The period 4600–4200 BC marks a fascinating chapter in prehistory when early civilizations across the globe were emerging and evolving in parallel. In Europe, the Varna culture of present-day Bulgaria astonished archaeologists with the world’s oldest processed gold treasure and evidence of the first social elites.

Explore the Final Copper Age (c. 4250–3300 BCE): the end of the Chalcolithic peak, shifting settlements and trade, and key horizons like Cernavodă I, BSK, Coțofeni and Yamnaya.

Archaeological culture names often vary by country, type-site and tradition. Learn why terms like Yamnaya/Pit Grave and Cucuteni–Trypillia differ, with a practical synonym list.

Discover Bulgaria’s top 2025 archaeological finds—from Thracian gold to Black Sea harbors—reshaping ancient history with groundbreaking excavations.

Discover the submerged cultures beneath today’s Black Sea. From the Hamangia and Varna civilizations to the Black Sea flood hypothesis, archaeology and ancient texts reveal how climate change and rising waters may have shaped myths like Noah’s Flood.