Bulgaria’s ancient Thracian past

It has been a golden decade for archaeology in Bulgaria, says Robert Nurden in the Independent on Sunday. At "hundreds" of newly discovered sites across the south of the country, the ancient civilisation of Thrace has been yielding its secrets.

Hitherto, we knew about it mostly from references in Greek and Roman texts: the Thracians were "the most numerous race in the world, after the Indians", says Homer, and their "horse-manship and guerrilla tactics" were the envy of the ancient world.

But now Bulgarian museums are "stuffed" with their "exquisite" golden treasures, and travel firms are offering tours of their greatest settlements and sanctuaries. Among the highlights is mega-lithic Tatul, which lays claim to housing the bones of Orpheus.

Zig Zag Holidays (00359 2 980 5102) runs 7-day Thracian heritage tours from £550pp.