The oldest prehistoric town, Provadia

An aerial view of one of the symbols of the first European civilization – the oldest prehistoric town ever found in Europe, dating back to the fifth millennium BC. An ancient salt production site was also found at the Provadia-Solnitsata settlement located near the town of Provadia some 350 kms east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It provides abundant information about what was discovered here 7500 years ago and the technology practiced to date for obtaining salt by boiling brine, for the fortification and the economy of the region along the lower reaches of the Provadia River and the Varna Lakes. The need to defend and preserve the greatest wealth of that age- the salt, led to a leap in military thought. Around 4700 BC. The “mint” of Europe is protected by a stone fortress, whose inaccessible for its time defensive walls were 5 m high. The three stages of the prehistoric stone fortress Provadia-Solnitsata (4700-4350 BC) represent precedents in the fortress construction, which until recently were considered discoveries of a much later time. Video by: Petar Petrov /Sky Pictures Bulgaria/