1,500-year-old Gold Coins Discovered In Fire-Ravaged Medieval House

An archaeological discovery in Bulgaria has revealed a collection of gold coins that go back to the time of Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great (527–565).

Archaeologists discovered five gold coins spread all over the floor of a house dating back to the tenth century in the village of Debnevo in northern Bulgaria. This discovery is significant not just because of the coins’ historical significance but also because it raises important questions regarding their journey and preservation.

Debnevo lies next to an old fortress that dates to the early 5th century. Since 2019, researchers have started excavating this site. Evidence of a sizable settlement that dates to the fourth and third centuries BC and continued to be occupied until the sixth century AD has been found at the site.

Finding a medieval home that had burned down was one of the major discoveries made during the most recent excavation. Five gold coins were uncovered by the archaeologists, who also discovered iron tools, ceramic pots, and bronze rings. The coins’ estimated age was 400 years older than the home in which they were discovered.

The coins, called “tremissis,” were made under Emperor Justinian, one of the most important characters in Byzantine history. Justinian is well-known for his work organizing the Roman law system into the “Corpus Juris Civilis,” but he was also a major influence in the creation of Byzantine art and architecture, which includes the famous Hagia Sophia.

Experts have described that all five coins have the same design on the obverse side, which shows Emperor Justinian with a pearl diadem and the words “Our Lord Justinian Perpetual Augustus.” The words “Victory of the Augusts” are written beneath an image of Victory holding a globe, a cross, and a wreath on the back. Finding two fused coins suggests that the home fire caused them to fuse.

“The dwelling was built on the remains of an early Byzantine structure,” lead archaeologist Stiliyan Ivanov said.

He suggested that the coins were likely discovered during the construction of the medieval house, and the inhabitants may have kept them for their gold value rather than their historical significance.

Even though Debnevo is a small settlement, it is rich in historical relics. Previous excavations have revealed remnants of prehistoric buildings, graves, and artifacts from the early 5000 BC to the 18th century, illustrating the area’s vast and rich past.

According to Ivanov, the coins’ intrinsic gold value likely kept their owners from losing them, and their discovery occurred during the building of the early medieval house.