Hoard of Coins and Earring

This hoard, unique in its composition and apparently cached sometime before the tempestuous conquest of Caesarea by the Crusaders in 1101, was discovered in a bronze vessel sealed with a potsherd and hidden in the side of an ancient well. Comprising 26 coins, cut coin fragments, and a single gold earring, the hoard evinces trade relations between the Fatimid Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire. Most of the coins are Fatimid, one is early Byzantine, and the remainder, concave-shaped, are late Byzantine. In total, the hoard was clearly of great value insofar as a single gold coin equaled a farmer’s yearlong earnings in those days.

Photo: Klara Amit, IAA