Germany Announces Major Historical Discovery: A 15 lbs Treasure

An impressive 11th-century silver treasure, comprised of roughly 6,000 coins, was unearthed by archaeologists near Lancken-Granitz on Rügen. The state archaeologist, Detlef Jantzen, announced during the presentation in Schwerin that the silver weighed nearly 14.77 lbs.

The coins primarily came from Western Germany, but a significant portion also hailed from the Meissen-Uppers Lusatia region. Surprisingly, about ten percent of the find consisted of coins from England, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. It is touted as the most significant find in the nation's recent history.

Initial studies suggest that the treasure was originally stored in a clay pot, although the reason for this is currently unclear. The pot later suffered a crack, likely due to tillage activities.

In the context of the period, 14.77 lbs of silver had the equivalent worth of roughly 34 horses, cows, or even slaves, as Jantzen explained. Unfortunately, extant sources providing detailed information about goods' prices from that era are few and far between.

Another significant discovery this year includes seven ornate bronze swords discovered near Mirow in the Mecklenburg Lake District. Dating back to about 1000 BC, the swords were found submerged in mud, presumably offered to the gods. These 3000-year-old relics were found by a team of volunteer archaeologists.