Trebenista - near Ohrid

The discovery of the treasures of Trebenista, a village located on the road from Ohrid to Kicevo, was like something out of a movie: ancient graves loaded with gold and silver, burial gifts fit for a king.

The site was discovered in 1918, and the treasures of seven of the graves were removed by Bulgarian soldiers to Sofia, where they can now be seen in the National Museum. Some of the more recent discoveries are in the National Museum of Ohrid and the National Museum in Belgrade.

When discovered, Trebenista’s graves contained hundreds of gold, silver, and bronze vessels and jewelry, many of which had been imported from Greece along with a number of terracotta vessels decorated in Attic black-figure style. It remains today one of the most important archaeological finds in Macedonia, and a vivid reminder of the style and sophistication of past cultures.