AUSTRIA – An Austrian man found 200 medieval ornamental objects – 650 years old – while digging in his garden.
The Austrian Federal Monument Agency (BDA) reported a “fairy tale” find on Good Friday. The discovery is called one of the “qualitatively significant medieval treasure finds.” The objects were found in the vicinity of Wiener Neustadt.
A presentation will be made on May 2nd (11.00 clock) in Vienna’s Hofburg. There a “large number”, about 150 pieces of jewelry items will be shown. The BDA, as a competent professional institution, is advising the finder, who wishes to remain anonymous and intends that “this important cultural heritage” find be made” available to the public” after a scientific investigation.
According to a press release by the Bundesdenkmalamt (Federal Monument Agency (BDA)), the man was digging to expand a small pond in his backyard garden when he found the buried treasure consisting of hundreds of pieces of centuries-old jewelry and other precious objects.
The ancient ring is pictured above. Here’s a buckle with pearl inlay:
Austria’s BDA, in charge of national antiquities, said the treasure trove consists of more than 200 rings, brooches, ornate belt buckles, gold-plated silver plates and other pieces or fragments, many encrusted with pearls, fossilized coral and other ornaments. It says the objects are about 650 years old and are being evaluated for their provenance and worth.
Some of the ornaments contain jewels as well as beads, stones, and fossil corals. The monetary value of the treasure will be estimated only after completion of all investigations.
Here’s the brooch:
The findings were “initially surrounded by moist lumps of earth” such that “their forms were barely visible. The man eventually “cleaned them with common household cleaning products.
An amateur archaeologist encouraged the finder to report his discovery to the BDA, the responsible authority – which he did.
Here’s the belt buckle with figural representations:
Wow. wouldn't it be cool if you had all that treasure?
Yes. I agree. We used to play treasure hunt when I was little and we went around our yard (we have a big yard), digging for "treasures" , but all we found were trash. Too bad. 🙂
I wish I have them. 🙂
Any idea who buried the treasure?
It certainly would be awesome to find that kind of treasure.. Wouldn't need to sell anymore gold for money.
Wow, that is quite the find. I can't imagine digging up something like that while working in the garden. That's not the kind of jewelry you'd want to take to your local gold buyer to sell. I'm sure he'll get quite the compensation for that. Probably have a lot more time to spend in his garden.
He is getting something out of this right? After all he found those treasures. I like the brooch…so pretty.
WOW do keep everyone posted in case the origins of the traseure are ever established.
Being antique suresly adds a great much more value to it than merely being of gold
Yes, I think so too. They're valuable because they are really old.
It looks like the treasures are not made from really precious materials but since they are ancient, their value is high.
Wow, that is quite the find. I can't imagine digging up something like that while working in the garden. That's not the kind of jewelry you'd want to take to your local gold buyer to sell. I'm sure he'll get quite the compensation for that. Probably have a lot more time to spend in his garden.