Ancient Thrace is still mainly associated with the emblematic figure of Orpheus and various Thracian kings such as Rhesus and Tereus, who punctuated the Greek mythological world. Yet this
region, located between the Aegean and Black Seas, actually witnessed the rise of a powerful kingdom headed by a people called the Odrysae. This kingdom became a key player in the regional
conflicts that inflamed southeastern Europe from the fifth century BC onward. Stimulated by its numerous exchanges with the Greeks, the Macedonians, the Persians, and the Scythians, the
Odrysian kingdom forged its own identity around a turbulent warrior aristocracy. In recent years, the vitality of Bulgarian archaeological research has spurred a rediscovery of Thracian
civilization, epitomized by exceptional tombs that convey the economic, social, cultural, and artisanal wealth of the Odrysian kingdom. This exhibition catalogue explores ancient Thrace by
looking at various components of the Odrysian kingdom. On show for the first time will be several complete sets of major tomb furnishings, allowing comparison of previously unseen items with
similar material found in Greek city-states along the coast.
