Vinkovci Treasure
| Vinkovci Treasure | |
|---|---|
| Material | Silver decorated with gold and niello |
| Created | 4th century |
| Period/culture | Roman Empire |
| Discovered | Vinkovci, Croatia, in March 2012 |
| Present location | Mimara Museum, Zagreb |
The Vinkovci Treasure (Croatian: Vinkovačko blago) or Cibalae Treasure is a hoard of late Roman silver plate, discovered in Vinkovci, Croatia at the end of March 2012. Consisting of nearly 50 items weighing a total of about 30 kilograms (66 lb), the hoard includes a variety of domestic utensils and tableware, some of which is elaborately decorated with various designs and depictions. The hoard appears to have been made locally, probably in a workshop in the town, and is thought to date to the late 4th century AD. Following its discovery during construction works in the centre of Vinkovci, it has been put on public display at the Mimara Museum in Zagreb prior to a programme of conservation funded by the Croatian government.
Discovery and description
The hoard was discovered at a building site on Dugoj ulica in the centre of Vinkovci. The discovery was made by Geoarheo, a private archaeological company from Zadar, under the supervision of archaeologist Sime Vrkić.[1] As Vinkovci's city centre is a protected heritage zone, archaeological surveys are required ahead of development projects.[2]
48 artefacts of silver tableware were found, with a total weight of around 30 kilograms (66 lb).[3] They had been carefully placed within a large pottery bowl, which had been placed in a hole and covered over with dirt, accounting for their mostly very good state of preservation. The find came as a complete surprise to the archaeologists, who were used to finding small non-precious objects but had not expected making a major discovery. According to Vrkić, "It was hard to believe that it is silver, because they always find some small things, and when we find something half a meter long ... it was hard to believe that it was silver and it was ancient."[4]
The items include plates, bowls, jugs, cups and spoons. Some are adorned with gold plating or decorated with niello. Many of the artefacts are engraved with motifs depicting animals, plants, buildings and human figures.[5] One platter shows what appears to be a scene of Bellerophon slaying the chimera. Another shows a shepherd watching his flock, and may illustrate the parable of the Good Shepherd. If so, it would be a very rare subject for a late Roman silver plate.[3] Another plate bears the inscription AQVILA ANTONINVS FECIT ("made by Antoninus Aquila").[2]
Interpretation and reaction
The discovery has been hailed by Vinkovci City Museum's archaeologist Hrvoje Vulić as "one of the most important finds in Croatian archaeology, crowning 40 years of systematic rescue excavations in Vinkovci."[2] According to Richard Hobbs of the British Museum, who curates the museum's Romano-British collections, the fact that it was found and excavated in situ by professional archaeologists means that "a more perfect set of circumstances surrounding the discovery of such a treasure could not be dreamed of."[3]
The hoard was deposited during a turbulent period in Roman history. At the time Vinkovci, which was a Roman colony called Colonia Aurelia Cibalae, was one of the leading towns in the province of [[Pannonia Secunda] on the eastern border of the Roman Empire. It was the birthplace of two 4th century emperors, Valentinian I and Valens. The hoard is thought to have been buried due to an increase of insecurity in the region, perhaps due to civil unrest, political turmoil or a barbarian incursion.[2]
The quality of the items has been assessed as "good but not excellent", and they are thought to have been produced by the same hand – probably by a local workshop. The owner was evidently a rich citizen and the find is a good illustration of the wealth and quality of craftsmanship present in the town at the time..[5] Comparisons have been drawn with other hoards of around the same period – the Sevso Treasure thought to have come from Hungary,[4] the Mildenhall Treasure found in England, and the Kaiseraugst Treasure from Switzerland. The hoard includes a number of items similar to those found at Mildenhall and Kaiseraugst.[3]
Conservation and display
Many of the objects found in the hoard are damaged and tarnished but the Croatian Ministry of Culture is funding their restoration in Zagreb.[6] The finds were put in display for a short time in Vinkovci in the condition in which they were found,[5] then subsequently transferred under armed guard to the Mimara Museum in Zagreb[3] where they are to be conserved and studied.[2] It is intended that they will ultimately be returned to the City Museum in Vinkovci where they will be put on permanent display, possibly in a new building dedicated for that purpose.[6] According to the museum's Hrvoje Vulić, "This will be our kind of Mona Lisa. So you go to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, but then you look at everything else. Thus we also hope that this treasure will attract more people to Vinkovci."[7]
External links
- Vinkovačko blago – article and photogallery from the City Museum in Vinkovci
References
- ^ "Arheološka senzacija: Iskopali srebrno posuđe staro 1600 godina". Večernji list (in Croatian). 28 March 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Roman vessels – Vinkovci, Croatia". Current World Archaeology. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Hobbs, Richard (11 April 2012). "New treasure!". British Museum. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Izloženo vinkovačko blago" (in Croatian). Al Jazeera. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Flego, Miroslav (29 March 2012). "Vinkovačko blago: Zbog srebrnine policajci opkolili muzej i prilaze". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Roman silver vessels found in Croatia". Current World Archaeology. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ "Vinkovačko blago konačno pred očima javnosti!". RTL Televizija. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.