Sunken treasure of old coins discovered in the sea off Sicily

[Neil]

Italian archaeologists have recovered a sunken treasure of old coins, bronze 3422 in the small Sicilian Island of Pantelleria.

This treasure was discovered by chance during an investigation in order to create an underwater archaeological map; the pieces have been dated between 264 and 241 BC. At that time Pantelleria, which lies about 70 miles southwest of Sicily, has become a bone of contention between the Romans and Carthaginians. Roma took a small Mediterranean island during the first Punic War in 255 BC, but lost it years later.

In 217 BC, during the 2nd Punic War, Rome finally found the island and even celebrated the occasion with commemorative coins and holidays. Nanotechnology is a depth of about 68 meters, the coin represent the episode’s most likely fight the Romans and Carthaginians. Surprisingly, all the 3422 coins, show the same iconography. On the one side show Kore/ Taint, the ancient goddess of fertility, the Carthaginians worshiped in the island around 550 BC.

The coins on the other side at the end of horse shows, which surrounded by symbols such as stars, letters, and a scepter. The staff is often won in two wings and two intertwined serpents, the scepter was symbol of Hermes. Since all the parts have the same iconography, we believe that the money earned for a payment institutions.  In fact, ordinary commercial transactions include different types of coins.

Money, transport ship headed for Carthaginian Sicily, was bound to the anti Roman But something might have gone wrong during navigation. They decided to hide the treasure at the bottom of the ocean in relatively shallow water, hoping to restore it. In fact close the coins, we found an anchor stone.

[probono]

Thanks for sharing - I just love the dodgy google translate too

[dances with badgers]

nice 

[cardiffian]

Thanks for sharing Neil