Editing Varna, Bulgaria (section)

=== Thracians ===
Since late [[Bronze Age]] (13th–12th c. BC) the area around Odessos had been populated with [[Thracians]]. During 8th–9th c. BC local [[Thracians]] had active commercial and cultural contacts with people from [[Anatolia]], [[Thessaly]], [[Caucasus]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. These links were reflected in some local productions, for example, forms of bronze [[Fibula (brooch)|fibula]] of the age, either imported or locally made. There is no doubt that interactions occurred mostly by sea and the bay of Odessos is one of the places where the exchanges took place. Some scholars consider that during the 1st millennium BC, the region was also settled by the half-mythical [[Cimmerians]]. An example of their, probably accidental, presence, is the [[tumulus]] dated 8th–7th c. BC found near [[Belogradets]], Varna Province.

The region around Odessos was densely populated with Thracians long before the coming of the Greeks on the west seashore of the Black Sea. [[Pseudo-Scymnus]] writes: "...Around the city [Odessos] lives the Thracian tribe named Crobises." This is also evidenced by various ceramic pottery, made by hand or by a [[Potter's wheel]], bronze ornaments for horse-fittings and iron weapons, all found in Thracian necropolises dated 6th–4th c. BC near the villages of Dobrina, Kipra, Brestak and other, all in [[Varna Province]]. The Thracians in the region were ruled by kings, who entered into unions with the [[Odrysian kingdom]], [[Getae]] or [[Sapaeans]]—large Thracian states existing between 5th–1st c. BC. Between 336–280 BC these Thracian states along with Odessos were conquered by [[Alexander the Great]].

Archaeological findings have indicated that the population of northeast Thrace was very diverse, including the region around Odessos. During 6th–4th c. BC the region was populated with [[Scythians]] who normally inhabited the central [[Eurasian Steppe]] (South Russia and Ukraine) and partly the area south of river Istros (the Thracian name of lower [[Danube]]). Characteristic for their culture weapons and bronze objects are found all over the region. Scythian horse ornaments are produced in "animal style", which is very close to the Thracian style, a possible explanation for the frequent mixture of both folks in northeastern Thrace. Many bronze artefacts give testimony for such process, for example, applications and front plates for horseheads, as well as moulds for such products in nearby and more distanced settlements. Since the 4th c. BC the region had been populated by more [[Getae]], which is a Thracian tribe populating both shores around the [[Danube Delta]].

[[Celts]] started populating the region after their invasion of the [[Balkan peninsula]] in 280 BC. All over northeast Bulgaria and even near Odessos were found a significant number of bronze items with Celtic ornaments and typical weapons, all quickly adopted by Thracians. Arkovna, 80&nbsp;km near Odessos, was probably the permanent capital of Celts' last king Kavar (270/260–216/210 BC). Probably after the downfall of his kingdom, Celts blended with the greatly numbered Thracians in the country.
Between the 2nd–1st c. BC in present [[Dobruja|Dobrudja]] land between Dyonissopolis ([[Balchik]]) and Odessos were created many small Scythian states. Their "kings" minted their coins in [[Mint (facility)|mints]] located in cities on the west Black Sea coast, including Odessos.

The Thracians in northeast Thrace seem to be underdeveloped compared to their counterparts in South Thrace. The people lived in two types of settlements: non-fortified, located in fertile lands near water sources and stone-built fortresses in hard to reach mountain environment, where were usually located the kings' residences. Thracians engaged in farming, wood processing, hunting and fishing. Among their art crafts is metal processing—especially weapons, excelling processing of bronze, making of bracelets, rings, Thracian type of fibulas, horse ornaments, arrowheads. Local goldsmiths used gold and silver to produce typical Thracian plate armour, ceremonial ornaments for the horses of the kings and the aristocracy, as well as valuable [[patera]]s and [[Rhyton|ritons]].

Despite ethnic diversity, numerous internal and external conflicts, and cultural differences, the populations of northeastern Bulgaria and the cities along the seashore have demonstrated stable tolerance to each other. Conservatism is easily noticed in ceramic items and in religion. The highest deity of all was the [[Thracian horseman]], who had different names and functions in different places. Water-related deities were honoured as well, such as [[Charites|The Three Graces]] or the water [[Nymph]]s and [[Zalmoxis]] by the [[Getae]].
During the centuries, especially by the end of the [[Hellenistic period]] (2nd–1st c. BC), Thracians adopted the more elaborated Hellenistic culture, thus acting as an intermediate for the continental Thracians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archaeo.museumvarna.com/en/category/list?category_id=6&id=7|title=Odessos, Thracians|publisher=Archaeological Museum Varna|access-date=23 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223213142/http://www.archaeo.museumvarna.com/en/category/list?category_id=6&id=7|archive-date=23 February 2017}}</ref>