A team of scientists in Romania unearthed two large collections of 8th century bronze jewelry and weapons at a small ravine in southern Transylvania.
The ancient treasure stashes are believed to date back to a period when writing had not yet spread throughout southeastern Europe and minted currency had not yet been introduced.
Archaeologists from Romania's National History Museum discovered 300 objects from the first stash and 50 objects from the second. The booty included bronze weapons, such as spears, short swords and double axes, as well as other valuable items, such as arm and foot bracelets, brooches, pendants, hairpins, beads and neck rings known as torques.
The team also unearthed horse harness fragments along with the ancient treasure.
Senior archaeologist Corina Bors said that a large number of the objects were made of bronze, but there were also tools and weapons made of iron.
Bors presented the recent discovery at the annual conference of the European Association of Archaeologists in Glasgow, Scotland.
The 8th century hoards were found near a prehistoric dig site known as Tartaria-Podu Tartariei vest, which covers an area of more than 25 acres. This archaeological spot was first discovered by local officials in 2012 while determining if the area was suitable for a motorway construction.
Scientists also made other finds at Tartaria-Podu Tartariei vest, such as offering pits that contained broken pottery pieces and a burial site that stored several human remains.
While Bors and her team were able to estimate which period the bronze treasures could have been made in, they have yet to determine who buried them at the ancient site and for what reason.
Bors said that various bronze hoards have been discovered in springs, rivers, marshes and caves all over Europe. Such type of hoard could be viewed as votive depositions, or gifts from ancient people to their deities.
It is believed that a rich and powerful individual or group at the time could have left the bronze treasures found at the Tartaria-Podu Tartariei vest site.
Bors pointed out that it is plausible the offering was placed by a very influential person such as a warrior chieftain.
She said it was crucial that archaeologists were the ones to find the hidden treasures and not amateurs. This allowed them to conserve the site and carry out scientific excavations.
