Archaeologists near the Sea of Galilee have discovered a rare storage of gold coins and gems dating back to Byzantine times, from nearly 1,400 years.
The storage contained 97 pure gold coins and dozens of gem pieces, including pearls, semi-precious stones and earrings with glass inserted. The team found treasures while investigating the ancient city of hippo (also known as sussita) on the slopes of Golan.
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Metal detector Eddie Lipsman discovered a storage in July while walking by a large stone and two ancient walls. “The device was crazy, I couldn’t believe it – gold coins started appearing one after another,” Lipsman said in a statement.
The coin features different emperors, from the reign of Justin I (518-527) of the Byzantine Empire to the early reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-613, Heraclius ruled until 641). Some of the coins contain remnants of fabric, indicating that the treasure once was wrapped in cloth.
The coin contains a large coin with a golden content from the Byzantine Empire. A semi worth half the solid. And Tremis was worth a third of the solid.
“It’s a rare experience when you find a new look at a coin and jewel of nearly 400 years,” Eisenberg said in a statement.
One of the trembling mistakes was particularly rare. It may have been cast in Cyprus in 610 by the elder and his son General Heraclius. The young Heraclius acquired and established the Byzantine Heraclean dynasty, ruled by 610-711.
“This is a rare discovery that adds a significant layer to an understanding of political and economic history at the time,” Danny Scion, an excavation monetist (coin expert) said in a statement.
It is unclear why the reservoir was buried, but history shows that the hippo was a turbulent place in the 7th century. In 614, the Sasanian Empire’s troops, including Iran and parts of the Middle East and Central Asia, were invaded by Byzantine Palestine. Residents of Christian cities in the area, including Hippo, hid their wealth as foreign soldiers advanced, according to the statement.
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The area has remained a combat-rich hotspot for many years. Jerusalem fell during the attacks of 614, but the Byzantines recaptured the area around 15 years later. In 636, the Islamic forces recaptured it again. During this time, the Hippo declined and was eventually abandoned after an earthquake struck the Galilee faction in 749.
“The first half of the 7th century includes the largest number of emergency tycoons of gold and bronze coins,” Eisenberg told Live Science. That’s because Sasanid and the Muslim conquests caused widespread confusion at the time. “People were terrifying and left relatively large storage spaces, mostly coins.”
Researchers will analyze the new reservoir, including reading coins, documenting gems and conducting detailed research to discover in local contexts, Eisenberg said.
And while it’s too early to know when the storage will be on display, “I can imagine that starting tomorrow, some museums will be interested,” Eisenberg said.
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