features artifacts from 18 Bulgarian museums since November last year and is scheduled to remain there until March The Ministry of Culture informed that the museum has vaults designed to protect the exhibits and that they are in constant contact with the museum's management The museum issued a statement assuring that there is no danger to the exhibits and outlined the measures being taken due to the fire ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art ArtDependence features the latest art news highlighting interviews with today’s most influential artists fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world If you would like to submit events or editorial content to ArtDependence Magazine, please feel free to reach the magazine via the contact page The Main Flag of the April Uprising was hoisted with a military ritual and the "Garland of Glory" was laid in front of the "Eternal Flame" of the April Uprising Memorial In her solemn speech before hundreds of residents and guests of the town Kiselova pointed out that the April Uprising heroes "showed boundless self-sacrifice by choosing rebellion over slavish timelessness national and human dignity over a bowed head." A speech was also made by Panagyurishte Mayor Zhelyazko Gagov who addressed those present with the words: "Let us be silent for a moment to hear the earth groaning beneath our feet but because we have forgotten Bulgarian strength that strength which burned in the souls of the apostles as unconditional destiny." In Gagov's words the Bulgarian nation has been scattered like a handful of ashes and "we "Let us be those who are called not descendants but heirs Let our children not read about freedom but live in it," urged the Mayor The ceremony was also attended by Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov Ivaylo Shotev (Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria) Ivaylo Mirchev (Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria) Nadejda Iordanova (Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria) Pazardzhik Regional Governor Velantina Kayzatova Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev The celebrations will end in the historic Oborishte area on Friday where Kiselova will participate in a national commemoration Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages "You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St. marks 1160 years since the baptism of our Bulgarian people into the Orthodox faith and 1170 years since the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet and Slavic literature the Varna and Veliki Preslav Bishopric Metropolis. The introduction of the subject "Virtues and Religions" in schools is not aimed at indoctrinating children Patriarch Daniil said in an interview for public service TV BNT english@bnr.bg HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? Update belowA wildfire in Los Angeles has prompted concerns over the safety of Bulgarian exhibits including the Panagyurishte Golden Treasure currently displayed at the Paul Getty Museum Minister of Culture Naiden Todorov has sent a letter to the museum's management requesting assurance that the exhibits are stored securely It opened in November last year and is scheduled to remain on display until March shared an update regarding the condition of the Panagyurishte Gold Treasure and other invaluable Bulgarian artifacts housed at the Paul Getty Museum He received a letter from the museum's director who provided photographs confirming that the exhibits are not at risk due to the ongoing fires California is currently facing massive wildfires prompting the declaration of a state of emergency in Los Angeles and the threat to tens of thousands of buildings including the museum where the Panagyurishte Gold is displayed The Ministry of Culture stated that the Paul Getty Museum has fire-resistant vaults to protect the exhibits and is in constant communication with the museum's management Although the fire is near the museum building The museum has also issued a statement confirming that the artifacts are not at risk and detailing the precautionary measures in place Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised Bulgarian citizens to avoid traveling to areas affected by the wildfire in Los Angeles unless absolutely necessary the MFA urged citizens to minimize time spent in open areas impacted by the fire and to follow the instructions of local authorities closely Reports and requests for assistance in emergency situations from Bulgarian citizens are accepted 24/7 on the telephone lines of the Situation Center Directorate: +359 2 948 24 04; +359 2 971 38 56 or by email: crisis@mfa.bg The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Bulgarian citizens take advantage of the opportunity to register in the "Traveling for..." section at the following address: https://mfa.bg/bg/embassyinfo The Situation Center at the MFA directed citizens to the "Cal Fire Incident Update" link for real-time information on evacuations and wildfire conditions Bulgarians requiring assistance can contact the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Los Angeles or the Situation Center Directorate in Sofia with 24/7 emergency hotlines available for support which has ravaged a high-profile area in Los Angeles has burned at least 510 hectares in the Pacific Palisades region between Santa Monica and Malibu An evacuation order has displaced 30,000 residents Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has declared emergency measures and instructed city services to prepare for potential power outages caused by downed lines and trees The strong winds driving the fire have also led to disruptions at the federal level US President Joe Biden canceled an engagement in California where he was scheduled to announce the establishment of two new national monuments in honor of Indigenous tribes Source: Bulgarian National Television (BNT) We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria Israel has turned to Bulgaria for assistance in battling the rapidly advancing wildfires in areas near Jerusalem The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad A 25-year-old man is in critical condition following an accident at the amusement park in Yambol A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase Archaeologist Lyubomir Merdzhanov of the Regional Archaeological Museum in Plovdiv told BTA that his museum will participate in the exhibition with three treasures, one of which is Bulgaria’s emblematic Panagyurishte Gold Treasure It is one of the so-called deposited treasures which does not consist of tomb artifacts but was hidden for some reason The other exhibits are objects from two mounds (Bashova and Mushovitsa) from the iconic necropolis near the village of Duvanlii in the Kaloyanovo Municipality The treasure was discovered by accident in 1949 by three brothers The treasure was first entered in the inventory books of the Regional Archaeological Museum in Plovdiv and is its property It is believed that the treasure was made in the Asia Minor town of Lampsacus The drinking set consists of nine gold vessels - a phiale and eight rhytons depicting various zoomorphic and anthropomorphic images of mythological characters and scenes popular in Thrace during the Hellenistic era The treasure belonged to a still unknown Thracian ruler of the Odrysian tribe who ruled in late 4th or early 3rd century BC is decorated with relief images of black men's faces and acorns arranged in concentric circles It bears two inscriptions showing its weight in units used in the town of Lampsacus (modern Lapseki This vessel is made of gold whose composition differs from the other eight vessels in the set Two of the rhytons resemble the heads of deer shows Heracles wrestling the Ceryneian