A diver who discovered a metallic object not far from the coast of Sardinia led to the discovery of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins
ROME – A diver who discovered a metallic object not far from the coast of Sardinia led to the discovery of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins.
The Italian Ministry of Culture said on Saturday that the diver informed the authorities, who sent divers to the Arts Protection Squad along with others from the Ministry’s Marine Antiquities Department.
Coins dating from the first half of the 4th century were found in seaweed, not far from the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean island. The ministry did not say exactly when the first diver saw a metal object off the coast of Sardinia, not far from the town of Arzachena.
The exact number of coins recovered has not yet been determined, as they are being counted. A ministry statement estimated that there were at least 30,000 and perhaps as many as 50,000, given their total weight.
The ministry said: “All the coins were in excellent and rare condition of preservation.” She added that the few coins that were damaged still bore clear inscriptions.
“The treasure found in the waters off Arzacena represents one of the most important coin discoveries” in recent years, said Luigi La Rocca, head of Sardinia’s antiquities department.
Larocca added in a statement that the discovery is “further evidence of the richness and importance of the archaeological heritage that is still preserved and preserved by the bottom of our seas, crossed by men and goods of the most ancient times.”
Firefighter divers and border police divers also participated in locating and recovering the coins.
The ministry said the coins were found mainly in a wide area of sand between underwater seaweed and the beach. The ministry said that given the location and shape of the seabed, it is possible that there are remains of the shipwreck nearby.
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