While they were under Roman rule, the ancient Thracians who lived where today's Karanovo village, by Nova Zagora, is, created a necropolis of tumuli.
In 2008 archaeologists detected that treasure-hunters had dug the so-called Eastern Mound, which was 11 m high and had a diameter of 77 m.
The rescue excavations which followed discovered, in the mound's southeastern section, a perfectly preserved chariot, buried just metres off the brick grave of its Thracian aristocratic owner. The find was from the mid-1st Century AD. The chariot was dismantled before the burial, and the skeletons of a sacrified hunting dog and of two horses lay nearby, perfectly preserved. Undisturbed by robbers, the dead man's grave cntained precious objects, including expensive weapons and luxurious cups of glass and silver, imported from Rome.
When the archaeologists ended their work, the skeletons of the animals and the grave were preserved in situ. They were exhibited for some years but after neglect the whole site is now disintegrating.
Treasure hunters continue to pester the region.
Near Karanovo you will also find the amazing Karanovo tell, inhabited by settled farmers since the dawn of agriculture in the Balkans. It is one of Europe's most important prehistorical sites
English
Bulgarian