A Dutch historian has found a unique thousand-year-old medieval gold treasure: Lorenzho Ruijter used his metal detector to uncover four gold earrings, two strips of gold leaf and 39 silver coins. However, for two years he had to keep this secret to himself.
He has been on a treasure hunt since he was ten and now he has only been able to discover one, says Ruijter (27). “It was very special to discover something so valuable, I can’t even describe it. I never expected to discover something like this,” Ruijter told Reuters.
Treasure buried long ago
It was correspondingly difficult to keep the secret for about two years, he continued. However, experts from the National Museum of Antiquities needed time to clean, examine and date the items in the hoard. Now they’ve found that the youngest coin can be dated to around 1250 AD, meaning the hoard was likely buried not long after.
The jewelry was already two centuries old at the time and must have been “a precious and valuable asset”.
Mystery remains unsolved
Finally, in 2021, Ruijter found it in the small town of Hoogwoud, in the north of the Netherlands – equipped with a metal detector. Exactly why the treasure was buried will likely remain a mystery. The museum pointed it out that in the middle of the 13th century a war raged between the Dutch regions of West Friesland and Holland, with Hoogwoud as its epicenter.
So it’s possible that a powerful person buried the valuables to protect them and hopefully dig them up again when it’s safe again. Due to its archaeological significance, the treasure has been loaned to the National Museum of Antiquities, but Ruijter remains the official owner.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
