The Thracian Tomb of Karanovo is located in the northwestern part of Karanovo, about 10 kilometers from the town of Nova Zagora. The 24 hectare burial mound was discovered in 1950, and is one of the oldest in Europe.
There are many similar mounds in Bulgaria, but the Karanovo mound is one of the largest (13 meters high, 250 meters in length, and 150 meters wide). Although only partly excavated (1700 square meters), it holds a great archaeological wealth. The 12.4 meters of layers show the different cultural periods that have passed through. They cover the entire prehistoric era – from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age.
All objects found during the archaeological excavations are displayed in the museums of Sofia and Nova Zagora. They show evidence of life for three millennia. Among the discovered objects is a round seal 2 centimeters thick and with a diameter of 6 centimeters, engraved with ancient European language. This is believed to be one of the first signs of writing, according to achaeologists.