Archaeological discovery in the Netherlands: 1,000-year-old silver coin and gold earring uneаrtһed
Ruijter had to keep the treasure a secret for the past two years while experts at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities studied and dated the artifacts. The museum has now announced that the treasure is likely 1,000 years old. Based on the dates of the newest coins, the experts at the museum suggest that someone buried the treasure around 1200 to 1250 C.E. The pieces of jewelry were already 200 years old at that time, which indicates that they were “expensive and cherished possessions,” according to the museum.
The four earrings date back to the 11th century and are shaped like crescent moons, measuring about two inches (five centimeters) wide. One pair features an engraving of the head of Jesus Christ surrounded by rays of the sun, while another is decorated with thin, twisted threads made from gold balls, known as filigree. Since the earrings have delicate suspension brackets and are only decorated on one side, they were likely worn on a headband or a hood, rather than in pierced ears. Comparable gold earrings have only been found three times in the Netherlands.
Researchers also found small textile fibers attached to the two strips of gold leaf, suggesting that they were likely worn on the waistband or edge of a piece of clothing. The 39 silver coins include tokens from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Utrecht, as well as pennies from several counties in the Netherlands and the German Empire. Some of them were made in 1247 or 1248 under the rule of William II. Small pieces of textile were also found among the coins, indicating that they were at one time wrapped up in a bag or piece of cloth.
Despite knowing the age of the treasure, historians still have many unanswered questions, such as who buried the artifacts and why. One theory is that the treasure’s owner was a noblewoman fleeing during a mid-13th century war between the Dutch regions of West Friesland and Holland, who wanted to keep her most prized possessions safe.
The find during this period of fighting is considered “of great significance for the archaeology and history of North Holland and West Friesland – and even of national and international importance,” according to the museum. Ruijter will eventually be able to keep the treasure, but for now, he has loaned it to the museum, where it will be on display until mid-June, after which it will become part of the museum’s temporary “The Year 1000” exhibition from mid-October.
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