Numerous treasures, some dating back 3,000 years, were unearthed in various countries from Asia to Europe in 2023.
Massive Coin Hoard in Japan
While constructing a factory north of Tokyo, workers were astonished to unearth a treasure trove containing around 100,000 coins. The coins were bundled into 1,060 packs, dating from 175 BCE to 1265 CE. Originating from China, the coins bore Chinese inscriptions reading “Half Liang.”
Submerged Treasure in Egyptian Canal
During a survey of a canal near the Mediterranean coast in Egypt, archaeologists discovered a partially collapsed underwater temple filled with treasures. The temple, which collapsed around the mid-2nd century BCE, was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Amun. The treasure included silver ritual tools, gold jewelry, and gypsum treasure chests.
The 2,000-Year-Old “Rainbow Cup”
A 2,000-year-old “rainbow cup” crafted by the Celts was found along a river in Germany. “Rainbow cups” refer to gold coins curved like a cup. The name comes from a Celtic legend that these gold drops fell to Earth at the end of a rainbow. The newly discovered “rainbow cup” features a rare design: a four-winged star surrounded by arches. Only three such cups with this design have been found to date.
American Civil War Wealth
More than 700 gold coins from the American Civil War era were found by a farmer working on a cornfield in Kentucky. Minted between 1840 and 1863, the coins are part of Kentucky’s great Civil War-era hoard. Researchers believe the coins were buried just before a Confederate raid in the summer of 1863.
Golden Hair Ring in Wales
A stunning golden hair ring was discovered in a Bronze Age burial along a road in Wales. The burial also yielded other valuable artifacts, notably the oldest wooden comb found in the UK. The research team estimated both the gold hair ring and the wooden comb were buried with 3,000-year-old cremated remains, likely belonging to a person of high social status.
3,000-Year-Old Swords
Volunteers found around 8,000 medieval coins and seven Bronze Age swords at three separate sites in Germany. The swords, estimated to be 3,000 years old, were used in sacrificial ceremonies. Meanwhile, the coins were found between two sites that make up the largest Slav coin hoard from the 11th century.
Oldest Glass Workshop Artifacts
In the Czech Republic, archaeologists discovered items believed to belong to the oldest known glass workshop, located north of the Alps. The workshop, estimated to be 2,300 years old, produced ritual items. The findings included complete glass and amber items like beads and bracelets, as well as 2,000 gold and silver Celtic coins. The team also found square glass structures used in ancient buildings or rituals across Europe.
Rare Necklace Revealed by Landslide
A landslide in northern Spain uncovered two intricately decorated gold necklaces, approximately 2,500 years old. The C-shaped twisted necklaces were the first of their kind found in the area. A utility worker accidentally discovered them upon returning to work after the earthquake. Archaeologists dated the necklaces to around 500 BCE, during the Iron Age in the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting they belonged to upper-class individuals.
Treasure in a Buddhist Stupa
In Pakistan, archaeologists found a collection of 2,000-year-old coins in the ruins of an ancient Buddhist stupa. The coins, linked to the Kushan Empire, which governed from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, had fused into a single green mass due to corrosion over millennia, weighing about 5.5 kg.
Mystery in Ancient Ceramic Jar
While searching for lost parts of a tractor in a field in Poland, a metal-detecting expert was surprised to find a stash of 1,000 coins beneath the soil. Digging deeper, he found a narrow-necked ceramic jar filled with coins minted in Warsaw in the 17th century. Experts noted that these coins were of little value at the time, with the entire hoard being enough to buy only about two pairs of shoes.
