Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – A unique 1,000-year-old medieval golden treasure was unearthed by a Dutch historian, who stumbled upon it while using a metal detector.
Part of the 1000-year-old medieval treasure discovered in Hoogwoud, Netherlands, consisting of jewellery and silver coins, is shown in this undated handout picture obtained by Reuters. Archeologie West-Friesland/Handout via Reuters
The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden) informed that the treasure contained 39 silver coins, two gold leaf strips, and four beautiful golden ear pendants.
To the news agency Reuters, Lorenzo Ruijter, 27, said he had been treasure hunting since he was 10. This discovery was already made in 2021 in the small northern city of Hoogwoud (meaning “high forest.”)
“It was very special discovering something this valuable, I can’t really describe it. I never expected to discover anything like this,” Ruijter said, adding that it was hard to keep it a secret for two years.
A gold jewellery item, part of the 1000-year-old medieval treasure discovered in Hoogwoud. ArcheologieImage Credit: West-Friesland/Reuters
According to experts at the National Museum of Antiquities, why this impressive golden collection was found in this place is challenging. However, they noticed a war between the Dutch regions West Friesland and Holland in the middle of the 13th century.
Hoogwoud, at the time, was precisely in the middle of dramatic events.
Additionally, the experts explained that it took time” to clean, investigate and date the treasure’s objects and have now found that the youngest coin can be dated back to around 1250, which made them ᴀssume the treasure was buried back then.
By that time, the jewelry was already two centuries old, the museum said, adding it must already have been “an expensive and cherished possession.”
1000-year-old medieval treasure discovered in Hoogwoud, Netherlands, consisting of jewellery and silver coins, is shown in this undated handout picture. Credit: Archeologie West-Friesland/via Reuters
“Golden jewelry from the High Middle Ages is extremely rare in the Netherlands,” the museum explained.
While it will remain a mystery why precisely the treasure was buried, the museum pointed out there was a war raging between Dutch regions West Friesland and Holland in the middle of the 13th century, with Hoogwoud being the epicenter.
According to legend, Redbad, King of the Frisians was baptised in Hoogwoud in 718 by Wulfram of Sens.
Hoogwoud developed in the Middle Ages as a peat excavation settlement. The place received city rights in 1414.
Lorenzo said it was possible someone powerful at the time buried the valuable objects as a way to protect them and hopefully dig them up once it was safe again.
Given its archaeological significance, the treasure was given as a loan to the museum which will display it, but it will remain the official property of finder Lorenzo Ruijter.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