Hind and Theseus hunting the Marathonian Bull The neck is embossed with the sitting figures of Dionysus and the Bacchante Eriope Dancing Bacchantes are also depicted on that vessel Three rhytons are made to resemble the heads of an Amazon or a goddess Two of them have their subjects wear a veil in their hair and a necklace One has a handle with a figure of a sphinx Sphinxes also decorate the helmet of one of the Amazons the lower part of which is shaped like the protome of a goat The amphora-rhyton has centaurs-formed handles The central composition on its sides shows five warriors during a battle Another depicts two warriors during rest reading the future on a liver while the third one features baby Heracles strangling two snakes in the presence of Silenus Treasures from the necropolis near the village of Duvanlii The other exhibits are objects from the mounds Bashova and Mushovitsa from the iconic necropolis near the village of Duvanlii in Kaloyanovo Municipality The Mushovitsa Mound is a cremation burial with a poorly preserved skeleton in a wooden coffin including a gold breastplate with stylized bird images and a set of three fibulae two of which have pendants of three acorns two more earpieces and a fine gold necklace Other findings include three glass oenochoes and two alabastra for holding perfume Extremely rare are the terracotta female bust and the black-figure amphora depicts two scenes - the struggle of Theseus with Procrustes and a Dionysian scene including a silver gilded rhyton shaped like a horse protome and a phiale depicting four chariots going in a circle along the edge The find also included a kylix with a gilded image of a goddess riding a horse along the seashore a gold breastplate depicting a mountain lion or wolf a large ceramic hydria and a bronze hydria (large containers for liquids) the rhyton and two other vessels after they were made Merdzhanov noted that while there are many theories about what it could mean a likely theory and one of the most curious things about the treasure is that it might be someone's name are part of the so-called Duvanlii necropolis which is a large Hellenistic necropolis containing rich burials from the Thracian period Some of the finds are in the Archaeological Museum in Plovdiv while others are located in the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS) The famous silver amphora from Kukova Mound is also part of the exhibition in the US but as part of the NAIM-BAS exhibits The Duvanlii Mounds are the first extensively studied necropolis in Bulgaria began experimenting to find out the best way to study such mounds It was an early period of accumulating empirical knowledge a significant part of the population of the surrounding villages got involved in the excavations then as the lack of excavation equipment meant that everything had to be done by hand showing that the Thracian aristocracy was in contact with the Mediterranean world and acquired objects of luxury through trade routes Many of these objects were not produced locally The entire necropolis at the village of Duvanlii speaks of a concentration of Thracian aristocracy in the area it is difficult to say which settlement it is associated with in all likelihood there was a dynastic centre or perhaps a residence in the area that is yet to be found The last archaeological excavations in the area were conducted 20 years ago by Assoc director of the Regional Archaeological Museum in Plovdiv (RAM - Plovdiv) who explored one of the mounds and discovered yet another rich burial site There were some 60 mounds scattered between the villages and many were looted in the 1990s and have been lost to science RAM - Plovdiv is one of the oldest cultural institutions in Bulgaria Its label used to be archaeological-numismatic cabinet until its final establishment as an archaeological museum in 1920 The idea of establishing a museum in Plovdiv came from the prominent Bulgarian revivalist who held the position Director of National Education in Eastern Rumelia between May 20 The library and museum were Gruev's responsibility The museum had three departments - archaeological the manuscript department became the founding structural part of today's Plovdiv Ivan Vazov Library The museum boasted a collection of 1,500 coins printed books from the 17th and 18th centuries 300 icons and paintings by the Bulgarian artists Stanislav Dospevski archaeologist Boris Dyakovich took over the management of the library and museum and kept his post until 1931 he carried out his plans to establish a new museum to house the "antiquities" of a rich area such as Thrace which originally existed as an archaeological and numismatic cabinet under the National Library The newly reopened museum had six departments - archaeological numismatic and miscellaneous antiquities.  The museum has a collection of nearly 100,000 exhibits works of art and everyday life related to the history of the Plovdiv region and the city of Plovdiv one of the largest and most important ancient cities on the Balkan Peninsula The region of Plovdiv in the 5th - 1st centuries BC was inhabited by the Odrysians the only one of 46 known Thracian tribes to have created a state organization governed by a royal institution The Odrysian state spread across the territory of modern Bulgaria northwestern Turkiye and the northern parts of Greece Representatives of the Thracian aristocracy were buried in large mounds and stone tombs of various builds The earliest tombs with a cist-like layout and polychrome painting from the 5th century BC are located in Kaloyanovo Municipality They are associated with the descendants of the first Odrysian ruler during the reign of King Kotys I (383 - 359 BC) monumental walled tombs with a corridor (dromos) and burial chambers with a door for multiple visits became common This type of tombs is found in the area of Perushtitsa and Brestovitsa The original Panagyurishte Gold Treasure has made its return to Panagyurishte where it will be on display at the Historical Museum until September 10 Residents and visitors of the city have the opportunity to view the treasure in a specially designed vault hall that meets the highest international standards for museum exhibits dating back to the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BC was carefully transported in three fireproof boxes This year marks the 75th anniversary of its discovery which occurred in 1949 when the Dejkovi brothers stumbled upon the nine gold objects various events highlighting Thracian culture A wildfire in Los Angeles has prompted concerns over the safety of Bulgarian exhibits and another was injured in a traffic accident near Panagyurishte on Wednesday evening A temporary exhibition titled: “Trebenishte" - 105 years since the discovery of the necropolis at Trebenishte 1918 – 2023” there will be reenactments of the April Uprising which marked the beginning of the Bulgarian liberation movement A 17-year-old student from a Plovdiv school was found dead in front of his home in the town of Panagyurishte Extinguishing the fire in the forest massif between the villages of Levski and Elshtitsa near Panagyurishte continued until late last night The Bulgarian government has allocated 2.2 million leva for archaeological research and conservation of historical sites as part of the state budget implementation for 2025 A study published in volume 15 of the journal Antiquities (Антикот) has uncovered dozens of Bulgarian inscriptions found in Greek Orthodox monasteries in Jerusalem’s Old City Archaeological excavations in the Kaleto district of the Bulgarian town of Lom uncovered significant Roman military remains dating back to the 1st century AD A remarkable discovery has emerged in Varna where construction work uncovered a well-preserved