Excavators Unearth 117-Object Bronze Age Gold Hoard in Germany, Weighing 3.7 Pounds
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · Jun 1
Excavators Unearth 117-Object Bronze Age Gold Hoard in Germany, Weighing 3.7 Pounds
1 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · Jun 1
Northern Germany pipeline excavators uncovered the Gessel hoard—117 gold artifacts dating to about 1300 B.C.—making it one of prehistoric Europe’s largest Bronze Age finds.
The cache, buried in a linen bag fastened with six bronze pins, includes 82 spiral rings linked into chains, 32 additional spirals, and three personal items: a bracelet, armband and brooch.
Researchers say most spirals were likely used as Middle Bronze Age currency rather than jewelry, while the solid-gold brooch—bent before burial—is considered unique in Central Europe.
No nearby settlement or grave has been found, leaving the burial unexplained; archaeologists think it may have been stored personal wealth or part of a metalsmith’s stock.
A 2026 research project will test where the gold came from after initial analysis pointed to possible Central Asian origins and may clarify who buried the hoard.
Will new research prove this German Bronze Age treasure is from a lost Central Asian civilization?
Was this 3,300-year-old gold hoard a wealthy merchant's savings or a sacred offering to the gods?