A private diver provided information. But there could be more to the coins: a reference to a previously undiscovered shipwreck off Sardinia.
Arzachena – Divers have made a remarkable find in the Mediterranean on the coast of the island of Sardinia (Italy). Near the coast in the Arzachena area in the northeast of the island, they discovered tens of thousands of bronze coins from the first half of the 4th century AD.
Treasure discovery off the Italian island of Sardinia – relic from the Roman Empire
The experts went to the seabed based on a tip from a private diver who had encountered metal fragments at a shallow depth in early November. There they discovered the “rich Follis deposit,” as the Italian Ministry of Culture announced. Follis is the scientific term for a Roman coin from the late imperial period. In Poland, a man discovered a 400-year-old treasure in a field.
The team of archaeologists estimate, based on weight, that there are around 30,000 to 50,000 coins. According to the Ministry of Culture, these are in remarkably good condition. Only four show signs of damage. The embossing and images on the coins indicate that they mainly come from the reign of Constantine the Great, i.e. the period between 324 and 340 AD. A Danish girl recently found a treasure from the Viking Age.
Researchers suspect a previously undiscovered shipwreck at the site in Sardinia
In addition, the divers discovered amphora walls that come mainly from Africa and, to a lesser extent, from the Orient. Amphoras are antique, bulbous storage containers with a narrow neck and two handles. The finds are spread over a large sandy area. Researchers suspect that this site contains the remains of a shipwreck that was hidden by currents, according to the Culture Ministry. Last year, three well-preserved shipwrecks were discovered in the Baltic Sea. (mt)
Machine assistance was used for this article written by the editorial team. The article was carefully reviewed by editor Ana Wetherall-Grujić before publication.
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