

23 posted on 08/20/2004 7:46:35 PM PDT by FreedomFarmer (No, this is Shineola.)
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To: blam; FairOpinion; Ernest_at_the_Beach; SunkenCiv; 24Karet; A.J.Armitage; abner; adam_az; ...
oooh, ab fab. thanks blam!
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest
-- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

24 posted on 08/20/2004 11:37:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Unlike some people, I have a profile. Okay, maybe it's a little large...)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

That was my initial thought as well.


25 posted on 08/20/2004 11:41:08 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: SunkenCiv

:-)


26 posted on 08/20/2004 11:42:04 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: VadeRetro
Isn't the story supposed to be that when Schliemann pulled away the mask, for a moment the face it had covered, perfectly intact, stared back up at him, then crumbled away to dust? Okay, okay...it sounds all overblown and Victorian, but still...

The Bulgarian mask is a lot more sophisticated, isn't it? Look at the modeling of the ears, for example.

27 posted on 08/21/2004 2:54:50 AM PDT by prion (Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM the spelling police)
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To: prion
The Bulgarian mask is a lot more sophisticated, isn't it? Look at the modeling of the ears, for example.

The picture seems to be gone already. As I recall from last night it was finely detailed work. I always liked the look of a big lump of gleaming gold, anyway.

28 posted on 08/21/2004 6:03:24 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: VadeRetro
Here is the vanishing picture


29 posted on 08/21/2004 11:38:56 AM PDT by AdmSmith
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To: AdmSmith
Thanks. I put it on my desktop and cranked the brightness to bring out the shadowed areas. Man and mask are uncannily alike.
30 posted on 08/21/2004 11:56:57 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: blam

Hope to see a picture of this mask sometime soon. Very interesting.


31 posted on 08/21/2004 3:27:39 PM PDT by hershey
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To: AdmSmith

Thanks!


32 posted on 08/21/2004 3:31:32 PM PDT by hershey
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To: SunkenCiv; blam
More found:

Ancient bronze head discovered

BULGARIAN archaeologists have unearthed a 2300-year old bronze head depicting an ancient Thracian ruler in a find they called unique for the era, a newspaper reported today.

"This massive bronze head dates back to the 4th century BC ... and is the first discovery of its kind, as no similar metal objects of Thracian art have been found," the project's lead archaeologist, Georgi Kitov, told the Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa.

Dr. Kitov, who is at the excavation site, could not be immediately reached for comment.

The head weighs 10kg and bears the image of a balding bearded man, most likely a Thracian ruler, Dr. Kitov was quoted as saying. ...

"The bronze head apparently was severed from a whole statue and then buried in a ritual aimed at appeasing Thracian gods," Dr. Kitov told 24 Chasa.

In August, Dr. Kitov's team unearthed a 2400-year old golden mask in the tomb of an ancient Thracian king located in the same area.


33 posted on 09/25/2004 8:39:30 PM PDT by dread78645 (Rather Lied, Kerry Died...)
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To: dread78645
Ancient bronze head discovered

Did it look like this except more yellowish?


34 posted on 09/25/2004 8:47:54 PM PDT by AndrewC (I also think that Carthage should be destroyed. - Cato)
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To: AdmSmith
Thanks. I thought I was going to have to buy a PC to view it...
35 posted on 09/25/2004 9:00:58 PM PDT by tubebender (If I had known I would live this long I would have taken better care of myself...)
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To: AndrewC

I didn't read anything about a throne ...


36 posted on 09/25/2004 9:18:14 PM PDT by dread78645 (Rather Lied, Kerry Died...)
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To: dread78645
I didn't read anything about a throne

Well that does come after a Thrace in a thmall Thraight.

37 posted on 09/25/2004 9:58:23 PM PDT by AndrewC (I also think that Carthage should be destroyed. - Cato)
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To: dread78645
Thanks!
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list (alt)
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.

38 posted on 09/26/2004 11:10:26 AM PDT by SunkenCiv ("All I have seen teaches me trust the Creator for all I have not seen." -- Emerson)
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