Now Reading: Byzantine shipwreck yields 600g gold, largest Mediterranean haul
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Byzantine shipwreck yields 600g gold, largest Mediterranean haul
Byzantine shipwreck yields 600g gold, largest Mediterranean haul
A 1,300-year-old shipwreck off the Croatian island of Mljet has yielded 600g of gold objects, the largest haul ever found on a Mediterranean shipwreck, the Times of India reports. The cargo includes…
The Story in Brief
A 1,300-year-old shipwreck off the Croatian island of Mljet has yielded 600g of gold objects, the largest haul ever found on a Mediterranean shipwreck, the Times of India reports. The cargo includes a gold signet ring that may bear Emperor Heraclius, who ruled 610-641, and a gem-encrusted gold belt set. The state-run Croatian Conservation Institute, which has surveyed the site since 2015, says the ring could only have been worn by a high-ranking official authorised to seal documents for the emperor. Researchers believe the ship sank during the 7th-8th century, when the Byzantine Empire was at a low point. The trove also includes coins from four Heraclian emperors, suggesting the vessel carried an imperial passenger or a diplomatic delegation.
The Indian Opinion
Exciting as this find is, some coverage risks reviving the old 'Dark Ages' myth of a stagnant era. The ship's cargo of gold, gems, and trade goods actually proves the opposite: the Adriatic was bustling even when Byzantium was weak. The real story is not imperial treasure but the complex trade networks it reveals. The key test will come when archaeologists finish analysing the signet ring. Will it indeed bear Emperor Heraclius's likeness, or is the imperial link more tenuous than claimed?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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