Ancient Thracian Dagger Discovered
Posted on August 16, 2006
An ancient Thracian dagger was discovered in Bulgaria that proves the mysterious ancient civilization had knowledge of sophisticated metal-working techniques. The BBC reports that little is known about ancient Thracian civilisation except that the warriors were known for being fierce and bloodthirsty. The dagger found was a sacrificial dagger.
Bozhidar Dimitrov, head of Bulgaria's National Museum, told Reuters news agency the discovery was "sensational".The civilization sounds fascinating. You can currently see photographs of a few Thracian items online om the website of the National Museum of History in Bulgaria.In July, part of an ancient Thracian city called Heraion Teichos was discovered. A Turkish Daily News article about the discovery cites Associate Professor Nese Atik as saying, "sources of information on the Thracian civilization are very scarce." Hopefully, future discoveries will uncover even more precious artifacts and more information about this civilization.It is the latest in a string of finds in the area in recent years which has excited archaeologists and has provided more details of the skills of the still mysterious Thracian civilisation.
According to officials at the museum, the dagger is 16cm (6in) long and is sharp enough to shave with.
More than 500 other miniature gold items were found in the same tomb.
The detail on the dagger suggests that it was used for sacrificial purposes.