A man with a metal detector examining a carrot field in Switzerland has uncovered an extensive collection of ancient jewellery dating back to the Bronze Age.
In August, Franz Zahn was exploring the countryside in Güttingen, northeast of Zurich, when he unearthed a bronze disc and contacted local authorities.
Archaeologists identified the find as a necklace, accompanied by an extensive jewellery collection estimated to be from the Middle Bronze Age, dated to approximately 1500 BC.
Archaeologists recovered rings, golden wire spirals, and more than 100 amber beads in the soil surrounding the necklace.
“The depot came into the ground at a time when important advanced cultures were flourishing in the Mediterranean region in Egypt and Crete.”
THURGAU OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY
Eight spirals of gold and 14 bronze discs were recovered, believed to be ‘costume’ or fashion jewellery women wore approximately 3,500 years ago.
“The depot came into the ground at a time when important advanced cultures were flourishing in the Mediterranean region in Egypt and Crete,” a statement from the Thurgau Office of Archeology reads.
“Hardly any settlements are known from this era in Thurgau. In Güttingen, a few years ago, a large Bronze Age pile-dwelling village with rich finds was examined in the area of the ‘Mouse Tower’, although this only dates back to around 1000 BC duration.”
The artifacts are being restored and will be exhibited in the Museum of Archaeology in Frauenfeld, Switzerland.
The unusual find in Switzerland follows other recent discoveries of ancient treasures found by people with metal detectors in Europe, including the ‘gold find of the century’ in Norway.
Source: Jeweller Magazine