An extensive Roman coin collection has been found in a Swiss orchard, one of the most significant archeological discoveries.
In Ueken, a tiny village in northwestern Switzerland, a farmer discovered the ancient coins several months ago.
He excavated them by accident while inspecting his cherry trees. He then contacted local archaeological experts, who confirmed the presence of a collection of more than 4,000 bronze and silver Roman coins.
Large troves of Roman coins are often found in Britain. A collection of nearly 60,000 rusted coins known as the Frome Hoard was found in a field in Somerset in 2009.
This Swiss collection is also one of the largest ever found outside the UK, making it very special.
The find also comes at a time of increased focus on Rome and Roman history worldwide, as evidenced by the unearthing of an intact tomb at Pompeii’s archaeological site in October.
Archaeologists explain that Roman coins are typically found buried in large quanтιтies, maybe because they were offered as a ritual gift to the Roman gods.
