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The article by Veselin Toshkov ('Treasure hunters strip Bulgaria of its ancient treasures, destroying a cultural legacy', Associated Press 26th October 2012 - see the post below) discusses the terrible devastation caused to Bulgaria's archaeological heritage by commercial looting to fuel the international antiquities market, bot the high end (sculptures and inscriptions) as well as the trade in so-called "minor" artefacts sold as bulk lots by weight like so many potatoes. The country has a rich heritage and when it is damaged, we are all the losers: Bulgaria hosts some of the most unique and vulnerable cultural resources in Europe. In addition to the numerous Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age settlement mounds, there are significant remains of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine urban centers. Perhaps most notable among Bulgarian antiquities are the remains of the Thracians, a powerful warrior kingdom conquered only by Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire. The best known Thracian remains in Bulgaria are tombs and burial mounds which contain stunning gold and silver work.All this is of course hotly desired by collectors all over the world.
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