Treasure of 321 silver coins unearthed in England
English archaeologists have discovered a treasure of 321 silver coins in perfect condition at the construction site of a new nuclear power station in eastern England, which began construction last year.
As 321 silver coins found – some of which are from small rural mints and therefore quite rare – date back to 1036 a 1044.
As last week’s statement details, the coins were wrapped in fabric and lead – which suggests that their owner may have tried to protect them while burying them to prevent them from being confiscated.
Interestingly, the dating of the coins coincides with the beginning of the reign of Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor, a turbulent period of English history during which the king exiled and confiscated the properties of several elites who had fallen from grace.
However, as a note to , archaeologists theorize that the owner of the treasure was likely a person of middle status rather than an elite or someone of national importance. It is possible that he still had local influence and, therefore, feared the repercussions of regime changewhich led him to bury his savings, after the coronation of Edward the Confessor.
Alexander Blisscoin expert from Oxford Cotswold Archeology (OCA), who led the research, detailed that the value of the hoard of coins found, worth US$320 pencewould have been a considerable sum to most people at the time: “Enough to buy about 16 cows.”
“Perhaps the owner of the treasure was worried about the new regime or with the broader political situation and social instability, taking measures to hide their wealth,” explained Bliss.
Anglo-Saxon coin hoards are relatively rare, with only three hoards from the period 1042 to 1044. However, the newly discovered hoard stands out because it was excavated in its “original context,” with a preserved fabric bag that still contains the coins.
Many of the coin hoards do not have this “original context,” either because they were disturbed by agricultural activities, or because some metal detectorists picked them up but failed to recognize their value, leaving them behind.
“In this case, the preservation of the bag was very important because it is part of the global ‘object’ as an element of containment of currencies,” said Bliss.
As detailed in the release, archaeologists unraveled the bag in a laboratory and determined that the lead casing was made from folded foil, suggesting that the The owner of the treasure was careful when burying it and used a container that he knew would be resistant.
It’s not clear why the owner never returned for the coins, but it’s possible he died before he was able to get them back or tell anyone. “Alternatively, he may have been prevented from retrieving them by other means, for example, if he left or was exiled from the country and was unable to return,” Bliss said.