ancient statue Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica announced the discovery of a head believed to belong to a recently unearthed headless male statue Over 150 exhibits from 14 Bulgarian museums will take part in an exhibition entitled "Ancient Thrace and the Classical World" The exposition will be opened on November 3 at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and will continue until March 3 National Archaeological Institute with Museum Bulgaria celebrates 149 years since the April Uprising – an event that led to the liberation of Bulgaria after almost five centuries of Ottoman rule we must not forget that every participant in the April. Prepare to be dazzled: a brand new exhibition of unabashed decadence has just opened at the British Museum ‘Luxury and power: Persia to Greece’ features some of the rarest Fashion, photographs, music, design and (naturally) over-the-top costumes will be showcased side-by-side in DIVA, opening at the V&A in June In rooms swathed with white hanging curtains reminiscent of the Grecian age, the exhibition brings together a collection of richly decorated gold vessels shimmering silver Persian wine glasses and gold oak wreaths The first room contains a collection of silver vessels used in Persian courts along with a set of elaborate jewellery and golden trinkets A gilt silver rhyton shaped as a griffin from the British Museum collection glistening in a stand alone cabinet is the Panagyurishte Treasure from Bulgaria it is an elaborate collection of gold vessels used as a royal ceremonial set by the Thracian king Seuthes III accidentally discovered by three brothers in 1949 Also included in the exhibition are objects from the British Museum collection including a gilt silver rhyton (a roughly conical container used for drinking and pouring) shaped as a griffin The exhibition explores how Greek culture emulated and incorporated elements of Persian luxury, despite early Athenians initially rejecting it as decadent. The pottery rhyton, crafted in the form of a lion’s head, shows evidence of Ancient Greece using styles of precious-metal luxury from the Persian court. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will open at the V&A in London on 16 September – but tickets are already selling out said: ‘Luxury and power: Persia to Greece provides a fascinating opportunity to look at the ways luxury influenced political power across Persia and Greece The exhibition explores the people of the past and their way of life from the highest elite of the Persian court to the ordinary citizens who were affected by them.’ Dr Jamie Fraser at the British Museum also commented: ‘Traditionally we have viewed the Persians and their apparently ‘decadent’ love of luxury through the eyes of their enemies This exhibition is a chance to explore beyond these biased accounts and understand how Persians wielded luxury as a political tool across a vast and complex empire.’ Luxury and power: Persia to Greece runs from 4 May 2023 in the Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery at the British Museum The Trustees of the British Museum2/13A magnificent sphinx drinking cup National Museum of History, Bulgaria3/13Rare Panagyurishte treasure The Trustees of the British Museum4/13A whimsical gold wreath National Museum of History, Bulgaria5/13A Panagyurishte arftefact © National Museum of History, Bulgaria6/13An intricate Panagyurishte urn The Trustees of the British Museum7/13A Persian drinking cup with a head motif The Trustees of the British Museum8/13A gilded silver plate © National Museum of History, Bulgaria9/13A Panagyurishte vessel © National Museum of History, Bulgaria10/13Another Panagyurishte treasure The Trustees of the British Museum11/13A lion head drinking cup The Trustees of the British Museum12/13A beautiful Millefiori glass dish © National Museum of History, Bulgaria13/13A gold Panagyurishte vessel Eleven artefacts from the National Museum of History will be part of the upcoming exhibition at the J The Ancient Thrace and the Classical World: Treasures from Bulgaria and Greece exhibition features more than 150 artefacts from 14 Bulgarian museums It will be on between November 3 and March 3 The Panagyurishte gold treasure is among the 11 exhibits which the Museum is sending to Los Angeles it is registered at the Plovdiv Archaeological Museum but since it has been exhibited at the National History Museum since it was established in 1973 The artefacts were selected by the exhibition curators with each artefact representing a unique and interesting part of Thracian culture like the stone relief from one of the Thracian mounds in Strelcha Other exhibits represent part of significant treasures three items from which will be shown in the USA because everyone would dream of making just such a find - whether by chance or during regular archaeological excavations," says Petrunova The Rogozen Treasure was discovered in 1986 in Vratsa region It turned out that the treasure itself had been hidden in two parts and a group of archaeologists led by Bogdan Nikolov began excavations and found some 100 silver objects with a total weight of over 20 kilograms The entire collection of vessels in this treasure includes a variety of objects such as jars have ornamental motifs and represent the Hellenistic era in its full glory," she added There are also some unique pieces in this treasure that give information about previously unknown images we had no information about how they imagined and how they depicted the Great Mother Goddess Here she is amply represented," the Director of the National Museum noted The museum is also sending two 4th century BC phiale from the so-called Mogilanska Mogila mound in the centre of Vratsa One of the tombs contained the lavish burial of a Thracian maiden One of the luxuriously crafted goblets bears an inscription denoting the name of the Odrysian ruler Cotis I The director of the National Museum of History recalled that the Odrysian state was the largest Thracian union that could be called a state which left serious traces in that early age They managed to unite several Thracian tribes and gave a serious resistance to conquests throughout this 4th century BC Three objects from the Letnitsa Treasure will also be exhibited at the Getty Museum Petrunova says she has called it an ancient tale about the way to power She recalls that the story of how the hero passes through various challenges performs a variety of heroic deeds and feats and is finally rewarded and becomes a god himself She then went on to explain that the treasure was found by chance The appliques were concealed in a vessel which was buried bottom up and upon examination turned out to contain pieces of horse ammunition and narrated the events that experienced by the Thracian horseman,” Petrunova said The appliques participating in the exhibition depict the moment when the hero enters into a sacred marriage with the Mother Goddess and it is this act that makes him a deity as well adding that the other applique is quite curious "These objects are very interesting and made an impression already in the selection of artefacts from the 4th century BC the authors of the exhibition are keen to introduce the whole world to what we have as cultural and historical heritage," says the director of the National Museum of History The Panagyurishte Treasure has gained extremely wide popularity and seems to be the most appreciated "Perhaps it wins the first place in the public opinion because of the way it is made about the three goddesses who fight for it so that the shepherd can recognize which one is the most beautiful These goddesses are depicted in the treasure's jars - they are Athena very significant goddesses of Greek mythology And of course - the famous vessel with images of heads of a darker race As far as I have read medieval archaeology I have not read any adequate summary and explanation of why these particular images are found on this monument," she said Similar presentations of objects from the Thracian period have been made before "But I personally was very impressed by the idea and I think that this presentation especially that it is made through the joint efforts of 14 museums the exhibition itself will visit many different places and cities  and this will open very wide the doors to explore the ancient stories of the Bulgarian lands we hope that this will bring tourists to Bulgaria and also expand the cooperation of people who explore Ancient Thrace and the ancient world outside our territories Because the task of the National Museum of History is to present as well as possible the entire history of the settlement of the Bulgarian lands from the deepest antiquity to the modern era.  