Archaeologist have discovered about 500 gold and silver coins, 80 pieces of cut gold, bronze and gold jewelry dating from the 6th through the 1st century B.C. in the northern Pilsen region of the Czech Republic. The exact location is being kept under wraps to prevent looters from descending upon it.
According to Daniel Stráník, an archaeologist from the museum in Mariánská Týnice, the investigated locality is exceptional, at least in the Central European region. “Among the gold and silver coins there are also previously unknown mintings, which may change the current view of Celtic coinage in Bohemia. The acquired set of gold jewelry from the Hallstatt period is also unique. For example, various buckles, pins, bracelets, pendants or a horse figurine are made of bronze,” describes Stráník.
The first find was a single gold coin, a 2nd century B.C. stater, uncovered by a metal detectorist in 2021. They handed it in to the authorities and archaeologists followed up. The excavation revealed numerous objects, primarily small metal pieces including coins, ingots, chopped pieces and even raw gold flake and nuggets, in the surface layers of the soil. This was a remarkable wealth of artifacts to be found in field that has been cultivated for years and still is to this day. The team had to work between harvest and sowing times for four years to excavate the site, all while keeping their activities secret to deter illegal treasure hunters.
The objects were scattered over a wide area of 12-16 hectares, not grouped together in a hoard, and the date range covers the late Hallstatt and La Tène periods, but there is no evidence of a permanent Celtic settlement in the area. It’s possible the site saw regular seasonal activity of a commercial nature and the coins were simply lost over the centuries. They are quite tiny, with the largest just 1.5 cm in diameter and weighing as little as .5 grams for gold and .1 gram for silver. The heaviest gold coin weighs 8.5 grams.
The coins will be subjected to metallurgic analysis in the hopes of determining the origin of the gold, if it was locally mined or traded over distances. The largest and most important objects are being kept in a secure location while they are thoroughly studied and conserved. Meanwhile, a selection of the finds have gone on display in a new dedicated exhibition at the Museum and Gallery of the Northern Pilsen Region in Mariánská Týnice. The exhibition runs through November 30th.
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