A European woman recently came across an ancient treasure consisting of over a thousand coins while strolling through Kutná Hora, the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The finding is being hailed by archaeologists as a once-in-a-decade discovery.
The Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP) posted the news in a press release on May 16 that was later translated into English. More than 2,150 silver pieces that date back from 1085 to 1107 AD constituted the treasure. Experts think that they were introduced into Bohemia after their production in Prague.
According to the news release issued by the ARUP, the treasure is made of coin alloy, which, in addition to silver, also contains an admixture of copper, lead, and trace metals. Scientists are still doing research on the particular composition of the constituents to find out the origin of the silver.
The trunk, made of ceramic, was demolished over the years, but its bottom was found by archeologists. Experts suggest the political instability in the region may have led to the hiding of treasure. They called the discovery “one of the largest finds of the last decade.”
Archaeologist Filip Velímský said, “At that time, there were disputes in the country between the Přemysl dynasty about the princely throne of Prague. Battles were frequent during this time, and it is speculated that the depot may have held money “for paying wages or spoils of war.” Velímský went on to say that, at the time, the value of the antique coins was “unimaginable.”
He said, “Unfortunately, we lack data on the purchasing power of contemporary coins for the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.” However, for the average person at that time, 2,000 silver coins presented an enormous and inaccessible jackpot, equal to hitting a million-dollar lottery.
The historians are currently running scans on the coins, trying to analyze their material composition for further studies. The objects are expected to debut the following year during an exhibition of ancient treasures.
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