Now the hall itself is to be renovated and not all the artefacts found at different times as it will become something huge and impossible to move and exhibit," she said The Director of the National Museum expressed hope that the exhibition will be a great success that its presentation in the States will bring the viewers to Bulgaria and will raise the spirits of Bulgarians a little who will realize that they live on an exceptional territory and must respond at least a little to what their ancestors achieved A pianist and conductor with a world-class career Ivan Yanakov has been performing on several continents for decades He has played as a soloist with prestigious orchestras in famous halls The Night of Musicals takes place tonight at the Vasil Levski Palace of Culture and Sports in Veliko Tarnovo The first major ballet event in the festive jubilee programme celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Stara Zagora Opera is the premiere of "Parisian Nights" The Archaeological Museum in Burgas hosts an exhibition entitled "The Panagyurishte Gold Treasure" The museum copy of the most famous Bulgarian treasure recently returned from an exhibition in Dubai and is now on display in the "Treasure" hall of the Archaeological Museum – Burgas All nine vessels from the Panagyurishte Treasure The decoration features scenes from ancient Greek mythology depicting a number of deities and heroes - Hera Visitors can also see the exhibition entitled "Painted Ceramics from Apollonia – Sozopol" Most of the exhibits depict various religious The Regional Historical Museum-Burgas hosts an exhibition dedicated to the history of education around the world and in our country The Panagyurishte Treasure: in search of the truth Follow the gold: the town of Panagyurishte from Antiquity to the Present Day Only on the Day of Bravery and Holiday of the Bulgarian Army (May 6) we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three of perhaps the most interesting machines from our outdoor exhibition Dozens of enthusiasts and nature lovers will kick off the 44th edition of the Move and Win campaign with a spring hike to Bozhur Hut The meeting point will be the Vladishki Bridge in Veliko Tarnovo The third edition of the Samardala Festival will be held on 3 May in the central square of Nova Zagora is used as a spice and is harvested at the peak of its flowering in May we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three. In 2021 we had the V&A’s "},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Epic Iran "},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"in 2022 the Getty Villa’s "},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" and now with "},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" the British Museum reintroduces us to the western Asiatic riches of the Achaemenids and their impact on the neighbouring Mediterranean world and their immediate successors (one of whom was a little Macedonian guy you may have heard of — Alexander the Great)."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The first Iranian empire was formed in the late 6th century BC when the kings Cyrus II and Cambyses II conquered territories from the eastern Mediterranean to central Asia They made into provinces"},"children":[]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" the heartlands of previous kingdoms such as Assyria itself an expansionist state that had cultivated a landscape studded with palatial complexes Out of the power struggles between Assyria and its neighbours who appropriated the expressions of elite status of their predecessors The new ruling dynasty became “Achaemenid” when Darius I bolstered his seizure of the throne with a royal genealogy and a new image political reach and cultural impact enacted by the Achaemenid kings across vast multilingual territories over two centuries that is historically interesting What is appealing from the perspective of a museum in search of popular exhibitions is the bling."},"children":[]}]}]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"The crowd-pleasingness of artfully lit precious metals leavened by elegant Athenian red-figure vases and the odd alabastron vessel The British Museum’s marketing materials certainly put the emphasis here: stunning imperial opulence (some of) its uses and its cultural effects This plays to the strengths of the museum’s existing collection which includes ancient silver and gold vessels and adornments purchased in the 19th century from what were then territories of the Ottoman and Russian empires as well as from Iran itself (silver vessels from Erzincan in the west and the so-called Oxus Treasure from Kuliab in the east — all bequeathed in 1897 by the museum’s untiring patron Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks)."}}]},{"name":"image","attributes":{"id":"bd8cc290-3fcd-40dd-83ee-db9389b8add3","display":"primary","caption":"An amphora The Panagyurishte vessels show the flexibility and appeal of transforming bullion into objects that embodied the sharing of resources by the Great Kings no less) that every subject of the king would be rewarded proportionately to their contribution to the stability of his rule; on a micro level the artisan or mercenary in Sardis (on the road to modern Izmir) paid with a silver coin imprinted with the king’s image received a useful crumb from the reservoir symbolised by the glittering spread on the satrap’s table The subsistence-level farmer visited yearly by a tax collector or the labourer bound for a bit of highway repair — not so much to understand such gleaming tools of empire is how many of these vessels some made in very stackable sets and inscribed with their origin or recipient were themselves often of bullion-currency weights and purities Whether a gold cup or a bag of coins worked to win over a local oligarch or dynast depended on his geographical location and local difficulties as imbued with the distant charisma of the court where it originated it represented a share in a system that could be liquidated in a crisis (and frequently was) When the treasury of the Achaemenid capital it was found to have been picked clean of most precious metal when sacked by Alexander in 330BC Other prestigious historic objects — inscribed stone vessels an Aegean-sourced sculpture of a Greek woman — lay where they were smashed and discarded."