In Germany, a treasure hunter discovered 2,000-year-old…

One of the largest Roman treasures found in northern Germany has been discovered in the vicinity of the village of Borsum (District Hildsheim, Lower Saxony). About 450 silver coinssome silver barsand also gold ring and coindating back to beginning of our era – the time of the early Roman Empire.

According to Lower Saxony Land Office for the Protection of Monuments, the treasure was found back in 2017 “black digger” with a metal detector. He reported the discovery only recently, which allowed specialists to conduct official excavations in the spring of 2025. During the survey, it was possible to discover new coins and restore the context of the ancient burial.

Archaeologists note that the unauthorized extraction of the treasure in 2017 seriously damaged the original location of the artifacts, but the surviving finds allow for a full analysis. Now all the items have been transferred for restoration and study.

Case closed

According to preliminary results, coins and jewelry date back to the era of active contacts between Romans and Germanic tribes. Scientists are trying to determine who exactly hid the treasure – Roman soldiers, traders or local residents – and what it was connected with: military action, raids or, possibly, ritual practice.

The researchers also intend to determine origin of silver and goldto understand how precious metals got to Northern Europe. This will help clarify the economic and cultural ties of regions outside the Roman Empire.

Despite the fact that the discovery was initially made illegally, the Hildsheim prosecutor’s office closed the case due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. The authorities remind: independent searches for archaeological objects without permission violate the law and lead to the loss of historically important information.