Solnitsata

Solnitsata
Солницата
Prehistoric town
Country Bulgaria
Province Varna
Population
 • Total 350 (est.)

Solnitsata (Bulgarian: Солницата, "The Saltworks") was an ancient town located in present-day Bulgaria, near the modern city of Provadia. Believed by Bulgarian archaeologists to be the oldest town in Europe, Solnitsata was the site of a salt production facility approximately six millennia ago;[1] it flourished ca 4700-4200 BC.[2] The settlement was walled to protect the salt, a crucial commodity in antiquity.[3] Although its population has been estimated at only 350,[3] archaeologist Vassil Nikolov argues that it meets established criteria as a prehistoric city.[4]

Salt production drove Solnitsata's economy, and the town is believed to have supplied salt throughout the Balkans. A large collection of gold objects nearby has led archaeologists to speculate that this trade resulted in considerable wealth for the town's residents.[1]

The town is believed to have been destroyed by an earthquake.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Maugh II, Thomas H. (1 November 2012). "Bulgarians find oldest European town, a salt production center". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. ↑ Survival of Information: the earliest prehistoric town in Europe
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Squires, Nick (31 October 2012). "Archaeologists find Europe's most prehistoric town". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Nikolov, Vassil. "Salt, early complex society, urbanization: Provadia-Solnitsata (5500-4200 BC) (Abstract)" (PDF). Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Ranguelov, Boyko; Nikolov, Vassil (2010). Ancient earthquake data extraction by archeological findings. EGU General Assembly 2010. 2-7 May, 2010. Vienna, Austria.