}}]},{"name":"ad","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Perhaps it is fitting that the exhibition’s commercial sponsor is not that heretofore driller of Iranian black gold but an online metals trader called BullionVault Its live order board shows the present value of gold in Zurich and facilitates the online exchange and storage of gold and silver This association would be less awkward if the provenance of precious metals and of antiquities were more transparently part of their presentation by the museum since every glamorous reveal of such antiquities stimulates the private market for similar artefacts which in turn can trigger the looting or faking of such pieces to meet demand Scythian gold in Ukraine (also part of the Achaemenid object world and frequently shown in association with it) was reportedly a target of Russian looting in May 2022 Unprovenanced Achaemenid and Hellenistic gold and silver artefacts are still popular collectibles for those buyers aspiring to the regal or imperial heights of the market The consumption of these reimagined royal banquets in the Great Court Gallery of the British Museum is therefore an act with repercussions today "}},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" the director of the Archaeological Survey of India to have been recovered from merchants who had found them in 1877 “near one of the most frequented ferries on the road to Samarkand”on the Amu Darya (Oxus river) Cunningham stated in 1881 that the “finders quarrelled about the division of the spoil and several of the larger objects were cut to pieces for the sake of a ready settlement of accounts on the spot” The over-large style of the bracelet is made for display as similar items held in the hands of the king’s subjects on reliefs at Persepolis show this would have covered the wooden sheath of a dagger Its dramatic hunt scenes recall monumental prototypes buried in the fallen Assyrian courts up to three centuries earlier lobed "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"silver bowl"}}],"attributes":{"href":"https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1994-0127-1"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" along with three others manufactured as part of the same set surfaced with a Shiraz dealer in Iran in the autumn of 1932 Scholars disagree over whether its Old Persian royal inscription is authentic; if it is it uses a loan word from the Greek for silver and the Persian word for wine-drinking cup this "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"bowl"}}],"attributes":{"href":"https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1971-0515-1"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" has The heraldic-looking appliqués on its underside show an Achaemenid-style adaptation of the Egyptian god Bes a widespread motif on personal objects across the empire at that time."}},{"name":"break","children":[]}]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"You wait 15 years for an exhibition about ancient Persia Lindsay Allen explores what the 6th-century BC Iranian dynasty can tell us about the modern art market","slug":"luxury-and-power-persia-to-greece-the-british-museum-times-luxury","categoryPath":"/world/asia/article/luxury-and-power-persia-to-greece-the-british-museum-times-luxury-kh0dhrncs","__typename":"Article"},"Image:a57fa1a6-bc09-4dc4-b32f-c20002514460":{"caption":"Items from the Panagyurishte Treasure Look no further than the Times Luxury newsletter if so Lindsay Allen explores what the 6th-century BC Iranian dynasty can tell us about the modern art marketItems from the Panagyurishte Treasure found in BulgariaTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMDr Lindsay AllenMonday May 01 2023 The TimesYou wait 15 years for an exhibition about ancient Persia in 2022 the Getty Villa’s Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World and now the British Museum reintroduces us to the western Asiatic riches of the Achaemenids and their impact on the neighbouring Mediterranean world and their immediate successors (one of whom was a little Macedonian guy you may have heard of — Alexander the Great) The first Iranian empire was formed in the late 6th century BC when the kings Cyrus II and Cambyses II They made into provinces the heartlands of previous kingdoms such as Assyria The crowd-pleasingness of artfully lit precious metals as well as from Iran itself (silver vessels from Erzincan in the west and the so-called Oxus Treasure from Kuliab in the east — all bequeathed in 1897 by the museum’s untiring patron Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks) part of the Panagyurishte TreasureTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMThe exhibition’s Eurasian scope and cross-period chronology also accommodates the loan from Bulgaria of the spectacular (and very But the tales of enriching royal encounters that reached the Greek world suggested that all levels of society were encouraged to dream Hellenistic gold oak wreath with a bee and two cicadasTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMWhat perhaps needs more emphasis an Aegean-sourced sculpture of a Greek woman — lay where they were smashed and discarded Gold armlet from the Oxus TreasureTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMThis inlaid gold bracelet was one of a pair reported by Sir Alexander Cunningham Gilt silver rhytonTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMThis elaborate vessel designed for use at banquets was bequeathed to the museum by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks; the rhyton’s fantastical griffin shape can be directly compared to the same beast on the Oxus gold bracelets but also — scaled up — to carved limestone column capitals in the palace buildings of Persepolis multiscale iconography of the Achaemenid world Ceremonial gold scabbardTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMAnother gold item from the Oxus Treasure but also reflect the type of images commissioned by individuals for the seals they used for official Achaemenid and private administration Silver bowl hammered from a single thick sheetTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMThis nearly 30cm-wide, lobed silver bowl Silver bowl with flared rim and egg-shaped lobes in repousséTHE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUMOnce owned by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company’s main representative in Tehran, Thomas Lavington Jacks, this bowl has a widespread motif on personal objects across the empire at that time AsiaRelated articlesNEWSLETTERSign up for the Times Luxury newsletterFebruary 25 2025, 12.00amTeam LuxuryMore from AsiaJoseph Stiglitz found by accident buried in the ground more than 70 years ago vividly showcases Panagyurishte itself but also the whole of Bulgaria The treasure was crafted in the 4th or the beginning of the 3rd century BCE and has remained arguably the most beautiful set of gold tableware in the world a masterpiece of Thracian art of invaluable artistic worth The treasure consists of 9 elements – rhytons a phiala and an amphora made of pure gold They are lavishly decorated with mythological figures and ornaments Each of them was used by the Thracians for feasting for religious rites and rituals connected with Thracian mythology The four thytons are shaped either as animal heads Near the top of the rhytons mythological scenes are depicted Who did the Panagyurishte gold treasure belong to Could it have belonged to one of the Odrysian kings These are questions we shall probably never find out the answers to And though the treasure has come to be named after the town where it was found – Panagyurishte – it is kept at the National History Museum in Sofia the original gold artifacts travel to Panagyurishte where a very expensive high-security hall has been built for them inside the local museum of history As of 1 September the Panagyurishte gold treasure will “go home” On all days when the original is not in Panagyurishte there is an exact replica of the 22-karat gold artifacts on display there made and marked by experts from the National History Museum which cost almost 6 million Leva (EUR 3 million) is stylish but also functional