Before we got married, Theo asked me if I wanted a ring. I said no, let’s put the money towards travel instead.
And what we recently saw is better than any diamond and gold ring on my finger.
The pictures below show the oldest gold in the world. People made these pieces about 6,500 years ago!
No older crafted gold has been found – not even in Mesopotamia, which lays claim to the oldest cities on Earth.
(Tap any photo to enlarge.)
The ancient cemetery that held this gold collection is only partially excavated. It’s an ongoing archeological project in Varna, Bulgaria, near the Black Sea.
Beads, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and various adornments— like a gold penis sheath!
The sheath is next to the hip of a recreated skeleton.
A museum curator told me it’s on display in the exact spot where archaeologists found it. In fact, all of the gold pieces on the skeleton are displayed exactly as they were found, moved by decay and stilled by time.
Some gold pieces are married to rock. Look closely at the photos and you’ll see gold rings swallowed by Earth.
Opinions vary on what the gold says about the people who lived here at that time. Some believe the gold is evidence of some form of capitalist hierarchy. Others believe the gold points to an equal wealth system based on the array of graves where pieces were found.
These dueling theories reflect current political views in Bulgaria. Many older people are nostalgic for communist days when everyone had a job and livable income. Bulgaria is not one of the wealthy EU nations.
Isn’t it funny how the more we humans change, the more we stay the same.
Unequal wealth distribution.
Man’s fascination with his penis.
And a belief in an afterlife — where no one can take gold with them.
For more information, visit the official website of the Varna Archeological Museum.
Thanks for reading, “Commentary on the oldest gold in the world.”
You might also like other travel commentaries:
