Tomb of Bastet

The cave situated about 3 km west-southwest of Malko Tarnovo, near the Bulgarian–Turkish border at the foot of Golyamo Gradishte Peak, is associated with the Egyptian goddess Bastet. Known for joy, love and fertility, she is depicted as a woman with a cat's head. A local myth tells of Bastet's tomb, discovered in 1981 by a local treasure hunter. He gave a mysterious map to Lyudmila Zhivkova, who passed it to the clairvoyant Vanga. According to them, a stone sarcophagus of black granite lies hidden underground, inscribed in an unknown script and thousands of years old.

The goddess Bastet, depicted with a sceptre made of extraterrestrial material, is surrounded by immeasurable riches—gold, objects and weapons. According to the legend, the tomb was built in the 8th century BC and concealed beneath tonnes of earth and rock. The workers who built the sanctuary were killed to preserve the sacred secret.