Borovo Silver Treasure

Overview

The Borovo treasure is a Thracian treasure from the 4th century BC, consisting of golden vessels decorated with proto-animals and mythological scenes with inscriptions in Greek ("On Kotis of Beos").

It was discovered by chance by Traicho Stoev in 1974 on the land of the village (now a town) Borovo, Ruse region, in the area "Sivri Tepe". When plowing, tractors bring ancient objects to the surface. Archaeological excavations have been carried out around the site, but no settlement remains or cemetery mounds have been found. This gives full reason to call the discovered objects "treasure". They date between the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 4th century BC. The treasure consists of five silver objects with gilding - three rhytons, a jug-rhyton and a spilled bowl. Inscriptions related to the Thracian king Kotis I (383-359 BC) have been found on them, and it is believed that the entire service was donated to him by Thracian rulers in the city of Boos, where there was probably a sanctuary.

The first rhyton with a bull protome is clearly different from the other two. It has a shorter horn, horizontal grooves and significantly poorer ornamentation. The resemblance to other rhytons is in the exquisite workmanship of the protome. The rhyton with a protome on a horse is the most richly decorated, as the horn has vertical grooves ending in ovals, between which golden pearls are placed. The front of the horse is masterfully crafted and, as with the bull, is decorated with stylized ornaments. Inscriptions on the underside differ. The third rhyton has a protome of a winged sphinx and is quite similar to that of a protome of a horse. Interestingly, the sphinx's ears have holes, probably for earrings. The large spilled bowl has removable handles mounted on applications of strong heads. At the bottom there is a gilded figure of a griffin biting a deer's neck.

From an iconographic point of view, the most interesting vessel is the rhyton jug. It has an ovoid shape and an elongated throat (with inscriptions), and a place on a missing handle can be seen. The second hole is at the bottom. The decoration on the jug is very rich - three friezes frame the whole vessel. The upper frieze depicts a festive procession with strongly Dionysian characters. The figures are smaller than those in the central frieze, which is explained by the hierarchical perspective. In the lower frieze, the figures seem to be feasting, judging by the sitting postures and the rhytons and phials in their hands. The bottom is decorated with a frieze of cranes. Undoubtedly, all iconography is subject to ancient religion and mythology.

The depicted scenes on the body of the jug are interpreted by Prof. Ivan Venedikov and Prof. Ivan Marazov.

According to Prof. Venedikov, the upper frieze represents the procession of Dionysus, which goes to the feasting deities, among which the professor identifies the figures of Orpheus and Eurydice. The lower frieze depicts the deities themselves, with Dionysus and the goddess (probably his mother Semela or his wife Ariadne) playing a central role. They are surrounded by two Eros and strongmen who are participants in the feast.

Another interpretation is made by Professor Ivan Marazov, who suggests that the scenes are related to the mysteries of the Kabirs, interpreting iconographic similarities with some vases from the Theban Kabirion. According to him, the upper frieze also depicts a procession of Dionysus with markedly elevated debauchery, characteristic of the world of the "natural". The lower frieze represents the marriage between the goddess and the ruler, the so-called act of hierogamy. Hierogamy is known to be the culmination of the mysteries of the Kabirs. Prof. Marazov is of the opinion that the Borovo treasure is a cult service and has been used in mysterious practices.