A significant medieval treasure has just been discovered by German workers while they were excavating a pipeline system.
According to Live Science, a group of workers digging in an area known as “Black Forest” in the town of Glottertal, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, stumbled upon a treasure described as “shimmering metal plates.”
This treasure is a medieval coin hoard, consisting of approximately 1,500 silver coins, which holds immense value.
Some coins from the treasure in the Black Forest – (Photo: State Conservation Office of Stuttgart).
According to archaeologist Andreas Haasis-Berner from the State Conservation Office in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, what has been uncovered in the Black Forest is the largest treasure found in this region since 1949.
Besides their value as artifacts with centuries of history, these ancient coins also provide crucial insights for archaeologists to understand mining and coin minting activities in this area from 650 years ago.
Part of the treasure when it was first excavated – (Photo: State Conservation Office of Stuttgart).
“Glottertal is one of the most important mining areas for the dukes of Freiburg. The site where the coins were found was the main settlement of the miners” – the archaeologists explained.
Specifically, this area used to have a large silver mine, where raw materials were extracted and then immediately sent to the minting workshops built on-site.
After cleaning and conducting preliminary analysis, experts reported that the coins were minted in 1320.
Some coins were minted locally, while others from Switzerland and France were mixed in the hoard.
At the time these coins were minted, the entire treasure could have purchased 150 sheep. Currently, after centuries and a series of historical upheavals, the treasure has become priceless.
The authors noted that the most important aspect of this latest discovery is that it sheds light on the history and medieval economy of Glottertal.
The mix of coins from various locations indicates a vast circulation of ancient currency, signifying a bustling trade network.
