Ancient treasure, dating back 1,000 years, found buried at nuclear plant site: 'Fascinating find'
Archaeologists in the United Kingdom recently unearthed 1,000-year-old treasure in an unusual location: a construction site for a nuclear power plant.
Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) announced the discovery, which consists of 321 silver coins, in a press release on Jan. 7. The coins were found at the Sizewell C nuclear power station site in Suffolk, England.
The coins were issued between 1036 and 1044, the organization said — predating the Magna Carta by nearly 200 years, and the Battle of Hastings by a few decades. They were found in "mint condition" in a lead and cloth package, in a bundle that researchers have compared to a Cornish pasty.
"The hoard was found at the junction of two early medieval field boundary ditches, a location which hints at deliberate concealment," the organization described. "The coins were carefully placed inside a textile object, possibly a purse, and then wrapped tightly in lead sheeting."
"This fantastic find gives us great insight into the English monetary and political landscapes of the 11th century."
The coins within the hoard were issued during the reigns of three House of Wessex kings: Harold I (1036-40), Harthacnut (1040-2) and Edward the Confessor (1042-66). Most of the coins were struck in London, while others were made in the English towns of Thetford, Norwich, Ipswich, Lincoln and Stamford.
The coins were made at a "turbulent" period of time in English history: Harold and Harthacnut were both the sons of Cnut, whose father Sweyn Forkbeard became the first Danish king to rule England. Edward the Confessor died in January 1066, months before Normans took control of England following the Battle of Hastings.
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Archaeologists believe that the owner of the coins may have been robbed during a regime change, possibly when Edward was coronated in 1043.
"In particular, some of the wealthier individuals associated with the previous regime were exiled or had property confiscated in the aftermath of Edward’s coronation," the OCA explained. "The owner of the coin hoard might have feared the repercussions of the regime change and decided to bury their wealth as safeguard, aiming to retrieve it at a later date."
"We might never know with certainty why this little treasure was never retrieved," the organization added. "The owner may have been prevented from returning to the location for various reasons, died before they could retrieve their savings, or, alternatively, they were unable to relocate the exact spot they were buried at. "
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In total, the 321 recovered coins would have been worth 320 pence, as they included two halfpence coins. The archaeological organization said that it is difficult to assess what purchasing power it would have today, but that it was comparable to a "savings pot."
"Although it is hard to equate this sum of money with modern-day purchasing power, evidence from law codes of the 10th and 11th centuries suggest that cattle had a value of approximately 20p each," the OCA explained. "Using this metric, we might estimate that it could have purchased approximately 16 cows — a small herd!"
Though certainly a hoard of money, archaeologists said that the treasure would be more equal to an affluent person's savings rather than the full wealth of a king.
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"This hoard is equally not of an enormous size indicative of extreme wealth," the statement explained. "[The owner] was almost certainly not of national importance or super-elite status. It is more likely to have been owned by an person of local clout, perhaps a wealthy farmer."
In a statement, OCA coin specialist Alexander Bliss said that analyzing the hoard involved "input from multiple specialists and project partners in the fields of numismatics, finds and conservation."
"This new coin hoard provides us with valuable insight into the rich historical backdrop of this period, adding to the evidence that Edward the Confessor’s accession to the English throne was marked by a degree of uncertainty and concern within wider society," Bliss said. "To play a small part in bringing its story to life has been an honour and a privilege."