A European woman recently stumbled upon a trove of buried medieval treasure in what archaeologists are calling a once-in-a-decade find.
The Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP) explained in a press release translated into English that the treasure was discovered by a woman walking in Kutná Hora, in the central Bohemia region of the Czech Republic.
The treasure consisted of over 2,150 silver coins minted between 1085 and 1107. Experts believe they were made in Prague and imported to Bohemia.
” [discovery was] “The coin is made from a silver alloy that contains silver as well as a mixture of copper, lead and trace metals,” ARUP explained in a press release on May 16. “Determining this specific composition also helps determine the origin of the silver used.”
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A woman in the Czech Republic recently tipped off authorities about the hoard of ancient treasure. (Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP))
Archaeologist Philip Berimsky said the treasure was hidden during times of political unrest. It was kept in ceramic vessels that were destroyed over the years, but archaeologists discovered the bottom of the vessels.
“At that time, there was a struggle between members of the Přemyslid dynasty for the throne of Prague,” the historian explained. ARUP noted that fighting was common during that time, and that the storehouse could have contained cash “used to pay wages and booty.”
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Experts say the discovery of the treasure is one of the biggest archaeological finds of the past decade. (Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP))
Velimsky added that the value of ancient coins at the time was “unimaginable.”
“Unfortunately, there is no data on the purchasing power of coins from the 11th and 12th centuries,” he explained, “but it was a huge amount that was unimaginable and unattainable for the average person. It would be the equivalent of winning a million dollars on the jackpot.”
Czech authorities have called the discovery “one of the largest of the last decade.”
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The treasure consists of more than 2,150 silver coins, minted between 1085 and 1107. The coins will be analysed and archived. (Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP))
“More than 2,000 silver coins was a huge amount of money at the time,” an ARUP press release stated.
Historians are currently analyzing the coin, including putting it through X-rays to determine what material it is made of, before the artifact will be displayed at an exhibition scheduled to debut in 2025.
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Archaeologists are working diligently to analyze and preserve all the silver coins found before putting them on display. (Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP))
Fox News Digital has reached out to ARUP for comment.
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