The conference was organized by the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the National Archaeological Institute with Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Classical Archaeology at Charles University in Prague.

"Over four days, researchers from across Europe discussed the 'things of life' of prehistoric inhabitants of the Balkans – from the formation of different prehistoric cultures to chronology, the use of natural resources, metallurgy, archaeobotany, and archaeogenetics, as well as long-distance trade routes and many other topics," said Dr. Hellmuth Kramberger.

The conference also included:

• Visiting the Solnitsata archaeological site near Provadia.
• Europe's oldest salt production center.
• Dating back to the 6th and 5th millennia BC.

Salt, once known as "white gold," was a valuable commodity in the past, bringing wealth to those with access to it. Today, however, salt is often too prevalent in our diet.