Archaeologists have discovered a pot of gold that dates back 2,400 years.
The remarkable find was made in Notion, western Turkey, as researchers explored remains from the Hellenistic period, which was between the third and first centuries B.C.
They first discovered fragments of pottery in the foundations of a house.
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Then, when excavations began outside, one area of the courtyard revealed a hoard of coins buried in a small pot.
The pot dated back 2,400 years and contained a stash of gold coins, as reported by Need To Know.
The coins feature the design of a kneeling archer, a characteristic element used on the Persian daric, meaning it would have been issued during the Persian Empire.
According to a statement from the University of Michigan, the coins were likely produced in Sardis, a city about 60 miles, 97 kilometres, northeast of Notion.
Researchers believe that the stash was possibly used as payment for mercenaries.
But exactly why the treasure was buried, remains a mystery.
In a statement, The University of Michigan said: “The hoard was found in the corner of a room in a structure buried beneath a Hellenistic house.
“Presumably, it was stored there for safekeeping and for some reason never recovered
“According to the Greek historian, Xenophon, a single daric was equivalent to a soldier’s pay for one month.”
Researchers launched the excavations in Notion in 2022, and archaeologists discovered the coins in July 2023.
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has now given permission for the discovery of the coins, which remain in Turkey, to become public.
Christopher Ratté, a professor of ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology at the University of Michigan and director of the Notion Archaeological Survey, said: “The discovery of such a valuable find in a controlled archaeological excavation is very rare.
“No one ever buries a hoard of coins, especially precious metal coins, without intending to retrieve it.
“An archaeological find without contextual information is like a person suffering from amnesia – a person without memories.
“It is still interesting and important, but the loss of knowledge is incalculable.”
Archaeologists are using the information they have to piece together a sequence of events that led to the treasure’s burial.