and extremely secure so during the time the treasure will be on display here this year we shall mark its 10th anniversary with a documentary exhibition tracing the vault’s construction – from the drawing board to the fittings,” says Irina Boteva chief curator of the History Museum in Panagyurishte: we created conditions for the return of the original Panagyurishte gold treasure the decision was made to build an exhibition hall that will meet the highest security and modern exposition requirements As part of the donation by patrons of culture two gold replicas were made – one was handed over to the National History Museum to be displayed there when the original is not there and the other is part of the permanent exhibition of our museum The idea for the vault was to turn it into a temple for the Panagyurishte treasure First is the information hall where visitors can get acquainted with the history of its discovery they can see each of the artifacts of the treasure The containers were designed in Germany with the idea that each element must be inside its own glass container so that it can be viewed from all sides That is important because each of the artifacts has so many different figures and ornaments that it is impossible to be able to see them all clearly.” 1,500 cubic metres of special concrete was used in the making of the treasure’s unique home achieving the highest level of security that meets the highest possible museum security standards The unique exposition has so far been seen by more than 920,000 tourists The vault’s multimedia area features a map of the world pinpointing all of the countries where the Panagyurishte treasure has been on display: but what strikes visitors is the enormous interest in Thracian art in Japan That is the reason why the treasure has travelled to Japan several times But everywhere it is shown the treasure evokes an enormous amount of interest.” The original Thracian masterpieces will be on display in Panagyurishte until 17 October More news from Bulgaria Bulgaria celebrates 147 years since the April Uprising in which the representative companies of the 61st Stryama Mechanized Brigade Karlovo participated the feat of the 400 victims that Klisura gave for the freedom of Bulgaria was honored the traditional reenactment of the emblematic place where the first gun fired in 1876 will take place There will also be a military historical reenactment in Panagyurishte and it is expected that the Speaker of the National Assembly Panagyurishte is the center of the celebrations for the 147th anniversary of the April Uprising Panagyurishte is the center of the celebrations dedicated to the 147th anniversary of the April Uprising The festivities will begin with a litany procession that will carry the April 1876 Hallows The procession will start from the historical museum in the city and will be led by priests with which Benkovski's Hvrkova detachment was blessed The ritual of raising the national flag will be performed on April 20th Square in the Church of the Holy Introduction of the Virgin from where the uprising was started 147 years ago with the ringing of a bell a memorial service will be held for those who died in the April epic One of the attractions is the historical reenactment which recreates the events from the outbreak of the uprising to the defense of Panagyurishte The culmination of today's celebrations is the national dawn rally which the National Radio will broadcast live at 8:30 p.m Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov will deliver a speech The 147th anniversary of the April Epic will be celebrated in Klisura With the participation of self-made people and members of the "Tradition" society beginning and suppression of the April Uprising will be recreated The uprising in Klisura was suppressed 6 days after its announcement and the survivors retreated to Koprivshtitsa which houses the bell that announced the beginning of the uprising The April Uprising of 1876 was a revolt of the Bulgarian people against Ottoman rule which was armed and occurred on April 20th in Koprivshtitsa It was planned by the Giurgievsky Revolutionary Committee it was considered a significant event in the Bulgarian national liberation movement Although it didn't achieve military success it did accomplish one of its primary objectives The popular rebellion for independence resonated strongly in Europe it is evaluated that the uprising's impact was mainly political rather than military Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook Write to us at editors@novinite.com Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg Bulgarian businesses are actively recruiting students to fill seasonal positions for the upcoming summer offering earnings ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 leva A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident A 33-year-old man from the village of Semchinovo has been taken into custody by the police for physically assaulting a 10-year-old child Bulgarian educational institutions have witnessed a growing presence of Russian cultural initiatives raising concerns about potential propaganda targeting young students Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters after securing a straight-sets win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley Bulgaria is steadily establishing itself as a leading destination for digital nomads from across Europe and beyond the Orthodox Church marks Bright Wednesday a day dedicated to honoring the Holy Virgin Mary regarded as the most significant Christian holiday is celebrated annually in Bulgarian homes with great joy Holy Saturday marks the final day of Holy Week positioned between the sadness of Christ’s entombment and the joy of His anticipated resurrection Bulgaria’s Town of Panagyurishte Awarded Title of European City of Sports in 2022 The town of Panagyurishte (Pazardzhik district) has met the high criteria to be a European City of Sports in 2022 and has received the prestigious title This became clear today after an inspection by the non-profit association ACES Europe The evaluators were personally ACES Europe President Gian Francesco Lupattelli and Secretary General Hugo Alonso The guests were impressed by the local sports hall "Assarel" the athletics track and other sports venues in the city as well as the fitness sets located in each school yard/BNR securing the ATP 250 tennis tournament title in Brisbane The Finnish team is the new Olympic men's ice hockey champion in the Beijing Olympics 2022 The team won the trophy for the first time in its history after dethroning the current holder of the title Rafael Nadal defeated Nick Kyrgios with 6-2 6-1 in the Beijing final and won the sixth title for the season German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be on the cover of Time Magazine as TIME’s 2015 Person of the Year Bulgaria's Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev admitted the possibility that an explosive device might have been planted on board the crashed plane in which Yevgeny Prigozhin was traveling The European Commission has announced that it is preparing criminal proceedings against Bulgaria and Portugal for incorrect application of the rules on the exchange of data on criminal records and the establishment of the relevant The European Commission has started an evaluation of the Plan for Reconstruction and Development of Bulgaria said the spokesman of the European Commission Eric Mamer The document was submitted to the Commission on 15 October 58% of Bulgarians do not support the introduction of the euro as the official currency in the country This shows a study prepared by Trend agency specifically for the financial forum NEXT DIFI 2021 Too late Bulgaria began to explain its own position