Croatia Unveils 1.3 Pounds of Gold From Mljet Shipwreck, Signaling Elite Byzantine Passenger
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Croatia Unveils 1.3 Pounds of Gold From Mljet Shipwreck, Signaling Elite Byzantine Passenger
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Summary
More than 600 grams—about 1.3 pounds—of gold coins and jeweled ornaments were formally presented from the Mljet shipwreck after years of excavation by the Croatian Conservation Institute.
Buckles set with rubies, emeralds and pearls, plus a gold signet ring, suggest the vessel carried a wealthy, high-status passenger and entourage, researchers said.
The wreck, found near Croatia's island of Mljet and dated to the late 7th or early 8th century A.D., also yielded coins issued by four emperors of the Heraclian dynasty.
Institute researchers called the haul the largest amount of gold ever recovered from a Mediterranean shipwreck, while outside archaeologists said the site is crucial for studying Byzantine sea routes and the shift into the medieval world.