Archaeologists digging on a farm in the village of Jjlengyel in Pest County, central Hungary, have unearthed a treasure trove of around 7,000 Roman and medieval pieces, dating back to Emperor Antonin Lucius Verus of the 2nd century and a series of 16th-century Hungarian coins. monarchs, come with rare gold coins and a Vatican coin issued through Pope Paul II. For those interested in archaeology, it seems that you cannot dig anywhere in Europe without finding a lost treasure.

In the case of this specific treasure, which was excavated through ferenczy Mzemi Centrum in collaboration with volunteers from a local archaeology group, archaeologists said the pieces were hidden in reaction to the defeat of King Louis II of Hungary (and his allies) through Suleiman. The Magnificent in 1526. Faced with the prospect of advancing armies that would loot and loot, the owners hid their wealth in the hope of one day returning to recover them. The coins were discovered near the site of the discovery of some other small treasure of 150 coins, excavated in 2019. Stakeholders called the recent stash of coins “the maximum value” of this time and region.

In some parts of the world, the stories of others who hide their gold to protect it from the invading armies of the Ottomans, or from the Ottomans themselves who hide gold when their empire collapses, are part of what motivates looting. After the surprising discovery in 2015 of ancient coins through amateur divers off the coast of Israel’s former port of Caesarea, the Israel Antiquities Association estimated that a single Roman gold coin could only be worth up to $300,000. Morag Kersel, an associate professor of archaeology at DePaul University who specializes in the preservation and protection of cultural heritage, told me that it is stories like this that lead to the gold rush today, greater looting and irreversible destruction of ancient artifacts.

In his paintings on this subject, Kersel has demonstrated how the erroneous assumption that archaeologists themselves seek gold affects looting practices in Jordan, Israel and Palestine. Residents ask excavation teams how much gold they have found. , he says, anyone who travels thousands of miles to dig up animal bones and damaged pottery.

After the recent discovery of valuable treasures in France and elsewhere, as with this announcement, it would possibly seem that Europe is the playground for aspiring treasure hunters. However, media coverage is somewhat misleading. Irene Soto Maron, an assistant professor and currency expert at the University of Michigan, told the Daily Beast that “there are coin reserves everywhere. “A Google search, he added, would show discoveries in Japan, China, India and Egypt. , Turkey, Israel and Palestine, the Middle East and Central Asia, to name a few. “We also place coin reserves,” he said, “at shipwreck sites in the Caribbean and even in the United States, the gold rush (such as the aforementioned Saddle-Ridge Treasure, valued at $10 million), so it’s not necessarily an “old world” phenomenon. “

The obvious overrepresentation of European discoveries in the media is not only due to cultural prejudices that favor European history and archaeology, but also to the law governing these discoveries. In the UK, Maron told me, there is legislation in place that “encourages others to inform the authorities” of their findings. The Treasury Act 1996, for example, states that the treasure hunter or owner receives praise equivalent to the financial price of the “treasure” it digs up. Legislation like this, which is not without controversy, has been a boon to currency historians of all eras in England. As a result, Maron points out, we hope that discoveries in the UK and similar countries will be overrepresented in the news.

The fact that each European country has other legislation governing the discovery of currencies can make it difficult to identify the origins of a specific “treasure”. In Belgium, for example, long-term treasure hunters can keep what they find; In France, portions are state-owned. Marón cited an example last month in which it was discovered that a treasure trove of 27,400 pieces had been discovered in France that is believed to have originated in Belgium.

If you are thinking of moving to Belgium with visions of a simple retirement, you will need to reconsider this plan. Most treasures are not complete with gold and silver. Discovery off the coast of Israel, for example, the kind of things that happen. once every 50 years. Maron told me that “the vast majority of coins discovered in treasures are worn bronzes that have very little financial value, but enormous old value. As a financial historian, she says, any treasure discovered in her archaeological context is more valuable to her than coins circulating on the black market. In fact, uncovered pieces on site can tell us more about the past.

In addition, many countries, including those that inspire others to report on discoveries, have laws prohibiting treasure hunting. “Why put yourself in a precarious legal scenario in something that may not be as financially valuable?”Maron asked.

Whenever a discovery of intrinsically valuable fabrics (gold, silver or valuable stones) takes place, there is a threat of theft; when parts are discovered, even during valid excavations, there is a threat that small objects will stick to sticky fingers. The threat is much greater when accidentally discovered in irrigation or structure projects. In the most productive cases, Maron said, these items can be discovered in local or state museums in their home countries. In the worst results, they end up on the black market and in personal hands.

Perhaps the most productive question you can ask here is why should other people be treasure hunters first?What motivates others to own things where they can just make a stop at a museum?For some it is the perspective of wealth, for others the appeal of Indiana Jones mythology, some even hold the hope of fame. But the fact is, at most, other people will end up digning up rusty soda cans, destroying cultural heritage and being prosecuted for breaking and entering or worse.