A European woman has unexpectedly discovered a hidden treasure from the Middle Ages, an event that archaeologists have dubbed a once-in-a-decade find.
According to a press release from the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ARUP), the treasure was found by a woman strolling in Kutná Hora, a town located in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.
The treasure includes over 2,150 silver coins minted between 1085 and 1107. Experts believe these coins were produced in Prague and imported into Bohemia.
A woman strolling in Kutná Hora discovered the treasure, believed to have been produced in Prague and imported into Bohemia.
The treasure includes over 2,150 silver coins minted between 1085 and 1107.
Archaeologist Filip Velímský stated that the treasure was hidden during a period of political instability.
ARUP explained in a press release dated May 16: “This treasure discovery indicates that the coins were made from an alloy, which contains not only silver but also a mixture of copper, lead, and trace metals. Identifying this specific composition could also help determine the origin of the silver used.”
Archaeologist Filip Velímský mentioned that the treasure was hidden in a ceramic container that has been destroyed over the years. Velímský added that the value of these ancient coins is “inconceivable” for that period.
He explained: “Unfortunately, in the early 11th-12th century, we lack data on the purchasing power of contemporary coins. However, it was an astronomical sum, unimaginable, and not accessible to an ordinary person. It could be compared to winning a million dollars in the lottery.”
The Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences shared this discovery.
The treasure was stored in a ceramic container that has been destroyed over the years.
Czech officials have described this discovery as “one of the most significant finds in the past decade.”
ARUP’s press release noted: “More than 2,000 silver coins represent a tremendous amount of wealth at that time.”
Historians are currently working to process the coins, including scanning them with X-rays to determine their material composition. The artifacts will then be exhibited in a planned exhibition set to launch in 2025.