towards North Macedonia as it should have been clear to our European partners some time ago An SPD-led government in Germany has significant potential to sharpen international attention to the problems of corruption in Bulgaria This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Panagyurishte is the center of celebrations for the 147th anniversary of the April Uprising They began with a procession led by the Poibrenе Silver Cross the Flying rebel detachment of voivode Georgi Benkovski was blessed A memorial service was held in the historical church "The Entry of the Theotokos" in memory of those who died in the epic battles of the April Uprising The Panagyurishte Treasure will take part at the exhibition "Luxury and Power: From Persia to Greece" at the British Museum in London The exhibition traces the relationship between wealth and politics in the first millennium BC The exhibition will be officially opened on 4 May and will be open to visitors for three months The Panagyurishte Treasure dates from the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd centuries BC and consists of nine solid gold vessels Each of the vessels is believed to have been used for feasts and religious sacraments and rituals associated with Thracian mythology Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7 The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry.. people will be able to withdraw money  from ATMs only in the new currency according to the website of the Bulgarian. helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day. Funding has been secured for the European programs “Care at Home” and “Hot Meal” One of the most spectacular Bulgarian treasures - the Panagyurishte treasure – has left for London It will be part of an exhibition: Luxury and power: Persia to Greece at the British Museum the National History Museum has announced will trace the connection between wealth and politics in the first millennium BC presenting some dazzling objects from Europe to Asia Director of the National History Museum met with the curator of the Bulgarian exhibition Dr The biggest museum institution in Bulgaria has negotiated an exchange of good practices and experts in the sphere of museum work the Panagyurishte Golden Treasure will be exhibited in the vault of the local history museum Every year for a few weeks or a month the gold objects found in the town are returned home to be examined by the residents and guests of Panagyurishte behind the windows of the museum you can see replicas of the golden rhytons and the phial with African heads The nine golden vessels from the Thracian treasure weigh a total of just over 6 kilograms is the exquisite workmanship of the objects The gold objects are believed to have belonged to a ruling family of the Odrysian tribe and were created in the late 4th or early 3rd century BC to smell the air of the past times and to feel the legends in the air And I'm lucky to have been born in a country with a glorious past and a lot of stories to tell Bulgaria was founded more than 1,300 years ago and has never changed its name their music and their art have changed over the centuries I invite you to take a walk through the different ages of Bulgaria and to get to know it better The baker says, “Sorry, we just ran out of bread, but we’ve got plenty of politicians who’ll promise to bring some tomorrow!”... read The Bulgarian replied, "Simple, we just put everything in a pot, add a little rakia, and let the flavors fight it out!" It’s a recipe for success… and possibly a ... read While speaking briefly with the media, Trump took a question on the stock market drop following the tariffs and said, "I think it's going very well," and added that the United States will "have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country."He further said, "The markets are going ... read 'This is not the time to go it alone,' Rutte warns, as he says 'no alternative to NATO'Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte is speaking again, giving a lecture at the Warsaw School of Economics in which he strongly backs the role of the alliance and tells both Europe and the ... read Capturing spring in Bulgaria: A blooming season through our lens Spring in Bulgaria is a time of vibrant renewal marked by blooming flowers and milder weather the countryside transforms with colorful wildflowers such as snowdrops Cities and villages alike celebrate the season » See all photos For the fifth consecutive year in Panagyurishte will be held a world championship for the most beautiful fireworks for the host city cup The beginning of the fiery beauty in the sky will be given on May 26 and the program and races will continue until the 28th Every evening guests and residents of Panagyurishte will enjoy the colorful fireworks in the sky including last year’s Belarusian winner Competitors for the Cup will also be the teams from Tatarstan / Kazan / and Kazakhstan Each team will present a 2-minute free show that will not be evaluated they will need to prepare a firework for 3 to 7 minutes The World Championship will be opened with a concert of the young hope of the Bulgarian musical scene Mihaela Marinova and the tandem on stage and in life Alex Raeva and DJ Doncho the program will continue with a warming fire will show their skills the team of Belarus and the evening will continue with performances of the metal band Simai the audience will have fun with the rapper Krisko the eternal band Diana Express and the Sevi rockers And the racing fireworks will be from the team of Tatarstan the team from Kazakhstan will present their skills The audience will dance in the rhythm of the songs of Dara and the groups Atlas and The doctors On the 28th will be the official awarding of the winners Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again In every season and every region of this small country Bulgaria marks over the weekend the 134th anniversary since the start of the so-called April Uprising against the Ottoman Empire the ceremonies began with a solemn church mass in the town of Klisura to honor the memory of the Bulgarian heroes who on April 20 (May 3 according to the Gregorian calendar) started Bulgaria's largest rebellion in the fight for freedom from the Ottoman Empire thousands of people watched the traditional reenactment of the historical events at the time of the declaration of the April Uprising The first day of remembrance ended with spectacular fireworks in the town of Panagyurishte Saturday evening in the presence of the Speaker of the Parliament Panagyurishte was the main town of the Fourth Revolutionary District of the Bulgarian Secret Revolutionary Committee in 1876 As the organizers in the other three districts were unsuccessful at spurring large-scale actions Panagyurishte became the capital of the April Uprising in which several thousand badly armed rebels defended the Provisional Government for ten days before Ottoman Turkish forces crushed them suppressing the rebellion with extreme violence The violent suppression of the April Uprising led Russia to declare war on the Ottoman Empire The international outrage was triggered by the American journalist who made the atrocities known all around Europe and the world the anniversary is marked at the historical site “Oborishte,” symbol of Bulgaria’s Parliamentary tradition The ceremonies include another Church mass and a keynote address from Tsacheva The traditional national “Oborishte” award for contributions to the country’s national identity will be bestowed to writer and researcher Todor Tashev for his study of Zachari Stoyanov known as the chronicler of the April Uprising The 2010 celebrations are also dedicated to the 160th anniversary of Stoyanov’s birth Bulgaria took a momentous step in its history by declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years In two of them - Panagyurishte and Plovdiv the astronaut received gifts of exquisite beauty - hand-woven carpets with his image two enterprises operated in Bulgaria’s town of Panagyurishte the so-called labour production cooperative "Persian Carpet" manufactured 'Let's make a carpet for Yuri Gagarin,'" recalls Vasilka Petkova-Bairova then a member of the cooperative's management board we also had workers and we agreed to do it People came from all over Bulgaria to see how we make this carpet The colour paper scheme which is used for the weaving was developed by draftswoman Lushka Nemigencheva Only one black-and-white photo of the finished carpet is preserved to this day In the centre of the composition we can see Yuri Gagarin in a military uniform embracing a bouquet of fragrant Bulgarian roses On one side stands a girl in a pioneer uniform and on the other - a smiling woman in a Bulgarian national costume The carpet was completed in about a month and the best workers in the company were involved in its production "My grandmother was then 38 years old," says granddaughter Diana Georgieva “At least 15 women have worked on this carpet they took turns from early in the morning until very late in the evening” all the workers received an award personally from the owner of the Persian carpet enterprise "They were awarded a wristwatch for completing the work on time My grandmother remembered that this was the greatest gift she had ever received in her life,” said Diana Georgieva The further fate of this carpet is unknown it turns out that the Panagyurishte craftswomen made another carpet with the face of the astronaut Probably this happened in the workshops in one of the villages near Panagyurishte On it Yuri Gagarin is depicted with a spacesuit and the carpet itself was sent to Washington What exactly it looked like remains a mystery because in 1992-93 the enterprise’s archives were destroyed time out the work of the Plovdiv-based carpet masters Learning that Yuri Gagarin will visit the city the leadership of Persian Carpet manufacturing enterprise in Plovdiv decided to make a small Persian rug with the image of Gagarin for the solemn day The best weavers were involved the task as they worked in 3-4 shifts of 4 hours each now deceased master weavers were also helped by the skilful then 19-year-old Ivanka Kocheva "My mother does not remember exactly how long the carpet took to make That is why they hired the most agile workers to do it in the shortest possible time because it was a difficult job," said Plamen Kochev So the beautiful rug was ready in just about 24 hours The pattern was designed by the company's chief artist Ivan Kolarov who worked on the astronaut's photography "The carpet was approximately 80 by 80 cm large "It is said that Yuri Gagarin was most impressed by this gift." any further information about the carpet remains in the realm of conjecture A photo of the Plovdiv work of art has not survived to this day One of the most famous treasures found in the Bulgarian lands It will be analyzed by the Eurotest Control Company from Austria certified under the international standards Discovered in 1949 by the three Deykov brothers while they were digging clay to make bricks today the treasure represents a symbolic part of this country's Classical Antiquity heritage It has taken part in a range of exhibitions at home and abroad are owned by the Archeological Museum in the City of Plovdiv In 1974 the priceless set was moved to Sofia and today it is part of the display of the National Museum of History there have been a few speculations that the original treasure has been replaced with a replica The advocates of this thesis point to certain differences in the weight of objects as the set has been weighed on several occasions Director of the Archeological Museum in Plovdiv explains that it is only natural to see such differences because vessels have been weighed in different times by different people using different devices "This does not suggest that the Panagyurishte Treasure has been replaced,” a decision has been made to test the treasure because the Director of the National Museum of History Bozhidar Dimitrov has been repeatedly accused of being reluctant to make such tests thus trying to conceal a replacement For this reason he has decided to order chemical tests of the gold set On this occasion I asked him to test also a wing which is a part of a rhyton under an inventory No The gold wing in question was chipped off the vessel and has never left Plovdiv I should say that the gold set was not made at one go” “Two of the vessels were made in 4th or 3rd c BC in a different workshop than the one that produced the rest seven vessels I am sure that chemical tests will show differences from the rest of the vessels the first two vessels were targeted for the market while the rest were commissioned by a sovereign chemical tests will fail to play down speculations about replacement because they will show definite differences As specialists we are aware that the treasure is not homogenous Now this wing has been in the Plovdiv museum since the treasure was found in 1949 and has been kept here by three generations of museum staff And unlike the Panagyurishte Treasure that has traveled widely in Bulgaria and abroad to be shown in various museums If a chemical test is made of this part and the vessel that it belongs to and the results are compared it will become very clear whether there is any difference But the restoration specialists from the National Museum of History already saw it and found out that it strictly corresponds to the place from where it was chipped off.” Are there similar vessels to the ones in the famous set elsewhere in the world Kostadin Kissiov explains that so far two similar vessels have been found made of gold with the same shapes and sizes displaying however different mythological scenes and images One of the vessels was found in the town of Sinope on the Northern Black Sea coast and the other in Sicily However as a large gold trove with these particular kinds of vessels the Panagyurishte set has no match in the world The results from the tests of the gold artifacts will become known by the end of the month The final conclusion is expected in September the Panagyurishte Gold Treasure will be one of the highlights in a big Bulgarian exhibition in the Louvre in Paris A number of events today commemorate the 141st anniversary of the April Uprising of 1876 against the Ottomans the center of celebrations is the Bulgarian town of Panagyurishte where festive atmosphere and patriotic spirit characterize the day A procession and commemorative ceremony have already taken place downtown Panagyurishte and the culmination of events will be tonight's military parade and fireworks President Radev will also be a guest to the ceremony and will hold a speech  All Bulgarians commemorate and pay respect to the heroes of the April Uprising who sacrificed their lives for Bulgaria’s Liberation 1856 Rayna Popgeorgieva was born in the town of Panagyurishte Known by the nickname "Rayna Knyaginya" (Rayna the Princess) she was a Bulgarian teacher and a midwife who sewed the main insurgent flag of the Panagyurishte Revolutionary District of the April Uprising and waved it along with emblematic revolutionary leader Georgi Benkovski The revolutionary commissioned her to make a flag with the inscription "Freedom or Death" when she was 20 years old After the April Uprising which was brutally crushed by the Ottomans she was captured by the Turks and subjected to severe torture but after the intervention of European diplomats she was released and sent to study medicine in Moscow four of whom became officers in the Bulgarian Army