Following the discovery, the treasure is now on display at the Museum and Gallery of the Northern Region of Pilsen.
A group of archaeologists discovered a hidden hoard of Celtic gold coins of incalculable value, according to an announcement by the Museum and Gallery of the Northern Pilsen Region.
The great discovery of the treasure took place in the Pilsen region, a very picturesque area of the Czech Republic with an abundance of medieval towns and castles that look like something out of a fairy tale.
Discovery of the century: what archaeologists found in a field in the Czech Republic
The treasure found consists mainly of 500 gold and silver coins. The money dates from the 6th and 1st centuries BC. In addition, the hoard contained a horse and gold brooches, according to spokespeople for the Czech museum.
Researchers from the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences said that this discovery is one of the most important in recent years and are currently analysing isotopes to determine whether the gold was from the area or was imported from further afield.
Meanwhile, archaeologists explained that the coins were either lost in commercial transactions or deliberately left as an offering in rituals of the time.
Gold discovery: how were the ingots and coins found?
Although the discovery was announced on 3 October, the story of the unearthing of this treasure began in 2021, when an amateur archaeologist discovered a fragment of a coin from the 2nd century BC. The researcher had found it using a metal detector.
The problem with the extraction is that it must be continued each time the harvest is finished and before the land is ploughed again, as it is located in a sown field.
The treasure unearthed in the Czech Republic
According to Pavel Kodera, director of the Museum and Gallery of the Northern Pilsen Region in Mariánská Týnice, ‘the site contains a large number of metal objects, mainly small, very interesting artefacts, mostly coins, but not only coins’.
He also specified that the hoard included ‘gold ingots, chopped pieces, even flakes and pieces of raw gold, along with earrings, fragments of bracelets and similar items.’
According to the details provided, the coins measure between 7 mm and 1.5 cm and have ‘striking designs’. The pieces feature drawings of horses, wild boars, suns and gods belonging to Celtic culture. Other coins have Hellenistic coin designs and other portraits of Greeks.
‘The images are essentially works of art. They address Celtic mythology and thought, offering a glimpse into the mindset of the people who lived here,’ Kodera said.
The group of archaeologists and researchers noted that the site where the gold coins were found may once have been a seasonal meeting place for commercial transactions, rituals, or both.