Extraordinary treasure in a Czech forest: Gold and jewelry worth 27 million lira discovered

Officials from the Museum of Eastern Bohemia reported that the hikers found an aluminum jar hanging from a stone wall during their adventure, and that 598 gold coins were discovered inside. Miroslav Novak, head of the archaeology department, said these coins are worth 7.5 million Czech koruna, or approximately 340,000 dollars. The hikers also found a metal box one meter away from the jar, which contained various items such as 16 tobacco pouches, 10 bracelets, a bag woven from fine wire, a comb, a powder compact, and a chain with a key. It is noted that if these pieces of jewelry are also made entirely of gold, their total value could exceed 680,000 dollars.

Experts point out that the gold treasure found in the Krkonose Mountains has a different characteristic than findings such as the 3,600-year-old Bronze Age hoard or 14th-century gold ducats discovered in the country in recent years. The primary reason for this is that this gold was mostly hidden in the relatively recent past, about a century ago.

While it is stated that the newest gold coin dates back to 1921, it is estimated that the jar may have been hidden after this date. According to information provided by museum officials, the majority of the gold dates between 1808 and 1915. Small stamps on some of the coins indicate that they were minted in Yugoslavia in the 1920s.

While approximately half of the gold coins in the treasure belong to Western European countries such as France and Belgium, the rest were collected from the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Tunisia, and various regions of Africa. However, experts note that such coins were not in common circulation in the region where they were discovered.

The museum is continuing its analysis to determine exactly what alloy the non-metallic items are made of. While there is no definitive information regarding the true owner of the treasure, some researchers believe the hoard may have been hidden during the waves of migration from Bohemia during the Nazi German occupation.

Museum director Petr Grulich also raised the possibility that the items could have belonged to a German soldier who was forced to flee the region after the end of World War II. Martin Vesely, a history professor at Jan Evangelista Purkyne University, pointed to the chaotic conditions of the era, stating, "Many people were moving in different directions across Central Europe in those years, so anything could have happened."

News Source: 12punto