Preslav Treasure

{{short description|Artifacts found in Castana, Bulgaria}} [[Image:Collier byzantin - Varna.JPG|right|thumb|280px|]]

The '''Preslav Treasure''' was found in autumn of 1978 at the vineyard in Castana, {{convert|3|km}} to the north - west of the second [[Bulgaria]]n capital – Veliki [[Preslav]].<ref>Bulgaria - Land of Ancient Civilizations by Dimiter Dimitrov, Foreign Language Press, Sofia 1961, p.37</ref> The excavations that followed revealed more than 170 golden, silver and bronze objects including 15 silver [[Byzantine]] coins belonging to [[Constantine VII]],<ref>Constantine the Great and the Christian Revolution by G. P. Baker (2003) p.61</ref><ref>The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine by Miss P Southern (2001) p.286</ref> [[Romanos II]] (945 and 959) and other artifacts dating far back to the period between 3rd and 7th centuries.<ref>Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 5001250 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks) by Florin Curta (2006)</ref><ref>East Central and Eastern Europe in the Early Middle Ages by Florin Curta (2005)</ref>

The [[Preslav]] Treasure was concealed during the turbulent events between 969 and 972 - when [[Preslav]] was conquered first by [[Kiev]] royal prince, [[Sviatoslav I of Kiev]]<ref>Dutch Contributions to the Thirteenth [[International Congress of Slavists]]: Ljubljana August 15–21, 2003 - Linguistics (Studies in Slavic & General Linguistics) by Peter Houtzagers, Jenneke Kalsbeek, and Jos Schaeken (2003) p.392</ref> and two years later by the [[Byzantine]] Emperor, [[John Tzimisces]].<ref>A Short History of Byzantium by John Julius Norwich (1998) p.181</ref><ref>The City in Late Antiquity (Leicester-Nottingham Studies in Ancient Society) by John Rich (1996) p.191</ref>

Several techniques of jewelry making were used in producing adornments, buttons, appliques etc.: not limited to casting in moulds, welding of small gold balls (granules) or fine gold wire [[filigree]], inlays of pearls and multi-colored [[Vitreous enamel|enamel]]. The owner of the necklace (see on the left) was probably under the protection of [[Virgin Mary]], who is portrayed on both central medallions. It is possible that [[Peter I of Bulgaria]] gave this beautiful jewelry as a wedding gift to his bride, [[Irene Lekapene]], the [[Byzantine]] princess, in 927 in [[Constantinople]]. It is assumed that the necklace was a wedding present because the images of water-birds symbolize family happiness and fidelity.

==See also== * [[Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós]] * [[Pereshchepina Treasure]] * [[Avar Treasure]]

==References== <references/>

== External links == {{commons category|Preslav treasure}} * [https://museum-velikipreslav.com/ Website of the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Veliki Preslav]

{{coord|43|10|N|26|49|E|type:city|display=title}} [[Category:Byzantine art]] [[Category:10th century in Bulgaria]] [[Category:1978 archaeological discoveries]] [[Category:Treasure troves in Bulgaria]] [[Category:Treasure troves of Medieval Europe]] [[Category:History of Shumen Province]] [[Category:Preslav]]