The observation of a metallic object by a diver off the coast of Sardinia has resulted in the uncovering of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins.
The Italian culture ministry reported on Saturday that the diver’s alert led to the deployment of divers from an art protection squad and the ministry’s undersea archaeology division.
These coins, dating back to the first half of the fourth century, were discovered within a bed of sea grass, near the northeastern coastline of the Mediterraneanisland.The ministry did not specify the exact date when the initial sighting of something metallic occurred near Sardinia’s shore, in proximity to the town ofArzachena, as reported by the Associated Press.
The precise number of retrieved coins remains undetermined at this stage, as they are currently in the process of being sorted. According to a statement from the ministry, it is estimated that there are at least around 30,000 coins, and potentially as many as 50,000, based on their combined weight, reported the Associated Press.
“All the coins were in an excellent and rare state of preservation,” the ministry said. The few coins that were damaged still had legible inscriptions, it said.
Luigi La Rocca, an official from Sardinia’s archaeology department, described the treasure found in the waters off Arzachena as one of the most significant coin discoveries in recent years.
In a statement, La Rocca added that this discovery serves as “further evidence of the richness and significance of the archaeological heritage that the seabed of our seas, traversed by people and commodities since ancient times, continues to safeguard and preserve.”
Firefighter divers and border police divers played a crucial role in the search and recovery of the coins.
The majority of the coins were discovered within an expansive expanse of sand situated between the submerged seagrass and the shoreline, as per the ministry’s announcement. Considering the seabed’s location and configuration, there is a possibility of shipwreck remnants in the vicinity, the ministry noted.
The Italian culture ministry reported on Saturday that the diver’s alert led to the deployment of divers from an art protection squad and the ministry’s undersea archaeology division.
These coins, dating back to the first half of the fourth century, were discovered within a bed of sea grass, near the northeastern coastline of the Mediterraneanisland.The ministry did not specify the exact date when the initial sighting of something metallic occurred near Sardinia’s shore, in proximity to the town ofArzachena, as reported by the Associated Press.
The precise number of retrieved coins remains undetermined at this stage, as they are currently in the process of being sorted. According to a statement from the ministry, it is estimated that there are at least around 30,000 coins, and potentially as many as 50,000, based on their combined weight, reported the Associated Press.
“All the coins were in an excellent and rare state of preservation,” the ministry said. The few coins that were damaged still had legible inscriptions, it said.
Luigi La Rocca, an official from Sardinia’s archaeology department, described the treasure found in the waters off Arzachena as one of the most significant coin discoveries in recent years.
In a statement, La Rocca added that this discovery serves as “further evidence of the richness and significance of the archaeological heritage that the seabed of our seas, traversed by people and commodities since ancient times, continues to safeguard and preserve.”
Firefighter divers and border police divers played a crucial role in the search and recovery of the coins.
The majority of the coins were discovered within an expansive expanse of sand situated between the submerged seagrass and the shoreline, as per the ministry’s announcement. Considering the seabed’s location and configuration, there is a possibility of shipwreck remnants in the vicinity, the ministry noted.
