Tuesday, 1 June, 2021 - 05:30
A Roman-era sarcophagus is seen at an archaeological site in
the remains of the ancient city of Viminacium, now Kostolac, Serbia,
May 29, 2018. (Photo: Reuters) Cairo - Hazem Badr
Archaeologists working in the district of Tübingen in southwest Germany have discovered the region s earliest gold object to date. It is a spiral ring of gold wire unearthed from the grave of an Early Bronze Age woman.
The woman s grave was located not far from a group of other Early Bronze Age burials and is apparently connected with the prehistoric hilltop settlement on the nearby Kirchberg.
Precious metal finds from this period are very rare in southwestern Germany. The gold probably originates from Cornwall in southwest Britain. The archaeologists say it is unusually early proof of the far-reaching trade in luxury objects of the people of that time. The discovery was published in the latest issue of
The oldest gold object ever found in the southwestern part of Germany has been discovered in an ancient grave. Archaeologists from the University of Tübingen and Baden-Württemberg heritage officials unearthed a gold spiral ring-like object in a grave dating back to the Early Bronze Age. The excavation was conducted in the German district of Tübingen. Read more »
3,800-Year-Old Gold Ornament Unearthed in Germany - Archaeology Magazine archaeology.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from archaeology.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Gold spiral may have been used as a hair ornament.
This gold artifact, which may have been used as a hair ornament, was found buried with a woman who died around 3,800 years ago.
(Image credit: Yvonne Mühleis, LAD Esslingen)
Archaeologists have uncovered the 3,800 year-old burial of a woman who was around 20 years old when she died in what is now Tübingen, Germany. Inside her tomb, archaeologists found just one grave good a spiral gold wire that may have been used as a hair ornament.
It s considered the oldest gold artifact found in southwest Germany. The gold contains about 20% silver, less than 2% copper, and has traces of
Gold Alloy Forensics Leads to Source in Cornwall, England
One of the most interesting aspects of this discovery is the nature of the gold used to make the jewelry piece.
Chemical analysis revealed that the gold was a naturally occurring alloy. Its chemical composition included 20 percent silver, between one and two percent copper, and smaller quantities of platinum and tin. Gold alloys that have been mined but not processed have unique chemical “fingerprints,” which often allows researchers to trace their origins to specific geographical areas.
When the archaeologists traced this particular alloy to its source, they were completely surprised! It seems this alloy’s “fingerprint” matched that of gold that comes from the Cornwall region in the southwestern United Kingdom. More precisely, this gold likely would have been panned from the Carnon River , which at one time produced significant quantities of this most desirable precious metal.