factors that caused the downfall of
the Varna civilization.
“Most probably a combination of
factors such as hostile neighbours
and climatic changes were the principal causes that forced the inhabitants of the Northeast Balkans to
abandon their homes. They migrated at first to the south of the
Balkans, where settlements, slightly later than the Varna cemetery
(ca. 4000 BC), were found. These
sites witnessed the last attempts
of the bearers of this bright culture
to retain their old customs on the
peninsula. But the ongoing climate
deterioration forced them either to
migrate or to change their way of
life completely,” said Dr Slavchev.
He added: “The beginning of
the fourth millennium BC brought
an end to a sophisticated society that had briefly achieved a
level of political and aesthetic brilliance unrivaled elsewhere. It disappeared from the historical stage
and remained unknown until it was
17
discovered by archaeologists six
thousand years later.”
The Legacy of the
Varna Culture
Although the Varna civilization did
not leave any direct descendants,
the members of this ancient culture
did leave behind many lasting legacies and set the stage for the emergence of subsequent civilizations
throughout Europe. Their skills in
metallurgy were unprecedented in
Europe and indeed throughout the
world, and their society demonstrated many features of a highly
advanced and developed civilization.
“Even more than six thousand
years ago in the Varna culture
people started to switch to different professions in which various