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Ancient Shipwreck Yields Massive Gold Hoard
19 Aug
Summary
- Over 1.3 pounds of gold jewelry and coins were recovered.
- The 7th or 8th century ship is considered highly significant.
- The cargo suggests a passenger of considerable status was aboard.
Archaeologists have unveiled a stunning collection of gold jewelry and coins recovered from a shipwreck near Mljet. The vessel dates to the late 7th or early 8th century A.D., and systematic underwater excavations have been ongoing since 2015 after its discovery more than a decade ago.
Officials presented findings that include dazzling jewelry, such as an elaborate piece adorned with pearls and a green gemstone. Buckles decorated with precious stones and a golden signet ring suggest a passenger of significant status was aboard the ship.
The wreck also contained gold coins issued by four emperors of the Heraclian dynasty. The more than 1.3 pounds of gold recovered represents the largest amount ever found on a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, according to researchers.
Experts consider the Mljet wreck to be the most important of its period, offering critical insights into the end of antiquity and the transformation into the medieval world. It helps in understanding how sea routes connected and later fragmented the Mediterranean, alongside the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
