The Early Bronze Age (3^rd millennium BC) was a period of intensive cultural and trade contacts between distant regions. The intensive contacts, the exchange of ideas and knowledge contributed significantly to the development of the jewellery production. The intensive archaeological excavations and studies provided by the Bulgarian archaeologists give evidence that the present Bulgarian lands have their own place in the 3^rd millennium BC jewellery koine.

An interesting example of the development of the 3^rd millennium BC jewellery production can be seen in the permanent exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum – the silver hoard found in the region of Petrich, Southwest Bulgaria. The hoard entered the National Archaeological Institute with Museum in 2003. It consists five flat silver appliques with relief decoration and hole for attachment, three silver bracelets and one silver earing. The hoard is dated in the third phase of the Early Bronze Age (the last third of 3^rd millennium BC). Despite that the provenance of the hoard is known, the silver ornaments are of a special interest for the archaeologists. They were manufactured from a precious metal – silver and present both the development of the jewellery production in the region and the local jewellery fashion.

The hoard from Petrich is often compared to a hoard found in Rupite locality near Petrich (the hoard belongs to the collection of the National Historical museum). It consists golden and silver ornaments, bronze tools for jewellery production etc. The two hoards suggest the existence of jewellery workshop in the region during the last decades of 3^rd millennium BC (Alexandrov, Hristov 2018, 334). That probably had a transmitting role between the jewelry centers in the Aegean world and the region of Balkans.

The hoard from Petrich region can be seen in the Prehistoric hall or through the 3D virtual tour of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum - http://naim.bg/en/tour/

Bibliograpy:

Александров, Христов 2018: С. Александров, М. Христов. Колективни находки от раннта бронзова епоха от района на Петрич, Югозападна България. В Александров, Ст., Димитрова, Я., Попов, Х., Хореш, Б., Чукалев, К. (ред.) Злато и бронз. Метали, технологии и междурегионални контакти на територията на Източните Балкани през бронзовата епоха, София = Alexandrov, Hristov 2018: S. Alexandrov, M. Hristov. Early Bronze Age Hoards from Petrich region, Southwest Bulgaria. In Alexandrov, S., Dimitrova, Y., Popov, H., Horejs, B., Chukalev, K. (eds.) Gold and bronze. Metals, Technologies and Interregional Contacts in the Eastern Balkans during the Bronze Age, Sofia, 332-334.