Archaeologists make discovery in downtown Prague

Prague Daily Monitor ^ | 6 June

[nickcarraway]

Archaeologists unearthed a ceramic goblet and a large number of small, silver coins in the courtyard of a house between Stepanska and Skolska streets in the centre of Prague last week, said Vojtech Kaspar from the Archaia archaeological society.

The coins were minted in Kutna Hora in the middle or late 15th Century. According to experts, the finding is unique since such a large number of coins is seldom unearthed in Prague.

The so-called "Lostice goblet" was covered under the floor of a Gothic stone house. Archaeologists unearthed its foundations under the tarmac covering of the courtyard. There were about 700 to 1,000 0.4-gramme silver coins in the goblet.

Such coins, marked with the Czech lion, were minted in Kutna Hora at a time when the traditional Prague Groschen were not minted there, Kaspar said. One Grosche was worth seven such coins.

Kaspar said the cache of coins could have bought three cows at a livestock market such as the one then located on what is now Karlovo namesti.

According to Zdenek Dragoun from the National Heritage Institute, it was a large sum of money at that time. At present, a person could buy a car for it.

The current value of the treasure is not high since it is possible to buy such coins at auctions for CZK 20-60 a piece. "However, their historic value cannot be measured," Kaspar said.

The goblet has been given to conservationists for X-ray analyses.

"The conservation and documentation of the coins will take several months and will cost hundreds of thousands of crowns.

"To save the treasure will cost more than its actual value," Kaspar added.

Archaeologists found other things in the courtyyard, proving the place has been inhabited since the 13th Century. A well there hid many things from the time when renowned Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek lived nearby, such as a night vase, bottles and a wooden bowling ball.

Many historic valuables have been unearthed in Prague. Last year, archaeologists uncovered the remains of summer cottage from the Iron Age with an exceptionally preserved furnishings. Researchers found two dozen graves almost 7,000 years old. During research on a site near namesti Republiky, part of Romanesque stone palace was uncovered.

[FairOpinion]

GGG PING

[Daaave]

Thanks.

[rogue yam]

Funny, this discovery was just around the block from my favorite Prague watering hole, here: http://www.jamapub.cz/cz/

[spinestein]

["To save the treasure will cost more than its actual value," Kaspar added.]



Then why.........oh, never mind.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Fairopinion. That's a lot of coins.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[Little Ray]

.4 grams? How could they tell there was a lion on the coin - it would like a tiny pebble or big piece of metallic sand...

[Junior]

From the headline, I was hoping for something on the Golem.

[ruoflaw]

Thanks....I wish they had shown pictures of the artifacts.

[struwwelpeter]

Czechy bump!